The Long Fall

by Daniel Quentin Steele

  As I walked in I saw Debbie coming down the stairs. She was gorgeous, and obviously a little startled. She had clearly been trying to get out of the house before I got home.

  "Oh, Bill....I thought you'd be later getting home."

  "You know, or I thought you knew, that I usually get off earlier on Fridays unless there's a verdict. Everything wrapped. Where are you headed dressed up so pretty?"

  She wore a black dress cut low in the back and low enough in front to show just a hint of cleavage. Over it she wore a gauzy wrap that concealed and revealed at the same time. It was sexy and elegant and entirely too dressy for almost any kind of college event I was familiar with.

  "Oh, there's a – an event tonight. It's kind of mandatory for college officials and staff. I – just felt like dressing up. But it's business. I don't think any spouses are coming. Look, you've been working so hard all week. I didn't think you'd want to waste an evening sitting through speeches and college administration stuff. Why don't you take it easy, order a pizza and we can make plans for this weekend when I get home. I'll try not to be late."

  Just for the hell of it, I almost insisted that I wanted to come along, even if it was boring as hell, but I let it go.

  "Alright, baby. You do look fabulous. Every guy there is going to be in for a treat. But look, you do what you have to do. Don't worry about trying to get back early. I know how those business things go on forever. Stay out as late as you want. I'll probably hit the bed early tonight. We'll do something tomorrow."

  She smiled in relief and gave me a sisterly peck on the cheek. She started to say something, and I wondered if some little vestigial lingering guilt she felt about what she was going to do tonight was crossing her mind. But it wasn't enough. She turned and walked out the door.

  She was already outside and couldn't hear me as I said, "Goodbye."

  UNF has a huge campus. A curving drive leads you around the entire campus and it brought me to the UNF Arena, a huge structure where graduations and basketball games and a lot of other events were held. I showed a campus cop my ID and got to park in a secluded lot on the other side of the road.

  For a purely business event, there were a lot of fancy dressed men and women entering the building. I didn't have an invite, but my ID and a comment that I was Professor Maitland's husband got me in. They had a dais at the far end and a lot of tables for four to six people set around the big hall. I noticed there was a cash bar on my side of the building.

  There is stadium seating on both sides of the hall and I made my way to the bar but stepped into the seating area before I got to the bar and climbed nearly to the top. I was alone and I had a bird's eye view of the crowd.

  I spent ten minutes carefully searching the crowd with a small pair of binoculars I had brought before I spotted her. She was seated at a table with five other people, three men and two women, only a few yards from the dais. Well, if Doug/Lance was in line for an award tonight, that made sense. Doug was tall, slender and dressed in a tux.

  They were seated close together, his hand on her shoulder, his head turned whispering something into her ear. I glanced at the two couples with her. From the glances my wife and Doug were getting, they were an accepted couple. Now I understand the looks I'd gotten on the rare occasions in the last three months when I'd made an appearance at any university function at Debbie's side.

  I watched from high up the stadium as they laughed and whispered to each other, made those little touches and gestures that are common to lovers everywhere. Their body language made it obvious. They even fed each other a couple of times with intertwined arms. Jesus Christ, talk about making it obvious. That pissed me off as much as anything else. If Debbie was going to cheat on me, at least she could be a little bit less blatant. I had to be an object of high amusement every time I showed up with her.

  I seated myself on the top row of the stadium seating and watched as the people below ate and had a good time, then listened to the speeches and eventually saw them call Doug up to the dais to receive an award as one of the two outstanding new faculty members. He called out to Debbie and despite her protestations she allowed herself to be called up to the dais. She stood beside him blushing as he thanked her for her help during the year and complimented her for her "youth and vitality."

  And then damned if he didn't tilt her head up toward his – did I mention he was about 6-3 so for a change she had to look up at a man instead of looking down at me –and kissed her on the lips in front of God and everybody. There was a roar of approval. It was like the moment in a romantic comedy when the hero finally sweeps in to grab his love and take her away with him.

  She kissed him back for a moment and then broke away blushing. She sure as hell didn't look like a happily married mother of two teens.

  The awards ceremony went on for another 45 minutes and then they announced there would drinks and dancing as long as anyone had the energy to stay on the dance floor where half the tables had just been removed. A band started playing 90s romantic tunes and some faster 2000 pieces.

  They were a cute couple. And from the looks other couples gave them, I wasn't the only one who thought so. I wondered what people who knew she was married thought about what was happening. Had she told them we had an open marriage, or that I didn't mind, or that she was going to be free soon? Or maybe academics just didn't give a damn about outmoded concepts like marital fidelity.

  I took a deep breath and stood up. Time to put an end to this crappy melodrama. I made my way to dance floor and through the dancers. I was dressed in a suit but no tie and so I stood out as I walked through the mostly tuxed men and women in evening dresses. I caught a whisper, murmurs as I made my way closer to my wife and her boyfriend and I knew I'd been noticed.

  Then they were in front of me, so deeply absorbed into looking deeply into each other eyes they never noticed me until I said, "Congratulations Professor, on the award and on stealing my wife, all in the same night."

