My son Gerry and I are waiting across the road from a womans’ prison where my wife, Gwen, has been for the last 5 years.

Waiting to see who will be picking her up as she is released to the outside world, and freedom.

It is most assuredly will not be us, after what my brother and she had out us through 6 years ago.

The memory, still to this day, hurts and angers me.

A little history would be appropriate at this point.

I am David Porter, with my wife Gwen and our son Gerry.

At this time I was 39, Gwen was 42, Gerry was 16.

I was working for a security firm, designing and supervising home and business security systems.

An offshoot of what I did in the service, setting security systems and maintaining them on flight lines and where things go boom, some of them were self propelled.

Push a button and off they would go.

Up until then I thought we had a happy marriage with a very satisfying love life.

I guess for 17 years we did.

My marriage did not start to go to hell until after I let my brother move in with us, at Gwen’s urging.

He was recently divorced, and had just moved back into the area and need a place to stay.

I warned her that he has always been a con man and would treat this as a free ride for as long as he can get away with it.

He always saw himself as a ladies man, and thought every woman was fair game.

“Surely he would not pull that on me, your wife” Gwen said I replied “he better not. I trust you, him not so much.”

I should have followed my gut instinct, and not be swayed by Gwen, who always believed that friends and family deserved a chance.

When he moved in I let him know I expected him to be seriously be looking for work. I was not going support him.

Get a job and find place to stay. I would help all that I could to get him set up.

Dwayne smiled,”I appreciate that big brother, don’t worry, I’ll get my shit together.”

I really did not like his smile.

Then I was working on a advance security system for a high rise town home complex.

This required many long hours, 12 to 14 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The bonus for completing the job on time was substantial, ahead of time even better.

The crews’ incentive was guaranteed, harder more competent team could not be had for love or money.

I was right with them, managing the work and getting my hands dirty right along with them.

We completed the job in 3 months instead of 4 month.

I had my boss paying regular hours on one account, with overtime and bonus money into a separate account.

My boss accused me of being an incurable romantic.

Saving up for a cruise Gwen had always wanted to take.

I wanted to be able get a 1st class cabin, and fly to the port 1st class.

My crew and I were given a week off with pay, as well as our bonus.

My boss and the board of directors were very happy and impressed with our job.

I also applied for a weeks vacation, to give me 2 weeks, and was granted.

I wanted some time to alone with Gwen and to light a fire under Dwayne’s ass.

He had gone from one job to another, either getting fired, or quitting because of unfair treatment.

Before my 2 weeks off I had been getting a little warning voice in the back of my mind.

Being home I started noticing every time Dwayne talked with me he had a perpetual smirk.

Gwen and Dwayne started with little jokes, at my expense.

OK, it’s all in good fun. Right?

Went from jokes to being told, “Go get your brother a beer.”

“It’s your turn to clean the kitchen.”

Then getting very annoyed when I asked “When is it going to be someone else’s turn.”

As a result things got just a little frosty, like I was at fault for questioning the division of labor.

Gerry and I were running to the local hardware store for some hardware for the cabinets.

Gerry looked over at me while we were driving, “Dad while you were working on that project, things got kinda weird.

Dwayne and Mom started sitting closer together and giggling allot. When I would walk into the room, they would stop talking.

One day I came home and I heard noise from your bedroom, like the ones you and Mom used to make. When asked Mom about it Dwayne grabbed me and told me to keep my mouth shut because he would sure hate to put you in the hospital. Then he hit me in the ribs. I would be joining you there he told me.”

“When did this happen?”

“Right before you finished the that job. A few days ago I heard Dwayne saying he would set you straight on who was in charge now. Mom just laughed.”

You know you can mess with me all you want but you don’t threaten my son.

Gerry looked at me as I pulled into a parking lot, shaking to much to drive. “Dad I have never seen you with that look on your face. You are scaring me.”

“Son you are not the one who needs to worry. My brother and your mother are going to see my otherwise. One I tried to forget. First I will get the proof for my lawyer, then turn him loose on the both of them.

We will be elsewhere when the fecal matter hits the spinning blade.”

Monday I went to talk to my boss, Paul Maxwell hated of cheaters and a veteran himself. His wife divorced him while he was deployed in the sandbox.

He told me to take the time I needed to take care of the situation. He sold me an audio visual system linked to a central recorder with 4 recording drives, linked by wifi with a Cloud backup.

We installed the system one Saturday when I told the two lovers that I felt like I was coming down with a bad cold.

Gwen and Dwayne were both insincerely sympathetic, as they went to the barbeque at a friends house on the other side of our little town.

Once the system was installed we doubled checked it’s operation to be sure each drive was receiving two cameras in a split screen mode.

Next a separate receiver keyed into our cell phones, every call recorded for posterity.

Both of our laptops could be used to check and monitor the live feed or recorded data.

After I consulted a lawyer and paid the retainer, and gave him the Cloud link to have the recordings on hand for the divorce. Then we made our plans.

We were going to be absent for a few weeks when the divorce papers and restraining orders were served on Gwen and Dwayne.

Gerry layed the ground work to explain his absence from school. Explaining that things were getting really bad at home.

We packed up two small duffel bags and stashed them in the garage, and bought an old beat up truck to drive to a hunting fishing camp.

We did not want either of our cars to be easily traced if they were reported stolen by my little soon to be ex-wifey.

The truck was parked at an old abandoned warehouse near the San Jacinto river.

Two days before we were going to make ourselves to be elsewhere, I came home to find the two lovers greeting me with smiles.

Gwen apologise for being such a bitch to me over the past months.

Dwayne brought me a Fosters in a frosted mug. My favorite.

I woke up strapped to a chair with Gwen glowering at me, with a slap upside my head.

“I found the receipt for your lawyer! You are not going to divorce me you bastard!”

“This is how it is going to be. You will be bringing home the paycheck, moving into the spare bedroom as Dwayne moves into bedroom.”

I replied,”what makes you think I will go along with this?”

“If you don’t I will make damn sure you never see your son again.” Gwen said grinning.

“You cheating whore...” That’s when Dwayne showed his “alpha” male self and started pounding me.

As he hit me, he informed me that it was no way to talk to his woman and he was going to teach me some manners, so that I understood that my position to him was to be subservient to him, and obedient to Gwen.

I don’t remember much after I felt like my ribs were cracking. When he hit me in the stomach, I vomited on him and he went crazy.

The next thing I remember was Gerry cutting zip ties from my wrists and feet.

“Dad, I came as soon as I could after I checked on my laptop ... I waited until they went to sleep after tiring themselves out. I’m sorry I could not have been faster. Lets get you to a doctor.”

He drove me to a 24hour clinic where I made the acquaintance of Dr Goldfarb and his Selma LeBeau.

While I was in Xray Gerry explained to the Doctor what happened.

Dr Goldfarb just shook his head in disbelief, and the ordered additional blood tests.