My alternate ending.

On my way to the hospital, I began to reconsider my parting words to Hildy. Did I really want to save my marriage? The utter contempt and disrespect she'd displayed during her "act of revenge" was certainly not that of a loving spouse - not even one who felt wronged by my actions, regardless of my guilt or innocence. Then there were my injuries to consider. Did I really want to forgive someone who almost crippled me permanently, not to mention almost killing me by suffocation? The more I pondered these questions, the angrier I became. I decided that, at the very least, I wanted to enact some retribution before even considering a reconciliation.

When I arrived at the ER, I spotted a police officer and waved her over. I showed her my injuries and recounted the events which led up to them and asked her if I could file any criminal charges against Hildy and her fuck-buddy. She promptly assured me that there were several crimes which the two had perpetrated, and that she would be glad to take my formal statement, along with having a unit dispatched to my home to arrest Hildy.

She made sure that the ER staff took pictures, documenting the severity of my damaged extremities, and gave me the name of the best divorce lawyer in our area - hell, she even called the lawyer for me and arranged for her to come see me right away at the hospital. Now, that's what I call service!

Turns out the doctor wanted to keep me overnight in order to make sure there were no lasting damages caused by my obstructed breathing during the ordeal. After the officer took my statement, she had me sign the complaints and accompanied me to my room to wait for the lawyer's arrival.

At the time, it never occurred to me to wonder about how supportive the officer was acting - my mind was still occupied with recent events.

The lawyer, when she arrived, became enraged upon hearing my story and made sure that a restraining order was issued which denied Hildy access to our home or any contact with me, except through my lawyer or with a police officer present. Now I could return home and not have to put up with Hildy being there with me.

Turns out that the police arrived just in time to prevent Hildy from destroying the blood-stained ties and stained bedding, so they added tampering with evidence and obstruction of justice to the list of charges against her. I later learned that she became hysterical when the charges were read to her and had to be forcibly restrained.

Acting on the advice of my lawyer, I held off on filing for divorce until after the trial was over. Hildy kept trying to get me to talk to her, but I refused any contact except through my lawyer. I wasn't going to give her any opportunity to manipulate me into a reconciliation before I felt she'd been properly punished. I was really hurting, constantly reliving her night with Jonas over and over, with no relief in sight.