Heather and Cory

There is no sex in this particular story.

Any spelling or grammar mistakes are of my own accord.

I do use Microsoft Editor, but no program is perfect.

STORY BEGINS HERE.

It was eight-thirty in the morning, and Heather was sitting on the sofa hugging her husband's favorite coffee mug to her chest, while crying. Cory hadn't come home last night. He didn't call. His cell phone was going to straight to voicemail. Text messages went unanswered. The TV was on, but she wasn't really paying attention. Her mind was lost in a maze of thoughts.

Was he in an accident? Did something happen at work? Was he cheating on her? She shuddered at the thought of him cheating on her. If that were the case, it's not like she was really in position to do or say anything. Her mind went back to ten years ago, when she had a fling with a client.

Heather was a real estate agent, and had been assigned her first commercial property. It had been vacate for years. An out of state business was looking to expand. A few business lunches and showings later, she had a deal. Big announcement, a big luncheon to celebrate. Too much wine mixed with the euphoria of her first big sale, equaled the dumbest decision she ever made.

Sex in a limousine seems so cool and chic in the movies, but in reality, it's really not. It's actually really cramped, and the seat is uncomfortable. He wasn't bigger or better than Cory. After they were done, Heather started feeling ashamed immediately. She just stared out the window and didn't say anything. As soon as the limo stopped at the office, she opened the door, ran to her car, and drove home. It didn't occur to her until later, that she was lucky she didn't get picked up for a DUI.

Heather showered until the hot water was completely gone. Crying, she scrubbed layer after layer of skin off her body. Her internal monologue running through her head. What was I thinking? Is he gonna notice? The big one of course was, do I tell him or not? After drying off and getting into some of Cory clothes, she made some tea and just sat on the couch.

Heather decided a few things on the couch that day. First, she was never drinking again. Second, she was never selling commercial property again. Even if she had to quit her job and find a new one. She was going to sell only homes from now on. Third, she was never going to be alone with any male client again.

As it got closer to the time that Cory would be coming home from work, she had decided to tell him the truth. She dreaded it, and knew that either he'd leave, or he'd kick her out. The thought of having everyone find out what she had done, made her feel even worse. With her cup of tea empty, she put it on the coffee table in front of her. The stress of everything that day had made her tired, so she laid her head on the side of the couch, and ended up falling asleep.

Heather woke up the next morning, still on the couch, but covered with an afghan. In a panic, she ran into the bedroom to see if Cory was home. He was gone. She checked the closet and everything was still there. Grateful for that, she walked into the kitchen to find some breakfast. Opening the fridge, she saw a plate of pancakes and scrambled eggs covered with clear plastic wrap. A sticky note on top read..... "I hope you feel better soon. Love, Cory."

Her legs gave out and she fell to the floor crying. How long she sat there with her back against the refrigerator door, she didn't know, only that the chime of the doorbell snapped her out of it. Wiping her eyes, Heather walked over and opened the door, to see her boss standing there. Heather apologized and asked if she was late for something.

Tina asked her what was wrong, and Heather broke down again. Stepping inside the house, Tina quickly closed the door behind her, and hugged Heather. She led her to the couch, then proceeded to listen to Heather talk about what she had done. After half an hour of talking and crying, Tina agreed to keep Heather on, and on the terms she wanted. She asked her, if she was absolutely sure, she didn't want to do commercial property anymore. Reminding her, that the five percent commission equaled twenty-five thousand dollars for her.

Heather told her, that she considered it dirty money. Tina told her that it wasn't dirty money. She had sex with him after the paperwork had been signed, and that she never promised him sex in return. Heather was just a normal woman, who drank too much wine and got caught up in the moment. That the guilt she was feeling proved how much she regretted her actions and that she loved her husband.

Tina told her that if she viewed the money that way, then she should take it and turn it into a great memory. Go to Hawaii, go skiing, do something with Cory. Take this negative and turn it into a positive. Don't let a single mistake ruin a future of love and happiness.

As Heather was remembering the mountain retreat that they conceived their son on, a series of slamming car doors snapped her out of it. She ran to the front window and saw Cory getting out of his Durango. Beside him was her mother and, behind Cory she saw their attorney Dale. Heather immediately feared the worst. Somehow, he'd found out. She ran out the front door, wanting to hug Cory. Her mother and Dale stepped in front him. Her mother turned her around and led her back into the house and to the couch.

