Betrayal and Redemption

This is a work of fiction and does not relate to actual events. While some authentic geographical points may appear, any person, building, event, company or descriptions thereof are completely fictitious. Issues such as proper birth control and STD prevention are incorporated without specific mention. No one under 18 engages in sex.

Each episode should be freestanding, but reading in order allows the reader to follow the character development better. In the last part, Joe's future changes once again.

Thursday, December 4, 2014-Continued

They arrived at the Cavanaugh house just after five. Before they went inside, she tugged at his sleeve. "Can you tell me a few things about the family? I don't want to be a doofus."

"I'm sorry. I can't because the entire issue is so complicated. Please believe that I'm not leading you into a trap or an unpleasant situation. The woman is a wonderful person. I think that's all I should say."

Ann answered the door after Joe rang the bell. When Casey saw her, she stood in shock before turning to Joe even before he could perform introductions. "She's younger than I am. I can't tell for sure, but I see a few signs she is pregnant."

"Let's go inside and get out of our coats," Joe said. "Now that it's dark, the temperature is falling." He helped Casey off with her coat and hung it inside the nearby closet. Before he removed his coat, he extracted the envelope.

Casey's eyes darted back and forth between them. He knows this place well. He didn't need to ask for permission; she thought to herself.

"This is Ann Cavanaugh. She is 28. She has a master's degree in psychology. Ann, this is my ex-wife, Casey. She is an emergency flight nurse in Maine. She is 32, the same as me."

"I see you didn't bring your laptop inside," Ann said. "For this to work, I think Casey and I need to talk privately. I'm sure you can find things to keep you busy."

Joe frowned. "I suppose so. I was hoping to be part of the discussion."

"You will be at some point. But I think I need privacy so I can concentrate on Casey's reactions. As I've mentioned, body language is far more important than words. I want to watch her unhampered reactions."

"Before you leave, I think you'll need this." He handed the envelope to Casey before they went into Phil's study.

He got his laptop, but he couldn't concentrate. Despite the weather, he needed to move. He wrote a note, left it on top of his laptop at the table, put on his coat and walked aimlessly while he thought.

God, what a mess. A harem of 12 older women, a pregnant lover, the return of an ex-wife and the news he was a father. As some people said, reality is often stranger than fiction.

He walked until he was tired enough to trace his steps back to Ann's house. They were still talking, but the door opened within 15 minutes. His wrist watch told him it was after eight o'clock.

Casey came up to him. He saw a new and different type of look in her eyes. Respect. Awe. Wonder. Something he'd never seen before.

"Ann and I had a wonderful talk. She explained everything, including your former harem. I'm concerned about driving in the morning and getting to the airport in time to catch the plane.

"I will bring Cal back before his birthday and spend time with you. Ann has invited me to stay here. Her sister will be here for Christmas too.

"If you don't mind, I'll tell my parents about visiting with you and that you are the father. I'll leave notification of your family and others up to you."

"Thank you. Drive carefully. I'd hate for something to happen now." Casey hugged him after she crossed to Joe before she put her coat on. She kissed his cheek while they hugged.

"Thank you for being so open, Joe. I understand this is hard to take. I'm optimistic that I'm where I belong."

He helped her with her coat. He went outside with her and watched until she drove away.

His arms wrapped around him; Joe walked back inside and shut the door. He shivered. The need to stay with her made him disregard his coat when he walked her to her car.

His face knotted as he looked at Ann. "What took you so long?" Joe demanded in a fierce voice, his forehead creased. He got so close to her she backed up a step. "I was so nervous I had to go for a walk."

"Don't be so demanding," Ann chided him as she put her hand on his chest and pushed lightly. "This is my house and I will be treated with respect."

Embarrassed, he backed up a step. "I'm sorry. I never expected this to happen. My nerves are still frayed."

"You are forgiven. I understand your shock. Just as we've worked through other issues, we can work through this. This opens the door to resolving some of our outstanding issues, like our relationship once the child is born. We don't need to talk about them tonight. We have plenty of time."

