Unter

Laurel sighed and continued. "That kind of thing has already been done a number of times; but, I guess when Newlies, like these guys and gals first get underway, they let their excitement about an idea overtake their willingness to do their basic research into possible competition."

Then she looked at me and said, "What?"

I evidently had let a grin slip through as I heard her use the 'Newlies' term when addressing the efforts of this young and energetic new-start software company and its rookie developers.

"Nothing, Sweetie," I said. "I just hope that you can help them to get up to speed quickly."

* * * *

I had been holding off for two weeks since the Unter app had downloaded to my Smartphone. Except for that search routine that I had run only once in Winston-Salem the previous weekend, I had not examined any of the other features of the app.

I was shooting the shit with Wick as we met in the break room at Odyssey, when he gave me an insight into the Unter app that I had not realized was there.

"Dude, whenever I am feeling my way along initially among likely candidates, I just use the Flirt feature," Wick told me.

When I Wick gave that 'what-the-fuck-are-you-talking-about' blank expression, he grinned and continued.

"Man, this app is sort of like Ashley-Madison-On-The-Go," explained Wick as he used a reference to a well-known service that scandalously and openly specializing in promoting online extramarital affairs. "You can get into Flirt mode, and it opens up what looks like a sort of chat room; and I guess that's what it really is," my friend said to me.

"You aren't actually making a date yet, so you aren't over the physical cheating line yet either; you are simply using this feature to sort of feel each other out online -- you know, to get to know each other a bit better, beyond what you see in your respective Unter profiles, especially since you told me that neither of you has posted a current photo as of yet."

I thought about that for the rest of the day. That evening, I remembered that Laurel had said she would be quite a bit later than usual in getting home because of work with that new team temporarily in town. I had grabbed some Popeye's chicken on the way home, so I wouldn't have to cook.

I sat there in the den after throwing out the supper trash. My phone was on the arm of the overstuffed chair in which I sat. I thought about what Wick had said about this 'Flirt' feature of the Unter app.

Did I really want to do this? What would I learn if I did? What would be the result if I learned that something was truly amiss in my relationship with Laurel?

I knew that, as part of her work, Laurel often signed up to use some service for which she was helping a software company develop an app. This let her get into the look and feel of the app so that she could better evaluate how the new company was implementing XLT's Zirka framework. She could also offer helpful recommendations concerning functionality and presentation features that could help the young developers improve the app; either before roll-out or shortly afterward.

Could this PackLover721 simply be Laurel's participation in the development aspects of Unter; and not really indicate her actual participation in online sexual meetings with strangers? Could it be something that harmless ... well, as harmless as one could be when it came to an app such as this without losing yourself in the questionable morality behind it?

I picked up my Smartphone and touched the Unter app icon to start the program. I did the search once again, but the active female users within the local area did not show PackLover721 as active nearby. On a whim, I spaced my thumb and forefinger out on the map on screen and pinched them together across the screen's surface. The map coverage area zoomed out to allow me to see upward of twenty small pink buttons representing female users across the region.

I did a specific search on PackLover721 and the map feature zoomed in on the south side of Durham, just about 15 miles away from our house in Cary. I sought out more information about the specific location of the PackLover721user icon and I saw the app return the address for its location. A quick check of Google Maps told me what was located at that address.

It was the Doubletree Suites Hotel!

I activated the Flirt feature with an invitation to chat with PackLover721. I had created a profile, with Wick's help, that helped me appear to be someone from well outside our home area. I had made it look as if I were from Tulsa, Oklahoma; and I had chosen the handle of Sooner8888. Wick told me that women liked to see the 8s in a user name.

"Why is that?" I had asked him.

"Because 8 is the text shorthand for oral sex; women really love a man who ain't afraid to eat pussy, especially one who is really good at it," Wick had answered with a grin.

My musings on that former conversation were interrupted by a response to my request to flirt from PackLover721. My heart started pounding in my chest as I took a breath and read what was on screen.

