Trailer Park Royalty

When it comes to Big Pattie’s Mobile Home Park, no one despised the place more than her son, Nick. He grew up yearning to move away from southern Virginia and head towards Washington DC and work in the museums. Nick achieved his dream and found a woman he fell in love with not long after arriving in the DC area. By the time Nick and Alice were celebrating their tenth wedding anniversary, things became rocky. It’s not until things take a drastic turn when they’re out to dinner.

“Alice, psst, hey sweetie, are you okay?” Nick asks, then swipes his long hair behind his ear.

“Yeah, I guess I’m just thinking about things, you know. Like, Sally starts First Grade soon, and Tannor is going into Fourth Grade. Plus, work has been crazy busy, and yeah, I promise I’m good.” Alice says as she never looks up into her husband’s big green eyes.

Unable to shake a nagging sensation churning his gut into knots, Nick sits there and nurses his beer. One thing Nick enjoys when they go out to eat is draft drinks. His favorite is from a microbrewery located near Cleveland, Ohio. The Great Lakes Brewery Company always manages to create seasonal flavors that Nick looks forward to drinking. This evening’s selection this evening doesn’t seem to be doing anything for him as fear controls his mind.

Alice sits there and ponders over the regret in her mind. She’s a fact-checker for the local news in the Ashburn, Virginia suburbs. Over the years, she’s felt bored with her marriage. The kids are well behaved and proper with Nick’s parenting skills, but she feels like Nick lacks enthusiasm for more in life. He gets up at four o’clock every morning to work out before he gets a shower and makes breakfast. Alice’s life was supposed to be this grand adventure of traveling to new places every year and try more exotic foods; not take a few days to visit family and spend time at Niagara Falls every autumn. Then they would drive up to Boston for a single early season New England Patriots game and seeing the Leafs change color.

“Are you sure that you’re okay? Alice, baby, you seem like there’s a mystery to the universe on your mind, and if you don’t let it out, then a black hole will form and swallow us up.” Nick says jokingly, trying to get his wife to smile.

It takes a moment for the joke to sink in, but after it does, Alice finds herself feeling better for just a moment. She gives Nick a smirk and takes a drink of her wine.

“I guess I have a lot on my mind tonight. Work has been hard, and I should be happy. It’s our anniversary, and you finally made it to become the museum’s manager. I am so happy that your attention to detail has paid off. I mean, you’re one of the longest-tenured employees, and the crowds love your tours. I’m sorry, I need to forget about work and be here with you. My husband, whom I love and have two beautiful kids with too. Cheers!”

Through the rest of dinner, things seemingly fall back in place. It’s not until after the couple gets home that things take a bit of a turn. Alice’s phone vibrates, and she doesn’t waste time excusing herself to the bathroom to make sure the message isn’t seen.

“Pardon me, love; wine is going straight through. Get the bedroom ready, and we’ll do our usual anniversary celebration.” Alice says and tries not to rush for the bathroom door.

“I’ll be waiting.” Nick sings with one hand in the air and the other over his heart with his eyes closed.

With the door locked and sitting on the edge of the bathtub, Alice takes out her phone and reads her coworker’s message.

I can’t stop thinking about you. I know it’s your anniversary and all, but I need you! Please say you’ve given it some thought and want me to. I know when I kissed you could cost us our jobs, but dammit Alice, I can’t let this go.” Trent Atkins, the sportscaster at work, texts.

Before Alice responds, she thinks back to that night. There was a raging storm, and she was alone with Trent in the producer’s office. She checked up on a potential trade deal for the MLB deadline when the power started to flicker. Alice has always been afraid of storms and the dark. She grew up in Nebraska, and tornados always leaving her town in ruins. Trent has always been attracted to Alice since their introduction on his first day on the station’s job.

Trent, you’re an attractive man, and we can’t. I’m married and have kids! I’m trying to celebrate my tenth anniversary. Was it good? Yes. Does this make it worth losing my family? No! I’ll talk to you tomorrow at work, okay, goodnight. – Alice Parker, WOWQ Fact Checker

Allowing a few minutes to pass before she flushes and exits the bathroom, Alice makes her way back to the master bedroom, where she sees rose petals and tea light candles scattered around the room. It takes her back to their honeymoon night every time, and it’s no different this time. Alice looks over at Nick and sees the smile on his face as he brings his wedding ring to his lips and kisses it. That’s the reminder from their wedding that he will always love Alice.

“I’m ready to get this going. I know it’s corny, and we’ve done this for ten years now, but next year, I promise we will hire a sitter or leave the kids with my mom and take a road trip to wherever you want. I mean it, just us, a week of you and me havin’ the wildest and unrestricted sex imaginable.” Nick says as he pulls his wife close and spins her around, and begins to gently kiss Alice’s shoulders and neck to work her into the mood.

As the moans slowly begin to get louder, Nick brings his hands around to Alice’s breasts and caresses them before he slides a hand through the top of her dress to caress and try to push Alice sexually.

“Take me,” Alice leans her head back and whispers.

Over the course of the next hour, the couple tussle between the sheets. Once they’re finished and relaxing under the covers, Nick pulls up a subject that scares Alice.

“I know it’s been agreed to not talk about this, but I have to know. Is having a third baby out of the equation? I love our two to no end, but I want one more. We both make better money now, and I know you’ll have to take time off work again, but with me having this manager’s role now, I can work from home a few days a week now. Let’s talk about having one more baby soon.” Nick mentions and playfully pulls the sheet up over his nose.