She stepped closer and kissed him on the cheek. "This is one night I wish I could drink wine. Maybe some carbonated grape juice. Hang on and I'll get a bottle from the refrigerator."

Once they were seated on a sofa, she put her free hand in his. "We spent much of the time telling each other our stories and talking about the counseling sessions you both went through. We dug a little deeper into her family dynamics. I gave her a few tips on how to talk with her parents about her sexual preferences.

"She doesn't have a clue about how her parents will receive the news that you are the father. We'll need to talk more about that later."

He squeezed her hand slightly. "While this may sound ridiculous, my major concern at this point is her desire to continue sleeping with women. Intellectually, I don't have an issue. I watched it happen several times with the women in my so-called harem. But her sleeping with Lucy opened Pandora's Box. How do I know that won't happen again?"

"No, that is not ridiculous. Remember. Her sleeping with Lucy was a symptom, not the root cause. Truth is the key to good communication. Without good communication, love falls apart. She didn't tell you the truth about her needs. She understands that now and is sorry she didn't.

"With four of us involved in various forms, we'll need to concentrate on communication even more.

"I need to share one point with you. I've talked with Paul about this subject, but not with you. You'll understand why when I start.

"Many nurses are lesbians or bisexual. I was approached many times. All of which I turned down. With a sister who depended on me for support, I couldn't justify the time and energy.

"But I am bi-curious. Not to where I'll jeopardize my relationship with Paul or you. As we work through the issues, I'd like to address this, among others.

"I have a suggestion to throw out. If you agree, I'd like her and Cal to live here. Most women have mothers and friends who have gone through pregnancy. I made only a few close friends in Denver since we moved here. Paul's daughter and daughters-in-law can help, but they have other responsibilities too.

"Having Casey and Cal here will act as a buffer until the two of you can go through more counseling. Don't worry too much. We'll work through the issues the way we've already worked through ours."

"I hope so. I didn't realize until I saw her today how much I missed Casey." He dropped her hand and slid to the edge of the sofa.

"I need to work tomorrow," Joe said. "I'm sure you do too. I'll drive home, try to sleep and hope tomorrow is light."

They rose, hugged and kissed on the lips. "Paul will be home Sunday and stay until after the New Year. I told Casey she is welcome to stay here. We certainly have the room."

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Joe received a text during the morning.Two job offers from hospitals. Lutheran and Rose. Plz ask Ann for her rec.

He responded that night.Lutheran.

Her response came back immediately.On standby to fly. Talk later."

The next morning she called and got him just after eight when he got into the office. They talked for a few minutes about Cal and her parents and how they received the news.

"As I expected, their first question was when we would get married again. I told them we had many issues to discuss first. I hope they understand.

"Now, to the important stuff. I accepted the offer from Lutheran. Even though I told LifeFlight I was leaving, they are having problems finding people because of the holidays.

"This is a hectic schedule, but this is the best I can do. Cal and I will arrive in Denver on Tuesday, December 16. I can stay until the weekend. We'll fly back out on Sunday. The departure time is unknown.

"What are your plans for Christmas? I'd love to leave Cal with you, if that's possible."

"That will work out if he accepts me in such a short time. I plan to leave Sunday, December 21, and return near the end of the week. Perhaps I can bring him to you."

"That would be great. We can discuss it later.

"Back to Maine. We've agreed that my last shift will be Saturday, January 3. It will take me about a week to close everything out and drive to Denver.

"I've agreed to sublet my apartment to a nurse I know well until the lease expires this summer. I'll figure out what to do with most of my stuff when the weather is better.

"Please tell Ann I'll be happy to live at her place. That will give us time to talk more before we decide which way to go."

"I wish I could spend more time with my son. I've been holding off telling my family until I see which way this goes. I may start with Rose and David and not tell my Mom until I'm home for Christmas."

"That sounds good. I told my parents about how you are Cal's father and they were pleased. Both of them know I'm bisexual now. They say that's not a problem, but I'm not sure. I think the idea of knowing you are Cal's father is overpowering their feelings about my sexuality."

