Sister Deborah Rogers called me around eleven pm on a Saturday night having some major concerns. Her only son Joe, she believed may have fallen off the wagon. He had not been seen by any of his family in six days and had not checked in with his staff at work. She felt it might be a sign that he had reverted back to his old ways when he would disappear on a drinking binge for weeks.

She was proud of her son for the changes he had made in his life but was afraid that he had been issued a death blow that would take him totally down. She had never liked her daughter in law but had kept her feelings to herself. She saw her as an opportunist who only cared about herself. There was something about her character that just not sit well with her even though her husband had dotted on her.

Deborah was a recent widow who had lost her husband to covid just over a year ago was nearing the age of sixty had just learned that her son’s wife of ten years had asked him for a divorce. Not having heard from Joe her soon-to-be ex-husband since she asked him to move out, Joe’s wife Connie, had called Deborah wondering if he was staying with her. She claimed she was worried that her conduct might have been enough to push him over the edge. Deborah did not buy it.

By the time she had called me she was at her emotional limits and felt if she didn’t do something soon it might be too late. Deborah in the back of her mind was reliving all the bad years they had with her son before he began getting control of his life.

I could see Joe Rodgers’ wife's point of view and understood it well. When one carries another through the addiction and their recovery there is always an unseen cost. When the addicted person is a spouse, the price is usually the death of the love between them. Neither of them would realize it but their marriage was in a slow spiral downward unless they both made changes willingly.

I had seen it happen once before with my parents. My dad died in a car accident while driving drunk the very night my mother threw him out because she was done with his constant drinking and unkept promises even though at that time he had been six months sober. She had nothing left to give. She thought that he was over the worst but her conduct that day drove him right back to it. To many times he had quit drinking only to return to it in a few months. He had destoryed her dreams and wants concerning her life. With him gone she became a completely different person.

Her second husband, my stepfather taught me more about life than my father had. Thanks to his example I learned that when couples worked together mountains could be climbed. He came into our lives when we were down and out trying to rebuild our lives as we dug out of the hole my father had left us in.

I also wondered if it had been a calculated move by Connie to push her husband, Joe off the edge. If she could push back into drinking it would give her the legal excuse to go for a court order making her a conservator over his business’s leaving her in the driver's seat going through the divorce. If she was successful, it would have set her up for life.

I knew that since Joe had quit drinking with his father’s help at start, he had built quite a mini empire and was in discussions to build a third location of the franchise he had bought into. It seems he had the Midas touch because he was already debt free.

His father had helped because he thought it would inspire him to find the strength to overcome his addiction, but it wasn’t until Joe accepted the support that he needed that that his personal life and economic wellbeing took off.

Connie Rodgers most likely had been waiting a long time for the right time to tell him only to learn the hard way that it would never come. Finally, something had happened in her life that had caused her to go ahead and pull the trigger.

Perhaps she had developed a romantic interest that was getting serious. After years of being neglected, she may have found someone who appreciated her for what she had to offer who did not have all the baggage that comes by living.

********

In the middle of the nineteenth century, many women had stayed in their relationship because that was the accepted norm. Many female spouses had to endure all sorts of things and they never said a word. They did their suffering in silence.

Nowadays if we all had half the endurance they had, our society's divorce rate would be a lot lower. We live in a world that is always gradually changing and not for the good. Even in Jesus's time all you had to say I divorce you and it was recognized. Although life was tougher, and harder back then it was not regulated like it is these days.

Whether it be prescription drugs, alcohol, porn, gambling, or some other product designed to draw you in, for an addict it is the addiction that is in control. The need for it drives the person causing them to lose compassion and their focus becomes getting their latest fix. They act without thinking because the only thing that matters is satisfying the craving that they have cultivated. After all, it is now in control. Everything else has lost any consideration.

It was sad because I had been Joe’s mentor and had watched him reach the point of being five years sober. When I had first met Joe, he was cutting back and only drank on the weekends. With his father’s help he was slowing cutting down while heading in the right direction.

He had come to the AA meeting after a big blow-up with his wife because he had not wanted to end up at a bar counter drowning his sorrows. Since the problem was between his wife and him, he had not wanted to go to his parents.

He had shown up just as the meeting was ending. We had talked to each other for about three hours before he felt comfortable that he would make it through the night without turning to alcohol to escape his difficulties. That was the night that he realized that he was now a controlled alcoholic. He was never sober but was never totally drunk.

Like most women Connie knew what buttons to push to get her husband riled up or to take his self-esteem down. Until that night he had in his mind believed that he had been slowly gaining control of his addiction and was proud in what he had accomplished. He came to the meeting for help because he was beginning to see what she may have been trying to do.

It took him a few months to come to the realization that drinking had been his crutch. It gave him the needed excuse not to face problems that he did not want to deal with. What was behind his constant drinking had been his insecurities that come from a lack of believe and faith in oneself. Teaching one to accept that one always makes the best decision based on what they know at the time is the hardest lesson one can teach because they had to learn to stop questioning themselves.

As I worked with him, we had drawn closer. Each day he was sober he learned that he could cope with things as long as he controlled his temper and did not automatically allow the little things to piss him off. He had to learn to stop caring about things beyond what he could control.

It was during my mentoring of him that I learned he had lost his belief because he felt that if there was a God that God had never answered his prayers. He was like most who went to God in prayer to ask for help and then did nothing to help himself. It was when I asked him if he had an employee who asked for a raise and had done nothing to show that he deserved it would he give it? His answer was a big no because the employee had not proven he was worth it. I then said apply that same thought to your relationship with God.

One of the things Connie learned the hard way was that pushing his buttons in an attempt to anger him no longer would work. When he caught her trying to do that, he would tell her he was leaving until he calmed down and she could talk rationally. It was a rough period for both of them until Connie accepted their new reality. All who knew them began to see Connie for what she was and adjusted their thinking accordingly.

Just over a week ago I had given him his five-year pin in front of all those who were in attendance. Joe was reaching the stage where he was at the seventh step and had been making great progress. He had turned his life around by three hundred and sixty degrees to the point that he had become known as a strong Christian in all aspects of his life. I admit I was proud of how much he had accomplished.

Connie during this time had drawn close to Melinda. The two of them claimed that they had never met before Joe got involved with AA, but to Joe and me something about their relationship did not add up. There were too many times that their half sentences were completed by the other and that only happens in long term relationships.

I sure hoped he had not fallen but I promised Deborah that I would go looking for him. After getting a list of his favorite establishments that he had favored back in his drinking days from her I got dressed and headed out. If he had started drinking it was likely he would automatically go back to what had been his favorite haunts.

********

Melinda, my wife of seven years wished me Godspeed. I had told her that because of his history if I found him drinking, I would take him to the hospital for a checkup because he might be suffering from alcohol poisoning. I could understand his frame of mind because I too had hit the bottom and at that point, I did not care if I lived or died.

My reaching that point was not because of booze or drugs it was because I lost my first wife and our unborn daughter on Christmas eve because of a drunk driver. It caused a crisis of faith because, like all who believed without true knowledge, I blamed God. Now every time I heard someone say it was God’s will it turned my stomach because no one understood what free will meant and had no clue what it gave us.

It had been our pastor at that time who had challenged me to prove for myself whether God was responsible for what happened or not. I took his challenge to heart because I like all others before me, I believed I could prove myself right.

The lessons learned during that period had changed my views about everything. My mother and stepfather said at the end that of journey that I had changed so much that they felt like they hardly knew me.

********

I dived into three years of full-time theological studies which showed me just how little the average Joe knows about what the Christian faith is all about. Having always been a student of history I applied that to my research in searching for God’s truth. My final theses tore apart the sacred doctrines taught by the majority of religious scholars for centuries which changed my view about Christianity for good. That is when a different understanding began to reveal itself. I admit I was shocked by what I learned. It was different than what most believe.

As a result, I became an inexperienced pastor looking for my first position. What I had believed when I had started the journey had been proven by me to be completely wrong. Even to this day I still have a hard time understanding why most humans don’t question but accept others' claims as being the truth.

Looking back at that time with a new understanding I know that most would not understand unless they made the journey themselves. It’s a walk of discovery that can only come by putting in the diligent effort, the time, and the research to prove or disprove what I was learning.

