A Marriage Agreement Part 5

Once Tom had the lights turned off, he started the long walk upstairs. His wife was in the bathroom when he entered the room. He folded back the covers on the bed and lay down. When she entered from the master bath, Tom had expected her to be ready to continue their lovemaking. After all, they had not had intercourse yet. As she lay down, Tom put his arm over her expecting her to roll over to him.

Instead, she pulled her pillow up behind her, and sat in a upright position. She began by clearing her throat and telling Tom to open up and tell her what was going on. After all, they had been married for ten years and she could tell when Tom was not being completely honest with her. Tom quickly thought of Ellen and what a good chance this was to ask for a divorce. To end it all right here and now, and rush to Ellen while she still wanted him. After all, Tom had not been happy in his marriage for a while now. And probably his wife felt the same. Maybe it was time to come clean and get out.

Before Tom could start the conversation, his wife spoke out first. “You have not been working late this week, have you?” Tom answered that he had indeed been working late and why would he lie to her. She responded that he would lie to cover up a secret relationship. He would lie to cover up why he was not horny after three weeks. And he would lie because he thought his marriage was boring. Boy, Tom thought, she has me figured out pretty well. Tom figured it was time to take the plunge. Take the bull by the horns, and tell her exactly how he felt. “Cathy, our marriage has been on the dull side for sometime now. The spark we had is gone. I didn’t go out looking for anyone, it just happened. I found a girl that can make me happy again, and I want a divorce.”

There, he had said it. He expected to hear a lot of screaming and yelling from Cathy, but she was calm. “Listen Tom, if you file for divorce I will take everything you have. I will get you fired from you job, and you will not have a pot to piss in or a window to throw it out of”. “I have waited and planned for this Tom. I have made many friends that have much power in the legal system. I have not been the quiet little housewife while you built up your inner ring of friends”. “I can make one phone call and have you on a tight rope”. Tom was taken back by this out burst. Was she for real or was this just her blowing smoke to scare him? He was afraid to push his luck at this moment.

He sat up in the bed and looked at his wife while she simply returned his glare. “Now, when you are ready to listen, I will tell you how we are going to handle this problem,” Cathy said. Tom could not go against her right now. What if she was telling the truth? Tom had worked hard to get where he was, and he hated to loose it all with a messy divorce. “Okay, what are we going to do”? Tom asked. Cathy hesitated just enough to make Tom sorry he had asked that question. “Starting now, I am in charge of you, your money, the house, and everything you do”. “Your paycheck will be given to me un-cashed, and I will give you your spending money. You will give up all your credit cards and the bill paying will be handled by my banker”. “Your life will end as you know it now. Your freedom is over because you can not handle it wisely”. “Did you think I would put up with your bullshit for ten years while you climbed the ladder, just to leave me with nothing”? “You can forget your so called lover that could make you so happy”. “It is my turn now to be happy and it will come at your expense”. “Do you understand all I have said”? “Yes”, Tom answered. “Very well”, she added, we will continue this tomorrow when you get home from work, and you will be on time”. Cathy rolled over and laid down, satisfied with the way she had handled Tom. Tom laid in the darkness wondering what Cathy had in mind for him. Whatever it was, he would probably not like it.