A Different Kind of Revenge The Second Year

A Different Kind of Revenge The Second Year Rob Conner 

Clara Nelson looked at the indicator stick in disbelief. It displayed a
positive sign. She was pregnant. 

How had this happened? She took her pills faithfully, never missing a
dose, always at the same time. 

Except when she had strep two months ago and she was so ill for almost
two weeks. She also heard antibiotics could screw up the pill too. She
had two rounds of streptomycin before they had finally cured her strep. 

Oh hell! What was she going to tell her husband Jim? They were getting
along so well and making love regularly. She had no idea what his
reaction would be. Happy or pissed off. 

Clara knew she would never abort her baby. That was morally out of the
question. It was not the baby's fault. If that was what Jim wanted then
their marriage would be over. 

She wondered how she was going to break the news to him. She promised
never to lie or keep things from him again. 

I guess I'll bite the bullet and tell him tonight during dinner. I'll
cook his favorite roast and potatoes. I think I have a bottle of his
favorite wine left in the wine rack. 

She went downstairs to begin cooking for her husband. 

Jim Nelson came home an hour and a half later and smelled his favorite
meal cooking. He saw a bottle of his favorite wine breathing on the
counter. 

"Oh shit." He mumbled to himself. "What has she done now?" 

Clara came into the kitchen and kissed he husband on the lips. "We're
having your favorite tonight, roast and potatoes." She said 

"All right, what have you done now?" He asked 

"She frowned at him and said, "Can't I cook your favorite for no
reason?" 

Jim didn't speak. He just looked at her. 

"Oh Hell, I do have something to discuss with you, but I want to do it
during dinner." She said 

"How bad is it?" he asked 

"That depends on you." She answered "Let's sit down and eat." 

Jim shook his head and took his seat and poured himself a glass of wine,
then went to pour Clara some. 

"No thanks Jim. I'm trying to cut back." She said 

Jim looked at her closely and got an itching feeling in the back of his
head. 

"All right spill it." He said 

Clara cleared her throat and spoke, "Remember when I had strep two
months ago? I was sick for two weeks and had to take two rounds of
antibiotics." 

Jim nodded. 

"Well I guess I either screwed up on my birth control pills or the
antibiotics screwed them up. I'm pregnant." She stated. 

Jim looked at her for a minute then smiled. 

"No shit! That's great Honey! I always wanted children." He said.
Clara asked, "You're not pissed? I thought I was still on probation?" 

Jim got up and walked to the other end of the table pulling Clara into
his arms. 

"Honey, I love you and you love me. Our life has been great for a while.
I knew if we started making love again that there was a chance you
could become pregnant. No birth control method is 100% effective.
That's a chance I took," he explained to his wife. 

"I think you'll be a wonderful mother and I'll be a proud poppa. When
did you find out?" 

"I took one of those home tests a while ago, two of them actually. I
started being nauseous in the mornings and my period was late." She
answered 

"So you haven't been to the doctor yet?" he asked 

"No, I'll call my OB/GYN tomorrow and make an appointment." She said 

Jim stated, "I want to go with you, I want to go to all your
appointments. I want to be involved with our baby as much as possible." 

Tears stated to pour down Clara's cheeks. 

"What's the matter Baby, don't you want me to go?" he asked 

She hit him in the chest with her fist. "Of course I want you to go you
boob. I'm just so happy and excited that you want to be involved. And
you said "OUR" baby. I was scared that you wouldn't want it and that
you would want me to get rid of it." She sobbed 

"Oh Clara, where would you get such an idea?" he asked 

"Well even though we are getting along, I wasn't sure if you wanted a
family with me. I hurt you so bad and we were so close to breaking up
that I'm just not sure how you feel about me." She said 

Jim said, "Look at me. I love you, you're my wife. Yes you made mistakes
and yes you hurt me badly. But I couldn't ask for a better wife than
what you've been. We've had to start over and rebuild our marriage. The
old marriage is dead. Our new one is alive and well. I see a long
future ahead for us as long as we both keep trying. Okay?" 

"Oh Jim I love you so much. I'll do everything I can to be a good wife
to you and a good mother to our baby. I swear." Clara said
passionately. 

"I know Baby. I love you so much." He said, hugging her tightly. 

Clara said, "Let's eat before the food gets cold. I will have one small
glass of wine to celebrate our new arrival." 