PackLover721: You pinged? Don't have much time. On a date -- but he's late.

Sooner8888: Saw your profile. Interested. In the area for a couple weeks.

PackLover721: Wait one.

I watched the screen and the cursor in the text box just blinked as I sat there for what seemed like an hour, but was actually only about a minute-and-a-half

PackLover721: You have a short profile. Recent membership date. First time?

Sooner8888: YES, for doing this by phone. But, NO, for doing 'this.'

I figured I would let her think that I was a 'player' who was only now getting help with his 'hunting' by getting into the mobile online networking side of all of this.

PackLover721: Well, welcome to the 21st century and the high-tech era of 'getting it on.'

Sooner8888: So I see. This Unter stuff is really amazing!

PackLover721: Just wait till you get used to some of the advanced features. You will really get to appreciate the app's elegance once you learn more about its nuances.

Now she was sounding like a PR press release on the Unter app. Even though my brain was trying to tell my heart that this was really someone other than my wife, Laurel, this online chat conversation was sounding more and more like the bragging of a proud software developer.

Yes, it reflected the mindset of someone who was thrilled that her software development efforts were making her cheating efforts easier. And it was doing so by means of an app that was the product of her own high-tech skills.

Sooner8888: New at this; sorry if awkward.

PackLover721: It's okay. I love breaking in newlies.

There was a pause as I could not type out anything else when I read that. I simply turned the phone off at that point and took a deep swallow of wine from the glass I had next to me.

I just shook my head and said softly to an empty house, "Shit!"

* * * *

I was asleep when Laurel finally made it home sometime after midnight. I guess I was so worn out from the emotional drain on me from the developing situation that it had a similar effect on my physical self. The first awareness that I had of Laurel's presence in bed was when the clock went off the next morning at six.

I was now on the phone with my brother, right after I had given a brief morning update report to my boss on plans for my next trip out to Spokane. After all, my work still demanded my presence and my efforts on behalf of Odyssey's clients, despite the personal difficulties that I was experiencing.

Right now, this morning, I just had to speak to my brother and let him know what might be happening and how I was feeling about it. He was my biggest supporter in life and had always been the best male sounding board for life issues that I had needed in order to work things out in the past.

"I really hope that I AM mistaken, Mike," I replied to his statement. "But, there are just too many points of convergence for this all simply to be a coincidence. I mean when you consider how the app service works, the company trademark on the screen, the user name for the female subscriber here in the Raleigh/Cary area ... and even the manner in which she chooses and uses her words." I paused to get myself together before I got too emotional; either angry, or sad, or both.

"I need to find out," I said with a tone of certainty and determination, "and I want you to help me."

"Hey, Brother Mine, you know that I will help you in any way I can," Mike responded; and then he paused for a few silent seconds. "But you know this affects my own marriage too. I mean, if you and I somehow are involved together in exposing something that might affect Laurel adversely ... well ... Marilee; hell, the entire Redmond clan will descend on us with fire and scunion, regardless of her innocence or guilt. You realize this; right?"

The implications of what he was saying hit me like a shot.

"Shit, Mike," I said to him, "I don't want my mess causing you any heartburn. I mean, with you and Marilee; or with both of us and Hoke and Daisy." I was talking about how our mutual in-laws, the Redmonds, would react to all of this if it all went to shit; and it was looking that way right about then. Knowing Hoke Redmond, Marilee and Laurel's dad, it wouldn't be pretty ... especially for Mike and me.

"Well, you know that they are not going to allow their babies to suffer in any way, even if it is simply embarrassment over some sexual indiscretion." Here, Mike put on an airy stereotype vocal impersonation of a grand Southern dame, "It simply ..." distinct inhale, "is not done in our circles."

Despite the seriousness of the situation, we both ended up chuckling at his vocal caricature.

"Well, I guess I need to enlist some backup for the both of us. We will need some corroborating testimony from someone else besides you and me, if this all really does go to shit; as it seems to be looking right now," I added. "How about if I bring in Wick to help?"