Joe called Rose over the following weekend and gave her the news about Casey's return, the discovery of his son and his plans for the holidays. "You sure get yourself into odd situations. Mom is feeling good right now, so I'll tell her the news. I'm sure she'll want to speak with you.

"Will you and Casey be sharing the same bed? If not, I'll need to make other plans."

"No. We will not. I spent three hours with her a week ago and I won't see her again until she returns on December 16. We've got a lot of ground to cover before we even consider living together. While I think we both want that, it may not happen."

"Okay. Dave is working on a house that has heat and not much else. Depending on how many people there are, we can use it as an overflow house.

"If you don't mind, I'll see if Casey's parents and brother can visit over Christmas Day, too. We used to alternate Christmases and I miss it."

Joe received permission from Hank to use his work van for personal issues during the time Casey and Cal visited. The hospital wanted her to go through two part-days of orientation and she needed a vehicle.

He and Casey spent an hour on the phone one day talking about the logistics of their visit. "I have a stroller that can also be used as a car seat," she said. "I'm hoping Cal will walk off the plane and to the baggage check area, but I don't know. Denver is much bigger than Pendleton where my parents picked me up. Bangor's airport isn't that big either."

He bought the crib she recommended and installed it in Ann's old bedroom at the Cavanaugh house. He brought his clothes to their house and placed them in Chris's old bedroom.

Cal hid behind his mother's leg at first. A piece of sugar-free candy enticed him out.

"This is your father," Casey told him. "The person you've been asking about. His name is Joe."

Joe picked up his son as he fought back the tears. "I'm happy to see you, son. We'll spend as much time together for the next few days as we can."

Time sped by until Casey had to leave. "I don't think he's ready to spend time with me alone," Joe told her.

"He's warming up to me, but this is a major shift. I think he'll do better in familiar surroundings. He's been moved around a lot over the past several weeks."

"Mom wants me to leave him with them. They said they are going to Rose's house on Christmas Day. You can see him then."

Christmas was both a happy and a sad event. He missed the Cavanaugh family. He missed Casey. Given that his life was in Denver, that would be the norm for his family from now on.

Joe flew to Bangor on January 3 to help Casey and Cal prepare for their move. She slept on the couch because she only had a one-bedroom apartment. When Joe put Cal to bed, he wanted to sleep with "Daddy."

They left early Tuesday morning with a rental trailer behind Casey's almost new SUV. They split the nearly 2,200 mile trip into five segments, trading drivers every two hours.

Joe had never traveled much with other people. Casey laughingly instructed him in all the games he could play to keep Cal busy and engaged. They got rooms with two beds and undressed and dressed in the bathroom as they had agreed.

Thursday, February 13, 2015

Joe was on pins and needles all day. Ann had her ultrasound today and would tell him the gender of their baby tonight.

Because the four of them had reservations at Coraline for Valentine's Day evening, Joe worked out on Thursday evening. After Paul and he finished, the three of them went out for drinks. Casey was working.

She handed out pink bubble gum cigars after they were served. "Paul and I have agreed to name the girl Olivia Grace after my mother. I wanted to name her Brenda, at least as a middle name, but Paul said it was too soon."

Tuesday evening, March 10, 2015

Joe and Casey started another chapter in their life as he entered his apartment. She was waiting when he came into the living room.

As they neared the end of their eight-week therapy sessions, he offered to let her stay in his spare bedroom so he could spend more time with his son. They had agreed to not sleep together until Dr. Mueller gave them the green light.

She usually worked Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday nights from six p.m. to six a.m., but she had taken this night off.

Cal spent part of each day in a nearby pre-kindergarten program a former teacher operated in her house. Casey said he had spent little time with other children. Anne recommended the program to help with his socialization.

When Eric and his wife moved out so they could have a better home for their children, Joe became manager of the condo complex and Casey served as his assistant. Dr. Muller encouraged them to talk and work together whenever they could to relearn each other's personalities.

The therapy smoothed out the issues that remained. Some sessions were bumpy as they clung to long-held beliefs. After one session, Joe nearly called them off. Casey still wanted to sleep with women. Joe was opposed.

