(Fiction) 'Unconventional Family Planning' Chapter 3: Breakdown
Chapter 3: Breakdown
It had been five months since Gerry and Ginny started trying to conceive. Neither seemed to be in too much of a hurry. Brad; however, was getting tired of sending cash to his brother-in-law for his efforts, not that the amount of money bothered him, he spent more on his bar bill at the country club. He was seething under the surface because Ginny would be 'walking on air' after her sessions with Gerry. Brad vented his frustration by 'angry-fucking' Felicia, his secretary, on those days. Ginny was aware of the affair. After all, it had been going on for two years, and Brad had a similar relationship with his previous secretary (before she got married and moved out of town) It bothered Ginny, that her husband didn't confide in her, to discuss with her whatever it was that he wanted that he didn't feel he could get at home. She suspected that he couldn't give up 'the hunt', which meant he was probably sleeping with someone else in addition to his secretary. She was quietly preparing for the worst (but hoping for the best), and kept a file of the evidence she'd gathered of his infidelity. She knew that because of the prenuptial agreement that she wouldn't be well off after a divorce, but she wanted ammunition. Hopefully a sympathetic judge would force a generous settlement anyway.
*****
"You know you only have one more month to knock up my sister, right?" Annie asked, while cuddling on her husband.
"I know, it isn't like we're not trying..."
"I'm going to be disappointed either way."
"Either way?"
"Either, you put a baby in her belly, and your affair is over, or the term of your agreement runs out, and your affair is over."
"Oh, well I get why I would be disappointed, or why Ginny would be, but why would you be?"
"Because, ever since you started screwing Ginny, you've been a tiger in the sack with me, and we've never been happier. It's better than when we were newlyweds."
"Maybe I'm trying extra hard because I feel guilty."
"Maybe you should keep screwing her, regardless. It'd be a 'win-win', Ginny will be happy, I like it when you're a tiger, and I don't hear you complaining about having the attention of both of the Paxton sisters..."
"Then I wouldn't be any better than her 'penis with arms' husband. I can't...it has to end..."
"Oh you certainly are better, Ginny tells me that he's pretty inept, or that he just doesn't care. The only time she gets off with him is if she does all the work. If she uses him as if he's a human dildo. But, you, you magnificent man you..."
"Do you two tell each other everything?"
"There are no secrets between us sisters."
"Are you just trying to butter me up? Hoping that I reward you with sexual favors?"
"Guilty as charged. Now; you've rested long enough, show me again why she and I so enraptured with you."
"A man's work is never done..."
*****
About one month later..."This will be our last time." Ginny said from beneath Gerry.
"Mmmph." Gerry responded, while kissing her neck.
"I wanted you to be the first to know."
"Know what, Ginny?"
"I'm late."
"Are you? Not what I mean't, of course you'd know if you're late, I mean are you? Did you test?"
"Not yet, if I knew, we couldn't be doing this now."
"But, you think you are?"
"Yes."
"That's wonderful, you're going to be a mother! I'm going to be a fa...um,er, an uncle!"
"Yes, Darling."
"I'm so happy!"
"I don't want this to end, but..as they say, all good things...So, as of now, you are 'off the clock'. This is just for us. Make love to me, one last time..."
"I love you: my princess, my Ginny."
"And I love you: my knight, Gerald, my love."
The knowledge that this stage of their relationship was ending made their time together bittersweet, making the kisses they shared salty with tears.
*****
The Hendersons had come to visit Annie and Gerald. It was time to close out the contract and make the final payment.
"I really do appreciate you doing this for us, there's a little bit extra in there, it's a shame it didn't work out." Brad said to Gerald while shaking his hand, and passing him an envelope.
"Um, Ginny?" Gerry gave her a confused look, having noticed her fidgeting.
"Honey, It did work out, we're pregnant." Ginny told Brad.
"Congratulations! How far along are you? When did you find out?" Annie started peppering questions as she sprang up and gave Ginny a hug.
"About six weeks! I just got the results from Dr. Barnes this morning..." Ginny answered. Brad grimaced and was awkwardly silent. "Honey, what's the matter? This is what you wanted. This is our chance to start over. We talked about this..."
"Ger, I need some help in the kitchen with the umm...coffee...yea, coffee. Come with me." Annie said, dragging Gerry out of the room.
Once they were in the kitchen, Gerry asked: "Coffee? why..."
"Goof, you could cut the tension in there with a knife, give them a minute alone."
The words of the argument were not distinct, but the anger and hurt could clearly be heard in the tone of the raised voices. A minute or so later a 'SMACK' silenced the voices, immediately followed by the sound of something hitting the floor. Gerry's motion was a blur as he rushed into the next room. He saw Ginny of the floor, in tears, Brad standing over her, his hand poised to slap her again. Seemingly in less time than it took to blink, Gerry was between them, a fraction of a second later Brad was on the floor, his arm twisted at an awkward angle, as Gerry had him in a joint-lock.
"Are you fucking insane?! She just told you she's pregnant, an you hit her? She's your wife, for God's sake, man!" Gerry said as he stared down at Brad.
