Home... What a funny word for a place I used to believe in. A place where I thought I would raise a family and be happy. God, I was so foolish. I believed all his lies and kept myself blind to the way he was acting. I had chucked it up to his being stressed from work. I had been wrong, so very wrong. I walked into our home to find him fucking his best friends wife on our office desk. I stood there shocked and neither of them were embarrassed that they had been caught. I walked up to my room and started to pack. I heard Andrew run up the stairs and head to our bedroom.
"What are you doing?" He asked.
"Well I thought it would be obvious," I replied as I continued to pack. "After walking in on that I am leaving you."
"You can't leave Rose your my wife--"
I cut him off, "If my being your wife meant anything to you you would not have been fucking Kim on my office desk. Does Dave know about this? Well he will soon enough as for me I am taking my stuff and leaving."
"So what Rose are you just going to pack your truck up and go? Take what you can and go where huh?" He yelled as I went to grab a box out of the guest room to pack more of my stuff in.
"Well if you must know I am going to move to the cabin I had bought and was going to surprise you with. It's on a lake north of here a great place to fish and relax." I started. "Now I am happy that its only in my name because you can't touch it. Remember our prenup? You can't come after me for any of my belongings or anything I got in my name only during our marriage if you cheat. Guess what Andrew I will not be putting another cent towards this house. I am done. You can keep this place but don't expect me to help you in the least. Your money train is derailed take the money you spend on yourself and pay your own bills."
"Rose don't be ridiculous---"I put my hand up to stop him.
"Kim I know your out there, Either you answer or I will get Dave to get you to answer. How long?" I asked.
She appeared in the doorway with a half smile on her face, "Two years."
I grabbed my bag and my backpack. Then stopped back in my office to grab my computer and laptop, "Kim you can have him. Andrew, you better not destroy any of my stuff I will be bringing a cop back with me this week to get the remainder of my belongings. Kim you touch any of my shit I will destroy you."
I went downstairs and climbed into my truck. Pulling out my phone I gave Dave a call and he answered right away, "Rose my gal how you doing? By the look I see on your face I am guessing you walked in on them."
"Dave what in the world where are you?" I hissed, "You knew?"
"Unlock your truck rose and be ready to drive," He said as I unlocked the car and started it. He jumped in and I pulled out of the driveway. I headed towards the highway and realized I had Dave in the car. "I am sorry Dave I am heading to my brand new home did you want me to drop you somewhere?"
"Can I go with you for now? I never thought Kim and Andrew would do this to me," He said.
Smiling I said, "Sure Dave I can bring you home later on."
We drove about a thirty minutes and I pulled onto the road that led to the state park.
Dave looked around and said, "Rose how did you score a home in the state park? They are expensive."
Laughing I said to Dave, "What did Andrew tell you I did for a living?"
He looked at me and said, "He said you just worked from home doing customer service for some hotel chain."
"Well he isn't wrong I do customer service." I said, "However I also freelance between my calls and I am a writer and have published a bunch of books and run my own Blog."
Dave laughed, "So you decided to buy a cabin with your earnings?"
"Yes I did," I said. "I gave Andrew half the bills and I am a saver. I thought this would be great weekend retreat. Its on the lake and a mile from the hunting trails. Oh there it is, Tell me this isnt beautiful."
There was a brick wall that circled my property that had a long driveway. As we pulled up the driveway Daves eye got huge as he saw the lake in the back of the property. "Well Rose I would like to be adopted."
Laughing I parked the car and we walked up to the front of the cabin. "This beauty is 3 bedrooms 2 baths with a georgous kitchen, pantry, living room and massive wrap around deck. I have a dock and boat launch on the lake as well. This 4 acre plot is also walled by natural stone. I also own this free and clear."
"Rose can I ask you a serious question?" Dave asked.
"Sure Dave whats up?" I said worried everything was starting to hit him.
"Rose I do not have family around here, Kim and I were barely making ends meet and I cannot afford my apartment on my own. Could I rent a room from you? I will pay a good rate to live here in the woods in paradise."
I nodded to the two rooms on the other side of the cabin, "You can have one of the two rooms. The other is going to be my office. You tell me what is fair for rent."
"Would $600 a month plus me paying for my food and extras be enough?"
