Chapter 3

Melanie was there getting dinner. "Have you eaten?"

"Not yet. I'm just here to get more of my stuff. I left some things being washed and I'll need them before the week is out."

"I couldn't sleep last night so I finished them and put them into your bureau. I have spaghetti with canned sauce. There is more than I will eat. I will heat up the rest of the garlic bread too. You might as well eat with me." I shrugged my shoulders and sat down.

"Brad, are you really going to divorce me? We've been together for several years."

"Melanie, it is back to my manhood and you destroying it. I wouldn't be able to look myself in the mirror otherwise if I didn't."

"I was afraid you would feel that way. You are taking Cindy's word about what happened last Friday, I suppose?"

This was a question.

"I haven't talked to her. However I do have an explicit depiction of what went on here."

"What do you mean?"

"I have an audio of everything that was said in the living room and I have an hour's worth of video of what went on in the bedroom. Both are very damaging to your case and of course to my manhood."

"You snuck around and spied on me?"

"Yes. Cindy told me a week before this took place that Rich was going to be in town over the weekend. I knew I was going to be out of town and I didn't trust you or him to keep away from each other. I wired the place. My lawyer has the tapes. I think she will be sharing them with your attorney. I imagine Cindy will want a copy as well."

"So where does that leave me?"

"It leaves you without much wiggle room. I am hoping you will not contest or string out our divorce. It would be terrible if a copy of the tapes surfaced and your school board saw them."

"You would have to hate me more than I think you do to show them to anyone."

"I don't know as I hate you as much as I'm disappointed in you. We could have had a wonderful life together."

"Not likely. You are just too damned serious. With me I'm more inclined to treat every little thing as a joke."

"I know, but I have had enough and cheating isn't a joke for anyone."

"So what now?"

"I have set the terms of how we are to settle everything. We both won't come out owing too much if you sign the papers after you are served."

"I guess I'll have to. What about the lease on the house?"

"I hadn't thought of that. We have two months left don't we? One of us should take advantage of that. Do you want to stay here and pay for it until it runs out or do you want me to?"

"I will. I can swing it. Maybe I'll get a roommate to help with expenses. It could be you."

"I'll pass. There is always Rich."

"Hell, he won't have any money. Cindy will nick him for child support and probably alimony. He is worried about it."

"Tough." I went about loading my car with stuff. Melanie promised me the entertainment center if she could have all of the kitchen pots, pans and the dishes. I agreed. I would be eating out anyway as I did not cook. I would have to store the music center until I got a more permanent place.

Sitting across the table from my soon-to-be ex-wife, I knew I was going to miss her in several different ways. However the trust was gone and there was no way she was going to get it back from me. I hugged her when I got ready to leave. "Stop by for a meal anytime." I promised I would. She was still standing in the doorway as I backed out onto the street.

I hadn't heard a word from Cindy. I knew her lawyer had shared what was on the tapes with her. I suppose it was hard for me to let Melanie go. I did go over and avail myself of a dinner one night a week and she always invited me for the Sunday noon meal. There were other things open, but I decided sitting across the table from her during a meal was enough. In return, I gave her lease money for one of the two months left on the lease.

The fourth week when I arrived on Wednesday there was another female teacher present and I was introduced to her. She was Melanie's new roommate. She was pleasant, older, quite nice appearing and just widowed less than a year ago. Her name was Linda. It was explained that both women were lonely, this was a trial period, and that they might or might not end up together when the lease was up. It had been discussed that the two might renew.

Melanie shared openly with Linda why the two of us were getting divorced. I made myself amiable and I was again invited back for the next Sunday dinner. If Melanie had only chosen this teacher to be friends with instead of Rockford, we might still be married. Too late now.

I had moved out of the motel less than three weeks after my breakup with Melanie. I secured a small one-bedroom apartment. It was quiet and just right for me to study for my Certified Public Accountant exam. I hoped to try for a license in the spring, but I would really have to concentrate.

Cindy was sitting in her car in front of my apartment one afternoon about six weeks from the last time I spoke with her. "Hi Brad, new digs, huh?"

"Yeah this is home. Can you come in? I haven't heard how your life is going. You can fill me in."

"That is what I am here for. My attorney said you lived at this address, so I drove over to look you up. Do you like it here?"

"Not really. I am busy--end of the quarter coming up, you know. I am also studying for a test. I don't even eat here unless it is cereal for breakfast."

"Tough and you can blame Rich for all of it."

"I could, but I don't. It takes two, but he gets the lion's share. What's up?"

"I understand you and Melanie are getting a divorce. I saw the tapes and I heard the audio cassette. They really did trash us."

"They did. I assume you are getting a divorce as well."

"That is why I came over. I think I need to explain something. You deserve that much after all that has happened."

"Okay. Would you like a beer? On the other hand, I can make a cup of tea. I use instant coffee which is terrible so I won't offer that."