Heather saw that Cory was disheveled. His shirt untucked. His hair was a mess. It looked like he hadn't slept much at all. She watched Cory and Dale walk down the hallway and a door close.

"I don't know exactly know what you've done Heather, but it can't be good. The only thing Cory would say to me is ask Heather."

She watched her mother slump back into the couch, as she told her about cheating on Cory. As she was talking, Dale came back into the front room, and sat down. There was silence. Nobody talking to anyone. Dale kept looking at his watch constantly. After a few minutes, that seemed to drag on, the silence was broken by more car doors.

They watched Dale get up and walk to the door. Heather tried to follow, but her mother pulled her back down by the hand. In walked Dale, followed by a man and woman, and behind them, last to walk in, was a police officer. The three strangers stood side by side, while Dale walked back down the hallway, and knocked on a door. Heather was really scared now, and squeezing her mother's hand tightly. More silence as everyone either looked at one another, or the floor, or the ceiling.

A few minutes later, Cory and Dale walked out. Cory went and got a kitchen chair and sat it beside Dale. Before Dale sat down, he looked at the officer and asked if his body cam was running. The officer said "Yes" while nodding his head. Dale sat down.

"This is a very difficult situation for everyone here. I'm personally very sorry that this is happening. Heather, this is Bob and Brittney; they are from Family Medical Lab Incorporated. They are here to collect a DNA check swab from Cory to determine the paternity of your son Cory Michael Stewart Jr."

Heather started crying and looked at Cory, and saw that he was silently crying as well. Her mother rubbing her back and crying too. The officer stepped close to Cory with the camera tilted down to get a good view of the swab. Heather watched as Brittney took the swab and put it into a bag. Bob then sealed the bag and placed it into a box. Dale then had Bob, Brittney, and the officer sign paperwork.

Everyone watched as Bob and Brittney left. The officer asked Dale if he needed to stay. Dale told him no, and then the officer left.

"That was embarrassing and unnecessary Cory." Heather's mother said looking at him.

"Embarrassing! No. What's embarrassing is being interrogated by the police, and stuck in the drunk tank all night, because your daughter's fuck buddy was found dead. What's embarrassing is that fact that I have to do this test at all. Do the math. Her fucking around on me, matches the timeline of his conception. So fuck you Wilma, and fuck you Heather!" Cory yelled.

The whole time he was yelling, Dale was trying to calm him down.

"I'm so sorry honey. I never meant for it to happen. I swear it was only one time." Heather cried.

"Cory, I'm here to do my job. I can't do that with you hollering at Heather, as justified as it may be." Dale said.

"Fine. You're right."

Dale reached in his briefcase and pulled out some papers stapled together. Heather started crying loudly and buried her face into her mother Wilma.

"This is a ninety-day legal separation agreement. That means that the two of you are still legally married, but living apart. Cory wants you to leave the house for forty-eight hours, while he gathers his belongings and finds a new place to live. All money in the checking and savings account will be split fifty-fifty. You will be responsible for the mortgage and all utilities of the marital home for the duration of the separation. You will stay on his health insurance for the duration of the separation. Cory Jr will stay in the martial home during the duration of the separation, but Cory will have liberal visitation and gets him every Saturday at eight am, and returns him after church on Sunday."

"I don't want a separation or divorce or anything like it. I want us to stay together like we're supposed to." Heather said.

Dale turned to Cory and asked if he could go off the clock. Cory nodded in agreement.

"Heather. I know this is extremely hard. I've been here before. This is the exact same agreement that Carla and I signed when we went through our problems. I'm advising you as a friend and if you were to have hired me before Cory, I highly recommend that you sign this. This gives you the best chance you got, to save your marriage."

"But it was ten years ago. It meant nothing to me then and even less now. I've been a wonderful wife since then."

"It doesn't fucking matter Heather!" Cory yelled.

"Shut up Cory." Dale said, holding his hand up and not even looking at him.

