Chapter 47

Scott continued his 'defense'. He had just admitted in front of witnesses of conspiring to falsify documents and personal records. It was the information my friend Roy needed to speed up his investigation of what could turn out to be a major scandal. Now, the old pervert was trying to weasel his way out of what he'd done to Carol.

"Looking back, I see how much I hurt you, which was not my intent. I just wanted him out of your life - permanently. I'm sorry, Baby. I'm sorry for what I did to him, but he seems to have responded to the adversity and risen above it. It made him stronger. I never told you the truth because I knew you would instantly crawl back to him, even after years had passed. I am sorry for what happened to you because of my hatred and jealousy of him. Please forgive me."

He looked like a pathetic little boy, but the look that came over Carol when he whined he was 'sorry, please forgive him', was terrible to behold. There was a radiance about her. The temperature in the room fell several degrees with that awful look.

Her right hand came out of nowhere, in a ferocious open handed slap. His head rocked from the blow and he staggered. The surprise and shock on his face was total. Before he could recover her left came up even faster, if that was possible, and sent him reeling. He recovered his balance, and continued to stand there in front of us, a look of realization, and a dawning fear, not just of me, but of her, appearing in his eyes. I couldn't see her clearly from the side, but I'm sure he saw Death in Carol's gaze.

The loud reports of her slaps silenced the laughter at the back. His face had two livid red splotches. I bet her hands were going to hurt later, but then you never know when the adrenalin surges. Carol took over completely now. She stepped right up to him, speaking very clearly in a voice I recognized as mimicking my own. She took complete control now, her sense of drama and poetry working to her advantage.

"Stand up and look at me, you pathetic excuse for a human being! For too long have I feared you and listened to your poisoned whisperings! No longer! Today I am free! I gave over my chance for love, happiness, children and career because of you!

"I gave up MY MAN and YES! My marriage! Because I listened to your lies!

"I lost the two people I loved the most because of you!

"I let you bribe me with tuition to College, thinking that would ease the pain of my loss and ease my shame, the shame you brought upon me! I am a Judas! I gave up my chance at Heaven for thirty pieces of silver!

"Since 1966, almost twenty years, my life has been a shambles of unfulfilled promises, hopes and dreams! I suffered needless years of shame and despair! I lost my self worth! I lost my ability to trust! I lost all this and more because of you, and your sick perverted hatred and jealousy of the only man I ever truly loved; and your own perverted lust!

"You make me sick! I hate you! If you need forgiveness, try your God, because I do not have it to give, nor I suspect does the Goddess! My soul may be damned for it, but I cannot forgive! You used up all the forgiveness in me that one night!"

She was on a roll. Her voice rose, not in pitch, just volume, frighteningly chilling, magnetic in its intensity. You had to listen to that voice, there was no other option.

"Look me in the eye when I tell you this:

"David and I were married on his birthday in August of 1965 under an ancient rite of the Old Ways and the Goddess. Bob and Riekie, Tante Pie, Tante Jo, Tante Kit, Oma and Opa were witness and/or party to it. Although not officially told, my mother knew, in her heart."

Bob Sr. went pale. Now he knew why I was so pissed and the depth of his injury to Carol Anne.

"Riekie was our official witness to the physical consummation of that union. The sheet from our marriage bed was presented to the family as proof of that consummation. Tante Pie still has it in her possession. The missing hymen you found was given freely with love to my husband.

"I gave him a ring. We may not have had benefit of clergy or state, but in the eyes of our family and his, who we told openly of our consummation and shared our joy, we were married".

I was fumbling idly in my pocket, playing with the loose change, a nervous habit most men have. I felt something, that old keepsake I found just before I left. My ring from Carol! I'd almost forgotten it was in my pocket until now. Something told me, now was the time to put it back on. It was almost like Bilbo's ring that somehow seemed to find its way onto his hand by itself. I slipped it over my middle finger, where I'd always worn it. I started to feel more whole at once -- like there was something there again. I didn't feel so abandoned. The Power was once again taking up the direction of our lives.

Scott had been looking somewhat mystified at the constant references Carol and I made to this other person we loved so much. Clarification was forthcoming and he would not like it one bit. <GRIN>

"You will be interested to know that not only did I marry David. A few days later, WE married Riekie under that same ancient rite. David and Riekie consummated the marriage in my presence. The blanket from her wedding bed is in Tante Pie's possession too.