At the Doctors appointment the following week, Dr. Williams her OB/GYN
told her that she was indeed pregnant, about six weeks. He advised
Clara that because of her small size (about five foot one inch tall and
one hundred and twenty pounds) she needed to be careful about how much
weight she gained. He also stated that she would be physically able to
have a normal birth if she did as he instructed. 

Jim who was present during the whole exam assured Dr. Williams that she
would do as instructed. 

Dr. Williams laughed and said, "You obviously haven't been around many
pregnant women have you? When those hormones get to spinning all a
smart male will do is get out of the way." 

Clara laughed at the look on Jim's face and nodded. 

"Women's hormones go crazy during pregency. All kinds of mood swings, up
and down. I might not be my sweet demure self all the time." She said 

Jim was thinking, "Oh shit what have I gotten myself into?" 

But being a smart guy he kept his mouth shut and just nodded. 

Dr. Williams also told them that she was okay for sex and most of her
normal activities, he also warned her about drug and alcohol use. 

He gave them several pamphlets and a list of books that they might want
to read, also a list of childbirth and parenting classes that they
might want to attend. 

They left the doctors office hand in hand, both happy with what they
heard. 

Next came telling the parents and relatives about the happy event. 

Jim's parents had retired to California about four years ago. They got a
phone call and were thrilled about becoming grandparents. Jim's mother
Grace had all kinds of ideas and suggestions to give Clara. They talked
for over an hour. They promised to come for a visit after the birth. 

Clara's Aunt and Uncle, who she called Mom and Dad, lived about twenty
five minutes away from Jim and Clara. 

Clara called them and issued an invitation to dinner, which was readily
accepted. 

Jim loved Josie and George Wilson. They were good people who always
treated him like gold. 

During his and Clara's troubles they sensed that things weren't right
between them, but kept their thoughts to themselves. During the cold
period after the confrontation, as hard as Clara and Jim tried to play
the happy husband and wife they smelled a rat, but still kept their own
counsel. 

Things had gotten better since the thaw in February and they were happy
that things between their daughter and Jim were almost but not quite
back to normal. 

Josie and George sat down at the table, impressed by the fine china and
crystal. 

"What's the occasion?" asked Josie 

Jim poured Champaign into everyone's glass and then raised his. 

"Everyone, a toast to the most beautiful woman in the world, the love of
my life and the mother to be of my baby!" he toasted 

Josie and George sat opened mouth for a minute then both began talking
at the same time. 

Josie said, Oh Clara that's so wonderful! How far along are you? When's
your due date? Is it going to be a boy or a girl?" 

Clara answered laughing, "Six weeks, mid March, and we haven't had a
sonogram yet." 

Josie and George both hugged their daughter, tears running down Josie's
face. 

"When did you two decide to have a baby?" Josie asked 

Jim looked at Carla who spoke up, "Well, it was kind of a surprise. When
I had strep I took two rounds of antibiotics and was sick for almost
two weeks. I either screwed up my pills or the streptomycin did it for
me." 

"It looks both of you are happy about." Stated George 

"We're delighted. It's about the right time in our marriage to start a
family. Both of us are solid in our jobs and our relationship couldn't
be better." Jim stated 

Josie said, "It seemed like things were strained for you two for
awhile." 

Clara answered after looking at Jim. "Yes things were bad for awhile
because I did something really stupid and hurt Jim badly. But he has
forgiven me and our marriage is stronger than ever. I vow that I'll
never let my husband down again." 

Jim said, "Please, let's not get into that tonight. This is a time for
joy and happiness. Let's enjoy this fine wine and the great dinner my
wife has prepared." 

Jim looked at his wife again and offered another toast, "To the future!
May it always be bright and happy!" 

The last to be informed was Clara's sister Theresa who lived in town but
wasn't close to her sister. 

Clara really didn't understand the distance that had grown between them
since her marriage to Jim. At one time they shared everything and kept
each others secrets. But now they called each other about once a month
and when Clara tried to set up meetings between them Theresa always
found excuses not to get together. 

She really missed her Sister who at one time had been her best friend. 

Clara decided to invite her over Saturday morning when Jim had gone to
play golf. Surprisingly she accepted. 

Theresa came in the house and hugged her sister. 

"Let's sit in the kitchen. I have coffee ready. I have big news to tell
you!" Clara said 

Theresa stated, "I hope it's that you and Jim are finally getting a
divorce. I don't know how you've stayed married to that pompous, self
righteous asshole for so long." Clara's mouth fell open in shock. 

