How High A Price: A Sequel

When he would get to the point of actual intercourse it was all about him, he would go wild, bucking and thrusting in an almost maniac frenzy, but he was never prolonged. Every entanglement ended the same way, John would reach his orgasm, tell her how great that was, give her a peck on the lips roll off of her on to his side facing away from her and go to sleep for 2-3 hours. By Friday morning Susan realized that, truth be told, Early was both noticeably more graciously endowed, and had a much longer stamina, but the excitement of the relationship and the newness of their coming together drove her to continue.

Thursday evening Susan had begun to worry that her rendezvous had been discovered when she couldn’t get Early at his hotel, she had been told he had checked out, she had called to talk to him while John slept after their evening interlude. She finally contacted Early on his cell phone, it seemed the company he was negotiating with moved him to their site, and so her secret was still safe. She was upset that she had to lie to her husband but he just wouldn’t understand why she had to thank John this way, after everything he had done for her and her career. Besides, if Early didn’t know, things would be fine for everyone.

The last time they had sex was Friday evening, so Saturday even though John had tried to motivate her for one last time, she had rebuffed him, “I told you two days only,” kissed him showered and got dressed and left around 9:30am. As she made her way home she was thinking to herself, “I’ll make Early’s favorite supper and dessert tomorrow. I need to clean up, she thought giggling to herself but once my man gets home I’m going to ravish him; for the rest of the weekend,” she smiled. Everything’s back to the way it was before. For some reason she started thinking about a close friend of hers who had confided in Susan years ago, after her own affair. She said,” Susan, don’t ever try it, don’t even think about it, no one has any idea justhow high a price they will be required to pay when it comes to light, and itwill come to light. You will be required to pay every last dime of the bill when it is presented.” Her friend eventually lost her marriage, both of her kids, her home, and was even let go from her job. Well, Susan thought as she opened the door to her own house, you only get the bill if you get caught, then went inside.

Susan lay awake sometime late Saturday night or early Sunday morning, the tears just kept coming and the pain was so intense she thought she would pass out. She had listened to Early, a few hours ago in the other room as he cried out his pain. She prayed for a chance, a miracle second chance to show him, prove to him, that it was him she loved, him she wanted, and him that she needed as her husband. Her own words of the last two nights haunted her, “It will be very lonely in that big bed without you,” it was far lonelier, alone in that bed than she could have ever imagined. She rolled over and faded off into a troubled sleep.

She awoke to the smell of coffee brewing, her body was sore, her mind was numb, and her heart ached. Climbing out of bed, she made her way to the bathroom, after she took a quick shower and was drying off, she noticed a cup of coffee on her bedside stand, and she smiled. Then looking at the bedroom, much to her dismay, she realized the king sized bed had been broken down and removed. Early was working on the two full sized bed frames he had purchased apparently sometime that morning. Susan looked out the bedroom door and into the spare room across the hall, stood the disassembled pieces of their bed leaning against the wall. Now a stark visual reminder of the excruciatingly painful changes that had been made in their lives.

The separation of their sleeping space had always been the ultimate taboo for both of them. She suddenly understood as the new beds were being brought in and assembled just how close to loosing him she was. That thought shriveled her soul, what had her pride, her all consuming desire to get ahead done? She watched as Early finished the assembly of the beds, it was breaking his heart to separate their bodies like this and she knew it. She watched him as his body shook and tears fell unashamedly from his face, but he forced himself to complete his task.

By late afternoon Susan had the clothes washed and put away for the week, the intimate apparel properly disposed of in the garbage. She also had made up the new beds, every time she looked at them she prayed, “Please God, a second chance.”

Both she and Early were in the kitchen cleaning up when the doorbell rang. Early said, “I’ll get it.”

As he walked up to the door Early quietly looked through the peephole, it was John Stickner. Early shook involuntarily, turned without answering the door and returned to the kitchen, he said,

”Susan, John Stickner is here, do you want to see him?”

Susan who was lost in her own turmoil at his question, thought about it for a moment then nodded her head yes. Early stayed in the kitchen out of sight, but where he could still hear the conversation. He realized exactly how angry he was as Susan walked passed him to get the door, she was obviously not happy either.