Alice sighs and rolls her eyes with an annoyed look at Nick. She’s blatantly told him several times that she’s done having any more children. For Alice, appearance is everything, and she worked longer than she wanted to lose the baby weight. Leaning in for a kiss on the cheek, Alice rolls over and pulls the blanket over her. Nick takes it as a signal to curl up to cuddle.

“Is that a sign of a little backdoor play?”

“No, Nick, I’m tired and going to sleep. I swear if you poke me in the ass, I will rip your dick off. I’m not in the mood for that tonight.” Alice says and huffs in frustration.

Unwilling to take the threat seriously, Nick scoots against Alice’s body and begins to kiss her back softly while moving his hips lower to line himself up to push against her ass. Alice tries to move away but quickly reaches the edge of their king-size bed. Annoyed, Alice tries not to moan when Nick continues to kiss between her shoulders. All Alice does is takes herself to another place to imagine a hotel room with Trent. The thought of him kissing her naked back and reaching around to use his fingers to play with her when she feels the tip of his penis about to penetrate an area she’s not fond of having sex.

“Uh,” Alice lets out when she feels more inserted and slowly pumped to allow her time to adjust. “Oh God, just be gentle, please.”

Nick gradually reaches his release and pulls out of Alice. Able to scoot back enough to keep from touching Alice. She lies there feeling dirty all over again and hates letting Nick do that to her, but she knows it’s only something he wants on special occasions. Alice pictures Trent’s body behind her, allowing her to slightly wiggle in her place with her eyes still closed tight. When Nick notices he comes back up behind her, Nick pulls her closer to him and rolls her onto her stomach. Alice dips her head out of instinct and raises her hips only a couple of inches off the mattress. Nick gets behind and slips back inside her body, causing Alice to moan when she pushes back against him.

Soon they’re both grunting in unison, and Alice feels Nick let go of her hips and grips her by the ends of her long light brown hair. He pulls back enough to lift Alice’s head which is when she goes from grunting to panting. When her body reaches the breaking point, Alice throws her head back and calls out.

“YES! GOD YES! FUCK ME! FUCK ME HARDER TRENT!”

Nick stops and pulls out and sits there on his knees, stunned by what happened. Unsure of what to say, Nick flops back on his ass. That’s when it dawns on Alice what happened as she gasps.

“I am so sorry! I just lost myself in the fantasy of another man. I swear, I’ve not done anything with anyone!” Alice says and breathes rapidly.

“You called out another man’s name. We were in the middle of having sex on our anniversary, and you screamed another name. Are you having an affair with Trent Atkins at work?”

“No! I swear nothing has happened. I mean, you can’t say that you have never fantasied about being with another woman.” Alice says to try to save herself.

Nick rolls off the bed and gets into some comfortable clothes.

“Yeah, an actress, or someone like Jennifer Aniston, not Mary, my assistant, or anyone else. What’s wrong with you?” Nick says, standing near the edge of the bed.

Alice sits there with knees pulled up to her chest and covers her body. Tears begin to stream down her face.

“Tell me, Alice. Just be honest with me. Do you want Trent in real life and not only in fantasy?”

“NO! Lord, no. I love you, and I have loved you since our first date. You’re the only guy to ever hold a door open for me or stand when I excuse myself from the table and when I return. You do so much with the kids, and you make sure that when I get home from work, dinner is easy to reheat in the oven and enjoy. You know so much about me that it’s unreal. I love you, Nick, and I always will. You are my husband, and no one can ever replace you.” Alice pleads and gets to her feet, and lunges at Nick.

They stand there, and Nick holds Alice as she cries for nearly ten minutes. The shock begins to dwindle, and Nick helps settle Alice back in bed once she slips into a nightgown and rolls away as he stands there and takes his pillows and heads down to the basement to sleep on the fold-out couch.

In the bedroom, Alice ignores her phone and eventually falls asleep with the lamp turned on.

At breakfast the next morning, Nick puts on a fake smile for Peter and Cora. Peter sees his favorite breakfast food, homemade waffles covered with strawberry jam and whipped cream and apple juice. Cora does not care for waffles and makes herself a bowl of Honeycomb cereal with a small glass of apple juice.

“Well, good morning to you too, miss sunshine and lollipops,” Nick says.

Cora giggles and smiles to show off a missing tooth believing everything is good between her parents.

“Hi, daddy! Is mommy not joining us for breakfast again?” Cora asks.

“I guess not, sweet pea. Mommy is probably still tired from our grown-up dinner last night. You know how mommy gets; she’s a silly-nilly, isn’t she.” Nick teases, glad that the babysitter stayed over for a bit to make sure the kids were sound asleep when they got home from dinner.

Peter rolls his eyes once he picks up the hint and says nothing while he enjoys the waffles.

Once the kids are fed and sent downstairs to the playroom, Nick silently tiptoes to the bedroom door and stops just before he goes to knock. He stands there and listens to Alice talk on the phone.

“Yes, I meant what I said. I said no more flirting, and that kiss was a mistake. No! I will not make the excuse of working late to have dinner to discuss something that will happen again. No, Trent, Trent, just shut up and listen to me. I told you that kiss meant nothing, and I meant it. Look, we were in the middle of that storm when it happened. Do I think you’re attractive? Yes.” Alice says as pauses come from the room.