Mike had first met Wick at my graduation, and then again at Laurel's and my wedding. He also knew Wick from a couple of my company's informal social events that I'd hosted at my place, with Mike and Marilee in attendance.

"Yeah, I think that might work out better." Here he paused and I heard him sigh and let out with, "Shit; just shit."

* * * *

So, here we were three weeks later ... at the Raleigh Marriott City Center, Room 312. Mike and I were standing in the room's main area, just past the short vestibule, nervously waiting for the dreaded knock that would signify the beginning of the end of a marriage. Wick Pettigrew, our designated witness and event recorder, appeared somewhat relaxed compared to Mike and me. He held the video recorder in his hand with its switch set to stand-by mode.

"I will really be glad when your days of traveling are over at Odyssey," Laurel had told me two nights earlier. Putting on a fake South Jersey accent, similar to that of Marisa Tomei in the role of Mona Lisa Vito in the movie, 'My Cousin Vinnie,' Laurel stomped her foot and said, "My biological clock," stomp, "is ticking," stomp, "like this," stomp. I had looked over at Laurel with very wide eyes at her comment.

"You really mean that you are ready for us to start a family?" I had asked somewhat surprised. "What about all the exciting things that you are up to your elbows in with all of your software development efforts? I thought your job was all the excitement you needed in your life right now."

I guess that I had said the wrong thing, as Laurel frowned. In fact, the expression around her eyes showed that she was feeling a bit hurt by my comment.

"Grady," she'd said softly, "while I really enjoy what I do at XLT, you should know by now that work is not my primary source of excitement." Now she really did look upset. "Don't you still feel excited about our marriage?"

The question, coming as it did out of the blue, and coming on top of what had been on my mind lately concerning questions about my wife's possible infidelity, caused me to pause just a moment too long.

I had been just about to respond, but Laurel had already turned and gone upstairs to bed without another word. Later, when I got to bed, Laurel appeared to be asleep already, but I really hadn't been able to tell. I had known, at that point, that I was going to settle the situation caused by my suspicions once and for all; and soon.

While everything had not been as cheery as usual for us the next morning, Laurel and I were able to converse and pass on 'I love yous' before our respective departures -- her to work, and me supposedly out to RDU for a make-believe trip to Spokane.

****

The three of us now waiting in the hotel room had rehearsed just how this was to go down when she arrived. I would look right into her eyes and challenge her presence there, attempting to do so without saying anything overly threatening.

That would be hard for me, because I simply wanted to know why she had felt the need to cheat; I mean it had to be more than simply carrying out a software beta test to the very end. But Mike and Wick had already assured me that the 'why' of all this would come out if and when the attorneys got hold of things.

Mike would be there for moral support for me and to serve as a family witness. And Wick, as I had indicated, would be there to serve as an independent witness as well as the person to record the event. We wanted everyone who might be concerned later to understand and be able to see the irrefutable video evidence; first, that the event actually occurred; and second, that no one got violent with her afterward.

That second reason was especially important, since the attorney that I had established to work with me (in the event that this panned out as it was looking) told me that the wife often claims abuse or a violent temper or nature on the part of the husband in these types of cases; especially at the time of the initial confrontation with the accusation of infidelity.

Even though we had been over it a number of times and were confident that we could play out our roles for the evening, my heart nevertheless jumped into my throat and I froze momentarily when the knock finally came on the door.

Mike placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed gently. I glanced at him and he grimly nodded to me.

I reached for the door handle. Fighting back tears, I took a deep breath, pushed down on the handle, and quickly pulled the door open, stepping aside to let her pass inside.

And it went just as we had expected.

Well, almost ...

The wayward wife saw the door swing open in front of her and pasted a practiced seductive smile on her face as she swished into the room with a sexy shake of her nice ass, right past the man holding the door in the dark vestibule.

When the door closed behind her and she looked around and saw the three grim but familiar faces inside the room, her smile vanished and a look of sheer terror replaced it.