"Nothing for me please. Brad, we have always been friends. I guess I'm trading on that friendship to ask a favor of you. As I said, I have seen the video of Rich and Melanie. I would like to have them suppressed so they do not get back to the school. It would destroy Rich."

"I know it would. Explain why you don't want them to surface."

"This may sound crazy to you, but I decided not to divorce Rich. I could and I could get everything I asked for from the suit. I have weighed my options and I have decided I still love him. There is Annie to consider as well. She is just old enough to where she is getting some personality. Rich adores her. That is a lot of it. I remember my father never paid me any attention at all and I don't want that for my daughter.

"You know I have money of my own so I could walk away anytime and still be okay financially. I will if he strays or does not live up to some promises he has made to me. This is why I didn't want you to contact me. I had to sort this out for myself. He almost screwed up. He went and talked to Melanie right after the incident. She pretty much told him she wanted nothing more to do with him."

I stared at her. She had placed a lot of faith in Rich. I wouldn't have, but then she lived with him and knew him better than I ever would.

"Say something, damn it."

"Cindy, you've heard me say Kemo Sabe haven't you? Do you know what it means?"

"It is what Tonto calls the Lone Ranger isn't it?"

"Yes, and he says it to Tonto too. However, it is more than that. In the native tongue, it means 'My Trusted Friend' or 'Most Trusted Friend.' I think I will be your Kemo Sabe and do as you ask. If I had met you before Rich did, I think you and I would have made a great couple. It is not to be, so I will become your most trusted friend. If for any reason I'll also be your Lone Ranger and gallop off to save you."

"Brad, I can't ask for more. I do have love for you, but not the kind I could act on."

"I'm not asking you to." Cindy gave me a hug and left shortly. I didn't feel like going out to eat so I had a bowl of cold cereal. I sat at the table wondering if this is the way the Lone Ranger felt after saving someone from a bunch of outlaws. I was sad and so alone. Who was, and where was my Kemo Sabe?

I would be taking my Certified Public Accountant exam the day my divorce from Melanie became final. I would learn the results of the test within two weeks. Talk about being anxious. I had been promised a raise immediately on passing the test. That would certainly help me forget my marriage to Melanie.

Before this happened, Melanie and I had a row when she learned Cindy had taken Rich back and wasn't divorcing him. She could not understand why if Cindy took Rich back, then why wouldn't I drop our divorce before it became final. I stated, "Cindy is apparently more generous and forgiving than I am," I stalked out and missed the Wednesday night dinner that next week.

"Hi Brad, this is Linda, Melanie's roommate. Would you be coming to Sunday dinner this week? I'm inviting you."

"Where is Melanie on this?"

"Well after she finished calling you an intractable bastard she burst into tears. I guess it is because she still loves you and wishes she had made different choices. Is there any hope at all for her?"

"I wish there was, but honestly, there isn't. I miss her too, you know, but I cannot get over seeing her with Rich on tape. There were some things that she said about me that bothers me as well. It was too much."

"Okay, I can understand and she will come to it. Please come to dinner. I miss seeing you almost as much as she does. I know we can all get back to a relationship as friends before this last little blowup."

"For you, I will come to dinner." So I did go. Melanie had given up hoping. At least I think she did. The winter progressed. I studied and went to dinner every week. Sex was never mentioned and we kept our conversations light. Melanie occasionally went to school functions and I believe she had a few dates. I never inquired, as it was none of my business. For myself, I did not take the time to date.

I ran into Cindy on the street one day as she was in town shopping. Little Annie was in the stroller. "Come, sit in my car while I feed her. Then we will go get a coffee."

I had been offered the chance to see Cindy nurse the baby many months ago and had turned it down. I watched this time. There was nothing sexy about it at all. Annie kept her eyes on me while working the first nipple. The second one she attacked at a slower pace and soon her eyes closed and then opened again. She would suck furiously a couple of times and then her lips would relinquish the nipple. Soon she was satisfied and asleep. "This is the best part of being a mother. No woman for you on the horizon yet?"

"Not yet. After April, I will have time to look for someone. I'll be single and can concentrate on something besides studying. I am going to have time to go to some meets and reenactments this summer. They start in this area the middle of May. I'm pretty rusty as I haven't done a bit of practicing."

"Are there women who go to these things?"

"Sure all the time. Melanie used to go sometimes. Not too many can handle a shooting iron." I grinned, "You'd be good and you've had some practice."

Cindy laughed aloud at this. "God, I was so angry and didn't know what I was doing. It cost me a hundred dollars in fines. It was well worth it, I must say. Rich found out I was not a wife to fool around on where he was concerned. Brad, Rich has turned into the best husband. We are planning another baby in another year."

"I'm glad for you."

"Are you sorry you are divorcing Melanie?"

"Sometimes, but not often. I see her twice a week now and I think we are going to be friends, but never more than that."