"Not for long...I'm divorcing that whore!"
"She is a guest in my house, keep a civil tongue in your head." Gerry replied sternly, applying a little more torque to the arm he had immobilized.
"Let me up."
"Get out." Gerry released him and made sure to stand between Brad and Ginny. His expression was grim.
"Enjoy raising your bastard, you'll get no help from me." Brad offered his parting words a moment before the door slammed, signaling his exit. Annie was already consoling Ginny and helping her up by the time Gerry turned and started to survey the damage.
"Ginny are you okay? What was all that about? "
"I'm fine."
"Well, let me get a look at your face anyway." He took a picture with his smartphone. "Annie would you give the sheriff a ring please, I'll pull the tape."
"On it." Annie answered as she picked up the seldom used land-line.
"Tape?" Ginny asked.
"Yea, my home security system has motion activated cameras, I'll flag the last few minutes and put it in my cloud archive. This will get us an additional timestamp that will match up with the police report. If you decide to press charges, it won't just be your word against his."
"I don't see the point in pressing charges." Ginny responded.
"Whatever you want to do, we'll support you." Annie added. "Bill will be here in a a bit."
It only took a few minutes for the deputy to interview Ginny and fill out his report.
"Let me know if you want to talk with Judge Watson and get a restraining order. Whether or not you decide to press assault and battery charges, we can order him to stay away from you." The deputy said.
"I'm not afraid of him. That won't be necessary" Ginny responded.
"Bill, can I get you another cup of coffee?" Annie offered.
"No thanks, Annie. Too much coffee messes with my acid reflux. Ger, thanks for emailing me the video and the 'pic'. I'll add it to the file." He then turned to Ginny. "I'm going to have a counselor friend of mine, Martha, check in on you later, okay? She's good people."
"Thanks, Bill. I'll walk you out." Gerry said after shaking the deputy's hand. They both went out the door and chatted on the way to the police cruiser.
"Gerry, I'll have the boys keep an eye out, she'll be okay. Brad Henderson's now officially on my 'shit list'. He won't be able to fart without getting a ticket for disturbing the peace..."
A text alert interrupted the conversation. The deputy took a moment to respond before continuing.
"Here, look at this text I got." Bill showed Gerry his phone. "That asshole had the nerve to accuse you of attacking him, the video makes it pretty cut and dry."
"Thanks, Bill. I'm going to bring Ginger to her place to get some clothes, can you have someone stall Brad while he's at the station?"
"I might just book him. Whether or not Ginger presses charges. Regardless, we'll take our time with the 'Q&A', he won't be leaving anytime soon."
"Thanks. Will I see you in class Saturday?"
"You will. Will you teach me that joint lock?"
"As soon as you're ready, I will."
The sisters were sitting at the kitchen table when Gerry got back.
"Okay, Brad's not home. Let's go to your place and get some things while he's busy at the police station slandering me."
"We can chat in the car." Annie added
"Things?" Ginny asked.
"Clothes, toothbrush, your jewelry, whatever. We should also go to the bank and get you some cash before he screws with the accounts, then we'll check you into a hotel." Gerry answered.
"I don't want to go to a hotel, can't I stay with you two?"
"Of course you can, but we don't need to advertise that." Annie replied.
"Oh?"
"Don't worry, we'll stick him with the bill."
*****
"We'd been talking about how when I got pregnant, we could use that as an opportunity to 'reboot' our marriage. How being a father means that he needs to end his affair with his secretary, and how that I was done sleeping with you."
"I still don't get it" Annie said.
"I think my knowing about his affair and not mentioning it before now got him off balance. When he accused me of enjoying my time with Gerry a little too much, I...I didn't deny it. He then accused me of having an affair. Because Gerry and I were together even after I was pregnant, that I must've known before today..."
"Ginny, none of that is true, none of this is your fault. If he wanted to get angry, he should've gotten angry at me, there is never a reason to get violent with you." Gerry stated.
"I called him on his hypocrisy, his affairs have been going on for years, to accuse me now...then I said things I shouldn't have, but I was pissed, I told him he could learn some things from you, that his mistress would probably appreciate it, that maybe then she'd feel like a woman."
"I won't say that you shouldn't have, he deserves it! It must've stung. Good for you." Annie responded, trying to be supportive of her sister.
"Even that..." Gerry said.
"I reminded him that I didn't sign his N.D.A., and wouldn't his cronies at the country club be interested to hear that he wasn't man enough to...that's when he hit me, and called me a whore, and told me to get an abortion because he didn't want..."
"Jesus, it's a good thing I didn't hear that. I wouldn't have let him off so easy. I'm sorry Ginny, no one should ever say those types of things to you, or lay a hand on you in anger. I'm sorry that I didn't get there sooner..."
"You did just fine, you protected me, you're my knight. Annie, you should've seen Brad's stupid face when it hit the floor..." Ginny replied.
"So what do you want to do now?" Annie asked.
"I think I need a lawyer."
"I know a guy."
Comments
Post a Comment