My dead wife’s and my pastor had been there when I received my graduation certificate. For him, it was an important event. As the Valedictorian I had to give a twenty-five-minute speech. In it, I briefly explained what had brought me to this crossroad in my life. I could see the power of wisdom in his eyes because he knew God’s truth, not man’s had changed me.

In a private moment he said, “I knew that with your questioning mind that you would be driven to fulfill the quest I put in front of you. You took the same walk I did years ago and as a result God opened your eyes just like he did mine. It will be a long, lonely walk trying to follow God and his teaching as he wants you to, but as long as you never leave him, he will walk with you.”

To this day when I was working on something to do with the church my mind would go back to him as I wondered what he would do if he were in my situation. It forced me to take a second look at everything and make changes because I saw things that could be oversaw or explained differently.

********

Although I had job offers, I really did not want to work as a junior at a church that was already established. I wanted to help set the policies of the church not be bound to follow them because so many of them were tied to the quagmires and doctrines taught in the past. I saw them, like Jesus saw the Scribes and Pharisees. So tied up in keeping with the traditions, rituals, and their interpretation of God’s law that by their conduct they had lost the truth of the Christian faith as originally taught by Jesus and God.

I returned to my former employment while I kept looking. I at that time I was still searching to find out if there was a reason that God required me to go through that test of faith.

Little did I know back then that in searching for the answers I had always believed I knew I would find my life taking a complete change in direction. A week before my twenty-fifth birthday I was offered the position I was still in.

The church at the time had been a rented section located in a dying strip mall. It was so small that I had to work a full-time job in construction and served as its only pastor part-time. The parish had rented it for two hundred a month.

Once I was established and accepted by all after I had been appointed, I learned that most had left the other churches they had associated because of the clicks that had been formed in them. Most organized churches I learned from them had their own type of caste system.

Now ten years later our new church building could easily sit fifteen hundred and we had two services on Sunday. Being a young church, it was a blessing to be debt-free. From day one I had made it a priority to make sure there was no distinction between how the attendees were treated because I knew there was no male-female distinction in God’s kingdom.

The only thing I ever pointed out about church finances was that there was a collection box at the back of the church by the exit doors. Those wishing for a receipt for tax purposes should leave a note with their donation in an envelope.

Like Jesus I never asked for money because I passionately believed that if we were doing God’s will, it would be provided. To date I had not been proved wrong.

********

One of the first things I did once I assumed the position was contacting Alcoholics Anonymous to set up a local chapter of their program. Little did I know that one of its first members would end up becoming the sister of my second wife.

Melinda’s parents were multi-cultural. Her mother was white English, and her father was an African American lawyer whose roots went back to the Congo. He had been raised by a single mother who had managed to keep him on the straight and narrow. To this day his mother walked on water because without her relentless efforts, faith, and firm discipline he would not have the life he had today.

I had met the whole family the first time Melinda’s sister decided that she had to hear me present a sermon. She introduced me to the family after the service was finished. Her father said it was the first time in their life they had gone to what he fondly called a white man’s church.

I told him that if I had not seen his facial expression when he made that remark in humor that I would have seen what he said as being racist. I then added that the proper Christian view was that our skin was nothing more than God’s clothing of our flesh. I guess my remark surprised him because a week later he and his whole family were sitting in the pews.

Melinda was attracted to me right away, but it took a lot of sweet-talking to get her father to ask me out for lunch. By that time, they had been attending regularly for about three months.

To this day Melinda’s dad still teases her about how long it took her to get me to the point where I was waiting for her to walk down the aisle.

Melinda had and still has a body that will not quit. It took me a long time to adjust to the fact that no matter where we were men would stop just to take a second look. She is that beautiful. My first wife had been her complete opposite.

Seeing her walk into the church for the first time had all the single men’s eyes popping out of their heads because she a body shape that would not stop. Her light brown skin looked more like a tan than her actual skin color which only caused her sensuality to blossom more. Seeing her natural beauty reaffirmed to me that the color of our skin was God’s clothing of our flesh.

The following Sunday every one of the parish's single men was dressed to the nines. So was she. I noticed how attractive she looked but I thought it was because Melinda knew that there were many single men closer to her age who had their eyes looking when they should not have been.

Little did I know that the problem was that her big beautiful bright blue eyes and sharp mind were focused on one man who was too busy building the parish to catch the bait.

********

It was on the second anniversary of her older sister's sobriety when I was invited to a family afternoon celebration in their backyard when the pastor, family relationship changed. It seemed that I was given the credit for Mary’s turnaround by all the family including Mary herself. Only I seemed to understand that Mary had made the biggest step herself and that was when she admitted to herself that she had a problem and needed help.

It was when they had brought out an old family favorite game called twister that things started to change. Melinda and I were on the mat with our bodies intertwined in ways that were beyond imagination trying to make our next move when my leg gave out. As I started to fall Melinda turned to face me as I landed on top of her.

Believe me, when a man falls on a soft pile of human flesh that smells that inviting, he is in no rush to climb off. Here we were faced face to face closer than we had ever been. Her blue eyes were so consuming to me that for a moment I was lost.

Taking advantage Melinda made sure she made mouth-to-mouth contact while slipping her tongue in. Melinda’s older sister Mary catching it all said, “damn she’s been trying to get that first kiss from him for at least the last nineteen months.”

It had been such a long time since I had such warm soft willing flesh against me that my body started functioning normally. I was embarrassed beyond belief. Melinda was thrilled because she had finally got my attention. I felt that as a pastor I should have been in better control of my fleshly body functions.

Later in private Melinda said as I was trying to apologize for what happened that it had been such a relief to her because she was beginning to believe that I was gay. Thankfully in their wisdom, her family left us alone for a while to talk.

That was the afternoon that she learned my whole life story. By the time I left her whole family had smiles on their faces. After listening to me explaining the journey that had brought me to this point in life, she concluded that I had reached the point that I was once again ready to date. I was promptly told to pick her up next Saturday because I was talking her out for dinner.

The following Saturday we went on our first date. After dinner, we took a stroll down along the Mississippi. Nine months later I stood at the alter as her father walked her towards me to say the vows of marriage. Looking back, I think that Melinda had pushed me into it because I would not go past second base.

As a pastor I knew I was being watched by the single soon to be adults. I had to lead by example and ensure that my own personal conduct did not contradict what I preached. I knew that saying one thing and doing another would devalue the message that God was imparting, and I could not allow that to happen.

That night her father in his formal thoughts brought out the point that Melinda had known instantly that I was going to be the man she married because her sister's views about me were right.

“David,” he said, “was just focused on building our church and was not paying attention. It was fun watching his daughter’s frustration as she tried everything to get his attention. It is nice to see that she won in the end.”

********

I now worked as a pastor full-time in our non-denominational multinational church. Those who know me quite well refer to me being a Christian Jew type of pastor who applies the scriptures as the first century Christians did. I was known as one who tries to teach the parish to follow the teaching of God and Jesus Christ spiritually.

Melinda and I were finally at the point that we were discussing if we wanted to bring children into the marriage as her insurance agency was firmly established. She thought it was humous that she made more money than me before expenses.

My views of Christianity and its teaching had caused frictions because I tore apart the doctrines that many had been taught to believe for years. Like me, they had been taught what to believe and when faced with biblical truths that contradicted them, they experienced denial, anger, and disbelieve before acceptance came. Just like I had.

Everyone comes to their own Jesus moment when they finally understand that for most of their life that they have been following the teachings of man regardless of what the bible said. One simple fact that most did not understand was that sin was nothing but our conduct not meeting God’s standards.

It is a slow process of learning the hard way for themselves that if the bible contradicts what they were taught by their religious teachers that the teachers were wrong. Too many believed that that the Old Testament had no value in today’s Christianity especially when they were led to believe it contradicted the things in the Gospels of Jesus.

It had created such a change of view inside themselves, that they could not stop talking about the new things about Christianity that they had learned. It caused the church to grow fast. It reminded me of the apostle Paul who said, “I planted, Apollo watered, but God made it grow.”

When I got asked one time why some found it hard to see what I showed them in my sermons. I said some do not want God’s truth they only want someone to reaffirm that what they believe is true. Truth has no value to them and never will because they would have to be honest to themselves and that may be impossible.

One of the former deans from another church asked if it would be okay if he got baptized again?

I asked him, “why?”

His answer is one that I will remember until the day I die.

