The Cost: IOU

"Once we had access to his room, we made sure the dead bolt was defective and waited for him to fall asleep. We used a spare key to get in and made sure to relock the door when we left. We were all disguised, but our 'leader' was in special garb."

Burt couldn't help but start laughing again.

"Kenny, you remember James Gibson? He's a lodge brother from our Miami chapter."

Kenny nodded. He'd only met him twice, but Mr. Gibson was definitely memorable. Most six and a half foot tall, muscular, ebony-skinned, bald men tend to get noticed. Those who knew James, saw past his intimidating exterior and knew he had an easy-going personality with a wicked sense of humor.

"Well I cashed in a couple of favors and flew him in for that weekend. Damn, Kenny, when James dressed up like a voodoo priest with a painted on skull face, he scared the shit out of all of us, and we knew who he was! I can't imagine what Jerry thought when he woke up with four hooded men holding him down and gagging him. Then to have James draw fake voodoo signs on his bare chest with a chicken foot and blood?"

Burt howled in delight.

"Then... then..." Burt said trying to catch his breath. "James mumbled some fake Jamaican sounding curse on him. Dammit, Kenny, I've never seen a man's eyes bug out like my pathetic son-in-law's did that night. James warned him not to go to the police, or he'd wake up one morning castrated. He warned him to sign the papers and be out of the city before dawn's light or the curse he'd just place on him would shrivel his hands and feet along with his dick."

"I can't believe it worked," Kenny smiled, shaking his head.

"Well we were planning several other things to play on his superstitions but our visit must've been enough. Jerry was gone before the morning sun ever touched his motel room door. Like I said, no one ever claimed he was the brightest.

"All we had to pay for was additional cleaning to his room. Well, that and replace the bed mattress, since Jerry had shit all over it!"

Both men laughed until they had to wipe away a tear or two. Kenny thanked his father-in-law, but was told it wasn't done just for him. Kenny admitted it felt good knowing others were looking out for Jill.

Kenny spent the next month focusing on his work and avoiding Leslie. Her calls and confrontations had dropped off, but hadn't stopped. More disconcerting, was that she was getting angrier and angrier as their divorce plodded through the courts. Kenny distracted himself with his duties at the lodge. One of his duties was to interview potential scholarship winners for the lodge.

That's why Kenny found himself on the outskirts of town that day. It was basically a formality, but he was scheduled to interview an eighteen year-old high school senior named Samantha. The lodge had selected her to receive one of their scholarships and he was doing the final interview with her. Even though it was basically a formality, Kenny needed to make sure everything on her application was legitimate.

He was meeting her at a café that was owned by her family. According to her application and previous phone interviews, she'd been raised by her grandparents after her mother had run off. Her grandparents had owned the café up until their deaths, two years ago. After their deaths, Sam's Aunt Amanda had returned back to the area and taken over the café and raising the teen. Sam had been living with her aunt in their family home outside of town and working in the café since then. They weren't starving, but there certainly wasn't enough money to send Sam to college.

The teen's grades were outstanding up until her grandparents deaths, but had suffered badly afterwards. She'd just recently begun pulling her grades back up. The lodge's scholarship would help cover the cost attending the local community college. It would help her make a fresh start. That was something Kenny could easily relate with.

When Kenny had previously spoken with Sam, he'd realized she was quite an impressive young lady. She was polite, but certainly bold and had a very engaging personality. She was funny and very flirty. She was also more mature than he'd expected from a girl her age.

He recognized her immediately when he entered the café, even though he'd never met her. Her laughter and smile filled the place. She hopped from one table to the next, making sure each customer had what they needed.

They'd agreed to meet well after the lunch rush, but there were still several customers lingering. She greeted him with a big toothy smile and they went and sat in a corner booth, away from everyone.

Kenny was taken back by the girl. Besides her delightful personality she was quite attractive. She was taller than he'd imagined. He guessed she was about five foot ten with curly raven hair and sparkling green eyes. She had the lithe body of youth, but had the curves that hinted of having quite the attractive figure as she matured.

They talked for the next several minutes as Sam confirmed her interests and information. Her grandparents had died in a car accident, and her aunt had moved back home from Florida. She and Aunt Amanda got along wonderfully and bonded even more after their loss.