"You know that I cheated on Carla. This is literally word for word, the exact same agreement. This means that Cory can't go out and have a series of one night stands as revenge. I'm not going to sit here and say that it will absolutely one-hundred percent save your marriage either. You've had ten years to come to terms with what you did. This is literally brand new to him. He found out by the police, while looking into the suspicious death of the man you cheated with. If he stays here, both of you will do nothing but fight, yell, scream, and end up hating each other."

Heather looked down, as Dale flipped the paperwork to the final page and pointed.

"He's already signed it. Cory is not filing or asking for a divorce. He's not even asking for free passes or anything of the sort. We've all been friends since middle school, and I do believe you are sorry for everything. I do believe that this is the best way to save the relationship that you and Cory have. You remember how Carla was when I cheated on her? Cory is feeling the same things that you saw with your own eyes. She needed the time and space, and so does he."

Heather took a deep breath, signed the paper, and ran out the door. Wilma quickly walking behind to catch up.

When Cory Jr got home from school, Cory sat him down and explained that Mom and Dad were not going to be living together anymore. When he asked why, Cory told him the truth. He didn't go into detail, only that his mother had cheated and broken the vows that she swore before God and family. Cory told him that his mother still loved hm, and that would never change. Cory packed his belongings and Cory Jr wanted to help. He turned it into as fun of an experience as he could. Using the suitcases and garbage bags as basketball hoops.

Cory had a friend from work, whose parents were going to spend the year going from cruise ship to cruise ship. They gave him permission to stay in their Redwood fifth-wheel camper at a campgrounds on the other side of town. It would add about twenty minutes of drive time for work, but at least he wouldn't be spending money on a motel. Just the propane to run the stove, oven, and heat, if needed.

When the forty-eight hour window expired, Cory and Heather went through the house with Dale. Cory Jr was downstairs with Wilma and a paralegal from Dale's office. Once the walkthrough was complete and it was time to go, Cory hugged and said goodbye to Jr, who was crying and begging him not to go. Eventually Jr let go and ran to his room, slamming the door. Cory stood up and looked at Heather.

"Courts always side with the mother. I'm only going to get him two weekends a month. That's only ninety-six out of seven-hundred-twenty hours in a month. That equals thirteen percent of total hours in a month. All the rest is lost time, and it can never be gotten back. Think about all the unrealized and potential memories we could've made as a family. That's all on you Heather."

Heather was sobbing on the couch with her face in her hands.

"That's enough Cory. She feels bad enough already." Wilma said defending her daughter.

Dale stepped between them, and whispered into Cory's' ear. He nodded to Dale and simply walked away. Heather looked up as the door slammed shut. Dale quickly spoke while her attention was up. He told her that he'd have the results of the DNA paternity test in thirty days. He announced that he was off the clock, sat down in the chair and loosened his tie. Heather looked at Dale, and asked if he thought they'd make it.

"I don't know Heather. You've created a hellava mess. The fact that there's child involved makes it even worse. As your friend, I'm telling you that you need to get an attorney. As of now, he's adamant about divorce. You also know that at this stage; Carla felt the same way. I'm really hoping the two of you can make it like we did."

Heather smiled weakly and told him thank you. Wilma thanked him too and asked him if he knew a good attorney. He told them that beside himself, the best attorney was Debroah Johnson. She'd take her case, but warned Heather that she hated cheaters. He reassured her, that it wouldn't interfere with how she'd represent her.

Dale stood up, wished her well and told her that he'd see her at church on Sunday. The paralegal who had been watching and listening the whole time chimed in.

"Just some friendly advice, don't love bomb him, but don't cut off all contact either. A text goodnight or a funny meme, once a day will let him know that you're thinking of him and love him, without being pushy. Good luck Heather."

In Dale's office.

Heather sat in a chair with her attorney Debroah beside her. The thirty days had been much harder than Heather thought they'd be. She never truly appreciated how much she loved the presence of her husband. The smell of him on the pillows and sheets on the bed. The way the bathroom always smelled like Irish Spring soap, because he never closed the plastic soap container.

Cory Jr had been with Cory two times since he left. She listened as he talked on and on about how they'd go fishing on Saturday morning. They'd clean the fish and soak the fillets in saltwater, while they'd go golfing in the afternoon. After golfing, Cory would bake the fish in the oven and they'd eat fish and chips, watch whatever movie Jr wanted on Netflix and crash out after a busy day. Jr loved the camper. It had a big bed for Cory and a pullout couch that he'd sleep on.