He said, “with his new understandings of God and Jesus there was no way he could say that his first baptism was made with true intentions.”

He was the first to be immersed in our baptism pool in the new church building.

After his re-immersion, he said to me, “I never truly understood why you always ask God to protect the congregation from the teaching of men in prayer before beginning your service. When you said before dipping me that this was my public proclamation that God and Jesus are the only true teachers it made sense.”

“Many who first learn about God and Jesus put their faith in the teacher delivering the message,” I said. “When I fail, and we both know I will, I want to protect those from losing their relationship with God and his son because of me.”

“You don’t believe you will fall, do you,” the brother asked?

“I can’t say if I will or if I won’t. I just know that God and Jesus are willing to forgive me if I do,” I said. “As a teacher of the teachings of both, I am held to a greater standard than the average brother or sister because teaching a lie as the gospel of Jesus Christ is a sin against the holy spirit.”

“Most do not understand a sin against the holy spirit will not be forgiven,” I explained. “It ends up with a sentence of death at the time of judgement when Satan and his followers are removed from existence. That is why I am so careful. I have learned during this journey that the more I learn the more I do not know. Learning that truth changed me from being a bit arrogant to being humbler.”

********

I found Joe by accident about two in the morning after the bars had closed for the night. I had decided to get a bite to eat before continuing my searching. He was sitting at Denny’s counter waiting for his order to be made up. Thankfully, he was sober and drinking a cup of coffee.

The moment he saw me he broke out in a smile as if he knew why I was there. With laughter, Joe said, “I guess I blew it. I should have informed her. Mom must have sent you looking for me. I told my assistants I was taking the week off.”

“Your right,” I said as I sat down at the counter beside him. “I came looking hoping that your mother’s fears were not becoming a reality. She had just learned tonight from Connie that she had threw you out after telling you she was filing for a divorce.”

“I thought about it during a down moment while looking for a new place to live,” Joe said honestly. “If it was not for the fact that we have two children we still have to raise I might of. Instead, I rented a vehicle that I used to find out for myself if what I was feeling concerning Connie was right. It was, I learned my wife is involved with someone else.”

“So that is why you were not at the AA meeting Wednesday night,” I said. “The two ladies you are mentoring were looking for you.”

“Connie and your wife Melinda using Melinda’s car dropped our kids off at her mother’s then went out for supper at Bythia’s on Bythia,” Joe explained. “Two police officers still in uniform were waiting for them and joined them for dinner.”

Joe now had my undivided attention because Melinda had never told me she had gone out. Joe pulled up an image of the two police officers from his cell. I recognized one of the officers as an old friend of hers from when they had attended university. Believing it was just a catch-up sort of thing, I had no problem with it.

“After they left, I slipped in and chatted with the owners Kaleb and his wife Carrie who I know because of mutual business reasons. As far as they knew the four of them were two couples,” Joe said. “They meet there every Wednesday just after the police officers have finished their shift. To them, it was a ritual that each couple looked forward to because they acted as most couples do. Each one of our wives sits beside the same man every week to be able to look across the table at their partner.”

“Have you discovered anything else?” I asked figuring that Joe might have stumbled onto something that would require further investigating.

“Friday night just after seven pm while you were working with the youth in our congregation as you do every week our wives went over to one of those stately buildings on Old Cape Road near the University. You know the huge building that had been a hotel then a brothel which is now a private residence. I believe it might be owned by one of the professors because it is a rather large six-story historical building that has been updated and remodeled numerous times,” Joe said.

“You are not referring to the one that still has the four gargoyles watching over the front door,” I asked? “They're so old that they remind me of medieval times. It’s believed that the Hungarian owner at that time imported them when it was a brothel to act as a protector for the women in his stable.”

“Yes, I am but It is still well above what either one of us could afford,” Joe disclosed. “I found a spot up the hill on the street where I could park and watch the building because there were at least ten other vehicles parked there already. As dusk was settling, I saw at least another eight vehicles pull in.”

“Thanks to the lights on the front of the building that I thought was being used as a boarding house for students I could see that all those that came were dressed as if they were having a night on the town. All walked through the front door without knocking. It appeared to be a semi-formal event because everybody looked their best,” Joe went on to explain. “As darkness fell the rooms on the second to the sixth floor of the home lit up.”

“That’s when I started to get suspicious. Using a set of night googles I had transferred from my trunk, I walked in darkness to the front of the house getting into the property between the spaces in the hedge,” he said. “It was not long until I was able to see some of the attendees moving into the bedrooms in a state of undress showing a lot of physical attention to who they were with. Hands were moving over each other’s clothing exploring the body parts that were covered by them.”

“From what I saw,” Joe said, “I believe our wives are members of a swingers club because some of those bedrooms were filled two female or two males while other rooms had both sexes. At no time did I catch a glance of our wives. Nor did I see any sexual acts being committed even though it appeared to be headed that way. Since I only saw the outside front side of the house it’s safe to assume other rooms were being used.”

“Did you recognize any of the other people you saw attending,” I asked?

“Just the two police officers our wives shared dinner with,” Joe replied. “One of them was with an African American man, the other with a woman I would recognize if I saw her again. I will have more information on Monday after visiting the county clerk’s office to find out who owns the residence they were at.”

I ordered an ultimate breakfast and a coffee so that Joe and I could start to plan.

“When you are checking out the title make sure to check out a few others in the general area,” I said. “If someone in the clerk’s office asks plant the seed that the church is looking for acreage to build a private school in that area. It will be seen as an acceptable explanation because of what's being going on with the educational system in general.”

“Why would I do that,” Joe asked?

“For two reasons, “ I explained. “We have our suspicions but nothing to back it up, and besides, we have no clue who all the members are. We don’t want to accidentally tip them off before knowing anything.”

“Could this have been going on since our wives attended the university,” Joe said not expecting an answer.

“Don’t know but it sure raises a lot of questions because we don’t know what the truth is,” I said. “For now, until we find out what is what, you and I are dumb and dumber personified. Got it. If it is true, it may be that our wives are dealing with their own problems of being addicted. We both know that if they are that until they admit it, there is nothing we can do but divorce them on the grounds of adultery. ”

“Why were we not able to see it,” Joe asked while trying to figure out how one can be so blind.

“Joe, consider woman and man’s history. Men have done a lot of things to women throughout the generations because they viewed for a long time that they owned them. Women learned and passed on to their daughters the ability to lie, manipulate, and deceive better than any man because of their need to protect themselves from those around them. It’s now part of their nature.”

“You don’t really believe that do you,” Joe asked?

“Yes, I do,” I said. “About seventy percent of the counseling I do to married couples is because the wife has been caught in too many things that did not add up. It’s a natural learned protective mechanism built over time that even they don’t see.”

Joe and I did not realize at that time that our conversation would lead to the building of our church's private school in a few years. Later as we looked back it reminded us that only God can turn a bad situation into a blessing.

********

I was standing in front of the church's front door greeting the parishioners as they headed in just like I would every Sunday Morning. The ones who attended the eight am service like me, were early risers. Depending on how many came I could estimate how many would show up for the service at eleven.

I could tell that sister Deborah Rogers looked tired and older than her years as she walked towards me. The worry she had was being expressed by her body quite well. When she approached me, I leaned over and down to kiss her on her cheek as I reached in and grabbed the note in my pocket.

Whispering to her I said, “Take the note from my hand. It will tell you what you need to know.”

She must have read it as soon as she could because her voice rose above the others as we sang the opening song. The sound of her voice seemed to be angelic because everyone got quiet. After all, like me, they heard a holy quality in her voice. Looking back at it all later I have to wonder if God was letting me know that he was with me when I felt I needed him the most.

Deborah Rodgers waited until most had left to approach me.

“Thank you, for your note,” she said. “How is he mentally?”

“He’s determined not to fall back,” I said. “Since he has discovered something that makes him believe that he was not totally at fault he has become driven. For now, all I can tell you is that he is fulfilling a church assignment and that we both can believe in him.”

“Pastor Howard,” she said.

“Please call me David, after all, I consider your son Joe a good friend,” I said.

“Thank you for reacting the way you did,” she said. “Knowing you were acting got me through a rough night. Melinda told me it was almost four before you got home.”

I smiled and responded, “I just hope that I am awake enough to pull off the second service. I did not expect to be up all night. If I can’t, it will become one of those things I will never live down.”

