Strange Car in the Driveway - A Sequel

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The consequences of Vera's letter.
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MattblackUK
MattblackUK
1,435 Followers

In 2014 edrider73 wrote a story called Strange Car in the Driveway.

You really should read this classic piece of Literotica fiction before you read my sequel, which has been written with the permission of edrider73.

Thanks to Randi for an excellent editorial job. Any remaining mistakes are mine alone.

You'll find the original story here:- https://www.literotica.com/s/strange-car-in-the-driveway

And now, the sequel.

*****

The sound of bitter, heartrending sobs had woken Vera. They were the visceral sounds produced by a soul in torment, torn from a woman who knew she had lost everything that she had ever held dear to her, or close to her, that she knew she would never hold again, or be close to, again. Ever.

When Vera touched her cheeks she realised that they were slick with her tears and that the sobs that had awoken her had been her own.

Gary stood, stupefied, as he read the letter that Vera had placed for him to find in the envelope:-

Dear Gary,

I love you and only you, and I am not having an affair. I want to tell you that first because I know you are really upset right now. It's the same way I would feel if I were in your place.

But there is nothing to worry about.

This package is an explanation of what just happened, but before I explain, I want to tell you how sorry I am for doing this to you. I hope the whole thing didn't last more than fifteen minutes. Also, this is not a prank. Also, I don't think it's amusing. Now for the explanation.

What you've been listening to is my play, as performed by Reg and me. It got an A+ from the instructor. I told her it's fiction, but I could tell she thinks I'm really having an affair with Reg. That put the icing on the cake for me. Remember, the assignment was to write something from real life or good enough to make her think it's real life.

She loved my idea of two people performing the play on a dark stage, and that's the way Reg and I read it in front of the class. You'll hear the reaction if you listen to the end. We got a standing ovation. Afterward, I told her it was the first and last performance and that no one else would be permitted to hear the recording or see the script except her, and I was counting on her confidentiality because I knew she would never violate the university's code of ethics. It was a threat, and she understood.

The first time I met with Reg, he already knew what his play was going to be about, but I had no idea what to do. I started telling him about our life and asked him to stop me if he heard anything dramatic I could make a play about. He never stopped me.

Before we left the coffeehouse, he told me a little about himself, Penny and their kids. I joked that I felt safe, knowing he wasn't an actor. He asked me what I meant, and I told him about Kara's opinions of actors and her warning.

His eyes lit up, and he asked me, what if it wasn't a joke? What if he and I had an affair while we were working on our plays?

I asked him whether he had lost his mind, and he said something like that could easily happen, and it would make for great drama. I said I didn't think I could write that kind of play, but he said to try.

With a lot of pushing by Reg, I managed to do it. It was my idea to do it in the dark, because I was so ashamed of what I was imagining that I was doing to you. He thought that made it even better. I couldn't think of any motivation for me to betray you until he came up with the idea of turning guilt into exciting sex. That was totally sick, but the teacher and class went for it.

I told him about how you liked everything I wrote, whether it was crap or not, and I wished I could get your honest response to my play. I don't know which of us came up with the idea of the car in the driveway. He provided the speakers and the electronics and security detectors that turned the recording on as soon as you opened the door.

I went back and forth a lot of times in the last couple of days. I really wanted to know how you'd respond to the play. Would it sound realistic enough to fool you for a few minutes? I guess I'm just like those insecure, neurotic playwrights that we've been studying. I knew that if I got my wish and you really believed it, it would also make me selfish and cruel, because it would hurt you deeply. Maybe the most disgusting thing I did was last night when I manipulated our conversation. You didn't know it, but when you told me you'd forgive me, you were giving me permission to do this to you.

I was afraid you'd destroy Reg's car, so I rented a junk car from a salvage yard. It will be towed back tomorrow. I rented a sledgehammer for you, too. It's in the garage, so if you feel like it, you can pound the car to pieces. I also moved everything valuable out of our bedroom, so you can destroy that, too. You told me a couple of months ago that it was time to get a new bed anyway.

If you are in a rage, I hope you do anything you feel like to work it out. The only thing I want to prevent is you hurting yourself, or hurting someone else and going to prison. That's why your gun is in a safe place, not in the house.

