Grab Life by the Balls

The parade was enjoyable and entertaining. There were a few very well done floats but the majority of entries were local businesses who used the parade for free advertising. Personally, I enjoyed a lot of the antique cars, tractors and equestrian entries. The parade was so long that it lasted for well over two hours.

Afterwards Shannon, Nick, Jake, Bridget and I headed over to the huge carnival to sample some food, rides and games. We had just gotten there when our group ran into some unexpected company.

"Patrick?" I turned to see that it was none other than my ex-wife, Clarissa.

"Clarissa," I said, smiling and feigning some charm. "What a surprise."

"Mom!" The boys ran over and each hugged her simultaneously, which elicited a smile that actually resembled joy, though somewhat melancholy, too.

"Hey, boys! What a neat surprise!"

"We just got done watching the parade and we're going to the carnival. Wanna come along?" Jake asked eagerly.

"I'd love to, but I'm waiting for some people. We'll be over in a few minutes, okay?"

"Okay, Mom," Nick answered.

"Here, Nick," I said, handing him a twenty dollar bill. "Why don't you go get some ride tickets and we'll be over in a bit, too. Take Bridget with you and take her on a ride, too."

"Sweet! Thanks, Dad! See you over there, Mom!" And they all three ran off like a shot.

"Bye, Mom!" Bridget called back to Shannon. The three kids absolutely adored each other. I hoped it would last as Nick and Jake seemed genuinely protective of Bridget and viewed her as a little sister.

"We'll meet you by the bumper cars," I yelled after them. "And, Nick, make sure you share with your brother and Bridget!"

I turned back towards Clarissa. It dawned on me that Clarissa and Shannon had never met.

"Clarissa," I started, sheepishly, "this is Shannon Sullivan...my fiancée. Bridget is her little girl."

Clarissa smiled but I could tell she bristled a bit when I said fiancée. "It's very nice to meet you, Shannon. I've heard many good things about you from Nick and Jake and they adore Bridget. She's the spitting image of you."

"Thank you, Clarissa," Shannon said. "Nick and Jake are absolutely awesome young men. I can tell you are an incredible mom."

"Thank you, Shannon. And I just have to say that you are stunningly beautiful."

"Thank you," Shannon blushed. "I was just gonna say you look amazing yourself," she gushed.

I distinctly remember another conversation earlier this week that sounded eerily similar when I introduced Shannon to Tonya Fulbright-Hayes. I really, really, really hoped that my ex-wife wasn't about to start crushing on my new fiancée. That could be incredibly awkward.

And incredibly cool in away, I suppose.

"You said you were waiting for some people?" I interjected, hoping to chill the girl talk.

"Yes. Actually," Clarissa said. "Here they come now."

Oh, shit. I looked in the direction that Clarissa was and was absolutely floored to see who was approaching. It was none other than my former mother-in-law, Ms. Caroline Bennett and her significant other, Martin Belmond.

I was actually genuinely surprised, in a good way, to see those two. The third member of the party was someone I was NOT happy to see. And that individual was a gentleman by the name of Tom Wellington, a local businessman and the man who ran against me in my inaugural run for sheriff.

"Patrick! My God! Is it really you?" Caroline rushed up and embraced me firmly.

"Yes, it is," I replied, forcing the air out of my lungs from her bear hug.

"You look absolutely incredible."

"Thank you, Caroline. I'd like to introduce you to my fiancée, Shannon Sullivan."

"My goodness, you're beautiful! Pleasure to meet you," was all she could say.

"Thank you so much!" Shannon blushed.

"Where are my handsome grandsons?" Caroline demanded.

"They ran ahead of us over to the carnival. I think they wanted to get a head start on the fun."

"Patrick!" Martin Belmond extended his hand to me and I shook it eagerly. I genuinely liked this man. "I was sincerely hoping we'd get a chance to run into you on our visit. It's quite fortuitous that we got to meet."

"It is indeed, it is indeed. Martin," I said, turning toward Shannon, "I already introduced Caroline but this is my fiancée, Shannon Sullivan. Her little girl, Bridget, ran ahead with Nick and Jake over to the carnival."

"A pleasure, Shannon," Martin said, extending his hand.

"Likewise," Shannon said.