“Then I will stay and be there with you as you go through it,” Deborah said. “After all you would not do anything less.”

********

It took Joe Rodgers and those he hired about three months to figure out what was going on. My wife and his wife Connie had a long-term friend with benefits relationship with the two police officers. Yes, they were members of a private swingers club ran by a female Professor and her wife. Both the police officers' wives Joe believed had no clue as to the private life the four of them shared.

The sex club we learned was run through a numbered limited offshore company owned partly by the Professor and her wife. It held title to the building. They only got together two to four times a month. Dates and times were set randomly the month before so everyone wishing to participate had time to arrange their schedule if they wished to attend. They did that so a pattern could not be recognized as to when meetings or events were planned. Monthly fees had to be prepaid a month in advance by direct deposit.

Couples who had a long-term relationship even if they were not married could be invited into the group since single persons were not allowed. All had to pass a very detailed background and lifestyle check. Monthly sexual transmitted disease tests had to be taken to make sure they were clean and able to participate. This was done through the university’s health clinic which the professor’s wife a doctor oversaw.

If one was not presented, they were denied entrance to any event until one was done. Two male rather large university students stood guard to let those allowed in. Joe believed that they were part of the defense of SFU’s football team. They did that because they wanted to be sure that the club remained anonymous and free from the scandal if a batch of stds broke out.

It was estimated that the sex club contained between fifty and eighty paying members all living within driving distance. As members left new ones were brought in through networks long established in the universities social systems. Members could leave but they had to sign a non-disclosure agreement which would bankrupt them if the information came out.

The average attendance at one of the scheduled events was between thirty and fifty because of the limited private rooms available and what they were being booked for. Attendance fluctuated depending on what members had going on in their lives. Once the maximum number allowed was booked for one of the gatherings the rest would have to wait until the next one.

That way no one except the professor and her wife knew who would be attending. It also helped in keeping the sexual contact between the partners new and exciting. It also helped to protect the members from developing a romantic relationship with other members. Each member was then allowed to enjoy the sensual adventure of the sexual act without having the fear that their conduct would become public.

********

One afternoon while Melinda was working, I went home and did a close look at our monthly bank statements that we kept on file. I started with the year we were married and discovered that she had been paying the monthly membership fee while we were dating through the insurance agency she had started.

It was interesting to discover that Melinda had a direct deposit into her business account two days before her payment was taken for half of the dues every month. With the bank manager at our local branch being a member in good standing I called him and asked for a personal favor.

The questionable direct deposit was coming from the account of a Travis Edgeworth. I knew that he was the police officer that she had gone to university with. I believed that Travis’s wife would assume the expense was insurance-related.

When Joe learned what I had learned he slid into his former home when Connie was at a family get together with their kids and was able to verify that their bank statements showed basically the same thing. Until then he had never wondered what the payment was for because his wife handled the household account.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

That was when Joe and I began to realize that our wives were not addicted, but that it was a lifestyle choice made by them long before we had met them. I pondered over that fact for quite a while trying to figure out why if she wanted that kind of life, why she had married me.

What they were doing was not illegal unless the females or sub-missives were being bid on as a way of raising funds for the operation of the club. If it could be proved that was happening, then it fell into the area of illegal prostitution.

********

Since Connie had still not filed, Joe and I went to see Dale Allan Britton. After a long discussion, the three of us started to put a plan together. Since two of the city police officers were involved, it was decided the go-to person as far as we were concerned would be the county, Sherriff Harold Phillips.

Harold himself had gone through a scandal thanks to a wife who had a thing for what was between her neighbor's legs before he got elected as Sherriff. As a result, he knew the cost of being played.

Dale thought because of what he had experienced that he could view thing objectively. With me being a pastor and Joe one of the persons looked up to in the church diplomacy was a must.

Joe and I listen as Dale explained what we knew to the Sheriff. The Sheriff agreed to begin an investigation and asked us to hold off on doing the legal on our end until he got through the complete investigation. We agreed. He would first get all the finances, check on tax status, and find out if it were registered. If it were not, they would have probable cause for a warrant.

If there was indeed a monthly payment due from members, the owners could be charged for running a brothel house. Where it got tricky was if they could charge anyone for prostitution under the way it was set up.

Dale thought that if it could be worked out, he would like our wives served while the four of them were in jail if that were possible. He would be suing both men for interference in the marriage.

********

It was in an informal conversation in the church office that we concluded that for all concern until this nightmare was behind us that we should voluntarily turn in all the weapons that we owned. The last thing we wanted was the Cape Girardeau police department having an excuse to come after us because of the legal suits against two of its officers.

Joe Rodgers went the direct route. He went into the police station and talked to the officer assigned to the front desk. After explaining to the officer that he was headed into a dirty divorce and had no place secure enough to store his guns he wanted the guns removed from his former residence and destroyed.

One of the officers on duty was assigned to meet him at his former residence. Connie was surprised to see him so was the man who was visiting. The officer recognized him as one of their own.

After loading the guns into the trunk of the police officer's cruiser the officer asked, “Is Jace Reynolds your soon-to-be ex’s boyfriend? Does his wife know?”

“I honestly don’t know for sure,” Joe answered. “I do know that Melinda Howard and she have been seen at Bythia’s on Bythia sharing a meal with Travis Edgeworth and him quite regularly. It seems that Melinda and Travis were in university together.”

“Is Melinda Howard the wife of one of the most popular pastors in the area,” the officer asked?

“Yes, she is and both of the officer’s wives don’t have a clue as to what the four’s relationship is with each other either,” Joe said. “To be honest the pastor and I had no clue about either man knowing them until after Connie told me she wanted a divorce. If you hear anything I would appreciate knowing just what their relationship is so that I can inform pastor Howard.”

A day later Joe was called in to pick up a signed letter showing the serial numbers, the type, and the maker of each gun that had been turned over from the officer who had taken possession of the weapons.

********

I waited a couple of months figuring that Connie would have informed Melinda about it. It was during a Sunday dinner with her side of the family that I asked her father about turning in my inherited gun collection over to the authorities for disposal.

That was when I learned that all guns gathered locally were transferred to the state capital for disposal. He volunteered to take care of it if that is what I wanted to do.

I said, “let’s do because those weapons have not been used in so long, I would hesitate to say that they could still fire.”

“Melinda,” her father said. “Can you contact Travis Edgeworth and let him know to call me at his convenience?”

It was interesting to watch Melinda as she replied, “Sure dad, he calls the office regularly to chat when he is keeping his eyes on a situation, and he has time to chill.”

I pretended to take what she said in surprise, it was not hard because she said, “I think David is being proactive because he is hoping that I will agree it’s time to start our family.”

“Damn well time,” Melinda’s mother said. “Your older sister is about to drop our fourth grandchild and all she has are boys. I want a girl.”

I almost choked because of what I knew. I had to ask myself is she pregnant? If so, who is the father?

*********

Melinda was with me when her father showed up with Travis Edgeworth. I must admit that he was impressive looking in his uniform. For a man in uniform, he seemed thin and underweight. Now looking back, I didn’t see that he was elfish. Melinda and he chatted as if they were trying to catch up on things while her father listed the serial number, the make, and the model of every piece of weaponry being handed over. With the detail he was doing it with it left me with the impression that my wife’s father did not trust Travis.

Melinda and I had to witness Travis’s signature on a document that showed he had accepted possession of them. After signing, loading them, they left together. Melinda mentioned that she thought her father’s conduct had seemed a bit weird.

Later when I talked to Melinda’s father on the phone, he disclosed to me that he had noticed that Melinda’s and Travis’s chat seemed to have been staged.

“What are they trying to hide?” He asked before adding, “I have never liked Travis and I trust him about as far as I can spit. Their so called informal chat came out like a statement in court that has been rehearsed and gone over numerous times. There something about his body language that makes me question everything about him. I could tell by the way your body was responding that you have feelings about him too. I know you know something, and I want to know what you know.”

“To answer that will require a private chat in either your office or mine,” I said with a very serious tone.”

` “Will I be talking to the man or the pastor,” he asked?

“Both,” I said, “Because it’s a confidential matter.”

“Tomorrow my office at one pm. I will have my assistant get my schedule changed,” he said.