Reg wanted to mount cameras to record your reaction, but I said no. We've only been listening to you through the tablet. Right now we're listening to silence while you're reading this. Reg thought you might be curious and listen to the whole play. I bet him that once he said he was naked, the door would be history. We've heard who won the bet. I'm hoping Reg and Penny owe us a couple of steak dinners.

If you didn't wait to hear the whole thing, you don't know the ending, so I'll tell you. I never do sleep with Reg. We end up talking each other out of it. It had to be at least a little realistic for me, even though I don't think the teacher liked the ending. If you want, you can read the script. It's in the envelope with this letter.

If you are up to it, you could join Penny, Reg and me at the Denny's near our house, but I don't blame you if you'd rather not. Now that I know you're reading this, I'll wait about fifteen minutes and then head home. If you feel like yelling at me and throwing things or giving me the silent treatment, I'll completely understand. No matter what you do, I deserve it.

Is there anything else you should know, since we always tell each other everything? Yes, I know you held back on your suspicions, but that doesn't count because of how I manipulated you to set you up for today.

Larry and Kara have no idea they helped me. Kara really did see me at the coffeehouse with Reg, and what she told you was completely true. She called me after she spoke to you and screamed at me. I explained to her that the first time she saw me, I was unhappy because I couldn't think of what to write, and the second time I was excited because the play was nearly finished. I told her not to say anything to you because I was under a lot of pressure to get the play done, and I didn't want to have any conversations with you about Reg until later.

The only person you know whom I took into my confidence was your boss. You won't believe how hard she tried hard to talk me out of doing this. Before she finally gave in and agreed to send you home early, she said that if I ever did anything this cruel to you again she'd come after me, herself. I swore on her Bible that I wouldn't. She felt so bad that when she apologizes to you tomorrow morning and asks you to forgive her, she'll probably tell you about your promotion and raise that wasn't going to be announced until next month. Please act surprised.

I thought we could take the kids out for pizza after we pick them up later, if that's okay with you.

And last, but not least, I love you love you love you and beg you to forgive me.

Love,

Vera

Gary had, theoretically, known what the word 'bereft' meant. But now? Now he really, truly knew what the word meant. He felt what it meant, felt it in his flesh, his bones and in his soul. He tasted it, almost.

'Bereft.' Verb. Meaning: to deprive and make desolate, especially by death. Desolation.

Vera had killed their marriage, had rendered it desolate. She hadn't done it thoughtlessly, she had done it extremely thoughtfully, with careful planning throughout, over a long period of time and with a good deal of malice, too. Doubtless she'd deny that, deny she had intended any malice, but Gary knew better. How could such an evil scheme be perpetrated without any malice?

Shit! If she did truly love him, was his loving caring wife and really did "love him love him love him" and she could do this to him, what the hell could she do to him if she ever stopped loving him, or even actually started to hate him at some point in the future?

He looked down at her tablet. He steadied himself mentally before somehow managing to speak in as steady a voice as he could manage. "Vera, Reg and Penny, what can I say? You set me up and you got me.

"Vera, I will come down to be with you and Reg and Penny at Dennys, but I'll be a little longer than fifteen minutes. After what I just went through I feel a little soiled, a little dirty, to be honest. I'll take a shower before I meet you. It'll be about 45 minutes or so before I get there."

He reached over and turned her tablet off. There was no reason for her not to believe him, he thought, so he'd probably have an hour at least for him to do what he needed to do.

He walked to the built in wardrobe, and from the top shelf removed a large suitcase which he put on the bed; he opened it and carefully, but with speed, ("more haste, less speed" he thought to himself) and put in enough clothing for a week or so. He was still in his business suit, so that needn't be packed.

He closed the suitcase and carried it downstairs into the hallway.

From the home office he removed his Macbook, charger and his phone charger and put them in his laptop case. Almost as if it were an afterthought, he went back to the bedroom and retrieved the letter and the package Vera had left him. He took that downstairs and placed it in his laptop bag, zipping it up and placing his bags on the back seat of his car.

It had taken just under twenty minutes to clear himself out of the smouldering ruins of his marriage.