When Kenny questioned if she needed to get back to work, she assured him her aunt had told her she was covered. Kenny noticed a dark-haired, squatty woman with a warm smile behind the counter. He was slightly surprised, since the woman didn't resemble Sam very much and she appeared older than he'd expected.

He thought he'd remembered Sam saying her aunt was the younger sister of her birth mother. Actually, he thought she was supposed to be only six or seven years older than the teen. The woman behind the counter looked like she was pushing forty. Kenny didn't get the opportunity to ask before he heard a commotion behind him. Turning, he stared at Leslie storming over to them with fire in her eyes.

"You hypocritical bastard!" Leslie screeched. "So this is why you won't even talk to me and try to work on our marriage? You couldn't even wait until the divorce was final before replacing me with this child? What did you do, troll the high schools to find her?"

Kenny felt blood rushing to his face as his anger began to boil. However, before he could respond he was interrupted by Sam's overly dramatic gasp.

"Oh my god!" she squealed in a mock little girl voice. "You mean me and him? I mean like... eww! He's so old. I mean like... he's got to be thirty!"

Kenny looked at Sam and saw the sparkle in her eyes. He fought back a smirk. Her distraction had helped him control his anger. He turned back to Leslie and replied in a cool, controlled voice.

"Les, this is Samantha, one of this year's scholarship winners."

He watched as Leslie's entire demeanor began to deflate like a balloon. Shaking slightly, she leaned on the table with one hand.

"I... I'm ..." she stammered.

"Yes I know," he interrupted, "you're sorry, but like I've told you before that's not going to fix anything. The reason I'm not fighting for our marriage is because it's dead. You killed it by cheating on me, and it wasn't just me you betrayed, you slept with your own brother-in-law!"

He heard both women gasp. He looked over at Sam and saw all the playfulness was gone from her eyes. In its place was something more like... pity. That thought made Kenny's stomach sour, and the anger that had been kept in check rolled forth. He turned back to Leslie and the look he gave her made her recoil. Missing, was any love or kindness towards her.

"And to answer a few of your other questions," he seethed, "I'd have had to go to an elementary school to find someone as selfish and shallow as you are. I'd be hard pressed to find a supposed loving spouse who would destroy their own marriage and one of their sibling's, as well, just because she could!"

"You're right," Leslie said with tears starting to stream down her cheeks. "I was a selfish bitch! There's no excuse for what I did. But, Kenny, I can change. Please don't do this to us. I love you!"

"Love me? LOVE ME?" Kenny yelled. "You've got to be kidding right? Tell me, Les, where was that love when you were destroying your sister's marriage, the same sister who basically raised you? She's the same sister who sacrificed most of her life for your sorry ass!

"What did she ever do to deserve that from you? Did you love her while you were fucking her husband?"

Leslie stared at him in horror. Never in her darkest nightmares had she ever considered Kenny would air out their problems in public. However, now she stood in front of him as he spewed their private pains and betrayals for all to see.

"Make no mistake, Les, I didn't do this to us, you did! So tell me, Les, did you love me when you were planning on letting me get you 'preggers' quickly, so you could get your fuckbuddy 'back in the saddle'? What kind of love is it that looks forward to having some piece of shit lover spew his cum all over our child? What kind of sick bitch would ever call that love?"

Leslie fell into an empty chair weeping. She was soon gasping as she began hyperventilating.

"Kenny... please," she wheezed. "I'm sorry... please!"

"I told you, Leslie, you being sorry really doesn't mean a damn thing! Other than maybe make others question if you're really the heartless monster I know you are. What confuses me the most is how you could be so stupid as to think I'd EVER want to be with you again after all of this.

"Simply put, Leslie, this isn't about you anymore. There's not a damn thing you can say or do that can even begin to make up for the damage you've done. There is no way to make it up, there is no 'do over.' I hope 'knocking off a piece' was worth both marriages because that's exactly what it cost. There's no more us; you've killed that. So get over it!"

"No!" she wailed. "We can... fix... this."

"Just breathe, Leslie, before you pass out and make an even bigger scene."

Kenny's face was flushed with anger, but took on and even deeper look of rage as he took a deep breath and glared at Leslie. His look made her pause and her huge eyes stared into his with a painful understanding.

