Adultery Life After We by xleglover-COMPLETED

[Ramesh_Rocky]

Drums shook his head dismissively at her. "You know Jen, you're not always gonna be pretty," he derided. "When your looks are gone, who's gonna care?"

Jen flinched at his words. Seeing that, Drums grinned meanly, knowing he'd hit on her biggest fear. With that minor triumph, he left, slamming the door behind him.

Jen wearily went to the kitchen. She was grateful Anna was quiet. Somehow she'd managed to sleep through all of that. Jen got a bag of ice and sat down on the sofa, putting the ice on her cheek. She hoped she didn't get a black eye, that was the last thing she needed.

Maggie hesitantly came out of her bedroom, looking afraid and ashamed. She'd heard everything. "I'm sorry Jen," she said looking afraid and about to cry.

Jen looked at the 19 year old college student. She felt sorry for Maggie. Frankie had taken advantage of both of them. Jen didn't blame Maggie for falling under his spell. But they both knew she could no longer be Anna's nanny. "I think you better go Maggie," Jen said regretfully.

Maggie nodded. Trying to hold back tears, she quickly packed and left.

Mike looked at the beautiful sunset as he waited for Sam to arrive. He was feeling better, he felt like he was over the PTSD. He hated his job though. Jasmine continued to pressure him to take the Code Master position, but the prospect filled him with dread. That wasn't what he wanted to do with his life.

What did he want? He wanted to be happy. He was tired of Apple. He was tired of Jasmine. He was even tired of the never ending beautiful days. He was an east coast person, he liked the change of seasons. He was tired of California. He wanted to go home.

He felt the need to see Jen. There were loose ends. Things that needed to be said. He couldn't rest until he got that closure.

Sam finally arrived, his flight late from LA. Sam ordered a beer and Mike got a scotch. "How'd it go with Jen?" Mike asked.

"She doesn't want the loft apartment," Sam said.

"What does she want?"

Sam shrugged and said "She didn't say." After a moment he said "Why don't you call her Mike?"

Mike was silent for a few moments. Then he asked "Is she still seeing that lawyer?"

Sam shrugged again and said, "I don't know Mike." Then he repeated "Maybe you should call her."

Mike played with his drink, twirling the scotch around in the glass. He was quiet for so long Sam said "Are you okay Mike?"

Mike didn't seem to hear Sam. He continued to look into the scotch, as if it was a crystal ball and he was trying to figure out the mysteries of life.

"I just don't get it," Mike said softly, as if talking to himself. "Why didn't she do anything?"

Sam tilted his head. "What are you talking about?"

Mike looked at Sam, as if remembering he was there. "When I was in jail. I don't get it. Why didn't Jen do something to help me get out?"

"You don't know this?" Sam asked looking surprised.

"Know what?"

"Mike," Sam said. "Jen didn't do anything because I told her not to."

"What?" Mike said confused. "What?"

"Buddy boy, think about it," Sam explained. "The Feds were holding you as a terrorist. They have almost unlimited power under the terrorism laws. They could have held you forever. The only thing we had going for us was the public's outrage that you were being held without being charged, without being allowed to see your lawyer."

"Okay," Mike said, still not understanding.

"Jen wanted to help, she was all fired up, she started calling Penn State, Google, people at your old firm, Keri and Jim, senators, congressmen, everyone," Sam said. Then he added with finality, "I told her to stop."

"Why Sam?" Mike said still not understanding.

"Because of your lifestyle Mike," Sam said gently. "Think about it. Jen gets involved. The press's attention shifts from you to her, the government's attention shifts to her too. You know how this works. Jen's a beautiful girl, a rising marketing star, people get interested, they want to know more about her. So the press digs. How long does it take before they find out about your lifestyle?"

Mike nodded. It wouldn't take long. He remembered the file Keri ran on Jen. If Google could figure it out, so could everyone else.

"Your lifestyle goes public, then what happens?" Sam continued. "The public outrage goes away, the pressure to release you goes away. That's why I told Jen to stop, it was going to hurt you big time."

Mike nodded, understanding now. People would find out he liked watching his wife with other men. They would find out he was a cuckold. He would be labeled a pervert, a deviant. That would help the government's accusations he was a terrorist. All his support would've dried up.

Sam asked, "Jen didn't tell you anything of this?"

Mike shook his head.

"She might've had a hard time talking about it," Sam said. "She was really upset. I think it ate at her, that she couldn't do anything to help you." He leaned over the table and said gently "It was tough for her Mike. You were in jail, she wasn't allowed to help you. Joe had only weeks left. She had work pressures."

"So what she did was okay?" Mike asked.

"I'm not saying that," Sam said immediately. "I'm saying, maybe she doesn't deserve this silent treatment. You guys were together a long time. Maybe you ought to give her a call."

Mike nodded but didn't say anything. Instead he looked off into the distance, at the sunset.

"I've decided not to take the promotion," Mike told Jasmine when he saw her next. "In fact, I've resigned from Apple."

"What?" Jasmine said looking incredulous.

"I'm moving back to New York," he told her.

"Okay," Jasmine said slowly, trying to catch up. "Okay, if that's your decision." She forced a smile and squeezed his hand. "It's good you'll be in New York. We can see each other more." Then a thought occurred to her and a genuine smile came to her face. "You can move in with me, I have a lot of room."

Mike nodded, but didn't say anything.

Jen hurried to the daycare to drop off Anna. She winced as Anna kissed her goodbye. Luckily she didn't get a black eye, but her cheek still stung where Frankie hit her.

Her life was super hectic again with the loss of Maggie as Anna's nanny. She sighed thinking about Maggie. She felt bad about the young girl. Maggie was young and impressionable, and naïve too. She was afraid of how what had happened might affect her. She was also afraid Maggie might continue to see that creep Frankie. Jen felt responsible, after all she'd been the one to introduce Frankie to Maggie.

Later that week Jen asked Maggie to meet her at the office. "I'm really sorry about what happened," Maggie said immediately, looking anxious and scared. She looked down, ashamed. "I'm sorry I cheated with your boyfriend."

"It's okay Maggie, he wasn't my boyfriend," Jen assured her. Looking concerned she asked "How are you doing?"

"I'm okay I guess," she said, but she was clearly hiding the truth. Breaking down she tearfully admitted "I'll probably have to drop out. My grades suck, I lost my scholarship. My parents are gonna be so mad."