"It is very nice to meet you, Shannon," Caroline said, shaking hands too. "Nick and Jake absolutely raved about you when they visited us at Easter."

"I absolutely adore your grandsons, too, Ms Bennett," Shannon replied.

"Oh, stop with the formalities!" Caroline half-chided, smiling. "Please call me Caroline."

"Okay, thank you, Caroline."

"Well, well, well," Tom Wellington said, strolling up behind Clarissa and placing his arm around her waist as a sign of male ownership. "If it isn't our esteemed sheriff."

"Hello, Tom," I mustered. It was all I could do to be polite. The idea of Clarissa dating someone had crossed my mind often and the thought never bothered me. At least, that is, it didn't bother me until I heard that she began dating Tom Wellington. Tom was a man that I could only describe as a cooty. He was a fairly successful local businessman who apparently thought that business success could automatically equate to being sheriff. After all, being a cop can't be that hard, can it?

"So what brings the good sheriff out of his office high atop the courthouse on this lovely day?" God, he was a condescending prick.

"The same as you, Tom. Just enjoying the festival along with my family. By the way, allow me to introduce you to my fiancée, Shannon Sullivan."

The next moment was priceless for me. My ex-wife, Clarissa, was still a very good-looking woman at 5'6", blond hair that she had obviously recently re-colored, and possessed a trim athletic body. But Clarissa couldn't hold a candle to Shannon's statuesque 5'10" frame, perfect hour glass shape and incredible D cup breasts and gorgeous face and complexion. The cocky 'cat-who-ate-the-canary' look Tom had on his face while trying to flaunt his relationship with Clarissa quickly disappeared when he took in the site of Shannon. The fact that Shannon had on a white cotton tank top, Daisy Dukes and a pair of stylish flip-flops showing off her freshly painted nails was enough to stop any man dead in his tracks.

Best of all? Clarissa saw and immediately gave Tom a death stare.

"Pleased to meet you, Shannon," Tom said, offering his hand and wearing a really stupid grin. He just went from successful businessman to Neanderthal in one fell swoop.

"Come on," Caroline said, breaking the ice. "Let's all stroll over to the carnival and see what the kids are up to. It will give us girls a chance to get to know one another."

"I'd like that," Shannon said.

"Me, too," Clarissa said, softening a bit. But not before she gave Tom another glare.

Tom Wellington kept pace with Clarissa, the two of them holding hands. But Clarissa didn't appear to be any more comfortable with even the slightest public displays of affection than she had been when we were married. It looked as though she tolerated it with Tom but not much more than that. I hope the poor bastard knows what he's getting himself into.

Martin Belmond and I slowly sauntered our way over to the carnival behind the girls and Tom. Doing so gave us a chance to catch up a bit on our own.

"So how are you and Caroline doing these days?"

"Well, it's funny you should ask that question, Patrick. Things are going quite well for us. There have been some new and interesting developments that have really taken our relationship to another level, I must say."

"Terrific! You look great, by the way. Considerably slimmer than the last time we met in Minneapolis."

"Indeed. I've lost over 60 pounds. In fact, because of my newfound health, my physician has been able to drastically cut back on many of the various heart mediations I had been taking. In fact, I'm also no longer taking insulin for my diabetes but am able to control it with diet, exercise and non-insulin medications. I feel better than I have in years, Patrick."

"That's incredible, Martin."

"Yes, it is. And, if I may get a bit more personal, it has also resulted in my physician being able to finally prescribe some medications that have allowed Caroline and me to enjoy a physical relationship now instead of just a deeply emotional one."

"Really?" I was genuinely surprised, mostly because of Martin sharing this with me than anything. Thank God for modern medicine, I suppose.

"It isn't perfect, by any means. Sometimes it works well, sometimes not as much. But it has at least taken that part of our relationship from non-existent to at least occasional."

We continued to stroll along with the others towards the festival. People could probably hear us but no one was paying attention, too absorbed they were in the sights and sounds of the festival.

"Of course," he continued, "I still allow Caroline to enjoy certain proclivities outside of our own bedroom activities. While we are able to consummate our feelings for one another on occasion, it certainly isn't frequent enough to truly keep a woman as vivacious as Caroline completely satisfied. She limits her activities and enjoys them only with individuals who are thoroughly vetted by people I trust to ensure safety and the utmost discretion."