"Oh ..." was the only sound she was able to make for a few seconds as she realized that she was now in a world of shit. Then she started repeating, softly at first, and then increasing in volume as the tears came to her eyes, "No, no, no, no, no, NO, NO, NO ..."

"You fucking cheating bitch!" growled the wronged husband.

"Oh, Man; I am really sorry, Bro," said the sad and disappointed but supportive brother.

"Son of a bitch," said the friend to both the brothers, who, despite all of the emotional impact of what was happening, was dutifully still digitally recording all that was transpiring.

* * * *

"Mrs. Stone will revert to using her maiden name of Redmond. Since there is no issue from this union, in the form of children, nor any expectation of same, there is no requirement for child support. Since the wife's income is, in fact, slightly more than that of the husband, and she has significantly greater assets under investment, and the husband has waived any claim in the face of this inequity, there shall be neither alimony nor redistribution of assets required of either party." The judge droned on and on, it seemed as we sat there and waited the final outcome.

With a final bang of his gavel, the judge declared an end to the marriage of Mr. Stone and ... now ... Ms. Redmond.

Out in the corridor afterward, I still had tears in my eyes. I could not help it. After all, divorce is such a heartbreaking event; and not only for the divorcing parties, but for their families and close friends as well.

Mike and I were speaking softly together with Mom, Miles, and Wick, along with our lawyer. I glanced over at the Redmond gaggle and saw that Hoke and Daisy Redmond were holding their own court of a sort, out in the hallway. Even though their daughter was a cheating slut, they were simply NOT going to let the narrative play out as it had in the courtroom in such a 'tacky' manner. They would very quickly get their publicist involved in all of this; I was sure.

The two sisters were hugging each other and crying as their parents spoke to the lawyer that Hoke had retained to handle his daughter's case.

I tensed a bit when Laurel finally broke away and began her tentative approach to our group. Our quiet conversation came to an end as she approached.

"Grady," she said plaintively to me once she had reached me, "you know that I am really sorry about all of this."

Finally looking up at the rest of the folks with me, Laurel went on to say, "And, Margaret," this to my mom, "I know that this had been painful for you and Miles, as well as for Grady and ... and Mike."

She sniffed, wiped her nose on a tissue that she held and said, "Grady, can you ever forgive me? And you too, Mike."

Mike scowled at Laurel and turned away partly, not responding. He was not speaking to Laurel or even to his former mother-in-law currently. It had come out in the court proceedings that both Laurel and her mom had discovered Marilee's unfaithful nature, as well as her recent cheating activities, and had confronted her about it, but had not said anything to Mike.

I looked at Laurel and said, "Yeah, Laurel; I already told you that I forgive you."

She looked up at me with an expression of emerging hope. I continued with what I had to say.

"But you knew what Marilee was up to and did not say anything to me ... or to Mike. What kind of loyalty is that supposed to represent?" I asked.

Laurel started to bristle, but caught herself as she replied softly, "It's the kind of loyalty to my sister that you have always shown to your brother. Look, Grady, I know that I should have said something earlier, but I was simply too surprised by what was happening; and everything just seemed to happen too quickly for me to pause and reflect. And, anyway; Marilee and I have always looked after each other.

"When I showed her the Unter app a couple of months ago, Marilee showed so much interest that I thought she was simply proud of her sister and what I was accomplishing in the world. So, when she asked for a referral to the service just to be able to get more of the details in order to brag about her brainy sister's work, I'm afraid that I bought into it without worrying that she would actually carry things out to the point of cheating on Mike."

She continued, "About a month before all this came out, when XLT's development team did that online audit of apps of other companies using our Zirka framework, my boss asked me to look over the results. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the framework was very popular. I was proud that I had been part of a team that was making software development history of a sort, while bringing in pretty hefty profits for my company. But, when I was spot-checking log files, and looked at the extract from the log file of Star Power's Unter app, and spotted that PackLover721 user name, I almost fainted.