"I've told you before and I'll keep telling you," he growled menacingly. "You don't get to love me anymore. Now...

"FUCK OFF, YOU HEARTLESS, CHEATING BITCH!" he screamed.

Leslie was shocked by his pure rage at her. Any delusions she might've harbored were now gone. Their marriage was dead and all that was left was the painful aftermath. Overwhelmed, she stood abruptly and fled the café, sobbing.

When she was gone, there was an eerie silence in the café. Kenny looked over at Sam and saw her wide-eyed, stunned expression. He immediately realized every eye in the café was now on him and his face began to flush again.

"I'm so sorry," he gently stated. "That was very inappropriate of me..."

Sam's face contorted before she burst out laughing. Her laughter was disarming and contagious. Soon Kenny saw smiles on many of the café's patrons and even felt a small one beginning on his own face.

"Sir," she said peering into his eyes, "there's nothing to apologize for. At the most, you've provided more excitement than this place has seen in years!"

"Maybe so, but I feel like I need to apologize to your aunt. Would you mind calling her over?" he said looking over at the woman behind the counter.

Sam's face froze as she fought back another laugh. Finally, she composed herself.

"Sure," she said grinning broadly, "I'll go get Aunt Amanda. She's in the back working on the books."

She saw Kenny's confused look. Nodding toward the smiling woman behind the counter, she explained.

"That's Mrs. Hobbs. She and her husband were friends of my grandparents. They've worked here for ages! Now I'll go get Aunt Amanda."

Kenny sighed as he watched Sam get up from the table and hurry back behind the counter. He stared down into his coffee and tried to wrap his mind around what had just happened. He wondered how long this nightmare would keep resurfacing.

He knew he'd been cruel, but Leslie wouldn't let it go. He was done with the marriage and knew it was time to move on. It was like what he'd told Leslie that night; he'd start looking for someone to share his life and he'd start looking soon. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts he didn't hear them approach his table. Sam clearing her throat brought his attention to the two women standing in front of him.

"This," the teen said proudly grinning, "is my Aunt Amanda."

Kenny looked up and was stunned. Standing there was a shorter, curvier, mature copy of the attractive teen. Her raven tresses flowed over her shoulders and she had the same dancing green eyes. He was momentarily stunned.

Kenny stood up and stumbled through the introductions. The two women joined him at the table, and Kenny began to apologize again.

"Please," Amanda said warmly, "don't think any more about it. Your apology is accepted, but isn't necessary. Actually it reminded me of my last conversation with my ex-fiancé right before I moved back here!"

They all laughed and any tension or awkwardness was soon dispelled. Soon Kenny and Amanda were talking easily with each other. Neither realized they were now effectively ignoring Sam. Sam cleared her throat again and they stopped then smiled sheepishly.

"Well," Sam said as she leaned towards Kenny. She placed her elbows on the table and rested her face in her hands.

"Well, I wanted you to know I lied to your wife. You're not that old, just experienced. And since I'll soon be in college, I'm eager to further my education. Maybe you could teach me some things?"

Kenny choked on his coffee as Sam smiled sweetly. Amanda arched her eyebrow at her niece.

"Well," Amanda cooed, "I've been out of college for a few years but I'm always interested in Continuing Education."

Kenny choked again, much to the delight of both women. He stared into two pairs of mischievous green eyes.

"Samantha," Amanda said authoritatively. "I believe Mrs. Hobbs could use a little help behind the counter."

"Yeah, right," Sam said, rolling her eyes. "Okay, Auntie, I'll go take care of the customers while you two sit and stare at each other for a while. Well, at least until he finally asks you out!

"Sir, thank you and your lodge for the scholarship. You won't be disappointed.

"By the way," she said laughing as she walked away, "The café closes at nine. My aunt can be off before then, since she's the owner."

"Quite a young lady," Kenny said smiling and shaking his head.

"Yes she is," Amanda chuckled. "She's a real handful some days. Well okay... most days!"

They both grinned before letting things fall into an uncomfortable silence. Amanda looked at Kenny and smiled warmly.

"She's also pretty smart," she continued. "I am off at nine most nights."

"Amanda," he said softly, his smile fading. "I'm in the middle of a divorce right now..."

