Adultery When We Were Married by DanielQSteele1

[Ramesh_Rocky]

I noticed the ‘ifs’. She wasn’t being super-optimistic. I had known that bullets to the stomach or abdomen are bad news because they are good sites for all kinds of opportunistic infections. But a super bug on top of that? I decided I’d have somebody light a candle for him beside the ones I’d had lit for Dunleavy and O’Collins at the downtown Catholic church.

And I’d say an extra prayer. Most of the time I think it’s just praying to a fantasy. But on the one in a million chance there was somebody or something up there actually listening, it couldn’t hurt, and he deserved it.
I walked in behind her. He was a horse. He seemed to dwarf the bed, but he was tangled in cord and tubes. His skin still had that sickly gray sheen. A pretty black woman about a third his size held a cup with a straw up to him holding the straw to his mouth.
“C’mon baby, you need to drink. Just sip a little.”
She didn’t notice I was in the room until I had approached James from behind her. Sweat covered his face and there was the smell of male sweat in the room. He must have soaked through his hospital gown. And he was a big man so he could sweat a whole bunch.
I didn’t register at first. I imagine so many doctors and nurses streamed through here that she was used to strangers walking in. But then she recognized me.
“You haven’t done enough?”
Something about her tone roused the big man and he forced his eyes open.
There was almost a smile on his lips. “Maitland. God damn.”
She was a very pretty woman. Deep, black eyes, lips that didn’t look natural with the hard line that had frozen them now. Hair straight and down her back. She was petite but everything was there in abundance. James had been a lucky man until he ran into me.
“Mrs. James, I’m very sorry for what happened. I never meant for any of this to happen.”
“I’m glad to hear that. I’d hate to think that you meant to put my husband into this hospital bed while you walk out of here.”

“Elexus.”

James managed to put a little strength into his voice.

“Baby, don’t be that way. Maitland didn’t shoot me. It was all Shawn. If the asshole hadn’t been screwing around with that white woman...”
He started to cough and then spit up green slime. Elexus James put the cup down and grabbed a cloth. A nurse behind me bustled toward him and helped him sit forward. He coughed and spit for a moment and then calmed down. The nurse helped him lay back on the bed.

After a moment he opened his eyes again and said, “Got to tell ‘ya, Maitland.

I feel like shit. Probably look like shit too, right?”

I smiled at him and said, “You’re still a fine figure of a man, James. I imagine the wife has to beat the nurses off you with a stick.”

He lay back and closed his eyes, “...only in my dreams.....only in my....................................................................................... ”

And then he apparently drifted off and I could hear him snoring in a moment. I stood there but I couldn’t think of anything else to say. Elexus James just continued to stare at me with a look that would have skewered me to the wall if it

had had physical force.
Finally, I said, “James. I hope you feel better.”
I reached over and took one his huge hands in mine. His skin was clammy and warm. I squeezed it twice, then let it go.
“ Mrs. James, if there’s anything I or the State Attorney’s Office can do, call us.”
I turned to walk out. She caught me before I hit the door, touching me on the shoulder.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Maitland. I know....I know you didn’t do this. You didn’t put
him here. But, we’ve been together since I was 13 and he was 16. I used to sneak out to meet him after my parents fell asleep. We’ve been together 20 years. Never been another man in my life. Never wanted anyone else. And they’re not saying it, but - he could die. I never been so scared in my life. I don’t know what to do. I don’t know - if I even want to live if he goes. But we have a daughter. I can’t leave her. I’m so damned scared.”
“I know you’re scared. The only person I’ve ever lost was my father when I was a little boy and I didn’t know enough to be scared, but I know what you’re feeling.”
“The thing is - they thought I was dead and I survived. James is a big, strong guy. The nurse told me they’re hitting him with every antibiotic they have. It depends on his will to live and he’s got you and his daughter to live for. I think he’ll make it. That’s not much, but you have to have faith that he’ll walk out of here. He’s a good man. If there’s any justice, he will.”
I left her there holding his hand and wishing to God that my words would turn out to be true.

SEPTEMBER 26, 2005 -- 3:45 P.M.

I walked back into the floor where my office was located and noticed the hush that swept through in my wake. Secretaries stopped their telephone conversations and stared at me. A couple of Assistants stepped out of their offices to stare at me also.


As I approached Cheryl’s desk she stood up and I stopped. She came around the desk and hugged me - hard!
She was wetting my shirt, my black shirt. The Big Man had insisted on black a while back and I’d given in. I bought all my outfits in black, except for a couple of casual wear things, shorts and that kind of thing. Today I was dressed in black slacks, a black button down shirt and a black dress coat.
Finally I pushed her away.
“What is this, Cheryl. You’re acting like I almost died or something.”
Funny, but I felt tears welling in my eyes. I was turning into a damned woman myself.
She sniffed.
“Don’t make jokes, Bill. You could have died.”
“I could get hit by a car crossing the street from the parking lot on my way into this building. It was pretty dramatic, I’ll grant you that, but it’s over, Cheryl. Now I just have to survive the media onslaught.”
“God, tell me about it,” she said, pulling back and checking out the bandages that wrapped the back of my head in a swath. “We’ve had over 200 calls from media outlets all over the world. There hasn’t been much time to get any work done today. Of course, Mr. Edwards isn’t TOO unhappy.”
I grinned at her.
“As long as they spell his name right, right?”
I didn’t wait for her to answer, but headed for my office. I opened the door and stopped. There was a tidal wave of paper on my desk, telephone notes and post-its. I pulled up the first few - New York Times, Sky News, the U.K. Guardian, then I started wading through the rest of the pile.
Six months ago I’d been an unknown Assistant State Attorney in a big/little Florida City/Town. My fellow lawyers here and there might have known me, but as far as a public presence, I was happily unknown. I had never wanted to be famous. Oh, I had the stray daydreams of fame and fortune but I’d never really needed that.
I had a wife I loved, two kids who were turning into insufferable pains in the asses as they were supposed to in their teens, a job I believed in and sufficient income. Who needed more than that.
Now I was the Angel of Death and people around the globe were apparently vicariously living my life for me. I knew I’d have as much luck withdrawing back into my personal world as I’d had of convincing the Old Man to leave me alone.
Cheryl stuck her head in my door.
“We have another call. It’s CBS in New York. You want to take it?”