...TO FORGIVE DIVINE by Magicidan
-Bob awoke at 4 AM and lay there staring at a shaft of light that had eluded the drawn curtains. The only sound was his wife's rhythmic breathing. His meeting wasn't until that evening but he was too excited to sleep. This was the deal that would be his ticket into the big leagues.
Bob's mind was racing a mile a minute as he rehearsed my presentation. He knew every word, every number by heart. This was going to be the best day ever.
Bob put on a brand new suit and looked as good as he felt. His wife, Annie, made him his favorite breakfast and he was raring to go. He asked her one last time to come with him but she begged off saying they would celebrate tomorrow night. Bob couldn't blame her since he had to make half a dozen customer calls before the big meeting; Highland Enterprises expected a full ten hours out of every working day.
Bob packed a dozen boxes of sales brochures in the back seat of his car and set off for downtown Chicago. His customer calls went smooth and he was soon heading towards the meeting.
Bob parked in a self park garage across the street from the hotel. With the downturn in the economy expense reports were being scrutinized; that meant no valet parking. He checked his watch . It was sixty minutes until show time. The time for the meeting was chosen to accommodate the west coast contingency. They would begin with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres followed by Bob's presentation. He had a very slick power point ready...all of his per unit numbers worked and they had the best product on the market. A formal dinner would follow.
Bob almost lost it when he opened the trunk to get his briefcase and laptop; it was empty. He started to tear his car apart before he realized he had been so nervous that morning he forgot to bring them. He was certain he left them on the kitchen table.
It was a little over an hour each way from the hotel to Bob's house at rush hour. He thanked his lucky stars his wife was at home and could meet him half way so he would be back in time for his presentation. He might even make dessert.
Bob laughed when he thought about how disappointed he was when Annie turned down his invitation to spend the night in a downtown boutique hotel. He thought, 'I don't know what I would have done if she hadn't begged off' and smiled when he recounted the conversation. "You'll be too busy tonight to even know I'm there. I'm looking forward to ordering a pizza, throwing on a pair of shorts and a sweatshirt, and catching up with the Good Wife. Oh, and a bottle of merlot will be keeping me company. I promise you, we'll celebrate all weekend."
Annie's phone went to voice mail after a dozen rings. So he called again. And again. Finally on the fourth try she picked up, "You've only been gone a few hours so you can't miss me already," she joked.
"Annie, thank God you answered. Are you still at home?"
"Of course I am. Where else would I be?"
"You're a lifesaver. I really screwed up and forgot my briefcase and laptop on the kitchen table. I only have an hour before my presentation so I need you grab them and start driving towards downtown. I'll call you along the way so we can rendezvous in about thirty minutes. I don't know what I would do without you."
Her response knocked the wind out of him. "I can't do that. You know I hate driving the expressway at rush hour...and then I'll have to drive home in the dark."
"Annie, please, if there was any other way I would do it." He begged.
"But I'm not dressed and I've had a couple of glasses of wine." She sounded very annoyed.
"What's all that noise in the background? I can barely hear you?"
"That's the TV."
"Could you please turn it down."
The volume never changed.
"Annie, this is the deal that will buy us the house you've been dreaming about. I need you."
"Oh shit, make me feel all guilty. I'm in the kitchen but I don't see them. Are you sure you left them here?"
"They've got to be there...please check our bedroom. Hell, check the garbage to see if I did something really stupid."
"Fine. I'll go look in the dumpster."
"Thanks honey, I don't know what I would do without you. I'll call you back in ten minutes."
The moment she hung up her paramour said, "You're not really going to ruin our evening, are you?"
"I won't be long. Go watch your basketball game like you told your wife." She grabbed her coat then kissed him on the cheek. He tried for more but she pushed him back into his chair. "Later lover boy." She was very annoyed her fantasy evening wasn't going as planned.
Bob called Mr. Radtke, the president of the company, and told him he was delayed but would get there as soon as he could. "You know how much we have riding on this contract," he was reminded for the hundredth time.
As Annie walked through the hotel lobby she was suddenly struck with the realization that it took her almost half an hour to get downtown. And that was early in the afternoon before traffic got heavy. It was rush hour-it was going to take at least twice as long to get home. And she still would have to double back to hand off the briefcase and laptop.
Annie tried to think. If she didn't meet Bob half way he would probably keep on driving until he got to their apartment. She tried to remain calm but a sick feeling was beginning to form in her stomach. If he got home before her he would find everything sitting on the kitchen table, exactly where he left them.