"Yeah, I sort of heard," she said, bursting out laughing.

Her response brought Kenny's smile back to his face. It was the first time he could remember smiling while talking about his pending divorce.

"Listen," she said gently, "why don't you come by some night after we close and we can sit and talk. I'll even provide a slice of pie and a cup of coffee. That way, we can get to know each other a little better and maybe even become friends. Then, after your divorce is final, we can see if we want to take it any further than that."

He studied her quietly for a moment before he smiled. In front of him was someone special, someone he wanted to get to know better.

"I'd like that. I'd like that a lot."

The following month was surreal for Kenny. He'd taken Amanda up on her offer and dropped by the café a couple days later. He was surprised at his comfort-level with a woman he'd just met. They sat and talked, initially about general things, but soon they were discussing their most recent relationship disasters.

As Kenny described the collapse of his marriage, Amanda was genuinely empathetic. She'd seen her own engagement crash upon the rocks when she decided to return home. Her ex-fiancé had remained in Florida. Even though she'd tried to make it work, he decided he wasn't interested in a long distance relationship and broke things off with her.

At first, Kenny stopped in one or two times a week, but it soon turned into an every other night occurrence. As he looked forward to his talks with Amanda more and more, his hurt and depression surrounding his failed marriage became less and less. Kenny wasn't sure where his relationship with Amanda would go, but the promise of it seemed to be healing more of his broken heart every day.

Besides his visits to the café, he continued meeting with Jill. She knew about Amanda and Sam before he even told her. Apparently, Leslie had been watching him and was lamenting her fears and frustrations to her father, who in turn had mentioned it to Jill. Jill thought it was karma. Giving him a small kiss, she'd told him she was happy that he'd found someone special to talk to.

Kenny told her he already had someone special to talk to, but it was nice having two beautiful women to confide in. Jill blushed before giving him a huge hug.

When his divorce was final, he asked Amanda out on an actual date. She accepted with a warm smile and told him to come over to her house Saturday night for dinner. Afterwards, he could take her out dancing.

Kenny began laughing when he arrived at her home that evening. He'd never been there before, but he immediately felt at home. Amanda and Sam's house was an older two-story farm home on a several acre lot. It had a huge front yard and a large garden in the back.

The old farmland appeared to have been sold off, since the property was now surrounded by new housing additions. The thing that brought the biggest smile to his face was the big wraparound porch. It was definitely a family house.

Karma, Kenny thought and smiled.

****

Epilogue -- six years later

Kenny sat on the porch swing and watched the little raven haired girl playing on the swing set in the yard. He sighed deeply and smiled.

"What are you thinking?" asked a warm, soft voice behind him.

"Just remembering," he said smiling.

He'd been pleasantly surprised he'd been able to find peace so quickly after Leslie had torn out his heart. Of course, his new wife had a lot to do with that. He knew he was one of the fortunate few that met a beautiful young woman during his divorce who ended up being his new wife. It read like a fantasy.

Others in his life were doing well, also. Kenny's words had been prophetic concerning Jill. Even before the divorce was final, there were guys calling and asking her out. She had quite a few suitors after the divorce. She ended up marrying a guy a few years older than her who happened to be a lodge brother. He treats her like gold and she's extremely happy. She's already given him two sons and Burt is an ecstatic, doting grandpa.

Burt, Jill and her family stayed close with Kenny and his wife. They even brought the kids out to the 'farm' at least once a month.

Not surprisingly, none of them ever heard from Jerry again.

Leslie hung around town for a couple years. She dated some, but the stigma of her reputation caused most to be classified as disasters. Her relationship with her sister never recovered. Jill learned to be civil with Leslie, but they were never close again.

Leslie's relationship with her father remained fairly strong, although he wouldn't tolerate any of Leslie's self-pity. He'd also shut down any negative talk concerning Jill. Leslie still frequently kept in touch with him after she left town.

Burt had recently mentioned to Kenny that Leslie was trying to turn her life around. He said she'd started seriously dating a nice guy. Kenny thanked him and said he hoped she'd really changed. Secretly Kenny doubted it, since it's hard for a leopard to change their spots. Still, hope seems to spring eternal in most parents' hearts.