I smiled and said, "Welcome home roomie! Maybe you can save enough to buy a home out here yourself."
He whistled and said, "Wouldn't that be nice? Also, I had just got a boat for the river can I dock it here as well?"
Laughing I said, "You sure can. Won't Andrew be jealous you get to live here without having to worry about him or Kim. I just ask when I am working please keep the noise down."
Dave said, "I am a nerd I video game and will probably be on the dock and river the whole time you are working. I will be quiet you don't have to worry about me. You are right about one thing though. I might be able to save to get a place out here. If you ever feel like the rent is not enough let me know and I will raise it."
Giving Dave a half smile, "I appreciate that but with what you are giving me I will bank it for taxes on the property."
"Well your in luck I do construction, so you have free labor for whatever needs to be done." He said, "I do see one thing that will need to be done. Let me ask is there a fireplace and firepit?"
"Yes there is as well as a wooden outdoor oven," I said. "Why do you ask?"
He said, "You have a lot of low hanging branches as well as a few rotting and broken trees. I have a chainsaw and tools. I believe you also have a wood box as well on the back patio and one that's near the wood stove and fireplace. I will probably make that into my first project here for you because if a storm comes through and boom broken windows and gouged roofs."
"Wow Dave I did not even notice that," I said. " I guess we will have a few projects to get done. Now I am going to assume you need to pack a lot of stuff at your apartment?"
"To be honest with you the guest room that held my video game station had my bed and stuff. Kim was very picky and always wanted to control the rest of the house." He sighed and said, "With the exceptions of my personal belongings, the guest room and garage she can have the rest. I am going to call Max and see if he can meet me at the rental so I can pack everything."
"Good idea," I said. "I wouldn't trust kim and I might have to ask Max to be my witness why I packed everything I have left at my old house. If you dont mind I will step outside and give him a call and explain what going on. Would you mind then driving me back to my house?"
"Of course," I said. "After I drop you off I am going to do a bit of shopping to start stocking up the house. I am just glad that this house came with furniture and a desk in the smaller of the two rooms."
Dave walked outside and I saw him make a call on his phone. I went into my room and looked around the furniture and decided that the set up was good for me. I unpacked what little I had with me and put my suitcase away. Walking into the office I put the light on and set up all my work stuff. After I unpacked my work bag I placed that in the small closet and decided this room would need some shelving units and some plants. I locked the door that led from my office to the bathroom and set it so Dave would have his own private spot as the rooms were set up jack and jill style. I glanced in Daves room and noticed this room did not have a bed. However the sliding glass doors did look right over the river.
"Hey Rose where are you?" He called.
Coming out I smiled and said, "Just finished unpacking what I had."
Both Dave and my phones started ringing. I answered, "What Andrew?"
"Rose, Kim and I are going away for the weekend and are leaving as soon as she gets back from her house. While I am gone would you be so kind to pack over the weekend so we don't have to run into each other?" He said all high and mighty.
"Listen Andrew I will be moved out by the end of the weekend. After that the next time you hear from me is when we go to court. I want nothing from you I just want to get this over with simple ending of the marriage." I said.
"Fine get the papers done and I will sign them," He said.
"Good," I said hanging up. Dave walked in as soon as I was done laughing and shaking his head.
"They are going public this weekend as a official couple. She wants me out by Monday because she has someone who is going to take over the lease. Thank god the place was just in her name.' He asked, "So the driveway here is pretty large I do see there is a shed and a storage building. Did you have plans for either because I have a bit of tools."
"Oh you can use the storage buildings," I said. "Since he decided to fuck kim while I was at a Dr appointment I am going to go to the store since it's not even noon yet on a friday. I am hungry though so do you wanna grab lunch first before I drop you to your place to pack? I was thinking the Chinese Buffet."
"ROse you read my mind." He said, "When are you going to pack up your stuff?"
"Well, I hate shopping at stores on the weekend. I am hitting up, Sams Club, Dollar Tree, Target and Aldi." I said. "I want to get through the main stores today and then maybe hit up whatever else I might need when I am done packing Sat and maybe Sunday."