She began to panic as she tore through her purse for the valet ticket. Annie knew there was no way she could explain why she lied about being home or how she was dressed. She was getting sicker by the minute thinking about how she was risking her marriage and hurting her husband's career. Tonight wasn't supposed to go like this.
It seemed to take forever for the kid to bring her car around. She looked at the clock and cursed under her breath as she laid rubber down Michigan Avenue.
Annie ignored Bob's calls and concentrated on driving like a woman possessed. Every few minutes he rang again. She couldn't answer because she would have to tell him where she was...that would be disastrous. All her carefully plotted lies would crumble.
She rocketed down the entrance ramp only to have to slam on the brakes as the expressway was a sea of brake lights. Annie merged and began to weave through traffic; anything to gain a few precious feet. Her mind returned to that afternoon when she sat at the dining room table eating lunch next to that damn briefcase and computer. If only she had thought to call him...she would have been the big hero and saved the day. But no, she was too preoccupied with getting ready for her big date. She pounded on the steering wheel, "Damn! Damn! Damn!"
About a mile west of downtown traffic opened up and she pushed the gas pedal to the floor.
And the phone kept ringing. Annie had an idea which might buy her the time she needed. She answered the next time it rang. "Bob, I've torn the place apart and think I know where you left your things. You said you were making customer calls. Have you tried retracing your steps to see if you accidentally left them there?"
"Annie, that's a great idea but I did that as soon as I noticed they were missing. I had people scouring offices and parking lots all over the northwest side of Chicago."
'Damn', she thought. "I'll keep looking, "she lied, "They've got to be somewhere." She hung up before he could ask where she was.
Her mind was racing as fast as her car; the one thing she decided for certain was she would not be going back to the hotel. She craved the excitement of sneaking an illicit kiss and an discrete grope but this was a stomach gripping terror. She was feeling nauseous. Annie cleared her mind and tried to work out a deal with God, promising to be a good wife if she can just survive the night.
Bob parked his car in the lot behind their apartment building and ran inside. He froze dead in his tracks when he saw the briefcase and computer exactly where his wife said they weren't. He tried to imagine how Annie could not have seen them. And where exactly was she and why wasn't she answering the phone.
That mystery would have to wait as he downloaded his presentation to Mr. Radtke with a brief note..."Something very bad has happened and I can not be there." He sent the passouts to the concierge with instruction of how many copies of each would be needed. Only then did Bob look around the small apartment. His hands were shaking as he opened the bedroom door. Bob breathed a sigh of relief when he found it empty. The same for the bathroom.
Where could his wife be he thought. A sense of dread engulfed him; something was very wrong and Bob tried to figure out what is was. The kitchen counter was clean so he checked the garbage for a pizza delivery box. He did not find one; nor did he find any leftover slices in the refrigerator. Next he turned the TV on...He was hoping to see a rerun of The Good Wife. Instead it was set to the weather channel. He hit the "last" button just in case and the Hallmark channel filled the screen. The last nail in the coffin was there was no wine glass or half empty bottle of merlot.
It was then that Bob's soul screamed in agony. Before his body could physically react he heard the garage door going up. He turned off the lights and took a seat at the kitchen table.
Annie breathed a sigh of relief when she didn't see Bob's car out in front where he always parked. All she had to do was run inside, grab the bags, and hightail it back to the city. She decided she would say she got lost and took the wrong highway. Definitely time to play dumb blonde.
Annie screamed when she flipped on the light switch and saw her husband sitting at the kitchen table. On top of it were the missing briefcase and laptop. He didn't say a word. He just stared at her. The only sound was the clock on the wall counting every second as it vanished into eternity.
After an uncomfortable minute Annie, in a meek voice, said, "I'm surprised to see you here. Wasn't the plan for me to meet you half way?" Again, Bob didn't say a word.
The next pregnant pause lasted even longer before Annie said, "You were right about your briefcase and computer being right here on the dining room table." Though Bob's wanted to scream out a thousand vulgar epithets he sat stoically, his lips unmoving.
Tick...tick...tick... the seconds turned to minutes...
"Shouldn't you be hurrying downtown for your big meeting?" Annie looked very uncomfortable; her eyes stared at the floor. She couldn't face her husband.
Bob looked at her in stunned silence. She obviously thinks I'm an idiot, he thought.
