Chapter 3

That next Monday, Brad called me and asked that I pick him up from practice again. I said that I would be there. In the car, Brad said, "Dad, can we go by a drive-thru and get something to drink, then go somewhere quiet and talk, OK?"

"Sure thing, Brad."

After getting our drinks, I pulled into the big supermarket parking lot and parked away from the store, where most of the employees parked. We sat for a few minutes while Brad seemed deep in thought.

"Dad, would you be real upset if it was just Mom and me?"

"Well, I really wouldn't be very happy about it. Your mother's fantasy is really kind of like mine was. She wanted two men fawning all over her and acting upon her every wish. That would be kind of selfish and pointless if I wasn't there now, wouldn't it? I can kind of see why you might not want me there, but I can assure you that I am only doing this for your mother. There is nothing in it for me. Yes, I'll participate, but only for what she wants. Yeah, I get some sex out of it, but I get that anyway, so what is the difference to me?"

"But what if Mom said that she just wanted the two of us to be there and not include you. Would you be alright with that?"

"Well, two things about that. First, this is your mother's fantasy, not yours. Second, if I'm not there, then I would consider it to be cheating. Yes, I would know it was happening, but I really can't say that I approve of that, because I don't. I know there's a very fine line between cheating and knowing, but it is there. I'm really not sure I could accept that unless your mother convinced me it was her idea all along, and even then, I would not like the result."

"I see, Dad; that is your final say in the matter, then?"

"Yes, that's it. Without me, it has two endings; no sex or divorce. That's where I draw the line in the sand. I'm sorry that it might sound selfish, but that is how I feel. So, is this going to happen as a birthday present for you or not?"

"I don't know yet. I need to talk to Mom first, then we can all talk together. This is to be my big present from you guys to me for turning seventeen, no car or trip?"

"We'll have to see what happens on your birthday. We planned for this to happen on the next weekend so that we would all have a three-day weekend to rest up afterwards."

"Thanks, Dad, I don't have to like your answers, but I can certainly see where you are coming from. We'll talk again; let's go home now."

When we got home, Brad grabbed his bag and went straight to his room. I let Kate know what we talked about and she wanted to go upstairs and let Brad know that if I wasn't there it wouldn't happen either. I told her to just trust me; he would work out what he wanted to do. I reminded her that we would leave the decision of his participation up to him.

The Stevenson residence was kind of chilly for a few days. Finally, on Wednesday, the eighth, before his birthday on the twelfth, Brad asked if we could talk after dinner. We said sure and went on eating. Afterward, Kate and I sat next to each other on the sofa, and Brad sat in Kate's chair.

"Alright, here is my take on this. Yes, Mother, I would love to have sex with you, but Dad says that he has to be there or the whole thing is off. I can understand his reasoning, but I disagree. If he has to be there, then he can sit in a chair and watch, but not participate. I don't want sloppy seconds from anyone."

"You listen to me you pompous horse's ass. You don't dictate the conditions, I do! This is my fantasy, not yours! I say that your father participates or the whole thing is off the table forever. I want to be penetrated by two men at the same time; that isn't going to happen with me on the bed and your father in a chair. So you can take your sanctimonious self-righteous attitude and stuff it so far up your ass that you choke on it. This discussion is over. That's it; your chance of ever getting me is gone. Go to your room and think about this and see if you can figure out just how much you just fucked yourself," Kate said, and then stalked off out of the house.

I looked at Brad and said, "I think you just shit where you eat. I don't think you should be down here when she comes back. I'll try to calm her down, but man, did you royally fuck up."

Brad looked lost, suddenly his whole world collapsed under him and he didn't have a safety net. He started with "Dad I ... I'm sorry ... I didn't think that it was such a big deal."

Just as he said that, we heard tires squealing and the roar of a car. "I think I know where she will go. Go on now; I'll try to see if I can calm her down. Please, Son, just go upstairs and I'll try to smooth things over. Please don't say anything until she does, OK?"

"OK, Dad."

I grabbed my coat and headed out. Kate had taken my Durango, so I had to take her Lexus. I finally found the keys in her coat pocket. I took the coat and drove down to the club that we sometimes go to dance at. They have a great bar area, as well as a dance floor. I saw my Dodge in the parking lot, so I found a spot and went inside with Kate's coat.

She was at a table with a glass of wine already in her hand.

"So here you are. I thought you would be here."

"Where else would I be? I know of only one bar close to home, and this is it. I really needed a drink."

"Well, white wine isn't going to get you mellow very quick."

