[twinciteeguy]

"I will have the papers ready to be served to your wife at work on Monday morning. I can make it very public and embarrassing, but I assure you that will be the only satisfaction you will get out of this whole process. I'm sorry to be so blunt. Are you sure you still want to go forward with this?"

"Yes do it. I will not live with what she is doing."...

"Mr. Smith you are either the bravest or the stupidest man I've ever met. I guess time will tell. Is your wife the vindictive sort?"

"Well up until a few days ago I would have said no, but now I'm not so sure?"

"Ok then this is what I need you to do to protect yourself and your finances and you need to do them by first thing Monday morning. It isn't as complicated as it seems, but it will take some time. So start today if there are things you can do that won't be noticed, but wait until Monday on the things that will." She handed him a list and discussed its contents in detail with him. "Unless you tell me otherwise I will have her served at 11:00 AM Monday morning.

"Finally as a reminder do not under any circumstance get into even a verbal altercation with your wife between now and Monday. It will only complicate things for you.

"Again do NOT do anything stupid, I mean it! I will drop you as a client like a hot rock if you so much as sneeze on her."

"You act like you expect me to do something stupid."

"I'm sorry Nevada, but you're a man so you aren't that smart. And usually, by now the cheated-on husband is either blubbering like a baby or plotting his revenge. You are way too calm about this, and frankly, it is scaring the shit out of me. I truly hope this works out for you." She sounded almost human for a moment.

She stood and shook his hand. "Good luck Mr. Smith. I'll be in touch."

As Nevada was driving home he questioned himself as to why he was so calm. He figured it was because he was locked into a course of action now. He had no illusions about how hard his life and certainly his children's lives would be impacted by the divorce, but he was comfortable that he was doing the right thing. He felt strongly that it no longer mattered if Pilar went through with her tryst or not. He couldn't be married to her any longer. He sincerely felt that Pilar was the one who wrecked their family, not him. So there really wasn't anything left to be nervous or unsure about.

Nevada took to heart his lawyer's admonitions and was nothing but pleasant to Pilar the rest of the week. He was proud of his acting abilities. The one thing he couldn't do though was have sex with her. Pilar tried everything in her power to seduce him and at one point playfully accused him of having become gay, but it was to no avail. He managed to put her off by telling her that he would think about it when 'this was all over.'

Pilar thought this a positive sign assuming he meant after her weekend hall pass, and nothing more was said until Friday night.

"Nevada I'm leaving now."

He ignored her. He argued with himself if he should make one more attempt to stop her, but decided against it.

"Goodbye Pilar." He said it firmly and with finality, the meaning of which she missed entirely.

"Relax sweetheart, I will be home Sunday evening and then I promise it will be over and I will be your loving and faithful wife for the next twenty-one years." She laughed cheerfully and was out the door.