Tick...tick...tick
"You can tell your boss what a ditz I am and it's all my fault you were late."
Tick...tick...tick
"I'm really sorry, I screwed up."
Bob sat silent and unmoved. Years ago he played golf with a retired Chicago police detective. Through eighteen holes he regaled Bob with stories of crimes he solved; homicides being his favorite. He took great pride in explaining how he would get a murderer suspect to confess.
"The interrogation room would always be empty except for a table and two uncomfortable chairs. The only other thing I allowed was a big old clock high on the wall where the bad guy could watch each second drag by. It was even better if you got one that made a loud ticking noise. Then I would sit them where they could see the clock and stare at them without saying a word. The first guy to speak looses. After minute of two they would always say something, usually something stupid like, "What?" I would ignore them and keep on staring. They would get more uncomfortable by the minute. Eventually they always talked."
Annie has a cute little twitch when she gets nervous...it was not longer cute nor little.
Tick...tick...tick...
"Bob, please say something..."
Annie was beginning to panic. She took a couple steps back. Bob heard a familiar clicking noise on the vinyl tile floor. He looked down and saw she was wearing black patent leather high heels. Her legs were clad in black nylon stockings.
Tick...tick...tick...
After waiting I don't know how long Bob stood up facing his wife. He didn't make a sound as he unbelted her coat. She gasped but made no attempt to resist as he pulled it off her shoulders. It slipped down her arms and puddled at her feet, exposing the very sexy little black dress which Bob bought for their four their anniversary the previous month. The strand of pearls he gave her last Christmas were draped over her stunning cleavage. Annie turned white and began to fight for her each breath she took.
Still Bob said not a word.
He lifted the hem of the dress up, higher and higher as the silver garters holding the stockings up came into view. He held his breath as he lifted the dress a few more inches to expose her naked, freshly shaved pussy.
Bob's chest grew tight. All he could hear was that damn clock as he collapsed into the chair and began to cry.
Annie dropped to her knees and begged, "Please let me explain. It's not what you think."
Bob buried his face in his hands so he would not have to see the adulteress.
"Oh God, please say something...yell at me. Anything." Annie began sobbing but Bob couldn't understand the rest.
Tick...tick...tick...
Bob swore he would smash that fucking clock.
They both jumped when Annie's phone rang. Bob held out his hand demanding the phone. Annie reached in her purse and handed it to him. Her entire body was trembling.
Bob looked at the caller ID; it was his good friend Michael. He didn't answer it. Bob waited until it chimed then woke up her phone; it said she had one missed call. He pressed the key to play the message. "Hey sweetie, what's keeping you. I changed our reservations to 7 but I'm getting a little hungry...and not just for food."
Annie lunged for the sink but didn't quite make it as vomit blasted from her whoring mouth; it splattered all over the cabinets and countertop.
Bob sat paralyzed by his wife's betrayal. She lay on the floor; the room stunk from her puke. It seemed like an eternity before Bob finally was able to form rational words, but when he finally spoke his voice thundered, filling the room. Annie cowered in fear as she had never seen him lose control before. Neither had Bob.
"Your sister is eight months pregnant and you're fucking her husband! "
"No...nooooo...nooooo..."
"What hotel?"
"What?"
He stood and flung his chair across the room. "Don't play stupid. What hotel?"
She choked out, "The Knickerbocker. I don't know what room. We met in the bar and never went up."
He pressed Annie's sister's name on the favorites list. Carole answered on the second ring. He tried to control his anger as he greeted his sister-in-law..
"Hi Bob...This is a surprise."
"Where's Michael?"
"He's at a sports bar in the city watching the Bulls game with some guys from work. "
"When do you expect him back?"
"Not 'till morning. He was whining about how I never want to do anything since I got pregnant so I gave him a boys night out. He's spending the night at a friend from work's condo so he doesn't have to worry about driving home drunk."
"Bob, is everything alright?" She didn't receive a response as he had already hung up.
Michael called every fifteen minutes leaving message after message wondering when Annie would return. He would cap them off with a crude sexual reference..."I'm going to fuck you until you can't walk straight."
Neither said a word between calls. Annie was whimpering like a dog while Bob was getting more agitated as he listened to each messages. His mind wad filled with dark thoughts as he debated what he was going to do next.
Annie's phone rang again. The message was, "I don't know what hole you've fallen into but we've got the room for the night."
Bob seized the initiative and sent Michael a text message. "running late don't give up on me how long have we been waiting for this" He was hoping to find when the affair began.
