Eventually, we grilled some burgers outside along with baked potatoes and the wives made a nice salad to go along with the burgers and spuds. It was the perfect end to a very good day.
Funny thing about wives, they pretend they don’t know what their husbands have been up to, and then they spring it on you. I was drying the last of the plates when she said, “I heard about the little stunt you pulled today.”
“Me? I behaved myself today!”
“I hear you dropped a bunch of bombs around town. I hear that Tom’s ex is very upset.”
I tried not to appear proud, but I failed. “Just a little payback on a cheating bitch who earned it five years ago.”
She looked at me for a long time as if she was trying to make up her mind about what to do. Then she kissed me on the cheek and said, “You’re right. She deserved it. Family takes care of family. Are you coming to bed?”
“I’ll be up in a minute.”
“Jimmy?”
“Yes?”
“Are you over it now?”
“Yeah. I think so. She never felt any pain when she betrayed Tom. She feels it now.”
I suppose I was a bit vindictive. Tom had moved on and found a truly good woman. He was happy and he had left the pain of his first marriage behind him. I was the one who never quite got over the betrayal. Should I regret what I did? No. I didn’t do anything. I just let a little light shine into the darkest corners of their lives. Vengeance delayed? Vengeance deserved.
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So, maybe I was wrong in the prologue. Maybe this is a story about two honest men with principles, good women, loving children, and grandparents. You tell me who the real winners are.