Edited by Barney R. Messed with afterwards by me; therefore all errors are mine.

I’m Justin Martin, 34, and was married to Karen Martin-Clements, 30, for four years. This is the tale of how I came to be hiding in plain sight.

I met Karen Clements at a Saturday morning office party that I couldn’t avoid. It was to introduce the new employees and to announce promotions. It was a celebration party. I was one of the people being given promotion. My promotion was to a senior broker’s chair at the brokerage firm where I work. My personal portfolio was ballooning and I was well on the way to my first million and a partnership at 27. My clients were doing very well also.

Karen was on the arm of John Palmer, my chief competition for the next partnership. He was a major ass kisser, and very risk adverse, so while he seldom had big losses, but his upside gains were only about 30% of what I did for my clients. As a consequence my client list was growing and his was shrinking.

He was and is an asshole that lets no slight to himself go unpunished. I disliked the jerk from the first day he joined the firm. His first statement after he was introduced for his promotion from associate to broker. “Good Morning people, I’m going to be the next partner within the next two years. I am also going to become the top producer here, so watch out.”

Well, that statement went over as if he had shit on the floor in front of the office door. One of the partners walked up to the podium and angrily grabbed his arm and took him into a cubicle to berate him in a private setting. He then raised his voice and everyone and their dates and spouses could hear. The first question which was; “Do you want to be working here tomorrow?” Before John could answer, “If you do not go out there and offer a sincere apology to those people who have proven to be valuable employees, you will not be here tomorrow. You need to tone down your undeserved arrogance and start living up to the person you are in your own mind. You ain’t there yet.”

He issued the apology, and went back to the partner and whispered something to him, the partner nodded and that was the last we saw of asshole that day. He apparently went back to where he was living. He left Karen at the office.

The rest of the promotions and awards were made, except for mine. My promotion was made last, and I was asked to say a few words.

“Good morning, I know that you don’t want a long winded speech, but remember it is me speaking.” That brought some chuckles. “I need to thank our research people; they are the ones that helped me choose a strategy for each of my customers, that I would not have received without their help. So, research, when the party is over, lunch is on me at O’Casey’s.” Then I walked back to join the party.

Another of the partners came up to me and quietly told me that I would get my partnership when the next board meeting occurred. He also asked me to take the ‘young lady’ that came with John to her home, or wherever she needed to go.

I went over to the young lady, who had not been introduced to the group, and introduced myself. After she introduced herself, I explained to her that I was assigned to take her to her home, or wherever she needed to go. I also told her with a slightly amusing smile; “That is the most pleasant assignment that I have been given in ages.”

She giggled; “Maybe not, I could be ‘the wicked witch of the east’ and you just haven’t seen that side of me.”

“I doubt that very much, a fairy princess, or a genie, but not a witch.”

That got a full belly laugh. Then she explained the she was John’s cousin by marriage, and she had been dating John. She added that his words and actions today meant that she would not be dating him again.

I took her back to her apartment. When I dropped her off, I laughed and explained that the condo I was leasing was just outside of her complex’s fencing. I pointed to the building.

She asked me if we could meet away from the office sometime. I said that I would like that, and we exchanged phone numbers. I headed back to the office and work.

John came to work the next morning and took his place in his cubicle. My old cubicle was next to his. He looked into the cubicle, probably to insult me again. Something he did with great regularity. He discovered the cubicle empty, and thinking I had quit or been fired, he stood by with a whoop and a fist pump only to see the sign painter putting my name on my new office. John was silent for the rest of the day. For that matter, he never gave me another verbal insult.

I called Karen, and we made a date for the following weekend. We had a great time, and more discussion of her cousin. She told me that John was extremely angry when he called to inquire about how she got home from the meeting/party. When she told him that she was done with him, and that I had rescued her from being stranded at the party; he ended the call. She went on to say that she hasn’t talked to him since that call.

We dated for about six months and Karen was offered a promotion that she had worked hard for, but would required her to move away from the city.

We had a goodbye dinner and a wonderful night in her apartment. Breakfast was entertaining and she dragged me back to her apartment for a goodbye session.

Two years later she returned with another promotion. She called me as soon as she arrived in town. We got together to have coffee and catch up.

I explained that while I dated several nice ladies, none of them were Karen, and I was not intimate with any of them. Karen said basically the same thing. I told her of my promotion to full partner and of John quitting when the partnership was announced.

Karen laughed and said; “John is and always has been said ‘a legend in his own mind’.” Then she added; “Watch your back Justin, John is not one to take a lost prize to someone else without trying for revenge.

We made arrangements for additional dates. We began a courtship dance that lasted eighteen months. I asked her to marry me and she agreed. We both decided that we needed to protect our assets, so we had a prenuptial agreement drawn up. It protected each of our premarital assets and provided penalties for adultery and abuse. It also set conditions for custody of any children we might have.

The wedding was great, and the reception was a fun and happy party. We honeymooned on a Caribbean cruise to the islands of Antigua, St. Kitts, and the U. S. Virgin Islands. We had a glorious trip, and came home to my wedding present for my bride. It was a home on 80 acres in a little town of Pierson Mi. It was only about twenty five minutes from my office in Downtown G. R. and only about 15 minutes from Karen’s office in Cedar Springs. I did have the home in my name only, and the purchase date was several months before the wedding.

I explained to Karen that the home was mine, and I had been setting it up for a family to live in as I expected to be a father when she was ready.

She loved the place, especially when she saw the six horses that were in the corral. She chose a bay gelding as the horse she wanted. Maybe it would be more appropriately say the bay chose her. He came right up to her when she went to lean on the top rail.

I carried her over the threshold, and she took one look and started laughing. Every room that was visible was vacant except for catalog furniture pictures that were blown up to poster size. The kitchen had all new appliances, a card table, and two folding chairs. The bedroom when we got to it was a king size mattress and box spring on the floor and two tall table lamps. I told her to buy what she wanted to furnish the house.

Karen turned to me with a big smile and said, “Nice to see a well furnished home, you nailed it. This place has all the essentials. I think I can supply us with some luxuries like bedroom, living room, and kitchen furniture. Maybe even enough for the extra bedrooms and an in home office.” Then she grabbed my hand and dragged me toward the bed. Clothes flew in all directions and a wonderful, fun time was had by all.

We had all of the normal ups and downs, the arguments, and the makeup sex. Things were great until about eighteen months after we married. She started to become distant and unloving. We had a very big argument about nothing. She froze me out in our marriage bed.

Then Karen came home from a doctor’s visit with a big smile on her face and a big bounce in her step. She proudly announced that we were going to be parents. I asked her how far along the doctor said she was. She said six or eight weeks. I didn’t at that time think something was amiss,

Afterwards I had a moment of clarity. Later that night I asked Karen again how far along she was supposed to be. She again said the doctor said six to eight weeks.

I got up and grabbed my clothes for the next day and went into the guest room. Karen obviously forgot the big argument that we just over three months before. She had refused me sex for over eight weeks. I knew then that something was rotten in Denmark. I was extremely pissed and Karen seemed oblivious except she did ask why I wasn’t sleeping next to her. I refused to answer until I had a plan in place.