  They stopped so fast that they almost lost their balance. Debbie stared at me, her eyes open wide in surprise. I almost laughed at her expression. Doug's mouth gaped open for a minute and he stared from Debbie to me and back to her as if not believing his eyes.

  "Bi...Bill," Debbie finally said softly. "What – what – what are you doing?"

  Then the shock started shading into anger as her mouth tightened and she said, "Why, Bill? I told you spouses weren't coming tonight. Why didn't you listen to me, wait for me at home?"

  At this point I couldn't help laughing.

  "And miss all this, baby? Come on, I'd have paid admission to see this. How often does a husband get to see his wife kissing and loving on another man in full view of about a thousand other people? Can't accuse you of false modesty. You don't hide anything, except from your husband."

  Doug stepped partially between us and raised a hand as if to push me back, saying, "Mr. Maitland, I'm sorry to meet you like this, but I hope you don't misunderstand. Debbie was just here because she's my mentor."

  I grinned at him even as I felt any good feeling I had curdling into fast growing rage.

  "Oh, I'm sure she's probably taught you lots of things, Doug. But I'm also sure you're a fast learner."

  Debbie stepped closer to me and whispered under her breath, "Bill, don't do this. Not here. Not now. Not in front of people I work with and for."

  "So it's okay for you to kiss him and rub yourself all over him and be his girlfriend in everything but name in front of people who know you're a married woman, but I'm an asshole for showing up to spoil your fun?"

  "You talking crazy again, Bill. Nothing like that happened."

  Now other people were close enough that I knew our conversation was being overheard and would be the subject of water cooler gossip for weeks if not longer.

  I lost the smile and just stared at her like I'd stare at road kill that had been dead and spoiled for a few weeks as I told her, "You stupid bitch. I've been here all evening. I saw you being lovey-dovey. I saw you
FEEDING him, you bitch. I have no doubt you probably were rubbing his dick under the table. I saw him kiss you, not like a mentor, and I saw you kiss him back. He probably got some tongue out of the deal."

  Doug stepped in closer and I saw one hand close into a fist. I was attacking his girl and his reaction was obvious.

  "Bill, I know you're angry but you have no right-"

  "It's Mr. Maitland to you, sonny, and I have every right. In case you forgot, she's my wife. She might not be for much longer, but I'm the guy she's supposed to be kissing and loving on, at least until she tells me she wants out."

  That stopped him for a moment and Debbie turned red as she realized a crowd was gathering around us.

  "By the way, you're a business professor, right? You teach any business ethics? What are the ethics of moving in on a married woman, breaking up a marriage. Maybe not a real happy marriage, but it was a marriage.

  I could tell he was losing it as his hands closed into fists but he was trying.

  "Bill – Mr. Maitland, I know it may have looked bad, but we're just friends. We've gotten close over the last six months, but I wouldn't mess with a married woman."

  I gave both of them a contemptuous glance, because I really couldn't believe they were stupid enough to keep trying to carry on this act.

  "Doug, give it up. I know my wife must have told you what I do for a living. I read people; body language, expressions. You're in love with, or at least you want to bang my wife, and she's hotter for you than you are for her."

  I could say the devil made me do it, but in all honesty it was probably just two weeks of simmering rage that launched my right fist toward his face at that point, but it was as if I was moving in slow motion. He just leaned back casually and then his right hand balled into a fist caught me on the right side of the face and sent me stumbling backwards.

  I ended up on my ass staring up at the horrified or amused faces of the people crowding around us. I looked up to see Debbie just staring at me. She seemed more angry than concerned about her dear husband.

  I shook my head to clear it. I hadn't been in a fight in 20 years and I'd forgotten what a hard shot to the face felt like. As I tried to get to my feet I heard Doug saying, "I'm so sorry Deb. I didn't mean to hit him, but when he swung I just reacted automatically."

  I got to my feet, swaying and pushed away someone who apparently was trying to help me up.

  "Alright, asshole, let's try that again..."

  I ran at him swinging awkwardly. Like I said, it had been a quarter century since I'd tried to hit someone for real and he just swatted the punch away and somehow pushed me so that I ended up on my face. The first laughs started.

  He looked down at me and said, "We don't have to do this. Let's act like grownups."

  I got back to my feet and stalked toward him slowly. Blood was dripping down my cheek. Debbie shook her head and said, "Please, Bill, don't do this. God, you've already embarrassed me badly. I've got to face these people. Please."

  I swung again and when he blocked my right I managed to sink a left into his stomach. He just "whuffed", more out of surprise than anything else and smashed his fist into my nose. Blood was all over the place and I staggered to stay upright. For a moment I could hardly see for tears in my eyes. Jesus Christ, that hurt.

  "Bill, get out of here," Debbie hissed. "You have managed to ruin everything. This was the biggest night of Doug's career, and you have to show up and make an ass out of yourself."

  I ran a hand over my face and it came away bloody.

  "I haven't started yet, my loyal and loving wife."

  I could hear titters behind me and Debbie stared at me as if she couldn't believe my words, as if the mere thought that I might able to hurt her young stud astounded her. Her absolute confidence that I was harmless hurt more than anything else.