"I never knew you felt that way about Jim. I knew you didn't like him,
but I didn't know it was that bad." Clara said 

"Yeah, when he told me I should be ashamed of myself for dating so many
guys and having premarital sex with them, it kind of pissed me off.
Then the fact that he influenced you not to let me be your maid of
honor, but your religious fanatic friend Jennifer instead was the last
straw." Theresa explained. 

That's why I have so little to do with you now. I can't stand to be
around that jerk." She added "He can kiss my ass!" 

"Why did you wait so long to tell me about how you feel? I wish you
would have said something earlier and the three of us could have worked
it out." Clara said 

"I know when Jim and I first got together he was kind of a prig, but
he's loosened up a lot in the years since then. A lot of things have
happened that have changed both of us." She explained to her sister. 

"I'll believe it when I see it. Most assholes never change." She stated 

"Enough of that, what's the big news if it isn't that you're leaving
Shithead?" she asked 

Clara looked at the floor for a minute, and then said, "I don't know if
I want to tell you now. It's a happy occasion, but I don't know what
you're going to say." 

"I'm sorry Sis. Go on and tell me." Said he sister 

"Jim and I are going to have a baby, sometime in mid March" Clara said 

Theresa jumped up and hugged her sister. 

"Oh shit! I'm gonna be an Aunt!" she hollered as she danced around
holding her sister close. 

"When did you and Jim decide to have a baby?" she asked 

"It was kind of an accident" and she went on to explain about the strep
and the antibiotics. 

"How does Jim feel about being a Daddy?" Clara asked 

Clara smiled. "He's over the moon. We went to the first doctor's visit
together and he wants to go to all the rest. He's reading books and
scheduling classes for us to attend. He's really excited about our
baby." 

"Theresa frowned. "I thought you weren't getting along too well. Last
time I saw you two at Mom's you were barely speaking to each other." 

Clara hung her head for a second. Looking up with tears in her eyes she
told her sister what she had done, and Jim's reaction to it. She left
out the part about the threats to her and her lover's families. 

"Then one night it was thundering and lightning and I was lying in the
bed crying and shaking. Jim couldn't stand it so he held me all night.
In the morning we made love for the first time since my affair. It
started a thaw and things started getting better." 

"When I found out I was pregnant, I was worried that Jim would want me
to get rid of it. But he was overjoyed. It's like we've started all
over again." 

"That's why I think you should talk to Jim and tell him how you feel.
He's a lot more open now than he was in the past. I'd really like my
two most favorite people in the world to at least tolerate each other."
Said Clara 

Before she could answer, Jim walked into the kitchen and said, "Talk to
me about what?" 

"I thought you were playing golf all morning." Clara said 

"Me too, but Ed Johnson pulled the muscles in his back getting his clubs
out of the car. So I came home to work in the yard." Jim explained 

"Talk to me about what, Theresa?" he asked his sister in law 

Theresa shook her head then looked Jim in the eyes. 

"Why I think you're a pompous, self righteous asshole who kept me from
being my sister's maid of honor at her wedding. Who told me I was a
slut for going out with so many guys and having sex with them." She
stated 

Jim got red in the face then looked at the floor for several seconds. 

"I guess I deserve that. I was a pompous, self righteous prick. I'm
really sorry I said that about you and influenced Clara not to let you
be her maid of honor. I was young and full of myself and thought I was
the authority on everything including everyone else's morals." 

"I'm also sorry if how I acted came between you and your sister. I know
you were very close before our marriage and wanted to tell Clara that I
was probably the reason you two drifted apart." 

"I didn't because I didn't want to be the bad guy and lower Clara's
opinion of me." Jim explained 

"I just hope I can make it up to the both of you. I want our baby to get
to know his or her Aunt Theresa." He added 

Theresa looked at him for a minute. She went to him and hugged him for
the first time, ever. 

"That took a lot of guts, Jim. To stand up and admit you were wrong and
to take responsibility for your actions. But you're not totally to
blame. I should have said something sooner, but instead I wallowed in
my hurt and self pity, losing precious time with my sister." His sister
in law said 

Clara hugged them both and said, "Let this be a new beginning for us
all. I love both of you very much." 

Clara and her sister began to spend more time together and she even
began to like the man that Jim had become over the last few years. 

On the third visit to the doctor came another surprise. 

He announced to the stunned couple, "You're going to be the parents of
twins, a boy and a girl. Congratulations." 

END OF PART III 

• First Infidelity
• Purple Rain