"With all due respect, Martin, how does that make you feel?"

"Patrick, you're an incredibly intelligent man, even though you don't give yourself enough credit for it. So permit me to pay you the compliment of being blunt even at the risk of sounding brash and arrogant. I'm a self-made man, Patrick. I made my first million less than eighteen months after graduating from the Wharton School of Business. Ten years later, I surpassed a net worth of 100 million dollars.

"Now, I'm sitting at a comfortable net worth of nearly 650 million dollars and it continues to grow daily. I've accomplished everything that I ever set out to do. In short, Patrick, I have nothing to prove to any man on what it means to be a success in life and I need validation or approval from no one."

"I understand," I said.

"I knew you would, Patrick. So when it comes to my relationship with Caroline, I take comfort in knowing that I can provide a life for Caroline that she never could have dreamed of with any other man. And, in a very real way, I still can provide the sexual fulfillment that she needs - whether it's with me or someone of my choosing."

"I have to say I admire you for that, Martin. I'm not sure I could be so trusting and confident in that regard."

"Things change as we get older, Patrick. I've learned to look at things from a different perspective. My first wife, Sophie, died of cancer, as you well know. I have the relationship with Caroline that I do because of the relationship that I had with Sophie. Sophie and I did it right. I loved her from the moment I met her until the day she passed away in my arms in that hospital bed.

"I care for Caroline, deeply. I'm quite sincere in that regard. But Sophie will always be my wife, in my mind. Sophie was truly my soul mate. Caroline and I can be something special when we are together. But we can also remain confident and secure in our relationship with one another even when we're apart. I deny her nothing and expect only her love and companionship. I'll provide everything else she needs."

"You're an amazing man, Martin."

"Caroline and I both think you're an amazing man, too, Patrick. Caroline still thinks quite highly of you. She was genuinely pained by what happened between you and Clarissa. She truly felt you deserved better. Neither Caroline nor I hold Tom Wellington in as high esteem as we do you, Patrick. For what it is worth, you will always be very special to Caroline."

"Thank you, Martin. That means a lot."

We continued our stroll towards the carnival to catch up with the ladies and Tom. They had managed to gain quite a lead on us as Martin and I visited.

"So, how are things in the ever exciting world of law enforcement?"

"Things are going well, I must say."

"I imagine it is quite different being the king instead of a pawn, so to speak."

"Yeah," I chuckled, "it definitely is. But in a good way. I'm currently putting together my budget for next year as well as a proposal for a new public safety center that I am hoping can get put up for a public referendum either this year or next. This year might be pushing it, but I can always hope."

"What does this new facility consist of? And is there any way I can help to bring it to fruition?"

"Well, since you ask, it would be a multi-department facility that would house a new sheriff's office, a Red River Falls police headquarters, and a new fire station for the city of Red River Falls. Additionally, it would also contain a new county jail that would increase our capacity from 40 inmates to nearly 300 inmates. It would be a facility that could potentially serve the needs of many interests. We have also looked at incorporating a public wellness and recreation center, as well, and the National Guard is even considering attaching a new armory to the complex."

"Sounds quite ambitious, I must say," Martin said.

"It is. It is going to take a lot of politicking to get it done. Even though I hold an elected office I've never been much of a politician."

"Everyone finds themselves a politician from time to time, whether we like it or not," Martin mused.

"I would agree. I just don't have much of a taste for it."

"Have you got a plan for financing it?"

"Well, I'm off to a start as we qualified for a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant by incorporating a public emergency shelter in the facility. That grant alone will help offset the cost by nearly $3 million. But we have a ways to go on the rest."

"How much do you think it will cost by the time it is completed?"

I let out a long sigh. "All told, it will probably cost between $30 and $40 million by the time it is done."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" he asked.

"Yeah," I chuckled. "Can you give me a grant?"

"Absolutely, I can give you a grant, Patrick. If you'll allow me to, I can have your public safety center completed in a year. I have made it a point to support numerous public safety agencies with my charitable foundation over the years and have purchased needed equipment and facilities for many departments."

"That sounds amazing, Martin. And I truly would welcome the help. But I couldn't ask you to pay for more than half of it. I feel strongly that the public needs to take some ownership of it as well."