He drove away from the house, unsure exactly of where he was going or what he would do. He just knew he had to quickly put distance between himself, Vera and their nuked marriage.

"God!" He thought. "What about the kids? The bitch hadn't considered our three children at all, save for a throwaway line about taking them out for a pizza. Stupid bitch," he cursed.

He parked in a residential street several blocks away. He picked up his cell phone and dialled the number, not of Karen, his immediate boss, but of Thomas Stewart, the founder and owner of Thomas Stewart Techmatics.

Thomas Stewart answered the phone on the second ring saying: "This is Thomas Stewart, what can I do for you?"

"Thomas, this is Gary Conlon. I work as a senior manager under Karen Harper."

"Hi Gary. Good to hear from you. What can I do for you this evening?"

"Sir, I have to offer you my resignation. Something has happened between me and Ms Harper that made me realise I no longer have a future with the company."

Thomas sounded nonplussed. "God, Gary, this has come as a shock. Especially so soon after your promotion a couple of months back.

"Can you please at least tell me what happened between you two? Last time I was at your location you both seemed to be getting on very well together. I had great plans for you, well, for the both of you. Can you please tell me what's happened to change things? And knock that 'sir' shit off, okay? It's Thomas to you!"

"Thank you, Thomas. Karen has broken my trust in such a way that I can no longer work with her, and because she's such an asset to the company, I feel that I should resign. I never received that promotion. I was never even told about it, until it was mentioned in a letter my wife just left for me to read, that is."

"Gary, please give me the Cliff Notes version of what's happened."

Gary told Thomas what had happened and how Gary's boss, Karen Harper, had become involved in helping Vera to progress her plans.

Thomas cleared his throat and said: "What are your immediate plans, Gary?"

"Tonight I'm going to look for an inexpensive motel room to spend the night and tomorrow I'll look for a lawyer. After that, I'm not sure what I'll do."

"Gary, there's no need for you to find a motel room, and I am not accepting your resignation. Here's what I want you to do. Go to the downtown Marriott Hotel and book yourself into the Thomas Stewart Techmatics suite. They'll ask you for a password, it is 'Guest of Thomas'. There's dedicated labelled secure parking, so use that before you go to reception.

"I know you'll probably want to tie one on and get a few drinks inside you, only natural, in fact, but I am going to ask you to refrain from doing that, 'cause I'll want a breakfast meeting with you at 7.15am at the hotel. I know you might not want to do this, but I'll need you to send me over a copy of the letter your wife sent you. Can you do that, please?"

"Sure, Thomas, I'll send it from the hotel."

"And Gary, don't worry about hiring a lawyer for your divorce; our corporate legal team will handle all of that for you. It's under the terms and conditions of your contract, so you'll not be responsible for a penny of the cost, because of what Karen did. She very stupidly made this a company issue."

They said their goodbyes and Gary sent a text message to Vera. 'Not going to make it to the Denny's. Tell the kids I love them. I'll see you when I am calmer. I need time away from you. Let Reg and Penny know I am thinking of them.' He didn't sign it. He hoped Vera would spot the irony in his message for her new 'friends.'

As soon as he had confirmation that it had been sent, he turned off his phone.

After he got to the hotel, parked his car and had registered, he used a scanner in the hotel's business centre to copy Vera's letter and email it to Thomas.

He went to his room, got undressed, poured himself a couple of miniature brandys from the mini-bar (OK, it wasn't exactly a small measure) and went to bed.

Under the circumstances, he slept surprisingly well.

The next morning after he showered and shaved he turned on his cell phone. He had been expecting it to be filled with voice mails and text messages from Vera. Shockingly, there had been no calls from her, not even one missed call.

He shrugged as he pocketed his phone and headed down to the breakfast room for his meeting with his boss.

Thomas was already there, sat at a table with a coffee and a light breakfast. In his hand he had a printout of Vera's letter.

He stood and gave Gary a fatherly hug. "This is bad, Gary. Really bad, and I'm shocked Karen managed to get herself caught up in this bullshit. Anyway, you go over to the buffet and grab yourself a coffee and some breakfast because we need to have a serious meeting about what our next steps are going to be."