“I don’t care that you make more money than Nick; that’s not the point. I made a vow, and I am sticking to it. Wait, you’ll do what! You can’t. That will ruin my career! Fine. It’s just dinner, and that’s it, nothing else—no drinks, no messing around, no flirting whatsoever. Yes, yes, I will make up an excuse, and I’ll see you tomorrow at Seabass Grille. Bye.”

Nick hears the end of the call and tries to hurry back to the kitchen. He sits there and pours himself a cup of coffee, trying to act normal when Alice walks down the hallway.

“Sleep well, I hope,” Nick says.

“I slept okay; it would have been better if you had stayed. Again, I am sorry about last night.”

Alice takes a seat across the table and takes her cup, flipping it over to pour herself a cup of coffee. Neither of them willing to look at the other. For Nick, it’s a matter of his anger beginning to return. Alice, she’s hoping to keep a level head when it comes to maintaining her cover for work and dinner with Trent.

After breakfast, Nick goes back to the bedroom and sits on the bed, going over reports and forecasts for the staffing budget with the high-traffic season coming up. That task takes him a few hours, and before he realizes it, noon arrives. While he’s locked on his work, Alice sneaks in with a plate filled with pizza and an ice-cold can of Barq’s Root Beer.

“I hope you don’t mind, but I ordered some Foxx’s Pizza and told the kids they could eat in the playroom. I wanted to come and talk.” Alice says, taking a seat beside her husband.

“Yeah, pop a squat and tell me what’s on your mind.”

Alice scoots up and waits until Nick begins to eat before she begins.

“I’m not apologizing for last night again, but I will admit that yes, what I did was wrong. I uh, I may start looking for another job at another station. Trent is a womanizer, and I know it. He’s slept with interns and others, and I don’t want you to think that I’m just going to fall for his big brown eyes and that chiseled chin of his. Yes, Trent is fit, yes, and makes an insane amount of money being on-air and covering games with the Wizards and Capitals, but he’s a pig. I’d rather take a pay cut than lose my family.”

All Nick does is sit there and silently go over in his head how Alice can say what she’s saying and lie to him when she returns to work. With a huff and exhale, he turns his head to kiss Alice on her forehead.

“I hope so, I love you, Alice, and the last thing I want to is not to be with you. If you’ll excuse me, I have maybe another hour, and then we’ll get the kids and enjoy a movie or something.” Nick says and turns his head back to the screen.

Alice gets to her feet and exits the bedroom. Nick lied about having another hour. Just before he was interrupted with lunch, he searched for a private investigator, and he minimized chatting with one on the website.

Trent Atkins. It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve tailed him and another man’s wife. That’s why he left the WQAS job for the one he has now. He was caught banging the news anchors wife in the Marriott Inn by the airport. I’ll do it, but my fee upfront is $350. That’s to follow and get digital photos. Anything else requires a fee of $45 per hour and expenses.

Done! I’ll use my PayPal to get it paid.

Once Nick pays for the PI services, he closes the website and wipes the history clean. That’s when he finalizes his reports and submits them, and closes his laptop so he can make his way out to the living room to enjoy movie time with the kids. The day goes on like nothing is out of place. Alice’s phone rarely digs for her attention, and Nick’s phone remains in silent mode.

After dinner, the kids return to some TV time while Nick and Alice clean around the kitchen and get the laundry put away. It’s not until after nine o’clock that Nick and Alice talk to each other without the kids being the common factor. Once they settle in bed with the TV to drown out their voices, they sit and go over items on their agenda for tomorrow.

“I’ll have Nina drop the kids off at the museum with me. I’ll get dinner ready, and hopefully, Pork chops and the usual sides are okay.” Nick says and stares at the TV.

“Sounds fine. I shouldn’t be late for dinner, and it’s Monday, so not too much going on.” Alice says and picks up her phone.

“Okay, well, I’m tired, so see you at breakfast.”

Alice sets her phone down and snuggles up to Nick.

“No fooling around tonight? Besides, I thought we were going to discuss another baby?”

“Maybe later, as for fooling around, I’m not feeling up for it tonight,” Nick says and rolls over.

It isn’t long after that Alice turns off the TV and turns out her light. Once they’re asleep, both Nick and Alice barely move. Once Nick’s alarm chimes, he gets up and goes about his normal routine. After his workout and a shower, he forgets to shave, leaving some stubble on his face.

Once breakfast is on the table, the kids come down and enjoy their favorite items. From the hickory-smoked bacon to scrambled eggs with a bowl of cereal, they don’t sense that something is off between their parents.

Alice comes over and notices the scruff on Nick’s face.

“A little grizzly this morning. I like it; keep it.”

With a hand to his chin, Nick realizes that he forgot to shave.

“Oh, my bad! I forgot to shave, but maybe I could a bit of a change.” Nick replies, still refusing to turn to look at his wife.

Together they make each other a plate and sit down to eat before they rush out the door to get their day started.

Over at the news station, Alice goes over her reports before sending them to the producers and on-air team. After the meeting is wrapped up, Trent pops into her area to inquire about dinner that night.

“Well, there’s my favorite little fact-checker. Are we still on for tonight? I thought about it, and being seen in public could be bad. So, how about this; you keep your car here, and I pay for an Uber or cab, and you meet me at my place. I’ll have food ordered with some wine, and we relax and chill.” Trent says and sounds sincere at his attempt.