"Well here," He said handing me $250.00. "Use that at Aldi and Sams I will run and get the deep freezer I just got and bring it over. I looked in the pantry and at the end there is enough room and a outlet. With the $250 can you please buy some steaks, and meat I can grill for us? I will grill for us whenever you want."
"You cook to?" I said Joking. "Well unlike Andrew I love meat and a great steak. So we will be filling it today. Will it be ready by the time I get back?"
"Yes it will be because its plugged in already so when I load it up I will load that with a few of my bigger tools and bring that first. So give me about a hour and a half after you drop me off." He laughed, "Come on lets go get some food I am so hungry. Andrew is gonna be pissed when he finds out I am staying with you."
Shrugging I said, "Oh well, and yes I am starving as well."
We ended up going to the buffet and saw a few of Andrew and Kims co-workers. After I sat down with a plate of sushi I leaned over and said, "Well I guess people are gonna start talking. Look there is Andrew and Kim's boss. And guess what here he comes."
Dave looked up and said, "Hey Vince how are you?"
"Rose I thought Andrew said you were out of town," he said.
"Well vince that is only partially true," I said. "I am divorcing Andrew and am currently moving to the state forest area."
"Rose and Dave I know whats going on?" He said.
Dave looked up and said, "Really?"
"Andrew has been hinting you both were having an affair?" He said.
I started laughing and said, "No Vince you have it wrong. Dave is my roommate as we caught Andrew and Kim having an affair. Would you like to see the security footage. They have been seeing each other behind our backs for two years."
Vince looked shocked and said, "Are you sure?"
"Sure am vince. I had bought a cabin and was going to surprise him and walked into him and kim doing the deed. Dave had followed kim there and thats when we met up. Dave agreed to be my roommate and we came here first to get lunch before I loaded the house with food and dave and I move into my new house," I said.
"Andrew and Kim are going public today while on vacation," I continued. "Now vince you can take that knowledge and let us finish our meal."
Vince looked at me and said, "Rose can I ask you a few quick questions? Well both you and Dave."
Looking up I said, "As long as it is quick we want to eat and get moved as we are on a time crunch."
"Andrew said you didn't work?" He asked.
"Vince here is my card it has my website I run, On my website it has all my published books." I said. "I also work full time from home as a customer service representative. My income supported Andrew so he could keep Kim in a hotel room. You know they were fucking when she got promoted right?"
Vince looked angry and said, "Dave didn't you and Kim start your divorce last week?"
Dave looked up and said, "No Vince last week we were at the Doctors office trying to find out why Kim was unable to get pregnant."
"Last question for you both," He sighed and asked. "Was there a reason that you both did not come to any of the company events we have had?"
Dave and I said at the same time, "Because we did not know about them."
Vince took my card and put it in his pocket. He went to walk away and I called him back, "Vince do me a favor can you give us till Monday before you speak to him. I am not lying I can show you the video feed now. We just do not want to deal with them while moving I am afraid Andrew will destroy stuff."
Vince nodded and said, "Your good on the timing I have to do some investigating now. My weekend plans are shot."
After Vince walked away he said, "I think we may have gotten them fired."
I took another bite of food and said, "Not my circus. But I need to shut off and remove Andrew from our shared account."
I pulled up the banking website and saw there was a few purchases I did not recognize and said to Dave, "You might want to as well as he is trying to use my money now."
I finished shutting off his card, changing the password and revoking all access to the accounts. When I finished Dave groaned, "She took almost all the cash out of the shared checking account. I am so glad my pay was not deposited. I also just revoked her access to the joint account and shit off her card."
Looking at my phone I saw Andrew had sent a text message and he was calling, I picked up the phone and said, "Hello."
"Why can I not access anything from the joint account?" He yelled.
"You mean my account that I allowed you to have access to for bills only," I said. "Well soon to be ex husband, thats because I removed your access. I told you you are no longer my responsibility and I meant it."
"Give me access to it now," He growled.
"Oh Andrew you can get as mean as you wish but be careful what you say to me," I said. "The last 25 deposits were all from my payments for my books. I have already made an appointment with a lawyer for Monday. Dave also discovered that Kim took the last of the money in his and her shared account which she now no longer has access to as well."
