Date: Sun, 28 Dec 2008 14:53:11 +0000
From: Jacob Latson <jacob_latson@hotmail.com>
Subject: Agony & Ecstasy Chapter 4

Disclaimer:

This story will describe the life of John Miller from his time as
a divorced man who has been devastated by the divorce and turns his
life around into a new one of wealth.  This story will include
descriptions of male sex, including M/M, M/T, M/b, T/b and b/b.  If
stories involving sex between consenting males of all ages, including
mainly gay sex, offends you, go back to the Archives and pick a
different story for your reading pleasure.

There has been minimal research for this story therefore, names,
places, and events are mostly fictitious and similarities to real life
are coincidental.

Some companies and organizations mentioned actually exist, but
references to the activities, policies, programs and procedures are
fictitious. This story will include references to the United States
government, the FBI, CIA and other agencies.  Any references are purely
fictional, and only used to develop the plot and characters.

Thanks again to my editor, Bill, for his expert work in cleaning up my
writing mistakes.


Agony & Ecstasy

Chapter 4

Reality Check

John was headed back to work after the erotic week with Jamie.  Tom was
still struggling with the financial problems with his new apartment
building and strip mall, and had never joined John and Jamie at the
cottage.

Margaret had been furious that John had gone away for the vacation, and had
spent a small fortune on her own entertainment with her sisters and mother.
She had applied for new credit cards, but had hidden that information from
her husband.  She deserved a better life, and was determined to buy her
personal happiness with the credit cards.

John struggled with the pain of ending the careers of many of his
engineers, and wondered how long the plant would stay open.  Each staff
meeting was filled with more bad news about high costs and declining
profits.  The entire automobile industry in Michigan was in big trouble,
and Ford and General Motors were outsourcing work and closing plants.

It was late in November when the axe fell on John.  The Plant Manager
called him into his office and John knew that nothing good was going to
come out of the meeting.  When he saw the Personnel Director waiting for
them, he knew that his life was going to be devastated.

"I'm sorry to tell you that we're reorganizing our managerial staff" Jim
Tibbits began.  "With our losses in the last quarter, I'm forced to combine
Engineering and Production under one manager."

"With your seniority, you're eligible for a buyout and delayed retirement
benefits when you reach the age of 65", Joe Nahler, the Personnel Director
added.  "We're both sorry to give you this bad news before the holidays,
but we have no choice.  You'll get six months of your salary and you'll be
eligible for unemployment benefits from the State of Michigan."

John was devastated!  He knew that his plant was in trouble, but he never
dreamed that he would lose his job and be forced to look for another job in
a declining job market in Michigan.  He felt nauseated, and wondered if he
had any other options.

"Did I do something wrong?" John asked.  "I've always tried to do my best,
and get the most out of my people.  Why can't I be the one in charge of
Production and Engineering?"

"Our decision is final!" Jim Tibbits replied.  "We don't want to lose you,
but we have no choice.  Your salary will continue until the end of the
month, and then you need to clean out your office."

John left the Plant Manager's office and headed back to his own office.  He
looked at the faces of his few remaining engineers and knew that they had
already heard the rumors of his job loss.  He fought back his tears and
decided to clean out his office and leave the plant.  He couldn't stay any
longer, and wondered how he would be able to pay his bills without a
regular paycheck.

When John got home, his angry wife immediately confronted him.  Margaret
was livid that he was home early without calling her, and she demanded that
John take her out for an early meal at a restaurant.

"Get your worthless ass ready to take me out for supper!" Margaret screamed
at John.  "I'm hungry!"

"FUCK YOU!" John screamed at his wife.  "I just lost my job, and we're in
deep shit with all of the spending that you've been doing lately!"

Margaret was pissed that John had lost his job. She hoped that he wouldn't
see the new credit card bills that showed that she had spent a small
fortune on herself.  She'd started her "change of life" and the constant
hot flashes and hormonal changes were driving her crazy.  She refused to
take any estrogen treatment, and her weight was increasing with every day.
Her own sisters had noticed the changes, and pleaded with her to get
medical help for the physical and emotional changes that hit every woman at
her age.  Margaret was livid with anyone that suggested that she needed
medical help, and continued to spend money like she was married to a
millionaire.

"Go down and watch your boy porno vids!" Margaret screamed before she
turned away from her husband.  She had evidence of her husband's
perversion, and would use it to blackmail him if their marriage ever ended.
She was livid, and stormed out of the house.

John couldn't spend another second with his wife!  He grabbed four beers
and headed for the basement and his private moments with his computer.  His
life had come to a tragic end and he thought about putting a bullet through
his brain to end his agony.  He heard the door slam, so he knew that
Margaret had left the house.  He choked back his tears and drained the
first beer, and wondered if life was worth living.

"Hello" John said when he answered the ringing telephone.

"Hi Dad!" Johnny said.  "Kirsty and I were hoping that you could come to
visit us!"

"This isn't a good time for me to be around anyone," John admitted to his
son.  "Today I lost my job!"

"OH SHIT!" Johnny exclaimed.  "What happened?"

"My plant has been losing money, and today the Plant Manager gave me the
axe!" John replied.  "I'll get six months of my salary, but I'm done!"

"Can we do anything for you?" Johnny asked.  "This is terrible news!"

"Your mother is spending money like its water, and we're deep in debt,"
John admitted for the first time.  "I'm at the end of my rope, and I'm
having bad thoughts about my own existence."

"Dad, don't you dare do anything stupid!" Johnny said when he realized that
his father was deeply depressed and ready to take his own life.  "Kirsty
and I love you, and we'll do anything that we can to help you.  We just
found out that we're going to have a baby boy, and he'll have your name!
Don't you dare do anything to take away little John's grandfather!"