********

Melinda’s father seemed shocked and taken aback when Sherriff Harold Phillips, Joe Rodgers, and I walked in. His facial expression instantly showed some concern.

“Dad this is Harold Phillips the country sheriff,” I said. “Joe’s and my lawyer contacted him because of what we had learned. I brought him with us today because I feel it is best that what we know comes from him. That way you won’t feel like you have to shoot the messenger for what will be revealed.”

“I was contacted by David and Joe’s lawyer,” Harold said. “At first I felt the situation they were explaining was a bit too farfetched to be true. Sadly, with the information, they provided I learned for myself what they suspected was worse than they believed.”

I could see the serious look coming over my father in laws face. I guess until this point, he had not believed that his daughter's weird conversation required an investigation. I felt sorry because I had not wanted him to have learned the facts in such a brutal way.

What he was going to learn was going to overwhelm him because when one is hit with a bunch of facts that contradict everything you thought you knew it is almost impossible to accept. Sadly, about seventy percent will deny the truth and continue in their lives believing the lies.

That is why Jesus foretold that many would claim to have done great works in his name and he would say get away from you workers in lawlessness I never knew you. Jesus understood human behavior better than any human would.

“Joe and David’s wives are involved with two police officers who are part of the Cape police department. All four of them are involved in a friend’s with benefits relationship with each other as couples for a pacific purpose but are not sexually involved with each other. The four of them agreed to the arrangement while they were attending university at SFU,” Harold explained. “The reason for them agreeing to pose as loving couples was so that they could join a swingers club that was being organized at that time on campus.

Melinda’s father's face looked blank as he said, “So it’s being going on for well over ten years.”

“Yes, but it's more complicated than that,” Harold said. “We now have a member who got himself in a personal situation because his wife no longer wanted to participate in swinging because of her newfound faith. He agreed to become an informer for us reluctantly because his wife who recently found Christianity became an active member in David’s church. She told her husband that she would use it against him in divorce court if they didn’t get out.”

********

That perked my interest because whoever it was had never contacted me about it. I could understand why because she had to have known about my wife’s activity. Perhaps it was because I taught that our sins could only be forgiven by God with sincere honest prayer if we went through Jesus Christ.

Few understand what Jesus role was. He died so that he could stand before God during our final Judgement and argue our case to his father before the decision of eternal life or death was made. He could not forgive our sins because if he could Lazarus would still be alive. After all the wages of sin is the first death which God pointed out was nothing but a long sleep.

It was clear to me that she had gotten the point that one must earnestly try to stop doing the sin they were asking for forgiveness of because Jesus and God can see what is in our heart and mind.

********

“Three times a year names are drawn from a volunteer jar and bid on. Individual members must submit their own names into the slot on the lid that covers it to be included before the next scheduled bidding night. Some of these could be either female or male,” Harold said. “Last Friday was one of those special nights when the bidding went on. Wearing a cam our informer caught it all on video.”

“They raised over forty thousand in cash and a few more thousands thanks to debit or credit cards before the bidding concluded. Your daughter for example was one of the first few that got sold multiple times because the maximum bid amount had been met,” Harold said. “That allowed her to be resold if there was a demand. Those being bought by a few other members will be used by them during the next three months' swinging sessions. Last night she became the chancellor’s and the chancellor's wife’s sexual pet for a few hours.”

Melinda’s dad fought to keep it together emotionally. The information before him was devastating. I knew it had to be taring his heart apart.

“Our informer admitted that he has had her a few times over the years and says quite honestly that she is willing to do anything as long as it does not mark up her body in any way,” Howard said. “According to him, she is one of the members' favorites.”

“I have one question,” Melinda’s father said. “Who is the man who agreed to work for the sheriff’s department.”

“The oldest son of the city’s mayor,” Harold responded.

“When do you plan to start making the arrests,” Melinda’s father asked?

“All the information has been turned over to the Attorney General of the state because we don’t have the funds or the manpower,” Harold said. “The next scheduled event is within a few weeks. I believe the state will be ready to move in then.”

He asked a few more questions before we got up to leave. We answered them as honestly as we could. Just as we were winding it down, he asked me to remain behind for a few minutes and I agreed.

********

After they had left, he said, “I know she was a willing participant and will end up having to deal with the consequences of her conduct. The question is will you forgive her and take her back?”

“Would you,” I asked?

He did not answer my question. The tears in his eyes said it all.

“Dad don’t hold yourself responsible. Melinda declared her independence a long time ago,” I said. “She made her choices. It was part of her life before she met me. Sadly, we will all have to deal with the consequences of her conduct by picking up the pieces and finding a way to move on.”

“Will you be able to forgive her,” He asked?

“Forgiveness is easy. Forgetting and accepting will never happen because we are instructed by the apostles not to accept another person’s sin which most don’t see is our conduct,” I said. “We both have to stand back and let the chips fall as they may. You got your family to support. I must remain strong for the parish. For both of us, it is not going to be easy.”

Standing up I said. “I will not allow the sinful conduct of one bring down what God has built. If I must resign to keep the congregation together, it’s a price I will willingly pay.”

“You don’t think the scandal that is coming will force you to do that,” Melinda’s father asked?

“Only three truths are certain,” I said. “I’m not a politician who is trained by their handlers how to avoid speaking the truth, nor can I foretell how others are going to view it. I can only prepare myself for whatever the outcome is.”

“Will the board of Deans demand that she be disfellowshipped,” he asked?

“If this was forty years ago, I would have said yes,” I replied. “In today’s reality, she could sue and win more than we could ever afford to pay. Remember morality is not a crime. Other than saying privately when asked that it would be best if one limited their association with her there’s not much we can do.”

“David, forgive me because it’s clear I failed as a father,” he said. “It is clear that for someone to be able to do what she has done with their body that they have no self-respect.”

Later as I thought of our conversation, I realized that his last words to me had spoken volumes because his last word explained so much. What meisim had taken away from society was respect for self, life, believes, faith, and others.

********

Joe and I were cleaning up after the AA meeting had ended. It had been three weeks and the county Sherriff had called earlier in the day to inform us that it was going down.

Joe had stood up during the meeting to give a personal testimony. He revealed that while he was attending the meeting that his soon-to-be ex-wife was being arrested along with my wife and a few others.

He explained that the desire to drink in him was as strong today as it was on his first day of sobriety because he was mentally and emotionally at his weakest. He explained that both our wives were in this situation because they allowed their desires to control their actions. Just like he had when he was drinking.

He was afraid that both of our wives would have to hit their bottom before realizing that only they could dig their way out if they had a lot of support.

“I’ve learned because of what's going on that we all will experience some things from both sides in our walk of life,” Joe said. “I can’t blame my ex-wife because she was so focused on trying to resolve my problems that she never saw hers. I will be there to support her, but I cannot just blindly accept what she did.”

I stood up and added, “What’s taking place while we are here is going to create a scandal. Both Joe and I had no knowledge of what you will all learn over the next few days until after Connie asked him to move out. That when we began to discover what had been hidden from us. To be frank, none of us will ever have the full story.”

“I expect that the board of directors of our church may ask for my resignation because of the publicity created by this situation,” I said. “I will not allow my wife’s conduct to affect the church we have all have built. As a result, I have decided that if it is requested, I will give it effective immediately. If you don’t see me giving my sermon on Sunday, you will know why.”

It was a stark lesson for all those in attendance that everything one does affects others even if we do not see it.

“The pastor who inspired me to take up the ministry,” I said, “told me that if we knew what went on in our world daily that we would not be able to live in it. These last few weeks have given me a taste of his insight. Now I can honestly say I agree with his thought.”

Afterward, Joe asked me why I disclosed that I might be asked to leave. I respond that it was for their protection. With them knowing they will not have doubts about the good work we are doing here. Otherwise, they would be open to the idea that it was a scam and could fall back into their old ways.

Little did I know it was going to get a lot worse.

********

One of the greatest mistruths was the belief that the apostles could speak in tongues. Most in society did not comprehend that the twelve would do most of their preaching where people gathered to do their daily business.

In the open markets there were people from different nationalities that spoke different languages. The apostles when they spoke were heard by these ones in their native language. The holy spirt, not the apostles was speaking in tongues giving them the ability to understand. The apostles spoke in Hebrew, yet their words were understood by the one hearing them in their native voice.