"I'm not sure that I want to get drunk very quickly, besides my anger is keeping the wine from working very well. Did he say anything after I left?"

"Not much, I think he finally figured out how badly he handled that. He assumed that he had the upper hand since we came to him. He quickly found out that he didn't hold any cards at all. You cut him down very hard and fast, and he will have to really think about this some more before he realizes that he never really had any say in this, except yes or no. It happens by your rules, or it doesn't happen at all. I suppose when it comes down to basics, I never had any input into this either, except yes or no."

"No, Dear; you really didn't. You could ask me not to do this, but it is still my decision if we go forward. I'm not sure that I could live with the consequences of you saying no and me saying yes. I suppose that you would leave us if I did."

"That is a distinct possibility, Katelyn. It was always a possibility."

I ordered a beer and we sat, not really talking much. A little later on, we talked about the house she was trying to sell. It was a very nice little three room bungalow that would suit us just fine once Brad moved out to go to college. He had been looking at Ohio State, Penn State, and the University of Tennessee. After the problems with Penn State, he had kind of crossed them off and was now looking at Michigan too. We had close to half a million socked away for that little adventure. Most of that was from the suit, but we had added to it every so often. He had no idea how much was available, and we weren't telling him either, not until he was accepted by a school, and maybe not even then.

We sat and talked about a number of things, then got up and left. Since Kate normally left for work after I did, we brought the Dodge home and I would drop her off to pick up her Lexus in the morning.

We really hammed it up when we got home. Kate acted very drunk and slurred all her words and bumped into walls and furniture on the way up the stairs. As we neared the top of the stairs, she shouted, "How dare that pipsh ... pipshhqueak th ... th ... think that he could tell mezz swhat to do, huh? Whose he tink he ish, God or shomebody?"

"Katie, just calm down, please don't wake him. He'll start ranting and raving all over again, or you'll really get him mad and he'll leave us. Calm down, and we'll talk again later when you're not so upset. OK, Darling? Now let's get you in bed and..."

That's as far as I got before I heard a retching sound and Katie screamed, "OH Fuck, not on the carpet. I know I'll make him clean ish up, serve him riche to clean up my mess cause o him."

"Don't worry, I'll get it. I have to get you in the bathroom." I had opened a can of mixed vegetables downstairs, and mixed some ketchup, a little beer, and white wine into it and put it in a paper cup for Kate to carry. When she retched, she threw the contents of the cup on the hallway carpet and even a little on the wall. I knew it would clean up if I got to it right away and so I escorted my 'drunken' wife into the bathroom, and left her there to clean up and get ready for bed.

I went out into the hall, and there was Brad, leaning down with a large bath towel from his bathroom trying to soak up the fake vomit. I had hoped that he had heard us.

"Brad, what are you doing out here? Your mom is not in any mood to see you. I really appreciate that you want to help, but let me get that, OK?"

"No, Dad. This is all my fault. I need to clean this up and maybe I can still save your marriage. I guess Mom got a little plowed."

"I don't think 'a little' is quite accurate. When I found her, she had switched from wine to beer and before I got her calmed down enough to leave, she had a couple of shots of whiskey and Tequila. Boy, is she going to be sorry tomorrow. You go on to bed now, Son. I'll get this cleaned up before it stains. I know how to make sure it doesn't. You need to get your sleep so you can pay attention in school tomorrow."

"Alright, Dad, but I still I think I should clean this up since I caused it."

"We can talk all about that later, right now, git. I left your mother hugging porcelain and I don't want to leave her alone too long."

"Goodnight, Dad; I'm really sorry you got stuck with all the work and ... well, I'm sorry about everything tonight."

"Thank you, Brad, but we'll live through this. It may take a while, but we can work things out when we're all calmer."

Brad reluctantly left then and I heard his door close. I quickly ran downstairs and got my cleaning supplies and cleaned up the mess on the carpet and wall. By the time I got back upstairs and in to our bedroom, Kate was asleep.

Breakfast was a very quiet, somber, affair. I couldn't remember a quieter meal. Nothing was said at all. All conversation consisted of pointing and nodding. Bradley finally left for school and I saw the bus pull away with Brad on it.

"Kate, even with your hair all mussed up, wearing that robe, and no makeup on, you still look beautiful to me. I think Brad got the message. Now you run on up and get ready and I'll drop you off at the Slipper Club on my way to work. I hope your buyer finds the financing he was looking for, but then again, maybe we need to buy that place and lease it out until Brad starts college."