Answering the door on the third ring Susan spoke so abruptly it took John by surprise, “John, what are you doing here?” she snapped, the irritation in her voice clearly evident.

John backed down the two stairs mumbling, “I was getting worried you didn’t answer your cell phone voice mails that I left?”

Susan who was clearly upset said, “Correct John I didn’t answer, and I won’t ever again, I never want to see or hear from you again. Early came home unexpectedly, Thursday evening he knows everything.”

John’s eyes grew large, “ He didn’t harm you in anyway did he?”

“No!” Susan spat back, “unlike you, he loves me too much, and is also too much of a gentleman for that!”

She drew a deep breath and continued, “You and I caused all the hurt, my foolishness has all but crushed him!” “Yesterday I thought through the last six months, and all your little games.”

Susan was now so mad she was shaking as she attacked the man who had so callously provoked and manipulated her into willfully violating her wedding vows. “Oh, you are very good, planting that idea aboutthe special thank you, something we both can share, and it was a masterful stroke. All this time I thought you were helping me out of concern for me, for our friendship, for the Firm, it was all a ruse to get into my head so you could get me into your bed. I feel cheapened, dirty, and the sight of you absolutely disgusts me.”

John Stickner’s whole countenance changed, his eyes grew narrow almost slits, his mouth drew out into a nasty snarl, he faced Susan starring directly into her eyes.

“I was honestly amazed at how easy you were, but in my experience over the years I have found women with low self esteem, or in long term relationships are the easiest. You girls with long-term partners become so comfortable with your situation you let your defenses down, you’re used to allowing your Mrs. to fend off unwanted advances.”

His smile was now more of a grin an adult shows a child when teaching them a lesson they won’t soon forget, as he continued his rebuttal.

“ Oh you may blame me, but in truth My Susan, you desired your dream to become a Partner, to be a success, more than your marriage, more than your husband.” John allowed a silent pause to highlight his point, and then continued. “You thought your dream had passed you by, but in February I saw it in your eyes, you were willing to give up anything to achieve that goal, you were so willing to thank me!” Susan now was trembling at the revelation of her own selfish desires.

John turned to go then almost as an afterthought looked back at Susan and said,

“If you want to stay in the V.P. position you covet so, or move on to a Partnership past the one-year point, then you’ll continue to share your very special thank you’s with me on a regular basis, until I tell you differently.” Susan stood in her doorway stunned at the cold-hearted arrogance of the man in front of her. His face had drawn back in a haughty now very obvious smile of victory. He had the same smile on his face a week ago in the office and four days ago when she showed up at his house. It had all been a trap, and she had walked in and placed her head and neck in the executioner’s noose herself.

Susan knew at that moment he had played her like a fiddle, exposing a weakness not even she herself had been fully aware of, she stood and looked at him in numb silence.

John turned and paused sarcastically saying to her, “ See you in the morning… Lover,” he blew her a kiss, went to his car and left.

She closed the door fell to her knees wrapped her arms around her stomach and cried.

Early had stayed in the kitchen long enough to hear Susan say it had been John who had put the;you owe me a special thank you in Susan’s head, and that John had saidshe was an easy game. Early made a mental note after the last comment, that shot would come back to haunt John Stickner. As Early took his tea and went outside onto the porch, a small light suddenly burst forth in the blackness that was Early’s soul…. Hope had made its presence known. He tried to focus but the events of the last four days still had his mind in a whirlwind, his emotional state was tenuous at best, “ Ok” Early said to himself “focus.” He pictured Susan at her sister’s anniversary party last summer. How she looked, how she smelled, the touch of her lips, the gentle sway of her hips as they had danced to all those old 70’s songs and had so much fun. They even walked around the community lake sharing all kinds of things, serious, funny or just plain silly.

He heard Susan’s voice; “Early, Early”, the memory faded and the pain came rushing back. Opening his eyes, he was looking into Susan’s terror filled eyes. “Please!” her voice chocked with emotion struck his consciousness, “ Please, tell me what your thinking.”

Early looked at his wife, despite all that the last 96 hours had done to him mentally, emotionally, and physically; she was still his wife and he still loved her, no matter what, for better or worse, and he could think of nothing worse than this.