“Trent. I don’t know, and I mean, it sounds romantic, but I just finished celebrating being married for a decade to my husband. I have two children to think about too. Convince me why I should cheat with you and wreck my marriage, and those times we kissed don’t count! We won awards, and even that doesn’t account for the fact that I am married!” Alice says in her counterargument.

That’s when Trent goes for his pocket and takes out a jewelry box that contains a tennis bracelet. Alice is speechless at the sight of the half-karat bracelet. Alice goes to take the gift in a quick gasp, but Trent closes the box and shoves it back in his pocket.

“If you want it, then you must meet me for dinner. I just got offered a better contract and more money. I’m about to become an executive producer as well as the leading sportscaster. You are so beautiful, and do I have a spotty past? Hell yes, but I am sincere with my offer to make a better life and want you to be part of it, oh yes, so much so that I want to see the life and fire return to your eyes. You’re bored with your life, and it shows. When I see old photos of you, there was a sparkle in your eyes, and now you are bored. I can’t stop thinking about you, day and night, you are the first thing on my mind in the morning and the last thing I think about when I go to sleep.” Trent breaks down to try to convince Alice to surrender to his desire.

All Alice can do is sit there and ponder over what to do. She returns to her thoughts of a humble upbringing and wanting more when she wanted a high-paying career. When she met Nick and fell for his love for life and all things in history, she thought he would climb to a more prominent position in the museum as a curator. It takes what seems like several minutes to give Trent an answer finally.

“Okay, we will talk, and that is it, but we do it here in the Executive Boardroom. I will not say this dazzles me because it does, but we will sit down and talk if you are serious. I love my husband, but I do want better for my kids, and if you have an issue with me keeping my kids, then the deal is off right here, right now.” Alice tells him in a low tone to keep from anyone nearby overhear.

“You won’t regret it, and yes, I would never keep you from your kids. They seem like really great kids, and I need a beautiful and vibrant woman like you at my side. I can’t be seen with anyone whose looks are under an eight and baby. You are a near ten!”

The kind words give Alice a smile like she hasn’t felt in such a long time, but she’s failed to listen to how Trent refers to her as a thing and base everything he wants superficially. On her mind is the chance to live a better lifestyle, and she begins to numb herself even to consider giving up on her marriage.

It’s not until Trent walks away from that Alice takes her phone and snaps a photo of some false spreadsheets on the screen to send to Nick. While she works up the excuse with her fingertips, her gut churns, knowing what she’s doing is wrong, but Alice wants more and knows she has a problem with being selfish.

Sorry, Nick, but I have to work later in the evening. Save me some of that world-famous pork chops you make. It’s promotion season, so I need to find out who I will report directly to now. I’m sorry and kiss the kids and hug for me- Alice

Nick shakes his head, seeing the message, but it does give him the go-ahead to call the private detective to make his way to the news station.

Pulled up to the parking lot, the private detective gets ahold of his inside source to gain access to inside the building. Once inside, the private detective heads to the desk to retrieve a temporary badge for new employees and escorts him to the locker room where he can slip into a janitor’s uniform.

“Hey, thanks again for getting me inside. I owe you, Tina.”

“Sias, just do what you need to do and don’t get me in trouble. I can’t stand Trent, so please get his ass fired this time.” Tina says after Sias walks out and gets escorted to the janitor’s closet.

“I’ll do what I can, and hey still looking good.”

Tina blushes as Sias makes a ticking noise to tease her knowing he’s watching her ass. By the time Sias gets all the supplies he needs, Tina sends out the text to her trusted source in the cleaning department to let her know what’s going on.

In a few hours, the evening newscast goes live, and the replay for the following hour simulcast is set. Once the team is off-air, Trent takes Alice to the boardroom, where they sit and stare at each other. Sias continues to walk through the building and notices Trent is gone from the news set and begins to tap on doors.

While Sias begins his search for Alice and Trent, they’re deep into the conversation.

“Look, I’m not trying to be a bitch, but if you want me to uproot my entire life, then I need some reassurance. A bracelet isn’t going to tell me a damn thing about what you want from me. I need stability in my life, especially for my children and their safety. Can you tell me how you’re willing to change your lifestyle to tend for two young children?” Alice says.

“I will do whatever I need to do to win you! I need you, and I want you right now. Alice, let me have you and make you feel how a real man should make a woman feel. I will do whatever it takes to make your life better. Look in my eyes, I’m not lying, and what I want for us is to be happy and see the world.”

Trent twists his chair to bring himself closer to Alice. Once they’re inches from each other, Trent takes his hand to the back of Alice’s head and pulls her in for a kiss. Alice tries to push back, but her body begins to twinge with desire. The images from the night before flood her mind, and she pulls herself closer to Trent for a tighter embrace.

In seconds they get to their feet, and Trent uses his strength to lift Alice on the solid oakwood table. After he pushes her dress up, he steps back after breaking the kiss.

“Are you ready?” Trent asks.

“Just do it!” Alice whispers, prepared to make herself take it to the next level.

Having permission to have his way, Trent unbuckles his belt followed by unbuttoning his pants and unzips and tugs them down to expose himself to Alice. She tries not to laugh at the size that isn’t as big as she had imagined. Alice leans back and keeps telling herself this is what she wants for a better life. Trent comes closer and pulls Alice’s panties to the side as he slowly lines himself up to enter her body.

“Oh yes!” Trent whispers in Alice’s ear.

