“Claire, I have loved you ever since I met you all those years ago, and I committed my entire life to you. I wanted the best for the family and would have died for you, but knowing what you did is heartbreaking. Knowing that you willingly let another man inside you, and took his vile seed is a deal breaker. There is no way I could ever make love to you or even touch you again. Now I see you as toxic waste, now part of another man. If I forgave you and we stayed married it would be a loveless, sexless existence, and that would not be good to any of us. I’m sorry, your infidelity and lack of respect is a deal breaker. We’ll get divorced and learn to deal with the devastation you’ve placed upon our family. Maybe you and Wilbur can get together after all the divorces are completed.”
Claire didn’t want to lose what she had: a comfortable lifestyle, her daughter, the freedom to do what liked, and me, her sucker husband. She never thought she would get caught and now her affair was about to become public.
I looked at my watch and it was almost 6 p.m. and smiled to myself. “Hey it’s almost 6 p.m. and time for the news.” I called up to Kaylee, “Kaylee, your moms about to become famous on TV. Do you want to come down and watch it with us, “I said as I turned on the News channel.
The 6 o’clock news
Ellen had called me earlier and told me to watch the 6 PM newscast. So, at 6 PM I turned on the TV and had Kaylee and Claire watch the news cast. We sat in silence as we watched the events unfold in full living color on the local station. Soon, the entire town would see the dark side of humanity.
Claire gasped when she saw the opening title flash across the 65-inch TV:
Local Councilman Wilbur Montague arrested today on sexual assault charges
Then the camera panned to Ellen.
“Good evening, I’m Ellen Baker with your 6 PM news. A shocking development has rocked the Campton community as city councilman and mayoral candidate Wilbur Montague has been arrested in connection with a possible home invasion and sexual assault against Claire Carter, the wife of Sgt. Carter, at their residence on the West Side. Montague, a devoted family man and the father of four, was taken into custody and is currently being held at the county jail. Authorities have not yet released additional details about the incident, but Montague is expected to address the situation in a live statement tomorrow morning on our 9 a.m. show. Residents are left reeling from these serious allegations as this story continues to unfold. Stay tuned for more updates as they come in.”
Claire knew her reputation and standing in the community was just destroyed she fell to the floor in a fetal position sobbing uncontrollably. Kaylee and I got up and left her there to take in the results of her treachery, and pain she inflicted on our family.
“Come on Kaylee, let’s leave you mother to bask in her new found stardom. She’s famous now and doesn’t need us anymore. Let’s go out for dinner.”
Epilogue:
Claire was devastated and wept when Kaylee told the judge she wanted to live with her dad after the divorce. Based on Kaylee’s wishes, Sgt. Carter got to stay in the home until Kaylee was 18. Claire moved into a studio apartment and received twelve hundred dollars per month support for the next 5 years, not enough to support herself, and needed to find a job. But after the affair both her and Wilbur were disgraced and shunned in the town. Her friends abandoned her and nobody would help or support her. Claire remained in Campton in order to be close to Kaylee and Carter and didn’t want to leave town. She hoped that if she stayed near them that there could be a chance of reconciliation.