"That's too bad, but I understand."

I did pass the CPA exam and with high marks, too. The next week I received a substantial increase in salary. It figured out to a little more than $10,000 for the coming year.

I went to the first shooting contest. I was rusty and came in seventh in the fast draw contest. I sat on the bleachers and watched some marksman shooting. This was with live ammo, of course. There was one woman who was a standout. She was billed as Annie Oakley. I think it was mostly because of her size, but she was an excellent shot. She was only a bit taller than real Annie Oakley at five feet one.

I couldn't tell how old she was. She was small, but she was all woman. She was not overblown in any way, just nicely proportioned. She was also quick and lively. From where I was sitting, I could see her smiling until she faced a target and then she was all business. At the end of the shoot, she came in third. She plopped her butt down beside of me while we were waiting for some skits to begin.

She started the conversation. "Hi, I'm Ramona. You're Brad Higgins, aren't you? I saw you shoot and win last fall. What happened today?"

"I put my guns up for the winter. I passed my CPA exam six weeks ago and now I'm back to doing a few things I enjoy."

"That's interesting. Who do you work for?"

I named my company as Bascomb's. "I've been doing tax prep and payroll accounts. I just moved into the auditing section and have only been involved with one major audit so far. My boss praised me and said I was a big help.

"This is real praise, for the boss has real pride in all of us doing quality work. If one is found doing sloppy work, they do not last long. We all strive not to let him down as well. It is too bad he is old enough to retire. He talks about retiring some. We'll probably be bought out by some company who doesn't have the customer's best interests at heart like he does."

"That is interesting. Here comes Matt Dillon and Kitty in a skit. I saw it at an indoor show during the winter. Between you and me, he is good, but she is god-awful. What he needs is a tall, well proportioned, beautiful woman who can at least act a little."

"I should get my ex-wife involved. She is a school teacher and needs a Matt Dillon worse than the real Kitty did."

"What happened between you two?"

"She was caught cheating on tape. The other party and his wife were friends of ours. She did not divorce her husband, but I did my wife. My ex cannot understand why they didn't divorce and yet I needed to. We have now reached an amicable relationship. Nothing sexual at all, but friendly. We are both in the market for someone new. Oh, hell, why am I telling you this?"

"Because I'm interested and I asked. Wow, look at that. I told you she is terrible. Miss Kitty must be rolling over in her grave. Is your ex-wife pretty?"

"Very pretty. She could pass for Amanda Blake any day of the week."

We watched a skit of "Have Gun, Will Travel," which was good. I went to find coffee for the both of us. When I came back, Ramona handed me a script. "I got this from Matt Dillon and if it will help, he is single. Bring your ex-wife to the next meet. That will be in Samsonville in two weeks. How about you, don't you want to try being in a skit sometimes?"

"No."

"You'd make a great Frank Butler. That was Annie's husband and they were married for forty years. You with your fast gun and me with my marksmanship, we would make a couple. Maybe I could be Tonto to your Lone Ranger. Think it over." She bounced off the seat and I watched her stride away. Um, very interesting.

Over coffee the next day, Linda and Melanie finished clearing the table after our usual Sunday dinner. "Melanie, I haven't asked too much of you since our breakup. If I asked you to do a couple of things for me, would you?"

"I might."

"The first thing I ask is, would you go to Samsonville in two weeks when I have another meet? Linda should go too."

"I guess so. We haven't been anywhere together."

"One more thing. You produce some plays at school and enjoy it. Would you perform in a little skit with Marshal Matt Dillon? You are Miss Kitty, owner of the Long Branch Saloon."

"Oh God, I don't think so. I wouldn't know what to say." I produced the script and handed it to her. "One thing about Matt Dillon is that he is way more handsome than I am and a hundred times more handsome than the real one. You already have a suitable dress. It is that low cut one that has the ruffles on it."

"You would never let me wear it when we were married."

"I know, but you weren't a dance hall madam and saloon owner back then. You were my wife."

"Linda, help me get it out so I can put it on." Both women went rushing into Melanie's bedroom and I heard the closet door bang open. I heard giggling and some happy exclamations. Finally, "It still fits perfectly. I finally get to wear it."

Melanie came out. God she was beautiful. "Matt Dillon doesn't stand a chance. As far as I knew, he and Kitty never kissed on television, but from the script, you might want to ad lib at the end."

"We don't have to stick to the script?"

"No one ever does. Many of these people forget their lines and sometimes that is a lot of fun in itself. The Miss Kitty that has been doing it was terrible. Everyone knew it including her. She swore she wouldn't do it again. Here is an opening for a new career, Miss Kitty."

Melanie stared hard at me. "Brad, you do still love me a little don't you?"

"Yes Melanie and I always will. Thanks for a wonderful dinner as always. I'll see you both Wednesday evening."

"You could stay for a bit you know."

"I know, but I think I had better leave before I do something I would regret."