She begins to tremble with guilt in Alice’s mind while she tries not to laugh, barely able to feel much of Trent’s penis. When he doesn’t hear her moan, Trent picks up the pace to get a reaction from Alice.

“Does it feel good, baby?” Trent asks, nearly out of breath.

“Oh yes, you’re all the man I need, oh yes, give it to me, baby. Harder, oh yes, harder you stud.” Alice replies in small snickers.

“Are you making fun of me?”

Both of them are unaware that the door wasn’t fully shut during that exchange, and Sias slowly pushed it open enough to get video on his phone to send to Nick. What Sias misses is the argument that’s about to happen.

Trent steps back while he hangs onto Alice’s hips to force his shaft deeper. Alice can still barely feel anything and lies flat on her back, and loses her mind in laughter.

“I was so wrong about what to expect with you. I mean, the first guy I slept with in high school had a bigger dick. Like what happened? Did steroids shrivel it up that much? I can’t feel anything. I could easily fit that entire thing in my mouth and not gag.”

Trent doesn’t hesitate to pull Alice off the table as he takes a seat to take her up on that offer.

“Then get to it, and let’s see you not gag on this stallion!”

By the time Alice gets to her knees and gets a full view of what’s she’s supposed to swallow, she cracks up again. Trent yanks her by the hair with one hand and holds his penis with the other.

“Okay fine, if it ends this, I’ll do it,” Alice says, ready to make this up to Nick.

Trent blows a small load in under five minutes, and Alice does the biggest insult of all. She doesn’t look up, but when Trent makes a kissy sound, she comes up to kiss him and spits his semen back into his mouth, and turns to walk away while Trent gags.

“Ugh, you fucking bitch! Pack your shit. You just got yourself fired! I will find anything to get your ass fired from here!” Trent yells with a hand under his mouth to catch what she spit in his mouth.

“Whatever tiny, don’t ask me for another thing, and if you say anything, remember this,” there’s a pause when Alice turns and gets a photo of Trent with his pants down, “I now got you, and if you don’t want the world to see how pathetic your dick is then shut the fuck up.”

Alice heads for the timeclock and heads back to her desk to get her purse to make her way home. Along the way, she yells at herself with the music turned up.

By the time she arrives home, Alice sees an older Ford Taurus parked in the driveway. Slightly confused, she doesn’t waste time getting inside to find Nick sitting with Sias at the kitchen table.

“Hey, who is this, and is everything okay?” Alice calls out.

“Get out! I know now why you worked over today. You fucked him; after promising me that this wouldn’t happen, you had to spread your legs and have sex with your boss. You two-faced slut. Now I get why you said no more kids with me. You wanted them with that son of a bitch!” Nick says in a battle to hold back from screaming.

Sias replays the video. The sounds from the office and Trent’s voice sends a shattering vibration through Alice’s body.

“Wait-Nick-I can explain,” Alice tries to say before the video ends.

“Get out! I’ll take this to court and let a judge determine what we do next.” Nick says with clenched fists.

With her head down, Alice walks away with tears in her eyes. Away from the house, Alice stops at a liquor store to buy a bottle of red wine on her way to a hotel. Settled down for the night, Alice doesn’t eat but slowly drinks the entire bottle and passes out on the floor.

The following morning Nick takes a personal day to contact a couple of different divorce lawyers after he drops the kids off at school. When he meets with one who has an opening, Nick finds himself still angry and hurt. With the video in hand, the lawyer watches in surprise before agreeing to take on Nick as a client.

On the other hand, Alice had been busy contacting churches to set up marriage counseling. In her mind, she wants to fix things and keep her life intact, but when one of her friends saw Nick coming from the lawyer’s office, it sends Alice into a rage where she rushes home to confront Nick.

Inside the house, they begin to argue hot and heavy. Alice pulls back and backhands Nick across the face. It takes everything within Nick not to raise a hand back to Alice but walks away, locking the bedroom door.

“Yeah! Yeah, run, you cowardly son of a bitch! You want a divorce, then fine, we will get a divorce, but I will take everything from you! Our kids, our home, everything will be mine, you cold-hearted worthless, sorry son of a bitch!” Alice screams through the door punching it.

“Fuck off, you stupid slut! You’re the one caught having sex with another guy. I hope he gave you some incurable STD. How I wish I had found anyone else to mother my children. You’re nothing but a money-hungry bitch!”

Still enraged, Alice runs back to the kitchen to get a butter knife and jimmy the door open. Unaware since Nick was on the phone with his boss about taking more personal leave, Alice rushes him and smashes his phone.

“Talking to your new slut?” Alice screams and spits in his face.

“Get off me whore! And no! I was talking to my boss to take time off so I can leave your crazy ass.”

Nick’s words send a surge of frustration through her body and pull her arm back to strike Nick again, but out of instinct, Nick bridges and shoves Alice off his body and gets to his feet. Once she regains her balance, Alice charges with her hand back to punch her husband, but Nick moves to the side and causes Alice to run into the dresser where her head whiplashes with a red mark beginning to appear.

“You bastard!” Alice says.

“Back off, Alice, I’m not going to hurt you or hit you.”

Unable to contain her emotions, Alice rushes again at Nick but outside, a neighbor overhears the couple screaming and calls 9-1-1. The sounds of Alice running to attack Nick frighten the neighbor, and the police arrive quickly. An officer beats on the door and checks to find it unlocked. Along with his partner, the officers casually make their way through the house and hear Nick and Alice fighting.