Early said, “my whole adult life, whenever I’ve had an issue, a problem, some confusion, or an anger point with people or things. No matter how mixed up, unfair, heated or emotional the situation, I could always go talk to my counselor, my consort, my caregiver, my lover and my best friend, I could talk to my wife.” He took a deep breath fighting back tears, “and in a few short hours they have all been forcibly stripped away from me. I have never felt more confused or alone in my life.”

Susan was kneeling next to him, “I am so sorry my love for what I have done, I want to come back to you, to us, to bring all those people back to you, to me,” she whispered. “I will do anything for as long as it is necessary to heal the wound I so heartlessly inflicted in you, our relationship, our marriage, and myself. I’m begging you please give me the chance. I do love you, I love you so very much, despite what you believe right now.”

Early said nothing, his heart had just done a flip-flop, she had said the magic words, and he could see in her eyes, and tell by her touch, her voice, that she was telling the truth.“I want to make this work, I want to come home, and I love you so much.“ Taking a deep breath, sunlight had just broken through the raging storm inside of him, and quieted the desperate cry of his heart, she was still his, and he sat starring at Susan not fully comprehending.

Susan waited for Early to answer her for a long time, nothing! She stood, “I have some things I need to type up, I’ll talk to you later,” squeezing his hand she went to the French doors to go inside. As she touched the handle to turn it, Early gently touched her shoulder; startled Susan jumped, which caused Early shout in surprise.

“Early!” Susan almost shouted, “You scared me half to death,” she touched her hand to her chest and exhaled forcefully.

“Sorry,” he replied he took both of her hands in his, a look of contentment slowly spread across his face, she gave him a weak smile back. Then he took a chance and said,

” I agree!”

Susan, waited to process that comment for a moment, then allowed her lawyer side to come out, “agree to what?” she asked.

Early smiled at that comment which was so much her lawyer side; he also noted how good it felt to smile again. He spoke firmly and with all the resolve, he could muster.

“ I agree that I believe your telling me the truth; that you want to come back to me, to our relationship, our marriage, that you want to make this work and will do whatever is necessary to work this out. I also believe that you still love me, and I reciprocate those feelings.”

“However, we and our marriage are very sick, and despite the hope you have put back in my heart, all of it could still crumble in front of us,” Early chocked back-unexpected tears.

Susan pulled her hands free, grabbed her husband, wrapped her arms around him, and buried her head in his chest. Early clutched her back for a moment out of reflex, then out of desire, holding onto each other like a drowning man would a life ring. Susan whispered in a voice thick with tears, “If you’ll just hold on to the little bit of faith and hope, my selfishness has left us, I’ll find us the right doctor.”

Early stroked Susan’s hair, he replied, “There are a couple of things you need to do for me…for us, this week,” he stated.

Susan replied, “Okay, Early, whatever it is I’ll do it.”

“First you cannot ever see John Stickner again, outside of a controlled professional setting,” he said.

Susan nodded and said, “I took care of that issue a few minutes ago.”

Early replied, “I know, but I had to express it to you.”

He continued, “I also need you to look around for the names of some reputable marriage counselors, as will I, we will compare notes on Wednesday night and decide on who we will start therapy with.” Susan nodded her head yes.

“You also need to go to your doctor, have her check you over, head to toe, even with a condom you aren’t 100% protected.”

Susan felt his body tremble at the mention of her having sex with John, and it broke her heart, she whispered, “Early I’ll get checked!” Susan’s mind was now reeling, what if he has a disease. I was so caught up in my own foolishness, so used to loving Early; protection never crossed my mind. He could have HIV and I was his willing receptacle.

Early’s voice brought her back to the present, “Lastly, you need to go in earlier than normal tomorrow and tell Mr. Jenson what went on!”

Susan looked up at her husband, “I don’t know if I can do that… I’m not ready” She hung her head in shame.

Early lifted her face towards his as he said, “Let’s go into the Kitchen.”

When they got to the kitchen Early put his cup in the sink, turned and said,

“Susan, please look at me.”

She caught his gaze, his eyes said volumes, he wasn’t trying to embarrass or humiliate her, he was solving a problem for her, “Why tomorrow, why can’t I wait to work up the nerve,” she asked?