I heard Kim yell he can't do that. As I continued, "Tell Kim he did and can as he did not deposit his check for this week in there yet. Now Dave and I will be moved out of the homes this weekend like we arranged. Neither of you better be there and when I go to move out I will report any of my belongings missing and will use security footage to show the police who stole them. There are more cameras than you think. Oh and Andrew before we end the call I had a great chat with Vince, toodles."
I hung up the line and said, "If they are there we will need to to call the police non emergency line and arrange it."
Dave said, "No worries about that I just spoke to the non emergency line while you were on the line with him. They said they charge $25.00 an hour and they can have officers to the location within 30 minutes to over see everything."
We clinked our glasses and ate some food as we talked about shopping lists.
I dropped Dave off at his truck and I headed to the stores while he packed up the freezer. When I finished the dollar tree I got a text from Andrew and it said, 'We left and we will be back Monday afternoon. Have fun finding the lawyer I talked to a lot in town.'
I texted back and wrote, 'Silly boy I had a Lawyer already in Tampa and the papers are almost done. When I say good luck you will need it because I will not lose my job over this.'
As I drove over to Aldi I recieved a text message again, 'what did you do?'
After I parked I texted, 'Nothing but told the truth after I was accused of having an affair. I offered the security footage as proof. Like I said I am reigning champ of fuck around and find out. Now do not text me again and Kim better not message dave again because you both are horrible.'
I finished the first round of shopping and headed back to the house. As I got there Dave and Max were getting ready to leave. He looked at me and said, "Kim tried calling me and when I told her to leave me and you alone she screeched and threw a fit. I laughed and hung up."
"I got the same from andrew," I said. "This is the groceries from dollar tree and aldi. After this is Target and Sams club. But I have to pick up a bunch of bookcases for all my books. So ignore the bags of food on the ground I am only putting away the perishables until I get back."
Dave said, "How many book cases?"
"Six," I said. "Two for my personal collection for my bedroom and four for all the books I have written in the office. Plus a TV stand for the living room and a curio for my awards and collectibles. Also whatever I find at Sam's."
Dave and Max jumped out and opened the back of my truck and helped me bring all the food in. I made quick work of putting the perishable away and headed to target. I did four trips in the store to get all the furniture. When I FInished I did a quick run through their grocery side and loaded the car. I put all the perishable in a pile in the cab in a cooler with the frozen turkey breasts on top. When I got to Sams club I went isle to isle and loaded up a with everything I needed. When I was on the way home Dave called, "Hey Rose whats your ETA?"
"Hey Dave I am on the way home now," I said. "Everything okay?"
Dave said, "The police are here waiting to talk to us. They stopped at my place when I was there packing. I showed them all the text messages and they want to clear up whats going on."
"Tell them I am on my way home and that I will be glad to show them everything as well as let them listen to the calls from Andrew as I recorded them," I said.
When I pulled up there were two cruisers waiting in the drive way. I opened the truck up and max said, "While you both clear everything up with the police I will be glad to start unloading."
He looked into the bed and said, "Jesus Rose do you have enough furniture i here."
Laughing I said, "Yes for now and ax the coolers on the back seat are full of perishabes from target if you could get them inside I would appreciate it."
The officer stepped up and said, "Rose Dave has already filled us in and we just needed to clear things up with you."
"Sure officer," i said, "If i knew finding my husband banging his best friends wife and walking out was going to be issue I would have planned better."
The officer laughed and said, "We got a call from your husband and he said you stole from him."
"No stealing and I will be hiring an officer to come watch me move this weekend." I said. "What did he say I stole?"
"He said you stole everything from the banking account you had jointly," he said.
"No sir if you would like to look at my banking activity this is my account he had access to for bills only," I said. "We kept our finances separate and I just removed him from it. You can see all the deposits on the account for the last three years are from my royalties through amazon as I am a author and the only withdraws are from the utilities for his house. When I discovered he had been stealing from me last week my lawyer stated to end his access to all accounts. The only thing I ended for him was his access to the account and I set for the internet and tv to be shut off on monday. We never had any joint accounts as he cannot handle money well and he is constantly over drafting his accounts."
The officer nodded and said, "Okay you said you have a lawyer?"