  "Go away, Bill. Don't be stupid. He will kick your ass. He's younger and bigger and he can box. You've already humiliated yourself and me. Don't make yourself an absolute laughing stock."

  "Your concern is touching. Go to hell."

  I moved closer and swung again. An anvil or something equally heavy hit one eye, then something smashed into my mouth resulting in another spray of blood and something else slammed into my midsection, doubling me over. I couldn't help hurling as I went down.

  I knelt on one knee and tried to bring my vision into focus, could sense the movement of people around me and nervous laughter and I knew Debbie was standing with Doug and probably gloating in his triumph. I tried to remember when she had ever loved me.

  A hand grabbed my arm at the elbow and I heard Doug saying, "Come on, Bill, it's over. Let it go. Let me help you up, we'll get you cleaned up and out of here."

  I didn't consciously plan anything. I just rammed forward with the top of my head as hard as I could and hit something relatively soft and heard Doug moan and fall forward. As he did I reared up again as hard as I could and bounced his face off the top of my head.

  I was standing somehow and Doug in all his flat bellied glory was flat on his back holding his hands over blood spurting from his nose and mouth. If I could just stay upright for a few more seconds. I managed to make it to him before anyone got in the way and kicked him in the face as hard as I could.

  Debbie's screaming behind me only made it sweeter.

  "Oh, God, Doug..."

  I was gang tackled by what felt like an entire posse and dragged to the ground. I could see Debbie standing there between us, looking from one bleeding prone figure to the other. Then she ran to Doug and knelt down beside him. She was crying. She had made her decision. God, I asked myself, could she be any more of a treacherous bitch.

  As the old saying about rape goes, when it's inevitable...So I just lay back and let about four guys in tuxes hold me down. Debbie was using any kind of fabric she could lay her hands on to try to stop the blood gushing from Doug's face.

  I heard someone saying, "Call the cops."

  "Security is right here. Get this asshole out of here."

  Someone else said maliciously, "Let's see how tough you are in a holding cell..."

  There was a tall, distinguished looking, grayish elderly gent standing near Doug and he asked solicitously, "Professor Baker, are you alright? Should we call an ambulance."

  Then he looked over at me.

  "And you, sir, whoever you are, are going to rue the day you assaulted one of our staff."

  I made an educated guess.

  "You must be President Myers, right?"

  He was getting ready to leave but something in my tone of voice stopped him.

  "Yes, I'm the President of UNF. And you are?"

  "William Maitland, Head Supervising Assistant State Attorney for the Third Circuit, and the husband of the blonde consoling your professor Baker over there."

  His eyes widened a little as he looked from Debbie and Doug to me and back again. He might be an old fossil, but there was nothing wrong with the speed of his mental processing.

  "In that case, Mr. Maitland, I would not like to be in your shoes. You're an officer of the court assaulting a man in plain view of hundreds. Not good. But, I think we might be willing to extend some forbearance here-"

  "I think, President Myers, that your ass, and that of your institution is about to become grass, and I am going to be the lawnmower."

  His face tightened. He wasn't used to being addressed in that manner. I knew he came from old money and had social and business ties that extended from Atlanta to Miami. That's why they had tapped him as President.

  "I don't understand-"

  "Why don't we go somewhere and I'll explain it to you, before you and this institution step into a whole swampful of shit."

  He didn't like that either, but he wasn't stupid and he was used to making snap decisions. A nod from him resulted in two of the men jerking me to my feet. We walked toward the rear where there were restroom signs. I noticed that Myers had Doug and Debbie practically frog marched along with us.

  When w
e had gotten far enough to speak in relative privacy he stopped and he said, "Alright, Mr. Maitland, explain yourself."

  Doug had pretty much staunched the bleeding, but he was still hurting. Debbie had her arm around him and if looks could kill, the glances she sent at me would have laid me in my grave.

  "I don't know how closely you monitor things, but I don't think you're stupid. This is fairly simple. My wife has been 'very close' to Professor Baker for awhile, too close for my tastes. I know he took her home the other night and kissed her in my driveway while she was wearing a very provocative outfit.

  "I know she engaged in very loving, and intimate behavior with Professor Baker both on and off the dance floor tonight, and like you said, I have hundreds of witnesses. I know he gave her a very un-collegial kiss tonight in full view of many of your staff and I heard them cheering and whooping as he did so. I don't think I'd have any trouble convincing a jury when I sue UNF for being a party to the Alienation of my wife's affections, that her behavior was common knowledge."

  I thought Debbie was going to launch herself across the space separating us. She could have started foaming at the mouth for a little bit.

  "You bastard," she said loudly. "President Myers, my husband suffers from mental problems. Namely an obsession that I have been unfaithful to him. It's all in his head. There is absolutely nothing improper going on between myself and Professor Baker. Don't listen to anything he says. Please have him removed."

  Myers glanced at her and said mildly, "I might be inclined to agree with you, Professor Maitland, but unfortunately for both you and Professor Baker, I was on the dais and I witnessed the display between the two of you, and particularly that kiss. I was under the impression that no woman in her right mind would have engaged in that kind of activity unless she had an 'understanding' with her husband, which you obviously didn't."