He didn't let Annie see it.
They sat there for the longest time without saying a word. The phone's chime said it had received a response. "I've wanted to fuck you since we met tonight you are finally going to make my dreams come true."
'What a crude, low class piece of shit,' Bob thought. 'But it seemed like they hadn't had sex so far.'
Bob finally broke the silence. "Why?"
Annie didn't answer.
"Why?" he repeated in a much louder voice.
"I guess I did it because I was jealous."
"Jealous? Jealous! Jealous of what?"
"Of you. I've heard the stories you never told me."
"What stories?"
"You being a notorious cocksman...winning the contest to see who could have sex with the most women. He said you had sex with twelve different women."
"Let me guess. My good friend Michael told you about the contest. "
"Well, yes. He said several of your friends came up with the idea to get you out of your funk after your ex..."
Bob exploded. "Don't you ever refer to my late wife as my ex..." Annie cowered in fear as he lorded over her. "A woman becomes an ex when she gets divorced. Kristi became my late wife when she was killed by a drunk driver. On Monday you will become my ex."
Annie looked sore afraid...she started pleading, "I'm sorry...I didn't mean..."
Bob let her cast lamentations until he could listen no more. He held his hand up to stop her . "Before we got married I tried to tell you about Kristi. You knew she died in a car accident... I don't know how much more."
"You said you didn't want to put me through the pain of reliving her death. Not insisting I tell you about her life was my mistake.
"Tonight you've caused me more pain than her death because she didn't choose to die but everything you did was of your own free will."
Annie wailed like a soul condemned to hell. "I'm sorry." Her voice was confused with the tears.
"I met Kristi the first day of middle school. She walked up to me and said I was going to be her boyfriend. I said okay and we were boyfriend and girlfriend until the day we became husband and wife. Kristi and I were virgins on our wedding night. We were each other's firsts. I never thought it was possible to be as happy as we were...everything was going perfect until the day I forgot to pick up a gallon of milk on my way home from work."
"Kristi teased me about getting forgetful and volunteered to drive us to the grocery store. It was only a couple of miles from home...the weather was perfect...the sun was shining We were laughing and joking. The light changed to green...she was the second car through the intersection when a SUV broadsided us. The police estimated he was doing at least sixty."
Bob began to sob as he spoke. "I can still hear the horrible cash, the tearing of metal. Glass rained down on us like snow. It took a while before I could focus on the carnage. I looked at Kristi...blood was everywhere. I tried to hold my hands over her wounds to try and stop the bleeding. I could hear people screaming. Someone said to hold on, an ambulance was coming. I dragged myself over to Kristi and wrapped my arms around her. I told her everything was going to be alright. She actually managed to laugh and said 'I could always tell when you were lying.'"
By now Annie was sobbing as hard as Bob was.
"I told Kristi I loved her." The last thing Kristi said was "I love you too.' She died in my arms." He paused, "She died because I forgot to buy milk. Try living with that."
Annie wanted to wrap her arms around him but knew she couldn't.
"After the accident I spent the next twelve months either in the hospital having surgeries or in rehab centers learning how to walk again. I also spent a lot of time in therapy learning how to cope with survivor's guilt. I was living but I wasn't alive.
"When I got out my scarred body had withered to 125 pounds and I needed a cane to walk. I joined a health club and went every day. It was another six months before I wasn't embarrassed by how I looked. By then I had met a lot of nice people, men and women, but preferred to live in my mind instead of venturing into the unknown. I was afraid to get close to anyone.
"My psychiatrist suggested I get a job. Even though I had no experience Highland Enterprises took a chance on me.
"Weeks turned into months. My body became fully functional and I was actually a good salesman.
"Michael, yes, your lover Michael, kept trying to set me up on blind dates. I turned him, and every other well meaning friend down. I didn't think I could mentally handle it.
"But Michael kept pushing me to meet a young lady he knew. He described her as having a knockout body. He also said she was a total slut and guaranteed I would get laid. I told him I wasn't interested."
"He kept on. Finally, to shut him up, I agreed to go on a double date with him, Carole, and the sure thing. They had me met them at an Italian restaurant not far from here. I was pleasantly surprised to see how conservative the slut was dressed."
Annie started pounding her fists into the air; Bob could barely make out what she was saying through the tears..."He's a liar!"