Yet today, most believe that when one is speaking in tongue that they are filled with the holy spirit that wants an important message to be delivered. No one questions why they cannot understand them. They just believe they are witnessing a miracle from God.

********

The state police entered the historical large building through both the front and back doors at eight at night. It had one time been a hotel that catered to the upper class. After clearing the first floor, discovering some cocaine underneath a bar counter, and cuffing those not up in the bedrooms they headed up.

They went quietly from room to room; the assigned videographer was the second person to enter each of the rooms so he could record the action live. The state wanted a video record of everything going on.

Joe and I would learn later that our wives and their partners with benefits were located on the sixth floor. All arrested had no clue what was going on because every room was soundproofed.

Melinda had been found naked making love to a female who was penetrating her eagerly with a double-ended strap-on. Her husband from the side of the bed was taking Melinda’s mouth with his cock. He was heard saying he was looking forward to taking her second pussy when he recovered from cumming.

Connie was found sandwiched between two well-known surgeons who were both penetrating her at the same time. It was clear that she was into it because two other surgeons were waiting for their turn making it clear she liked being used like a slut train.

Travis Edgeworth when they found him was being quite the submissive. A huge African American was giving him good reaming with his thick rather huge meat while holding him at the hips. They say that Travis was responding to it just like any slutty woman would while begging to be taken harder. It was noted that the African American was wearing a cock ring so that he would not come. It was apparent to all witnessing the event that the African American had a need to dominate just as much as Travis embraced his submissiveness.

The videographer almost didn’t record it because the African man said, “Travis it is time you left your fake marriage and embraced being the woman you believe you have to keep hidden. Let me pay to give you a nice set of thirty-six double d’s so you can become my loving wife whom we will call Tracy full-time.”

“I promise that if you do, I will give you what you crave at least twice a day. A quickie before I go to work, and a long night of pleasure in the privacy of our bedroom. I will prove to you how sexy and feminine you are before we fall asleep with you holding my stiff manliness tight inside of you,” he said. ‘Your pussy’s tighter than any woman’s and we both know its begging me to own it. You and I both know you are more a woman than most women are so marry me and live your life as my bride full time.”

Jace Reynolds was found in the last bedroom fully clothed taking to a female they did not know watching another two females who were making love. They both got off watching others as they coupled. It was the last room they had to clean out.

********

Melinda Howard sat in the holding cell with a few other females that had been arrested. Each was still trying to understand why the event was raided. None of them could see what they had been doing as being illegal. She was trying to get the strength to tell them.

When the female officer had searched her, she had inquired what the charges were. The officer said prostitution.

“But no money changed hands,” Melinda said with authority.

“Not tonight,” the female officer replied. “But during your last meeting were you not sold six times for the maximum bid, and do you not pay membership fees so you can get your fill of kinky sex?”

That was when Melinda realized that they had someone who was working with them and why her father was there watching them all being hauled in. Someone had to have informed to the authorities what was going on. The police raid happened because it could be argued that the club itself was set up for the running of a house of prostitution.

Immediately she understood that both her parents and husband would see what she was doing as a huge slap in their faces because it would be seen that she was mocking everything they stood for.

Melinda knew that in society in general what they had been caught doing would not be important because hell everybody was doing it in some manner. After a week it would be forgotten because it would be out of the public eyes.

Yet the Christian community that was slowly being killed off as most in society no longer saw a value in it. It would never be straightened out unless one conduct showed that you were ashamed and had repented. Especially in her husband’s church because he taught that forgiveness should be earned and not given outright.

At that moment, her best friend got let into the holding pen. They hugged each other tightly. For both, it was the first time they had been in jail in their life.

“What a frigging mess we are in,” Connie said. “The four of us should have taken your advice eight months ago and got out.”

“Your right but I should have listened to myself,” Melinda said. “I will never second guess myself again.”

Just then a female police officer came in escorting a man wearing a suit. Stopping in front of the cell she said, “Connie Rodgers and Melinda Howard please step forward and identify yourselves.”

Once they did the man with her handed both the ladies two envelopes each and said, “You’ve been served. Just so you know your friends with benefits have been served too. Both your husbands are suing the other three along with suing for divorce.”

Both understood what could have been swept under the table as a minor irritant had just become a major problem with unending consequences.

“I did not believe that our husbands knew,” Connie said. “I was planning to reconnect. I asked for the divorce because I felt Joe was not paying me enough attention. Once I figured he had learned his lesson I would have taken him back.”

Melinda was stunned. How could Connie be so self-centered? She had always put her husband first. After thinking it out for a few from their side she began to get the full picture.

“Looks like we both made the same mistake,” Melinda said. “If we had really put our husbands first, we would not have been part of the club. Both must believe that we loved the sexual pleasure we were getting more than we loved them.”

“If that’s the case then there’s no chance in hell that they will stop the divorce,” Connie said. “I bet he will try to have me declared an unfit mother because of what I was doing on the side.”

That was when Melinda decided she would call her sister who worked for her to come and bail her out because she knew that neither her father nor husband would because to do so may imply in other’s eyes that they accepted her conduct.

********

I was up bright and early Thursday morning having slept alone because Melinda had not made it home. After getting ready for the day and making coffee I turned on the local early morning news. The Breakfast Show ran weekdays from four am to seven had nothing about what I knew had happened last night.

After unplugging the charging cord for my cellphone, I turned it on. Ethan Moore Melinda’s father had left a text message for me to call him. He answered on the third ring.

“They took thirty-six people into custody last night,” he said after answering. “Most will be released when they find a way to produce the ten percent needed for the bail bondsman with the date of their first appearance. Melinda has been charged with prostitution. She will most likely end up with probation because it is her first offense. The owners of the estate house are facing the more serious charges.”

“Have you talked to her,” I asked?

“No Melinda is getting her older sister to come to bail her out. Then she will deliver Melinda to where her car is,” Ethan said. “I expect that drive is one Melinda will never forget because Mary is livid. After all, in Mary’s eyes, you are a saint. Connie Rodgers, Travis Edgeworth, and Jace Reynolds are also facing charges. They too will have to have someone provide the deposit to the bail bondsmen before they will be released.”

“Between you and me the police chief will have no choice but to terminate their employment effective immediately. The raid exposed the lifestyle of a lot of influential people,” Ethan said. “You are right the fallout will be having an effect in the area for weeks.”

“I suspect that Melinda will wait until I have gone to the church before she comes home,” I said, “and that will be for as long as it takes to pack her clothes.”

“Your most likely right about that,” Ethan said. “When she got caught doing something wrong as a child, she would hide trying her best not to have to face it. Just thought you should know Dale got them all served as soon as each one had been booked.”

“How do you know all this,” I asked?

“I went down to the police station to be there when the state police started bringing them in. Melinda saw me as they transferred her from the paddy wagon into the county jail,” her father said. “I had to see it to believe it. Until then I still held onto some hope that it was not all true. Dale was already there.”

“Tell mom I still love and if she needs to talk to me, I will stop what I am doing and come to her at any time,” I said. “Thankfully, the news has not caught wind of it for now.”

“It’s going to be a bad day here. Shana when I tell her is going to be shedding a lot of tears. If I hear anything further, I will call,” he said before saying goodbye.

I was eternally thankful because Melinda and I had not started a family. With our marriage now coming to an end because of her long-term conduct my mind and heart was running the whole gauntlet of emotions.

The end of this marriage was not as big of a shock because I had weeks to come to terms with it gradually. Like all humans who went through something like this, I had been left with more questions than answers.

********

I felt that this might be the calm that comes just before the storm. Boy was I right. I had not even finished the bowl of Frosted Flakes with milk when Joe Rodgers called to let me know he was on his way over. I let him in the front door.

“The officer I turned my guns over to, met me for coffee this morning,” Joe said. “His friend a state police officer had passed to him a list of all the members. He gave it to me because I had asked him if he learned anything to let me know.”

Joe followed me back into the kitchen. He helped himself to a cup of coffee and made it up the way he liked it because he knew where everything was. I returned to eating until he handed me the list. He had highlighted four names.

“If I still swore, I would be swearing right now,” I said. “Do you know how many times my dentist stuck his fingers in my mouth when working on my teeth?”

I thought you would find that humorous,” Joe said. “It is the other two that might be a concern for us going forward.”