"Yes sir I called her on my way back home," I said. "Her name is Miranda Robinson and she is located in trinity. She has access to my camera feed at the house and she told me to tell you if you need any assistance she will be glad to forward whatever you need."
He nodded and said, "Thank you for your cooperation and will you be moving this weekend per the text Dave showed us?
"Yes sir," I said. "I will be arranging with the non emergency line to have a officer join me and I will have it all on camera."
"Thank you Rose," He said. "We will be having a talk with your soon to be ex husband about filing false reports and you have a great night."
As the officers left Dave said, "Well I guess they are trying to cover their asses."
I shrugged and said, "Did you get a lot moved?"
He laughed and said, "Sure did got my bedroom furniture in the room and my TV set up and now I am going to get your furniture set up so you can move starting tomorrow. But I need to ask did you think of dinner?"
Laughing I said, "Of course I did. I got Pizza and wings on the front seat. It was a special Sams was having and figured it would be easier with putting everything away."
He laughed as Max came back for another trip and he said, "Well Rose I am sorry for the shit you and Dave are going through. I unloaded everything but the pizza and wings. But Mary is almost here and we are heading out to dinner. Dave man have fun building the furniture and I will see you in the morning."
We watched as Mary pulled in and she opened the window and yelled, "He didn't deserve your ass Rose. I cannot wait to see you set everything up."
As MAry and Max drove away Dave shut my truck up and said, "Lets get this party started. Your putting the food away and I am building the furniture."
We walked into the house and I put teh boxes of pizza in the oven along with the wings to keep them warm and Dave looked at the pile of furniture and asked," Which ones are for your room?"
"The grey ones are for my room the dark brown ones are for the office," I said as I started emptying the perishables. By the time I put the perishables away and started putting all the non perishables away.
I was so into organizing everything when Dave asked, "Where do want these in your room?"
I looked up to see two full shelving units built and said, "Wow Dave your fast. I want then in the empty corner. The ones for the office go on the wall next to the bathroom and one goes in the empty corner next to my desk. The curio goes in that corner and those end tables go next to the couch."
He saluted and said, "Got it boss keep getting those groceries away."
He moved them and started to build the ones for my office, "By the time I finished the groceries dave was finishing the end tables. I was shocked on how fast he was and I said, "Ready for dinner?"
He looked at me and said, "Sure am my slave driver of a boss had me build so much furniture."
I grabbed the food and the paper plates and put them on the table. We sat down and Dave said, "Well when I woke up this morning I did not expect this would be how my day ended."
"Neither did I but hey we are in this together," I said. "Also I talked to my lawyer and she said that if you need one she will be glad to step up and be yours and you can make payment arrangements if you need to."
HE nodded and said, "I talked to my parents and they are going to wire me the money for the divorce on Monday. But I will use your lawyer as well."
We finished eating and after we finished eating we cleaned up and said good night. I showered and laid in bed and for thee first time in a long time I did not feel like I was sad or unwanted. I drifted off in a dreamless sleep ready for the start of moving day.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My alarm went off at 7 in the morning and I heard knocking at my door. I stretched and said, "Come in."
Dave walked in and said, "I hope I am not over stepping but I heard your alarm go off and thought you may want some coffee."
He handed me a cup with cream and sugar and I said, "Thank you. Take a seat and tell me what your plan is."
He sat down and said, "I am going to go room to room and pack all my stuff. What about you?"
"I am going to do the same," I said. "I have a bunch to pack and bring here. I did check the cameras last night and all my stuff including jewelry boxes are there and they did not touch anything. I am not in the mood to call them if I needed to."
"Well Max called me this morning and said to tell you Mary offered to come by and help you pack if you need it," I said.
"Oh that would be great I do have a lot to pack," I said. "Most of the stuff is mine."
"Well," He said. "It should not take me long to get my stuff and unpack. Then we can head to you and help you pack. Do you have furniture you will need my truck for?"
"Yes I do," I said.
"Okay I will leave so you can get dressed," He said. "I am heating up some of the pizza and boneless wings from last night do you want some to?"
"Yes please," I said.
Rose-Main Andrew-Ex Dave-Bestfriend Kim-Daveswife
Max-Mutual friend Mary-Maxes wife
Vince-andrewsboss
Miranda Robinson- lawyer