"As the evening went on I found I liked my date but, as Shakespeare said, "tis a pity she's a whore..." My head was already screwed up from Kristi's death and I didn't need any complications. At the end of the evening I was volunteered to drive the slut home. As we were leaving Michael pulled me aside and whispered, 'Fuck her one for me.' When we got to her apartment building I thanked her for the wonderful evening. She gave me a peck on the cheek then said she wouldn't invite me in."
"Do you remember my response?" Annie wiped her tears with her sleeve and answered, "You said if I had you invited you in you would have lost all respect for me."
"And you never would have seen me again."
After a long pause Bob continued, "I don't want to know how many men you had sex with before you met me...it doesn't matter. I fell in love with who you were...blemishes and all. And I can proudly say we consummated our relationship on our wedding night."
"So there's your answer. Two women. I've had sex with exactly two women...and I married both of them. Have I ever been tempted? Hell yes, Have I ever had women try to seduce me? Hell yes, but I've never even come close to accepting their advances. I take my vows seriously."
"And now it's all over."
Annie knelt in front of Bob and laid her face on his knees. He placed his hands on her head and said, "I wish I had died in the crash."
Annie collapsed at his feet, begging Bob to let her explain. He shrugged his shoulders. She took this as permission and confessed every inappropriate thing she had done with Michael; every innuendo and pat on her ass. Most of it was just sophomoric stuff like two teenagers in high school. There were, however, a few more serious kisses and touches. Annie sighed, "He had me believing I had missed something by not whoring around when I was single."
Annie kept pausing to wipe her runny nose and tears. She didn't offer rationalizations or excuses but owned her sins. Again and again she apologized for what she had done and how she betrayed him.
When she got to the present date Annie laid her soul bare, admitting to being excited to violate her marriage vows. "I feel like a complete idiot. I had everything... my marriage was perfect. I am so ashamed, not because I got caught but because I have hurt you; I hurt my sister. I'm so sorry for what I have done."
She wrapped her arms around her body and struggled to continue.
"I swear by all that is holy you are the only man I have ever made love to...or had sex with. There never was anyone else. Ever! I am so furious at that son-of-a-bitch for what I let him do to me; to us. He had me convinced I was only a notch on your bedpost. I can't believe how stupid I am. I thank God that tonight never happened."
"But it did happen. The physical act of having sex is not relevant. You committed adultery with every whispered conspiracy, every stolen kiss, every shared secret. The only reason you're not having sex with him right now is because I screwed up. Otherwise I would have been a blissful idiot while you sated your lust with your sister's husband. What you did goes beyond stupid. It is evil. You broke the solemn promise you made to God and man on our wedding day I can't see how I can ever get past that."
The finality hit Annie like a bullet to the heart and she crashed to the floor, curled into a ball, and began sobbing. Her whole body was shaking. It took a couple of minutes before she could control her mouth enough to form words."As bad as I feel about losing you as my husband I am devastated by the suffering I caused you. I've ruined your life...your job. I am so sorry for hurting you."
Bob did not respond.
"Do you hate me?"
"I don't know. I'm so numb I don't know..." His voice tailed off.
"You've been the most wonderful husband and I screwed everything up. There's nothing I can say other than I am so sorry for hurting you. I hate myself for what I have done. You deserve much better than me. I'll pack a few things and see if I can find someone who will let me sleep on their couch tonight. That won't be easy when I tell them what I did...I imagine none of my friends will want me near their husbands." She sobbed, "When my mother finds out she'll disown me." She broke down sobbing.
Bob waited until she was walking out of the room to speak.
"It's late and you're in no condition to drive. You can sleep on the couch tonight."
"Thank you I promise I..."
Bob held his hand up. "This has nothing to do with you...if another person died in a car accident because I forgot something I..." He couldn't finish the sentence.
Annie stood in silence knowing what she was making him remember. When he composed himself he said,
"Tomorrow morning you can pack up your things. I think we need some time apart."
The words hurt as though they were physical blows.
"But tonight you have to call your sister and confess the entire affair."
"Oh, no." she wailed. "That will destroy our family."
"You should have thought of that before you did it."
"I have never been so ashamed in my life."
"How did you think this would end?"
"I...I...I didn't."
Annie stared at the cell phone. "Can I do it face-to-face?"
"That's probably a good idea. But you must do it tonight. I'll drive."
"Can I change first?"
"No, she should see how you were willing to prostitute yourself."