At 9.20AM Karen Harper arrived at her office and was irritated that her usually efficient secretary, Janet, who had been with her for ten years was not at her desk in the outer office. She hadn't actually expected Gary Conlon to turn in for work that day, she allowed herself a chuckle at that idea, but Janet's absence she could not countenance without a damn good reason.

She shook her head and set her face in a grim scowl. She thought: "If she wants to get canned she's going about it the right way!"

She opened the inner door to her office and was shocked to see that there was already somebody sat behind her desk. Thomas Stewart, the owner of the company.

"Mr Stewart!" She gasped out. "I'm sorry, but I didn't know you were going to be here today! I'm sorry Janet isn't here. Maybe I'll have to let her go."

"Maybe you'll do no such thing," he replied, steel in his voice. "I asked Janet to take the morning off because I have some private matters I need to discuss with you. Sit down."

Karen sat down, heavily. Being on the wrong side of her desk and in the chair she had carefully chosen to put people at a disadvantage made her feel nervous.

Her intuition, which was normally good, had badly let her down on this occasion. She knew that Mr Stewart was mad about something, but she was clueless as to what it might be.

He withdrew a sheaf of papers from his briefcase and passed them over the desk to Karen. "This is a copy of a letter that Vera Conlon wrote to her husband, Gary. I need you to read this letter all the way through without commenting. Tell me when you are finished."

Karen read the letter with a growing sense of dread. She thought: "That silly bitch! Shit! Shit! Shit! How the hell am I going to extricate myself from this?"

She returned the letter to Thomas. "I have finished the letter, Mr Stewart. What is it that bothers you about a private matter that doesn't, if I may say, concern you or the company?"

"Don't give me that crap, Karen! Of course it concerns me and my company! You met with the wife of a colleague of yours in your capacity as his manager and supervisor! You discussed confidential company matters with her, regarding his promotion. You dragged me and my company into this shitty mess, so please do not insult my intelligence by claiming this has nothing to do with me or my company! When you acted in your capacity as Gary's manager you were not involved in a private matter!"

He paused before continuing. "As soon as Vera told you of her plans you should have spoken to Gary about it, or at the very least appraised me as to what his wife had planned.

"I gave you explicit orders to give Gary a promotion and a pay rise two months ago, but you didn't follow my orders, you delayed giving him the promotion in order to fit it in with the fucked up plans of his wife to make him think she was cheating on him! You were sort of bribing him to not divorcing the stupid woman!"

He gave Karen one of his piercing stares. "Or were you just using Mrs Conlon for your own ends? You decided to thrown the bone of Gary's promotion to her to give her something to work with, something to assuage her guilt and give her some resolve to carry out the plan?

"You must have known that when Gary found out that you were involved in the scheme to make a fool of him that he wouldn't be able to work with you and would have to resign.

"The thing is, you would have wanted him to get that information in a controlled way that was safe for you, possibly she'd make a heartfelt verbal confession to him, but you couldn't have known that Mrs Conlon would have been stupid enough to put it all down in a letter of confession that implicated you in her dirty little scheme!"

Karen realised she had nothing to lose so she replied: "I helped her because I didn't think Gary was ready for his promotion!"

Thomas shook his head. "Damn! Now I see it! You felt threatened by Gary and the promotion that I ordered you to give him! You figured that I would be able to use him to squeeze you out of your job."

She mumbled something about "misogyny" and "the patriarchy" to which Thomas snorted, derisively. "This had nothing to do with 'misogyny' or the 'patriarchy'! Yes, I was grooming Gary to take over your place here, but only because I needed to make sure your role here was left in good, capable hands, after I had promoted you to a position on the board of directors."

Karen gasped in dismay.

He shook his head. "That's not going to happen, now, ever. There's no way that I could trust you to join the board, or even to continue with my company in any capacity, for that matter. You might not have noticed, but I have had all of your personal effects in this office removed. They're being held in a box down on main reception for you. I am not using the "hire and fire at will" aspect of employment law to fire you. I am terminating you for gross misconduct and moral turpitude, and your replacement will be Gary, so, ironically, your plotting brought about the result you were so afraid of.

MattblackUK
MattblackUK
1,435 Followers