Early answered, “Because Stickner will try to get to Mr. Jenson as soon as he can and do a spin doctor on the affair.” Susan winced at his use of that word.

Susan thought about what her husband was suggesting he had attacked her marriage, and her, now he would try her job; it was easy to see the pattern. She looked at Early, “Will you please come with me, for morale support?”

“Yes!” he responded.

She looked at him; “You heard what John and I said to each other today?” Early nodded. “Why didn’t you come out with me?” she asked.

Early exhaled and replied, “After I heard him admit he had planted the idea of the special thank you in your head, and how easy of a target you had been. If I had come out after hearing that, I would have killed him, and he could not have stopped me.”

Susan shuddered at the flat matter of fact tone her husband had used. In all the years, they had known each other she had never heard him say anything like that, and it scared her.

Early saw the fear in her eyes and said with all the love in his heart, “I know you’re not blameless in this and there will be many painful issues we have to work through together. However, you are my wife and no one will get away with hurting you in that way, whether it was the truth or not, I will get involved… to protect or defend you.”

Susan, looked at her husband, her loving admiration for him glowed in her eyes, she whispered, “ I have to type some things on the computer for awhile, when I’m finished will you play a few games of cribbage with me before bed, please?”

Sighing, he nodded his head and replied, “Yea! I’d like that, I’d like that a lot.”

Susan hugged him, then headed off to the den. Early watched her go, then sat in his recliner thinking about her request. In all the years, he had known her, when they had been at odds or frustrated with one another, other people, life, or just wanted to enjoy each other and talk, she had pulled out the cribbage board and cards. She had called it neutral ground years before and the moniker had stuck, the game held the promise of some normalcy for the both of them in a time of utter confusion. He drifted off to sleep thinking about last summer at his sister-in-laws again.

Later that evening they shared soup and sandwiches as they played three games, with Susan winning the tiebreaker. When they finished both of them felt the deep emotional bond of friendship that had always been the foundation of their relationship. There was a sense of relief for both of them as they identified that bond; right now, every positive thing in their lives no matter how small meant a lot.

At 7:00am, the next morning Early and Susan Conroy stood waiting outside the door of Mr. Ira Jenson, senior Partner of the Esteemed Law Firm of “Jenson, Sharone and Anderson.” They didn’t have long to wait as Mr. Jenson showed up at two minutes after seven, he greeted the unexpected, but never the less welcome guests and ushered them inside. Early gave Susan a squeeze of the hand for encouragement, then allowing his wife to follow Mr. Jenson the remaining 50 feet into his office, Early sat down in a chair to the left of the doors.

Susan sat facing Mr. Jenson, who prepared and served coffee, then settled in to hear what she had to say. Soon Susan was crying, Mr. Jenson retrieved a hand towel for her, then looked at Early and asked, “Mr. Conroy would you be so kind as to step out and tell Margie my Secretary to hold or reroute all my calls or scheduled appointments this morning until I tell her differently. Then rejoin us, please.”

Early did as was requested of him, and Margie listened to his message then closed the door behind him after he reentered. Once the doors closed again, Mr. Jenson looked first at Susan then at Early, he bowed his head and with the gentleness and wisdom of a grandfather said.

“Susan, Early, I am so sorry that you two are in the midst of this terrible situation. I am even more upset that it was a Partner, the infamous Mr. Stickner that has been the architect of the whole mess.” Mr. Jenson looked at both of them then with a sigh continued, “ I am positive that Mr. Stickner is responsible for the loss of my former executive secretary as well as three other bright exceptionally gifted young Accountants or Lawyer’s of this Firm. Yours however is the first such indiscretion I have received first hand knowledge of from the other party.”

“Susan is he attempting to hold the possibility of a Partnership over your head to keep you in line, to continue the relationship?” Susan nodded, Mr. Jenson patted her on her hand, “You just keep up the work you are doing, you will have no problems with future promotions. I have to admit I was a bit disconcerted when Mr. Stickner asked me to give you the Melrose Account I thought it was paramount to a no win situation. I am sorry Susan, if I had thought it over more I probably would have said no, but I was more concerned with the impending birth of our newest grandchild, our daughter has had a difficult time with this pregnancy.”