He was right because when it came out there could be a lot of people deciding to find a new place to worship. The second couple he had highlighted was the spiritual head pastor of the local cowboy church and his wife.

Most did not know was that the cowboy church was a modernized division of the Baptists faith. It brought a smile to my face. As I stared at their names, I had to ask myself how they found the time. They held three meetings a week, while we held two and at times, I felt swamped.

He and I in the past have had some very heated discussions because of our different views of Christianity and he did not like me converting some of his well-heeled parishioners as he called them. He kept referring to one of his former deans that had asked to be rebaptized.

We both saw that there were going to be a lot of changes in the running of the city and the county because the list contained the names of a lot of influential people in our community.

“Have you heard when the state is going to announce what happened last night,” I asked?

“Bail hearings start at nine. My acquaintance figures they can push through ten in an hour because they are straightforward and will be done about just after the lunch hour,” Joe replied. “So, by three, you can bet the media will know.”

“Want to bet there’s going to a lot of divorce lawyers getting a lot of new business because I bet our wives were not the only two members with friends with benefits relationships,” I said.

Joe picked up the two-page list and studied it for a few minutes. Being the owner of two of the McDonalds’ in the area Joe knew the names and faces of a lot of his customers.

“There are about twenty-four couples on the list of seventy that were not members with their spouses,” Joe said. “Most of them I recognize from when I played basketball while attending SFU.”

“Makes me wonder how many DNA tests are going to be requested,” I added. “By husbands who have wives like ours.”

Joe sat there. His face went white. I realized that what I had just said had never entered his mind.

“It would kill my mother,” Joe said. “She dotes on her grandchildren. I will have to have a serious chat with Connie to find out if she was attending regularly when we were trying to conceive.”

“Do you think she will be honest enough to tell you the truth?” I asked before adding, “More importantly will you be able to know if she is telling the truth?”

Joe got quiet for a few before saying, “To be honest she is so good at hiding things I can’t say for sure that I could. Why couldn’t I see it?”

“Life got in the way,” I said. “We as humans act without ever considering how our conduct affects others. Even our wives when they were satisfying their sexual urges looking for the next organism never considered the consequences. Just proves how primitive we humans are in our thinking.”

********

Shortly afterward we parted, I headed to the church office to prepare a new sermon for Sunday in case I would be allowed to share it. When I got to my desk I sat down and wrote two thoughts, forgiveness and letting go.

Working the forgiveness part into the sermon was going to be easy letting go was not. Then I thought of the faithful servant Job. I asked myself how many times he had to let go of the hurt, the pain, and the grief of seeing the first group of his children taken from walking the earth because God and Satan ( father and a sibling of Jesus) were using him to settle a dispute.

Satan had claimed that Job would not remain faithful. Despite having everything against him with a wife that would make most bitches today look tame he remained true to his God and himself. By letting go in the end he had been rewarded.

The day went by fast as I was consumed with what the scriptures I had researched showed. It was nearing four when the Church’s secretary walked in to disturb my rehearsing of the forty five minute sermon I was working on. She informed me the board had gathered to talk to me in the conference room. I thanked her and paused before heading to meet them to say a silent prayer.

I learned that by some miracle that Connie and Melinda’s names had not been mentioned in the press release by the state’s Attorney General. After hearing all the comments and concerns I stood up and asked them to remain quiet while I said a few words.

It took me about an hour to walk all those in attendance through Joe’s and my journey disclosing how things had come to this point. I informed them that Melinda had already been served with the divorce papers. I ended it by offering my resignation. They asked me to leave the room while they discussed it.

It gave me the time to inform the secretary of my involvement in the most important news of the day. It tore her apart because she had always thought the world of Melinda and she was finding it hard to believe. After an hour of waiting, I was just about to get a couple of boxes from the storage room to begin packing my items up when I got called back in.

The one chosen to pronounce their decision did with a style and class I will remember the rest of my life. She said, “We reviewed a few of your favorite bible verses and it became clear to us all that you have not accepted your wife's sins because you involved the police. Your resignation is not accepted, nor will it be going forth. We want to thank you for putting the needs of the church first for offering it.”

That led to another long chat about how we would handle the situation as far as the church was concerned going forward. Like me, most were concerned about what would be happening at the cowboy church and how it was going to affect us.

It was well after seven before I got home to discover Melinda had left the house keys on the kitchen counter. I knew right away she had moved out partly because she could not face me.

*******

On the way to pick up her car Mary Melinda’s older sister quit her job for two reasons. She did not want to be associated with a slut who couldn’t keep her legs closed and because of what she had done to her brother-in-law.

Melinda after picking up her car at went directly to the Ramada Inn and booked a room for two weeks while she looked for a new place to live. She choose that one because she had to enter her suite from the outside and it would provide her more privacy. Then she went to get her stuff out of our house.

Connie had decided to leave town until things started to calm down and got her mother to look after the kids. As soon as she had left Connie’s mother phoned Joe and asked him if he wanted custody of his kids. He was at her home within twenty minutes.

Joe was surprised because it was something he would never have expected. He did not ask his mother-in-law why because he did not have to. Just mentioning her daughter’s name had her fuming. It was she that told Joe that he should try to have her daughter declared an unfit mother by child services. Joe promised her that he would get on it.

After loading his daughter’s and their stuff in his vehicle, he called his mother to inform her what had just transpired. Deborah Rodgers suggested right away that the three of them move in with her until the divorce was done and custody decided. Joe readily agreed.

Deborah Rodgers was ecstatic because her house was once again going to be filled with love. As soon as her son had hung up, she had begun to check to make sure the bedrooms were ready to be used. She was looking forward to the daily chore of preparing meals for a household instead of cooking for one.

********

After having been bailed out by his wife, Travis learned he had no home to come home to. Being caught with another man had ended it. After his wife allowed him to get his clothes, Travis had decided to finally embrace his true calling and contacted the man who had been in love with him for years. Amos told his future wife he was to bring his sweet white cheeks home.

Within a year Travis and he would be living in New Orleans having started a new life by Travis becoming the female he always believed he was. His long shoulder-length auburn hair, with his new thirty-six double d’s breasts, made him appear to be a very desirable woman.

Travis proudly prominently displayed his feminine features with the feminine clothing he now always wore. His husband loved to be in between his breasts during foreplay before penetrating. To their new friends who called him Tracy, it was believed that they had the perfect marriage.

When he looked in the mirror he could pass as his sister who loved having a girl's day out with him. Even with a little makeup, it was hard to tell that he was biologically a man. With his new feminine exercise program, he was developing additional curves in the right place. Amos had even paid to have all his facial and body hair permanently removed.

Travis knew when his husband was especially pleased with her because he would get down on his knees and slip his head beneath his dress or skirt to get a fill of his special milk. From the day he had embraced his femininity as a girly girl he had never worn bra’s or panties.

Tracy’s new husband who worked from home kept his word. He treated Tracy like the queen he was because he was now truly an eye-catching submissive feminine, a role that suited them both to a tee. Every piece of feminine clothing was bought because it complimented Tracy’s feminine sensuality. Tracy picked out the items with him in mind to make sure his man would always have easy access to his charms.

When they were not busy with life Tracy’s well-endowed African American husband was true to his word. He was buried inside his wife Tracy’s white pussy at least three times a day. They made the perfect couple as Tracy loved being penetrated as much as he loved being buried in her. They were so compatible that they always came together. To the African American, his life was complete because he worshipped being between the softness of his lover's sweet white cheeks wearing his cock ring enforcing his domination and ownership of his willing and wanting cock hungry feminine submissive. Tracy was happier than she ever had been as a man and only felt completely complete when her husband’s baby maker was imbedded in her.

Amos realized that his loving feminine wife Tracy had a pussy tighter than any woman he had known and if he kept it fed regularly it was always going to be his. Each night after making Tracy scream in organismic delight. He would fall asleep spooning her with his semi-hard erection still buried inside of his perfect submissive wife.

They had talked about starting a family and after a honeymoon period, they planned to adopt. Tracy was waiting to tell him that his sister had agreed to donate her eggs for fertilization when they found the right female to carry the child to be to full term.

*********

On Friday night in the twilight hours, Melinda Howard and Jace Reynolds were sharing a drink while sitting in her suite discussing the events of the last few days. So far, the ownership of the limited company that owned the building and the club had not been disclosed. Only April the female professor and her wife Anabel had been exposed. Jace’s and her name’s remained hidden along with their major financial backer.