"I agree also, Patrick, and for the exact same reason. If given too much, some individuals will expect it every time and will do nothing to merit it."

We arrived at the carnival and met up with everyone near the bumper cars. Nick and Bridget were riding in a car together while Jake rode by himself. Judging by the smiles and screams and laughter, they were having the time of their lives.

"Well," I said, extending my hand to Martin, "this has been one of the most promising and productive walks of my life. I want to thank you for your generous offer. And I would like to submit an actual proposal for a grant, too, just to make it official. I want you to know every last detail about the project from the moment we break ground to the minute the paint dries."

"I'd like that, Patrick. Any time you need anything, please don't hesitate to call."

"Thank you, Martin."

"It was nice seeing you all," Clarissa said, "but I think we're going to head over to Riverside Park to catch the arts and crafts fair. I said goodbye to the boys already. I'll pick them up later this afternoon around four. We're going to join Mom and Martin at their lake home on Lake Osakis, if that's all right with you."

"Absolutely," I said. "I'm sure Nick and Jake will have a blast."

Clarissa gave me a somewhat sad smile and turned towards Shannon. "It was very nice to meet you, Shannon." And then, unexpectedly, Clarissa leaned in for a hug from Shannon. It was a longer embrace and I could tell that Clarissa was whispering something in Shannon's ear.

Once Clarissa and her group had left, my curiosity got the best of me.

"What the hell was that all about?" I demanded.

"Relax, Patrick. Clarissa and her mother were both incredibly nice."

"Even so, what was with the chick hug?"

"Patrick, she told me that it was nice meeting me and that your boys both adore me. Then she made me promise her that I wouldn't treat you the way she did."

Mind...blown.

"Really? She said that?"

"Maybe she's learned her lesson, Patrick. Maybe she isn't the cold heartless bitch she used to be. Give her a break. She's still your kids' mom."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right," I said, softening a bit.

"And, by the way, I can only hope that I look as good as your former mother-in-law does when I'm her age."

"Yeah, me too," I laughed, hugging her and squeezing her.

"I'm sure you do, Mister Quinn, you evil seducer of mothers-in-law. I sure hope you don't lust after my own mom that way!"

"Not a chance, although your mother is very hot for her age."

"Oh, my god! You DO lust after her!"

"Not gonna happen, babe. Not in a million years. You're the only one I lust after from here on out!"

It was true. I had, indeed, previously been seduced by, and subsequently seduced, my own mother-in-law. It was well after my then-wife Clarissa had been deep into a long-term affair with my predecessor and previous boss, Sheriff Bud Roberts. Probably doesn't justify my behavior, it was just one more bad decision of many bad decisions that were made by quite a few people back then.

And, yes, I had confessed everything to Shannon after we had started seeing each other. We agreed that we wanted to be completely transparent with one another. So one evening, over some great food and a bottle of wine, we completely cleared the air on our respective sexual histories with the ground rule that we would remain completely open-minded and non-judgmental. It was also with the understanding that once spoken and out in the open it was not allowed to be fodder for any future arguments.

With Shannon, her side of the conversation was pretty simple. She had only been with one partner previous to me and that was Bridget's father, William Raymond Jackson. And I actually had the dubious honor of being able to say that I had killed the one previous sexual partner of Shannon's, which I had done after he had attempted to kidnap his own daughter.

My confession took a little longer and was fairly pedestrian for a guy, or so I thought. At least that was until I got to the part of Caroline and I. Shannon had sat on the edge of her seat as I told her of my brief and torrid affair with Caroline. To my surprise she eagerly asked questions, some of them quite detailed and intimate. I held back nothing. I figured if this was my one chance to get it out in the open, then I wanted Shannon to have absolutely no doubt in her mind about what happened and the fact that it would never happen again.

Nothing sexual happened between Shannon and I that evening. I think it took her a while to digest everything she had heard. But a few nights later, Shannon was absolutely insatiable and literally tried to fuck me into another dimension. Moreover, she was pretty much that way for the remainder of the week and for the week after, too. Our lovemaking was still pretty raucous but not like it had been after my confession.

Now that she had met Caroline face-to-face I could only hope that perhaps it had sparked something yet again in Shannon to repeat those amazing two weeks.