If I Don't Show Up

Tom had apparently been summarily discharged and was facing divorce from his wife. She was using the videos to make sure that Tom paid out the nose but would not have much visitation with his children.

As far as they knew Marsha was staying at the house and was still employed. They wanted to know if Jayce was going to contact her. Jayce let them know that his therapy team had encouraged him to reach out to Marsha and offer her help and that there was a chance for reconciliation. It would be hard after watching how easily she was swayed into the entire debacle.

He planned to stay in his boyhood room for the near future even if he decided to reconcile. His trust in his wife was at a low point. Also, Tom would be looking for blood and might be watching to see when he would show up.

Marsha answerd on the third ring. "Hello" was all she said.

"Marsha, this is Jayce. How are you doing?"

"Oh, my god, Jayce, is it really you? Where are you? When are you coming home? I have so much to show you and tell you. Please hurry, Baby, I need you so badly." Her comments went on and on without pause to allow a response. Finally after she ran out of breath Jayce tried to answer.

"Look, Marsha, I am safe and in town but I don't think I will be coming by the house just yet. I fear that Tom might be looking to harm me and might be watching the house. Could you meet me at the diner that we went to when we first started to date after I got my driver's license? And can you bring me some clothes and my cell phone?"

Epilog

They met and Marsha agreed to therapy. After intensive therapy she realized what her actions did to Jayce. Jayce still had occasional nightmares, especially when, while sleeping Marsha would suddenly roll over and grab him and hold tight.

Marsha also had many nights when she would wake and wonder if Jayce was still missing. She needed to touch him constantly to reassure herself that he was real and with her.

Jane finally left Marsha alone. During the 30 days that Jayce was in the mental health facility she had successfully blackmailed Marsha into being her sex slave. She had made Marsha get a few tattoos that suggested she was a lesbian slave and made the nipple bars a reality. She only quit when Jayce had visited the office concerning his lawsuit about the violation of the morals clause by Tom. Jayce had sought her out and gave her the message that any further contact with Marsha would garner a severe reprisal. It might include a visit to the deep part of a lake. Jane decided to change jobs.

Tom was prosecuted and sent to prison for 20 years. The jury was shown the videos that Tom had taken that weekend and only took an hour to come to a conclusion. Most of that hour was spent electing a foreman. The judge wasn't sympathetic to the defense attorney's pleas for clemency.

Bill and Jerry weren't prosecuted for anything. They were just guilty of taking advantage of a situation. Even Marsha agreed that they had not drugged her. They didn't know the wine was spiked. That was all Tom's fault. They didn't get off scot free though. They were fired and had a hard time getting new jobs. Bill was married and his wife also took him to the cleaners. He was sleeping on Jerry's couch and fending off Jerry's advances. He was beyond tired.

Jayce also had occasional bouts of erectile dysfunction. He and Marsha would be making out and suddenly something, a word, a look, or a sound would remind him of the weekend and he was done for the night. Nothing Marsha did would get him back hard and ready to shoot. He was getting better but very slowly. Sometimes when his cock would fail to answer the call Marsha would burst into tears and move into the guest room for a few days.

They decided to hold off on children for a while to make sure that they were going to stay together. One day at a time was their motto and was painted above their door into their living room.