Annie looked like the life had been sucked out of her. The once beautiful black dress hung like a dishrag...her eyes were red. Her head hung in shame. She was broken. Bob didn't say a word as he ushered her towards the door.
Epilogue
Bob woke Carole when he called to let her know they were stopping by. Then he turned their cell phones off. When Annie confessed her indiscretion all hell broke loose. This wasn't the first time her husband had been unfaithful and she took out all of her anger on her sister. Annie stood stoically and accepted her verbal assault. The words cur deep, "You're my sister...how could you?" Carole wailed as she pounded on Annie's chest.
The fight didn't stop until Carole went into premature labor.
When Annie tried to help she flailed at her and screamed, "Keep that whore away from me." One of her punches connected with Annie's right eye.
The hospital wasn't that far so they didn't call for an ambulance. Bob grabbed the birth bag which she had packed.
Carole demanded they not call Asshole Michael-that seemed to be the consensus on how he was to be referred to-to let him know she was giving birth.
Bob helped Carole into the back seat and bade Annie join her saying, "She'll be more help to you than I could." Carol begrudgingly accepted her being there. Fear and pain can drive a person to do the unthinkable.
Annie begged for forgiveness the entire trip. Somehow the two sisters managed to reach deep enough into their souls for Carole to tell the ER nurse her sister was her Lamaze coach.
A little over an hour later a doctor walked out to the waiting room and announced to Bob, "It's a boy! Mother and son are doing fine."
The delivery nurse came out next and told Bob she called Annie every name in the book between contractions. "Then the most amazing thing happened. Just as the baby's head was crowning she started screaming 'I forgive you! It was like all the mother's pain was gone. The two of them were hugging and laughing. I've never seen anything like that before."
Bob managed a smile. "Thank you for telling me that."
Michael had bragged to everyone in the family that his son would be named Michael Joseph Landry III...Carole instead named him after her fellow victim, Robert Brandon. Paybacks are hell.
Annie slept on a chair in the birthing room that night.
Bob wasn't a religious man...he stopped going to church after the accident. Somehow he found himself in the hospital chapel. It was deserted and the only light came from a single votive candle in a red glass container. He sat in a pew in back where he wouldn't be seen should anyone else visit. His mind was fixated on the question, Can I forgive Annie?
That night Bob collapsed into sleep after arguing with God about forgiveness. If he was looking for a sign he got it in spades. As the sun rose in the east the stained glass window above the alter began to glow. Bob watched silently as the image of the risen Christ was illuminated, forty feet tall and radiant as the sun. Hundreds of colors flooded the room as light vanquished the darkness. Next the words...Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us...were revealed.
Bob was trembling when he noticed a Bible in the pew next to him. He was certain it wasn't there earlier; it was open to Matthew 18:21-22,
21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?"
22 Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times
Bob was no longer the same wounded man who had sought refuge. He knew what he had to do. He stopped in the men's room and tried to make himself presentable. Then he stopped at the cafeteria and bought his wife a cup of coffee and a blueberry muffin, her favorite.
Annie was holding their nephew when he walked in. She sported an impressive black eye and looked like she had wrestled with the devil himself.
She turned away and said she was too ashamed to face him. Annie handed the infant to her sister and tried to leave the room.
Bob stepped in front of her; she froze. He cupped her face in his hands and said, "It took a long time for me to forgive the man who killed Kristi but I knew my anger was destroying me and I had to do it so I could live."I can't live with that pain again."
He wrapped his arms around his wife.
"It's going to take time to heal the hurt."
"I'll give you every last beat of my heart."
"If you ever talk to Michael again- or any other son-of-a-bitch who wants to screw with your head-it's over. There will be no third chance.
"I swear by all that's holy I will never again give you the slightest reason to doubt my commitment to our marriage."
"I forgive you because I want to live again!
Annie's scream of joy brought two nurses running to the room.
On Monday morning Annie drove her sister and brand new nephew to see a divorce lawyer. Carole was not in a forgiving mood.. The messages Michael left on Annie's cell phone were exhibits one through twenty.
Bob went in to see the president of the company. He was prepared to accepted his dismissal. "Bob, you're too good of a salesman," his boss said. "You owe me the rest of the story."
Bob spilled his heart out over the next half hour. When he finished his boss said, "Well don't just stand there...get back to work. Just because your presentation landed the biggest contract this firm has ever had doesn't mean you can rest on your laurels. Bob danced for joy.
Twelve months later Bob was back in the same birthing room...only this time it was Annie's turn.