Cory walked in with Dale behind him. Debroah rose from her chair and shook hands with Dale. She thanked him for the referral, and the kinds words that he'd said about her to Heather. He said no problem. Heather was his friend and wanted her to be in good hands in this difficult time. They separated and he went and sat next to Cory across the table from them.

He opened up his briefcase and pulled two manilla envelopes out.

"Let's not beat around the bush here shall we, since we're on the clock and I know your wages," Dale said with a laugh, trying to lighten the mood.

He slid one of the envelopes over to Debroah. She opened it and started reading and flipping through the pages. She asked Dale if Cory knew the results. He replied that his client did not. She asked why.

"No matter what that piece of paper says, he is my son. I understand that I have to be informed because of the law though." Cory said.

Heather started shaking and tears fell down her face. Debroah whispered into her ear and Heather started sobbing loudly. Cory felt anger bubble up, then he felt Dale slap him on the back.

"Cory, you are the father."

He slumped back into the chair and a big breath of air came out. He hadn't realized that he hadn't been breathing. Looking up at the ceiling, he felt tears run down his face. Heather looked up and saw Cory's reaction. As much as she wanted to hug him, and ask him to come home, she knew it wasn't right.

"As much as I hate to break up this wonderful news, this does bring the matter of child support to the forefront if your client wants to go the route of a divorce." Debroah said.

"A matter for another day counsel. I have even more good news." Dale said.

All three sets of eyes looked at him.

"The police are no longer looking at Cory for the death of Maxwell McGloin the third."

"Who killed him?" Cory asked.

"Who the hell cares." Heather said.

"Are you sure you wanna know?" Dale asked.

"Hell yes. I was interrogated and held in jail overnight. I deserve to know."

"OK. Some gangbanger confessed on his deathbed. He told the police where to find the gun. He told them a middle age woman in a wig, gave him twenty-five grand to pull it off. Gave him five in a bag when she approached him, and then the other twenty showed up in his car the day after he did it."

"Well let me play a fucking fiddle." Cory said, moving two fingers together.

The next day.

Heather got Cory Jr out the door and on the bus. She got in her car and drove into work happier than she had in a while. It was a relief that Cory now had the undisputed proof that Jr was his. Heather knew he was, because he had his face. She understood that he was blinded by his pain and anger. She was also happier because she thought she knew what happened to Max.

Tina was in her office on the phone talking to a buyer, who was inquiring about using her company to downsize into a new home. She heard her office door open, and she saw Heather close the door behind her. She waved as Heather walked and sat down in a chair on the other side of her desk.

"As a matter of fact, my best home agent literally just walked into my office. I'll let you speak to her."

Tina handed Heather the phone and then walked out. Heather setup an appointment to meet them in her office later, and hung up. Tina wasn't back yet, so she just sat back down in the chair and confirmed her lunch plans with Carla. As she was getting ready to pull up an e-book, Tina walked back in the room with two bear claws. She handed one to Heather and sat down in her own chair.

"Thank you for handling Midol-Aloe-Xanax problem. That was a wonderful solution. I hope that this is the start to a healthier new routine." Heather said smiling.

"You're welcome. The situation that started it all, came back a few weeks ago. After all those years, it came back and wanted the same exact thing. I, of course, sent it packing, but when it came back again three times as worse, I knew then that I had to find a more permanent way to get rid of the rash of problems it caused." Tina said smiling back.

"Well, I'm certainly grateful."

"That's what friends are for. Now get back to work. You got two commission checks to sign for on your desk."

Day Eighty-Nine.

Cory sat in Dr. Martin's office. He'd been seeing her once a week for eight weeks now. He'd finally gotten to the point of no longer having that bitter, vile, anger that he felt at first. He believed Heather that it was only one time and that she regretted it. Jr was always telling him what Heather was doing at home. He didn't ask him to spy, but they watched Harriet The Spy one night, and Jr thought it was so awesome, that he started copying the movie. After many tears in the office, he'd forgiven her. He didn't want to hold onto all of that. It's extremely unhealthy.