Jack Bell: Redux Ch. 02

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Jack quickly got behind the wheel of his rented car and almost instinctively ran the route to the home he had shared with Karen. He just hoped that she would even let him enter the house. " Would she even let him see her," he wondered. Had the break been too traumatic for her, would she talk with him?"

It wasn't long before he pulled into the driveway. He strode up the walk and onto the porch. "God," he whispered to himself. "It seems like yesterday since I've been here," but he realized that it was actually almost two years. Seeing the light in the living room window, he automatically peered in.

His stomach clenched and his heart almost stopped. There before his eyes he saw Karen fucking a guy on the sofa. Tears came to his eyes and he shook, trembled as he recognized the finality of it all. He then realized that she had every right to fuck anyone she wished now. They were not married, she was single and her life was her own. He recognized that all this was true, but he still felt crushed as he watched them screw.

He suddenly narrowed his eyes and looked closely. Karen didn't seem to be participating. Her limbs hung loosely and her head lolled back, jerking in tempo to the man's movements. "What the hell," wondered Jack. "Is she drugged or drunk?" The longer he looked, the more he became convinced that what he suspected was true. Karen had no idea what was happening to her.

Jack moved quickly to the front door and found it locked. He looked around for something to smash it open then suddenly realized that he still had the key to the house on his keyring. Opening the front door, he immediately entered the living room and stopped in shock when he discovered that it was Frank Kemp who was ravishing his ex-wife. Without conscious thought he swung his fist, putting everything he had behind it, at Kemp's head. He felt his fist connect and heard bones snap. Pain shot up his arm and he feared that he had broken something in his hand.

Shaking the red haze from his eyes, he saw Frank slumped on the floor and Karen laying motionless on the sofa. She was trying to heave. Quickly moving to her, he pulled her erect and steered her to the downstairs power room. He make it just in time as she heaved again and vomited heavily into the toilet bowl. He held her as she emptied herself. He held her still as she dry heaved, again and again, until exhausted, she collapsed in his arms.

He led her into the den, grabbed a throw from the leather couch there and wrapped her in it. He then lowered her to the sofa and watched her curl into a fetal position. She rocked and moaned.

Returning to the living room, Jack saw Kemp still lying in the same position. He moved to the phone and called the number given to him by the Lt. with the local bunco squad. It didn't take more than 10 minutes for them to get there. A medical team was right behind them and they quickly examined Karen and took a small blood sample.

Jack turned to find that the Treasury agents were coming through the door. He was informed that Kemp, in addition to all of the other charges, would now be charged with felony assault and rape. Frank wouldn't see the outside world in some time. Jack was also informed that Margaret Schuller had been taken into custody and would be formally charged the next day.

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Karen woke with a throbbing headache. She staggered into the bathroom and fumbling with the container took three aspirin. Looking at herself in the mirror, she was aghast. "Hell, I look like something the cat dragged in."

Her eyes were bloodshot, her hair in total disarray, and, she suddenly noticed, she was totally naked. Her mind attempted to make some sense of it all. What happened? The last thing she could remember was having dinner with Frank Kemp. Everything afterward seemed to be a blank. "Damn, did I get drunk," she wondered. "Oh no, don't tell me that I had sex with him," she wailed to herself.

She turned and quickly entered the shower, feeling just a bit better as the hot water played over her skin. Scrubbing herself, she tried to rid herself with soap and water of the suspicion that that was what had happened. After the shower and a vigorous scrubbing of her teeth, she put on a terry robe and make her way downstairs.

Going through the living room, she saw someone huddled on the sofa. Gasping, tears came to her eyes as her suspicions seemed to be confirmed. "Oh my God, what have I done. I actually fucked him. I've got to get him out of here."

She moved to the sofa and shook him by the shoulder. Jack wakened with a start and turning around saw Karen standing there with a stunned expression on her face. She felt that she was dreaming, this is a hallucination, this is not reality. The whole morning seemed to be surreal.

He swung her legs from the couch and stood. "Hello Karen, I'm sure that this is a shock to you. Please, sit down and let me try to explain what has happened."

Seating her in the chair opposite him, Jack then took the next hour telling Karen the entire story. He had debated whether to tell her about the rape, but decided that she had to know everything. It took that long because of Karen interrupting with countless questions.

Karen suddenly broke down and sobbed. Jack moved to her and clumsily attempted to comfort her. "It's ok now, Karen. No one will hurt you, I promise."

Karen raised her head in wonder. "You saved me, Jack. You came to my rescue. Coming here as you did, saved me from..... who knows what could have happened to me. Why, Jack. Why were you coming home?" asked Karen.

Jack stood there, speechless. He tried to articulate what he was feeling, but found himself tongue tied. He held his hands out helplessly.

Karen suddenly leapt up and into his arms. "I don't care, I don't care, Jack. I don't care why you came home. Just tell me that you'll stay. Just tell me that you won't leave again. Please, Jack, don't let me go - don't ever let me go."

Jack held her, tears running down his cheeks. "I won't, Karen. I won't ever let you go again," he murmured.

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It wasn't easy, reconciling. There were may times when they became discouraged and disheartened. But with help of friends, Karen's sister Kate and Dr. Steen they overcame the bumps in the road. They were able to realize their dream. "Grow old with me, the best is yet to come."