“Police department, make yourselves known!” Officer Smith calls out.

From behind the bedroom door, the couple continues to scream at each other. The officers hang by the door until a thud from the bedroom and rush inside with their tasers. They discover Alice on the ground with Nick over her with his arm extended out. The first thing noticed is the bump forming on her head.

“Sir! Back away from the lady before you, I restrain you with my stun gun!” Officer Smith calls out.

“I didn’t hit her, I swear!” Nick calls out with his hands in the air.

Alice begins to cry and pushes herself away from Nick, and curls her arms around her legs.

“He hit me! He’s crazy, and I’m afraid for myself and our children!”

Officer Smith detains Nick and places him in cuffs, and escorts him from the house.

“Officer, I swear, I never touched her! I could never hurt my wife or our kids.” Nick states with tears in his eyes.

The other officer assists Alice back to her feet. It provides her the opportunity to grab Nick’s phone and deletes the video after the officer leaves the bedroom to check on his partner. What the second officer fails to notice is Alice answer a phone call from Nick’s manager. When the phone vibrates in her hand, Alice stays in the bedroom.

“Sir, a neighbor called 9-1-1, and what my partner and I saw doesn’t appear to be in your favor. Now, I need to get your side of it, so please tell me your side of the events between you and I’m guessing is your wife.” Officer Smith says and takes out a notepad.

“I know this looks bad, but I didn’t strike her, sir. That bump on her head is from her lunging at me, and she hit the dresser. I would never strike a woman. I found my wife having an affair at work thanks to a private eye, and she’s pissed that I have hired a lawyer for a divorce.”

Officer Smith stands there and takes his notes, “what’s the name of the investigator?”

“Sias, Sias McCoy,” Nick replies and gets nervous when the officer gives him a look of concern.

“Oh, you should have found someone else. Sias has a history of being thrown out of court with his spotty record. I mean, I wish you the best, but I still must implore you to take a seat in my car while my partner and I figure out what to do about this situation between you and your wife.”

The two officers return inside and find Alice in the living room, still acting shaken up.

“Ma’am, we need your statement,” Officer Smith begins.

“Okay, I can do that. I’m sorry for screaming that Nick hit me. I don’t know why I screamed that. Maybe I was scared or thought he would hurt me, but he’s a good man and a good father. I’m sorry, am I in trouble now?” Alice says and dips her head.

“Not at all, ma’am, just give us all your attention and a statement about what caused this argument. I also need to know if you feel at all in danger or if your children will be in danger because if you feel that you’re not in a safe place, we will hold him for the night to cool down and give you a temporary protection order.”

Alice sits there and thinks it over before she replies.

“No, like I said, he’s a good man, and what happened was just a bad day getting worse. What had happened was he thought I was having an affair at work, and he has this huge story in his head, and our tempers just got away from us.”

“Then explain the bump on your head?” The second officer asks.

“Oh, that! I came up to slap my husband when he called me a whore, and I slipped and bumped my head on the dresser. I promise that Nick is no danger to us, but I would like him to go get a hotel for the night and let me decompress with the kids here.” Alice says as Officer Smith jots down the notes.

“I think he can agree to that, and we will hang around to make sure he gets a bag and any personal belongings and escort him from the property.”

Once Officer Smith finishes the notes, he places the notepad in his uniform pocket and returns to the cruiser to talk to Nick.

“Listen, we talked to your wife, and here’s what’s going to happen. We will walk inside with you to collect a bag and watch you leave for a hotel for the night. It’s just to keep you calm, and tomorrow you can get in touch with your attorney and maybe expedite your case. Other than that, let’s head back inside, and let’s get your stuff.”

Nick nods and follows the officer inside, and ignores Alice altogether. Escorted to the bedroom, Nick quickly gathers a change of clothes and some personal hygiene items along with his phone. By the time he’s walked out the door, the officers stand there to watch Nick drive away.

“Ma’am, he is gone, and you can go get your children. If he returns, please don’t hesitate to call, and we will handle him. Have a good day, and my advice, get an attorney and ice that bump on your head.” Officer Smith says then walks away with his partner and leaves the house.

After a few hours go by, Nick book himself into a hotel. When he calms down, he opens his phone to see that his boss called, but before he gives his manager a call, Nick goes to the photo folder hoping photos of his kids will be enough to make him smile. That’s when he sees the video has been erased from his phone.

“That two-timing bitch!” He calls out, seeing red in his eyes.

Nice try by deleting the video off my phone, but my guy still has it saved to his cloud account! You’re going down, and I’m taking my kids from you and kicking you out of the house.-Nick

Kiss my ass! I could have lied and sent you to jail. Enjoy living on the streets because when I get done with you, asshole, you’re going to be living on the streets, you piece of trailer trash!

After I get done with you, you’re going to wish you were dead!-Nick

Thanks for the threat! I’m turning that into the authorities! Don’t drop the soap and wear a butt plug for Bubba!

Drop-dead whore!-Nick

Frustrated all over again, Nick goes over and calls his boss.

“Hey Betty, I saw you called and wanted to…”

“Nick, be honest, did you have the cops called on you, and did they take you out of the house in cuffs?”

“Yes, but…” Nick stutters.

“I’m sorry, but you’re going on administrative leave while the review board takes a look into the matter. You know any domestic issue, good or bad, has a zero-tolerance policy with the museums. I’m sorry to tell you this, but you’re suspended.” Betty says with sadness in her voice.