There was a knock at the door, Melinda thought it was the delivery driver with the pizza she had ordered and opened the door. Standing there was the Reverend Stan Johnson the head of the cowboy church and his wife Terry.

Melinda, her parents, and extended family had been members before joining her husband David’s church. It was Reverend Johnston’s wife Terry who had been their backer thanks to a family trust.

The religious leader of the cowboy church and his wife had learned thanks to the local news that Joe and I had been the ones that provided the police with the information that had led to their investigation. Stan and Terry wanted to learn what had led to the exposure of the organization.

The four were busy talking about what had taken place and what was going to be happening the next few days when there was a knock at the door. Answering the door, a masked person pushed in. The person was wearing what appeared to be a police uniform with a bullet-proof vest.

Holding a gun with a homemade silencer in their gloved left hand the person started firing taking them out one at a time. Their aim was deliberate because within seconds each one of them lay on the floor with a bullet hole in their foreheads just above the eyes.

After checking for a pulse on all four of the victim’s the masked killer disassembled the weapon, wiped it down so no fingerprints could be found before leaving parts of it in a garbage can. The person placed a copy of the incorporation papers for the offshore company inside the Reverend’s sports jacket so the investigation would be sent in the wrong direction. After leaving the suite the killer closed the door leaving a do not disturb on the door handle.

The person drove over to the back of Melinda Howard’s office. Once there in the darkness, they removed the police vest, their outer layer of clothing which had been bought at a used clothing store, throwing them in the waste bin along with the rest of the gun’s pieces. With that all done, the killer believed that what was done would make it appear it had been a professional hit. The prime suspects would be the female professor and her wife.

The four bodies were discovered just after ten Saturday morning by room service staff who had let themselves in to tidy the room, make the bed, and leave clean towels. The room had been left to the last because of the do not disturb sign left on the doorknob on the outside.

The cleaning staff informed the investigating officers that the two cold pizzas that had been left outside of the door of the suite had been untouched. After taking to the delivery driver, they were able to pin the time of death to within twenty minutes.

********

At the time, the bodies were discovered Joe and I were with his daughters in the movie theater watching the latest Disney release. Then the four of us went to the community water park which had slides, pools, and a restaurant. It was almost five when we pulled into my driveway.

I had made myself a rye and coke and was just starting to sip it when Detective Inman knocked on the door to inform me about Melinda’s murder.

It was during that conversation that I learned the gun used had been registered to my father. After hearing my explanation Detective Inman called the police station to confirmed that the weapon had indeed been signed into the property room.

“According to our records,” Detective Inman explained to me after he got off the phone, “the weapon in question had been turned over to the state for disposal. I knew before my arrival thanks to attendees last night that you were in a game of baseball with about thirty teenagers.”

“If my wife had been the prime target you might want to search her office and talk to her staff,” I said. “The persons with her were all members of the swingers club according to the list I was given.”

Detective Inman asked if I still had it. I did.

After reading it the Detective seemed shocked by who all in the community was on it because he said, “there are about sixty people who could be a suspect. May I keep this?”

“Yes, just so you know that was provided to me indirectly from the state,” I said. “Joe and I, I guess were smart in being proactive with our guns because the situation would be quite different if I still had the guns.”

“Pastor be careful about what you do during the next few days,” Detective Inman said. “Until I know the reason, I cannot say that you are not in danger because the four who were killed all claimed they were Christian. All except for your wife were members in good standing in the cowboy church.”

I felt sorry for the detective because the big question he had to find out was if the state had taken possession of my gun how did it end up being used to kill four people and why?

“Detective,” I said, “Let me tell you of an experience I had.”

“I got asked one time if I was ‘woke’ by a young lady sitting near me on the bench in the mall while I was waiting for Melinda who was doing some looking at some clothing. I replied to the young lady yes longer than you have been alive.”

“The young lady asked how that can be?” I explained.

“From a book I learned that the collapse of all societies comes from within. It foretold the loss of morals, principles, and standards. It showed that love would lose its value in the eyes of man and that the ones who would hurt you the most would claim they were doing it out of their love for you,” I said before going on.

“That giving a helping hand was to be just that. It was not meant to carrying the person for the rest of their natural life. I told her it showed that power and money corrupt which would be the source of most of the problems man has in life.”

“She asked me what the book was and if the book was written by a well-known author? I replied it is the Bible and the writer was God. The young lady informed me she admitted that God existed but did not believe. I asked to wait as I went to my car. She agreed. When I came back, I had in my hand two versions of the bible. One old one new. After giving them to her I helped her look up Psalms 83:18 in both copies.”

“She noticed right away the difference. One had God’s name the other didn’t. She asked why the difference? I explained that there was no way we could have a personal relationship with anybody if we don’t know their name. God is just a title, and the world is filled with many of them.”

“I started to get up because Melinda was going through the process of paying for what she had picked out. The lady said who are you, and why did I run into you? I replied in life it is a daily struggle to figure out what is true or not. By opening these books, you have started the discovery of learning for yourself. Inside them, you will find your answer if you search.”

“Detective the cowboy church never uses God’s name. I stress to all who attend to choose one of God’s names from the bible and use it as they develop their own relationship with him,” I said. “It helps reaffirm that Jesus is not God and God is not Jesus.”

The detective got quiet for a few before speaking, “most believe they are the same entity and treat them accordingly. Why didn’t I see that until today?”

I smiled, and said, “Because your human and life just got in the way.”

********

I was standing at the entrance greeting those who were coming to the early Sunday morning service. Ethan Moore was standing by my side. He was able to point out those who were coming for the first time that had been attending the cowboy church.

I warmly greeted them and thanked them for coming. Even he was surprised by the number of new attendees we were getting as a result of what happened. It was he that pointed out Tammy Reynolds Jace’s widow to me as she approached.

There was an air of sadness in her appearance, and I could understand why. Both Ethan and I, like her, were still coming to acceptance with the unnecessary loss of life. We had agreed to a closed casket but thought under the circumstances it would be inappropriate to use the church for the memorial service.

After greetings, Mrs. Reynold said, “Pastor could I have a private few minutes of your time after service?”

“If you don’t mind waiting until after I have seen most of the parish out,” I replied. “I will have about an hour and a half before those coming to the eleven am service starts to arrive.”

My sermon on forgiving and letting go was one that all attending needed to hear. I must admit there was a few shed tears. I brought out the point that holding onto the anger would cause us to become bitter persons filled with hate.

I closed by saying, “We can forgive and let go without accepting what was done just as God and Jesus forgive us for our shortcomings every day. Remember that we are all still held accountable by God because in the end we still die. If you have difficulty in doing that think of Job, and what he was able to let go of because he believed in our father’s grace.”

Tammy Reynolds and I sat down in the pews to have a quiet private chat. Tammy was a southern girl personified. She had long blonde hair, a petite body frame, a gentle heart that was torn apart and she was looking for answers that no one had.

What I did not know until she disclosed it was the fact that the Reverend Stan Johnson and his wife Terry were her parents. Jace and she had been married for just over two years. Like me, she had no clue as to what had been going on. Being an only child, she felt overwhelmed. We talked until those attending the second service came in.

I learned that until the last three years she had been working as a missionary and had come home hoping to settle down and raise a family. It had been her parents that had introduced her to Jace. Tammy stayed through the second service. Between the two attendance was up about forty percent.

Just before she was about to leave, I asked her if she would like to join me at Golden Corral for lunch. For the two of us it a bonding moment because by the time we had eaten we had started a new relationship.

I learned later that day that the female Professor and her wife both originally from Iran who were naturalized citizens were now deceased. They had been killed a day before my wife and her friends.

********

It was six months later when Detective Inman dropped into the church office to inform me that my deceased wife had been pregnant. The man arrested for stealing the gun from the state had led them to the person who did the killing. Both young men in their twenties would be charged with six accounts of first-degree murder.

The sixth deaths were linked together because of a matter of religious belief by those who planned the killings. They believed because of their faith that their sisters and their friends had shamed the family by bringing dishonor to it. In their original country what they did was considered totally acceptable thus were acting out according to their faith. Both the men were now in custody praising their God for the victory handed them.

The common thought on the streets was that what had happened had been God’s will.