"Riekie and I got identical rings to match his, Christmas of 1965. I still wear mine, and she still wears hers as well. SEE? This is my wedding ring and after twenty years, we are still wed!"

Carol waved her ring under his nose, glaring the whole time, daring him to speak.

"David's mother, a priestess of the Goddess, remarried the three of us Christmas Eve 1965. That makes three times David and I exchanged our wedding vows. You can't get much more married than that!"

Bob Sr. looked like he was going to faint at her words. Then he looked angry, as if he was going to say something. His mouth had done enough damage over the years. I quickly shut him up, interrupting Carol.

"One word out of you, Shithead, that isn't asked for, could very well be your last. Save your words for your defense lawyer when the MP's come knocking, and they will, you can count on it."

He wisely kept his mouth shut. I was angry enough I really would have hurt him.

Carol continued.

"Your lies about David cheating started the destruction of our marriage! I believed you, when I knew in my heart of hearts David had so much integrity he just COULDN"T do what you said of him! Riekie has ALWAYS believed in David! But I listened to you for just a little too long! Riekie got angry. She knew you lied and I wouldn't, couldn't, see it! That's partly why she left your house and would not speak to you or me for years!

"I KNOW you tried to rape her too, but she somehow avoided it, which is the main reason for her moving out! She threatened to tell David, so you would pay her tuition. She should have told him anyway, then I would not have been put through these twenty years of hell but she was afraid he'd do something that would land him in jail. I think waiting for someone to get out of jail who got there for protecting us would have been a piece of cake compared to what we did go through."

This was real news to me! He tried to rape both My Girls! Now I understood Riekie's code of striking out the Scott in her name! She was trying to tell me about him! I roared again.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH!!"

I was turned slightly toward Carol as she dropped the Riekie bombshell. As realization hit me, I spun and my arm lashed straight out, punching him in the guts with my full weight behind it and knocked him ass over teakettle. I would have beaten him to death. I was reaching to hit him more, when Carol's commanding voice stopped me cold.

"STOP! He's not worth it, David! That's why Riekie never told you; she knew you'd kill him."

I stepped away from him as Scott slowly picked himself up, trying hard to get his breath back. I could tell he was hurting as he rubbed his gut where I hit him. He couldn't stand straight, wincing as he tried. Carol continued as if nothing had happened.

"Bob was the one who finally convinced me David was telling the truth. He got very angry, calling me a 'stupid bitch' for listening to that 'son of a bitch' and lectured me long and hard about what David had taught us about truth and trust and friendship. His words, and David's hurt insistence he'd done nothing wrong finally made me listen to my heart of hearts. I was planning to reconcile with him that night when you raped me, or as I find out today, tried to rape me!

"The Goddess must have been protecting me all along. I was so ashamed, feeling dirty and used, convinced my own body had betrayed me, I couldn't in good conscience return to David and Riekie. I was so ashamed I couldn't tell them! I could hardly live with myself, let alone them! I've felt that way ever since, until today, when I learn you lied yet again. That final act ultimately did destroy our whole marriage, because we were three. Two couldn't maintain it. Like a three legged table, remove one, and the whole thing falls.

"Because of your filthy touch and worse, your lie that I fucked for you, I was ruined. I couldn't finish college. I couldn't find any other relationships. I wandered through life lost, alone and utterly ashamed. In my own mind I was a slut, just as you said. You — YOU — ruined my marriage and you utterly destroyed ME! I hope you're proud, because there's a special place in Hell reserved specifically for you.

"No man has ever touched me other than my husband, David, until I was violated by your filthy diseased claw. The man I legally married six years ago cannot consummate his marriage bed, and even if he could, I couldn't! The thought of any man's touch after your heinous act made me physically ill. Only my faith in the Goddess and David's Power somehow making it right has kept me from suicide all these years!"

What? Ben couldn't do it? I was still the only one?

.

"Now listen to me, and listen well! You people here are my witnesses. I, my sister, and brothers do herewith divorce you from our family and banish you from our sight."

Her wrath was a glorious thing to behold. I had said I'd put something in her eyes besides pain and guilt. They were dancing with her anger.

"If you so much as show your face around me ever again, you won't have to worry about David hurting you; I'll castrate you with a tin can lid myself! And don't even think about attending the funeral tomorrow. I think David is right. Mom died of a broken heart over what you did to us. She always did defend him, even to her dying breath, and even when I wouldn't listen, because of the hurt you caused and the poison you planted in my heart. I shun you! You no longer exist!"