“I-I-I-I-I didn’t do anything wrong, and I’m sitting here on the bed of a Fairmont Inn to give Alice time to cool down and a night apart. I can’t lose my job!”

There’s a pause for a moment, but then Betty reminds Nick of the policy once more.

“Nick, I believe you, but I must turn this in once I know about it and let the members on the board of directors do their job. There’s nothing I can do. I’m sorry. If I hear anything, I will call you, but honestly, I’d polish up your resume if I were you.”

Unable to say anything else, Nick instinctively hangs up the phone and sits on the bed in tears. With each deep breath, he stares at the wall with everything processing in his mind. Everything from anger to guilt and thoughts of killing Alice enter his mind.

“I can’t do it. I’m better than Alice. She will not ruin my life!” Nick tells himself with his phone still in his hands and ignores every message coming in.

In the time Nick talks to his boss, Alice takes matters into her own hands. She calls Trent and explained everything, and Trent has connections in the IT department to find Sias’s account and wipe it clean. Trent finally breathes a sigh of relief and relays the message to Alice as she knows she has Nick by the balls, metaphorically speaking.

“Now your ass is mine!” Alice says to herself while she continues to search for a divorce lawyer.

After a few days, Nick comes home and discovers that Alice has changed the locks. Unable to get inside, Nick calls his estranged wife, and she immediately rips him apart.

“You have some major brass calling me out of the blue like this. If you have anything to say, say it to my lawyer and get the message. I told you I did nothing wrong, and you had to piss me off. The kids are safe, they do miss you, but this is over. Please get what you need because once we go to court, I’m going to wipe you out. Oh, I know you’ve been suspended from work, so good luck staying in a hotel very long. I caught up the credit cards, and they’re frozen until court. You wanted the bitch in me to come out, well she’s here, baby, and I’m going to lay you out!”

Nick stands there speechless. All he does is breathe in the phone while Alice goes silent, and all he hears are people in the background at the news station.

“I-I-I can’t believe it’s come to this. So, I’m being forced to sleep in my car until we go to court. You are a cold-ice-hearted harlot. You just wait. You’re going to be the one out of your ass. The state of Virginia frowns big time on adultery, and I have you on video. I will take our children and kick you out of our lives.” Nick finally manages to say as the rage begins to boil in his veins.

Nick walks away from the house and draws out the stay at a cheaper motel until his lawyer contacts him about their court date. Just days before the first court appearance, Nick is forced to leave the motel, where Nick finds different spots to park and sleep in his car. It’s been hell on Nick’s mental stability, and he finds himself in wrinkled clothes in front of the judge.

“Good morning, counselors. I see we have the pending divorce with proof of adultery. I’m not in the mood to play around with this today. Mr. Nick Parker, can you produce said video?” The judge says with a stern look.

“Yes, your Honor, My private investigator Sias McCoy has it, but I do not see him here.”

Annoyed, the judge pushes her tongue between her upper lip and teeth with a sucking noise, “not a good start to your preceding Mr. Parker. Get him on the phone and let me talk to Mr. McCoy. I am well aware of who he is and what he’s done for others.”

Nick quickly scrambles to pull out his phone and calls Sias. When he picks up, there’s a quick exchange before Nick puts it on speaker.

“Good Morning Judge Kilgore. I hope you’re well today,” Sias says.

“I’m not in the mood for pleasantries, Sias. Do you have the video that you can e-mail to me or not?”

“Yeah…about that…I um, I can’t find it on my cloud account, but if you give me a few days, I know, I can provide it. In the video, I was able to record Mrs. Parker amid intercourse with her coworker.”

The judge looks even more annoyed at this point and smashes her gavel to get Sias’s attention.

“I’ve heard all of this before from you, Mr. McCoy. The video is being thrown out. Counselors, please excuse your clients while we have ourselves a little chat. There’s a new option in the category of divorce laws I wish to discuss with you. Mrs. and Mr. Parker, you are excused from my courtroom.

Outside, a bailiff stands between Nick and Alice to keep them from going at each other verbally. On the other side of the doors, the judge goes over a new detail that doesn’t require a divorcing couple to be present to keep things from escalation between estranged couples. It’s an option the lawyers decide to take on their clients’ behalf and afterward take the time to explain the new laws and how it could play in their favor.

“Look, I know you’re stuck in a jam, but this is your best bet. You’re technically homeless at the moment, and let me do my job. Right now, you need a miracle, and you need to talk to your boss and get back to work and back into a motel or hotel. Judge Kilgore has a history of siding with mothers. You need every favor I find and a miracle. I’ll handle this, and we have a date set for three days from now, which could be wrapped up then.”

With his head hanging low in shame, Nick walks away with his hands in his pockets. His wrinkled dress shirt and khakis don’t paint the best picture of his life, but when he leaves the courthouse, he makes the nearly forty-minute walk from the courthouse to his job since he can’t afford to waste the gas.

“Nick! You can’t be here.” A security guard states when he sees Nick approach.

“I need to figure out what’s going on with my job!”

“Stay here and let me get Ms. Kinder, and she will be here to talk to you. You look like hell rolled over twice, by the way.” The overweight clean-shaven guard says while he shakes his head.

“Thanks, Hank; I’ve missed you too, buddy,” Nick jokes.

It takes about ten minutes before Betty meets with Nick out on the sidewalk. She comes out of the oversized double doors and into the sunshine, where she exchanges a hug with Nick.

