Karen and Mark

Gawd! How I wanted to be there when my wife was served. And then I thought, why not. I was in the hall when the server arrived. I didn't know him and he didn't know me, so he just walked right past me to the office where my wife worked—the boss's office.

"Excuse me, are you Mrs. Karen Steinbeck?" he said.

"Why yes I am," she said, smiling.

I was watching from the doorway and she didn't see me at first since she was turned to speak with the server.

He handed her a manila envelope. "You're served," he said.

Her face clouded. She looked at the envelope she held in her hand and opened it. She paled and began to cry, then sob. She fell into her chair. Her boss at that moment was coming out, saw, and tried to console her. I made myself more visible. She saw me and her eyes shot open. "Mark! Why!"

I couldn't resist, sorry again dad. "You can't be serious, Karen. You have to be the world's biggest moron," I said. And I walked out.

I wasn't present, but I heard later that Jason had been served in like fashion. He actually fainted as the realization that his life was essentially over sunk in. He eventually lost everything: wife, kids, house, job, everything. I had been wrong about one thing; Karen was not the world's biggest moron; she was only the second biggest.

******

A few days later I sat in Henry's office and sipped the hot brew. "So, do you think you can help him since it's so long after the fact," I said.

"Yes, I think so. The lady has a lot of skeletons in her closet, and she is more than willing to revisit the conditions of their divorce in order to keep them hush-hush," he said.

"Get the alimony dumped," I said, "I mean if you can."

"Mark, don't you know by now that I can do anything," he laughed.

"I stand corrected," I said joining him in laughing.

Late that day I sat at the bar in the Tumbleweed talking with my new friend.

"Geezsus!" he said. "If what you say is true, you will never have to pay for another tap in here again. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. Especially since she rubbed my nose in it so bad at the time."

"Glad I could help," I said.

******

Karen ended up with nothing from our marriage, but miracle of miracles she was not fired. She'd been with her boss for so long that he let her indiscretion slide this once. Jason was history as previously related.

I met with Karen the day after the big show. I had something I wanted to give her. I knew I risked having to listen to her beg and plead, but this one was worth that risk.

"Mark, isn't there some way—I mean the children." That was a card I knew she was going to play and I shot her down.

"You have shown no interest in the children in months, Karen. That boyfriend of yours has had your full attention," I said.

"Mark, he's a good man. He's like you in so many ways. I think that's why I fell for him in the first place. He loves me too. That's why we tried so hard to make you understand. It was for you that we bared our hearts and souls. Now you have seen fit to destroy us, all of us, even the children. How could you!" The tears came again. This time she had really pissed me off. Making it all my fault! Gawd, I was mad!

"Mark, it's not too late. There's still an us if you want it. I know I can make Jason understand that you have needs too. You'll still be my number one. You're the father of my children. How could you ever be otherwise? Jason is outside of us, not part of us. I will make you a very happy man if you only give me the chance."

I was almost speechless. I couldn't even get mad. This was beyond dumb, stupid, moronic. She actually believed her tripe. She needed help, but somebody else was going to have to provide it. She was history to me.

"Karen, I came here today to see you for two reasons. One, I am going to allow you unrestricted visitation with the children, but never your lovers. I am going to give you some money to get you into a new starter apartment, but then you will have to fend for yourself. The condition for this largesse on my part is that you do not in any way contest the divorce. If you do, I will come at you with everything I have. And, Karen, you have no idea what I am capable of. Am I clear so far?"

She stared at me. It was clear she had hoped against hope that I would take her back, and that I would be okay with her keeping on with world class moron number one. Like I say, she was going to need help.

Number two are these. I pushed manila folder toward her. Please check the dates at the bottom of the photographs," I said. They were the photos I'd taken Saturday night of Jason and his chickee. She pulled them out and stared. "But these are from—"

"Last Saturday night. You are not his true love. You never were. He's a player. Have a nice life," I said.

I rose, threw a twenty on the table for the waitress, and left. She was shedding the tears of the despairing as I exited the building.