Ann did not take part in the sessions, but she intervened with Joe. "We can work through this part. I've been holding off, but I'm attracted to Casey. Paul is too.

"Balancing two people's interests is tough enough. Calm down and see where it goes.

"Casey loves you intensely. I love you, too. I want you to have the best things in life. I love Paul and have no desire to leave him. That means you'll be alone for long periods. Casey wants to fill that void and I think she should."

Another issue that proved to be controversial was Casey's desire to meet and talk with each of the other women who he'd slept with. Not all of them agreed, which she said was fine.

He finally agreed under pressure from Dr. Muller. "She still has problems with self-esteem and jealousy. Letting her talk to the other women will allow her to compare to them and give her self-confidence a boost. I'll help her with any issue."

The first round of therapy was over. Dr. Muller had given them the green light to have sex. Given the four people involved, they understood more therapy was important.

Joe smelled Casey's trademark incense, a blend of Jasmine and lavender, as soon as he stepped inside the door. Only the soft flicker of floating votive candles lit the room. Pools of light flickered among the soft shadows.

Casey was kneeling beside a shallow basin. She had left her hair grow longer, and it flowed over her shoulders. She wore a white robe that covered her ankles, wrists and neck. Gentle music softened the mood.

Her head bowed, she didn't look at him for a few seconds. She dipped a cloth into the water and wrung it out. She was calm and showed patience.

He hung up his coat and leaned against the door. The room felt different from this morning. A sense of calm and forgiveness filled the air. Her head lifted and met Joe's eyes.

"Please sit on the chair and remove your socks and shoes." Her voice held no command. Only an invitation. "Cal is with Ann tonight, so we have time alone."

He sat. No idea what she planned. His hands rested on his legs. His heart beat loudly in his chest. Instead of fear and anger, he felt love and forgiveness, like they were becoming one again.

When she spoke, her voice was low and inviting, warm and filled with love. "I am here in all of my humbleness to present myself completely to you, Joe. I surrender all my past transgressions and joys to you.

"Some churches believe in all three phases of the communion service. Nearly all churches use the bread and wine as part of their service, but some add a more important part.

"The act of foot-washing represents the spiritual cleansing of one's life. It is a powerful symbol of service, humility and love. Before we take the next step, I wanted us to submit to each other through this ceremony.

"May I?"

"Please. I wish to return the pleasure if you agree."

"Certainly."

She took his foot gently in both hands and lowered it into the basin. The water was lukewarm.

She dipped her hands in the low level of water and drained it over his foot. She caressed rather than massaged while she looked him in the eyes. She wasn't trying to arouse, only to honor.

"I, Casey Marie, declare my love and affection for Joe Conrad Ferguson. I promise to be his forever, to do as he commands and agrees. Before I make any major decisions, I will discuss them with Joe. If we disagree, I will follow his decisions.

"We have discussed boundaries. In return for you allowing Ann and I to spend time together making love, I agree that if one of your quote harem unquote, request a session, I will not object."

She lifted his foot from the basin and lovingly dried it. She helped him put his other foot in the basin.

"I give my life to you, Joe, for you to do with it what you desire. I trust you will have my best interests at heart. That you will love and support me. I love you. I've loved you since the eighth grade. I want no other man than you."

She repeated the drying process. When she stood up, he brought her into his arms. They gazed deeply into each other's eyes for nearly a minute. Communicating without the spoken word.

He took the second basin from a nearby table and kneeled in front of her. She was already barefoot. He put her foot into the basin and washed it lovingly.

"I, Joesph Conrad Ferguson, pledge my allegiance to Casey Marie. I will love, honor and cherish her the rest of my life. I will not sleep with any other woman unless she gives her prior approval."

He lifted her foot. He dried it before he placed her other foot in the water.

"I promise to support Casey and Cal, our son, to the best of my ability for the rest of my life. Before I make a major decision, I will discuss it with her and take her desires into consideration. I love you, Casey. I always have, and I always will.

"Our life will be complicated because of the presence of Ann and Paul and my child that she carries. But I believe we can work around the issue and build a powerful life together."