“I can see this is taking a toll on you. I’m sorry to say that the board reached its decision, and the termination letter was mailed to your home. I’m sorry, Nick, but your services are no longer required, and if you need a reference, I will be more than happy to help you.” Betty informs him and sees the light leave his eyes.

The return walk to his car takes over an hour. By the time he returns, Nick’s lawyer calls with an update.

“Nick. Hey, listen, I heard from your wife’s attorney, and I heard you lost your job. I’m sorry, but the judge has been informed, and this isn’t looking to go your way. I will represent you to the best of my abilities, but this isn’t going to go your way. If you can, reconcile with your wife and save your reputation because right now you’re flat out fucked in the ass.”

“Give Alice whatever she wants. I’m done, I’m busted financially, I can’t be with someone who sleeps around. I don’t know what I’m going to do, but I will figure it out. Thanks for busting your ass, and I will get your payment to you once I find another job.” Nick says and takes a deep breath knowing his last option is now on the table.

The attorney hags up, and Nick slips his cellphone back into his pocket and doesn’t take it back out until after he manages to scrape enough change together to buy a couple of items from a Wendy’s dollar menu. After his stomach stops churning, Nick takes his phone to make a phone call he prayed he never had to make.

“Hi, mom.”

“Hello, son. What’s wrong?”

“What makes you think something’s wrong?”

“I haven’t heard from you in over eight months, but I’m going to guess that slut either threw you out, or you killed her and need to hide the body.”

Nick gulps how well his mother can still read the sound of his voice.

“I caught her having sex on video with someone else, and we’re in a divorce right now. Mom, I need help. Alice cut off all the credit cards, and I have enough money to fill up my gas tank one more time. That’s if they don’t repossess it first,” Nick explains.

“Lord have mercy, okay, you can borrow some money until you get paid.”

“I lost my job, and with Alice saying I caused a domestic issue, I can’t find another job at any of the museums here. Do you need a handyman at the trailer park or something? I mean until I get on my feet again.”

Patricia, aka Big Pattie, sits at her kitchen table and shakes her head at the situation. She’s a hefty woman in her mid-fifties, standing over six feet tall with a few extra pounds. Still, she has taken pride in owning and maintaining her trailer park near the Bluefield Virginia and West Virginia locations.

“I tell you what. I sent Robert up to West Virginia to handle the property there. I need someone to replace him, and that can be you. I’ll let you keep ten percent of all rent collected on the condition you maintain the upkeep. I’ve had some great years running these parks, and if you want, in a few years, you can take it over after I retire. It ain’t some big lavish life like you had, but I made a damn good living and had to answer to no one.”

“Oh my gosh, thank you, mom! I’ll do it! Does Russ still rent off you?”

“Yes, he does. Lot number one, and he’s been great when I’ve had to remodel. Russell is still working construction, and in his slow months, he will be a great asset to help you out with less rent when he does. It’s in his lease, which means that can’t be changed.” Pattie says, explaining more details about Russel and goes over the other tenants.

“Sounds like a good group you have there now. Anyway, I will be home in a few days, and mom, thank you so much. I promise you won’t know that I’m home.”

“You’re damn right I won’t because the park manager lives on-site. Congratulations, son, you will be living in the manager’s suite, lot number eleven, the biggest double wide available.”

Nick dips his head but is grateful to have a new lease on life.

“Thanks, mom, but I will be there in a few days. I need to tie up some loose ends here, and I will be there by the weekend, I promise. I won’t have much, but I will bust my ass to make you proud.”

Patricia then makes a comment that makes Nick feel ashamed over not keeping in touch with his mother.

“I’ve always been proud of you. You worked your way up and fought to make it. I will always be proud of you, Nick. I’m your mother, I love you, and you’re so much like your father. Dedicated, and I know you busted your ass to make everything work. I’ll see you then and welcome home, my son.”

Tears in his eyes Nick can’t speak but before he can end the call his phone goes dead. Once Nick realizes what happened, he fills up his gas tank and prepares to hunker down for the night. After a few days of taking care of things and saying goodbye to his kids at school, Nick makes his way from the DC area to Bluefield, about a quarter-mile from the trailer park, and crashes the instant he lays down. Patricia doesn’t bother her son and covers him up with a blanket before she goes about her day to make sure his new home is fully stocked with food and ready for him to begin his new duties as park manager.

Being rested, at last, Nick goes around and begins to introduce himself to everyone living in the trailer park, where Nick finds a variety of responses to him being the new park manager. Doug and Kelly Fisher, who lives in a typical white trailer with brown trimming 1980’s model single-wide trailer at lot number 5, welcome Nick and his new role. Charity Yorker, who lives in, though, is nonchalant, trying to stay out of trouble in her newer pale green and white single-wide trailer located in lot number 2. Babs, the known stripper over at lot number 6, waves Nick away from her all-white double-wide that has more room than she needs being single.

After being introduced to everyone one-by-one, Nick settles into his new home. He finds that his mother went overboard, but when he finds a six-pack of Miller Lite, he can’t resist sitting at the kitchen table where Nick texts his lawyer that he has a new job. Still, it is far away from his children, and he would like to work out an arrangement with Alice to have his kids on holiday and summer vacation from school.

Over the next few days, Nick goes over a list of things that need repair and attention as he settles into his new role with a hidden taste of disdain, feeling as if he was bailed out from his life.