"This should be a time for celebrating, but I'm really devastated right
now," John replied.  "I've always dreamed about a boy to carry the family
name forward, but I really don't know how to handle what happened today."

"I'm coming to be with you!" Johnny replied.  "Where's Mom?  She should be
supporting you right now!"

"Your mother just cussed at me and left to spend money!" John replied.
"She's cut back her hours at work, and says terrible things about me when
we see each other.  We really don't talk anymore!  Most of the time she
just refuses to accept the realities of life and continues to spend money.
I don't like to say bad things about her, but I think our marriage is at
the end."

"You should have divorced her a long time ago!" Johnny replied.  "I know
that she's my mother, but she's been a bitch to you and me for a long time.
I love you, and I'm going to drive there right now to be with you!"

"Please don't leave Kirsty alone right now," John replied.  "She's carrying
our future right now, and I want you to be with your wife.  I promise not
to do anything stupid.  I'll call Tom and talk to him about what happened
today, but right now, I need to be alone!"

"Just remember that Kirsty and I love you!" Johnny said.  "You've always
been there for me, and I'll always be there for you!  Remember what you
always said to me!  Things may look bad, but God will always get you
through the difficult times!"

"You've always been a great son for me!" John admitted.  "I've always been
proud of you!"

"Do you remember the Footprints?" Johnny asked.

"Yes," John replied.  He thought about the words of his favorite poem, and
knew that his son was saying the words that he needed to hear.

One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with
the Lord. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he
noticed two sets of footprints in the sand: one belonging to him, and the
other to the Lord. When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he
looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along
the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed
that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life. This
really bothered him and he questioned the Lord about it. "Lord, You said
that once I decided to follow you, You'd walk with me all the way. But I
have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is
only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most
you would leave me." The Lord replied, "My son, My precious child, I love
you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering,
when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."

John had tears flowing down his face when he remembered the lines of his
favorite poem and thought about his own life.  He knew that his son was
reminding him about the trials of life, and that God would always take care
of him.  He thanked his son for talking to him, and promised that he
wouldn't commit suicide.

John struggled with his own fears about his future and made some important
decisions.  He knew that his marriage was a disaster, and that Margaret was
destroying his life.  He longed for freedom from her constant bitching, and
decided to call his friend, Robert Goldman for help.  He had drained all
four beers before he made the important phone call, and hoped that his
college friend would help him.

"Hello" Mary Goldman said when she answered the phone.

"Hi Mary, this is John Miller," John began.  "I hate to bother you tonight,
but can I please speak to Bob?"

"You're never a bother to us!" Mary replied.  "Bob's right here, and I'm
sure he'll be thrilled to talk to you!  We both wish that you'd come to
visit us!"

"Hi Buddy!" Bob Goldman said to his college friend.

"Bob, I need your legal advice," John said.  "Today I lost my job with
Chrysler, and I just found some credit card bills to prove that Margaret
has us deep in debt.  I don't know what to do!"

"Hang on!" Bob replied.  "Let me get into my home office!"

John waited and wished that he had grabbed a dozen beers before calling his
friend.  Bob's father, Abe Goldman, had been the lawyer who had secured a
major settlement when his father had been killed at work, and Robert had
followed in his father's footsteps to become a talented lawyer.  Bobby had
started in divorce settlements but had recently branched out into corporate
law and was making some huge fees.

"Tell me that you're ready to divorce Margaret!" Bobby began when he was in
his office.  "You know that I'll represent you for free and will do
anything to take care of you!"

"I get six month's salary from Chrysler, and then I'm eligible for
unemployment," John said to his friend.  "The Plant Manager and Personnel
Director said that they are combining Engineering and Production under one
manager, and that I'm not qualified for the combined job.  Margaret has
taken out some new credit cards, and from what I can see right now, we owe
over $30,000 to the credit card companies."

"HOLY SHIT!" Bobby exclaimed.  "How did she run up the cards so high?  Do
you have any recourse with Chrysler Headquarters?"

"She takes care of the bills," John admitted.  "I never saw the bills until
she stormed out of the house tonight!  Our marriage has been a disaster for
many years, but this is more than I can handle!  I can file a protest with
the corporate guys, but it won't change anything."

"It's time for you to cut your losses!" Bobby replied.  "She'll wipe you
out if you don't file for divorce right now!  With your education, you
should be the president of Chrysler Corporation, not just a regular
manager!"

"I was only offered one major promotion, and Margaret threw a fit when she
heard that we'd have to move if I accepted.  I'm finished with Chrysler,
but Margaret has something on me that I'm embarrassed to tell you about,"
John admitted.  "She found some child porn on my computer, and threatened
to blackmail me!"

"Do you think that you're the first man to have porn on his computer?"
Bobby asked.  "My dad and I spend a lot of social time with a bunch of
judges, and they all say that when a woman is in a divorce and uses the
threat of disclosing pornography or child abuse, they know that the woman
is a bitch and using the big trump card.  They always get pissed at the
woman when she plays that card!"

"But the stuff is child porn!" John replied.

"My father taught me how to handle this kind of situation," Bobby replied.
"I can take care of that threat and use it against her!  Do you want me to
file a lawsuit against Chrysler to try and get your job back?"

"I'm ashamed of what she found," John admitted.  "Being married to Margaret
has turned me off towards all women!  I hate Chrysler Corporation, but I'm
not ready to go after them.  Let's just focus on my divorce and see what
happens."

"I don't care if you're gay or in love with a boy!" Bobby said.  "I'm your
buddy, and I'll take care of the bitch in court!  I didn't graduate first
in my class in law school because I was stupid!  I know how to handle her
and whoever she picks to represent her."

"I've reached my limit!" John admitted.  "I'm ready to file for a divorce,
but I honestly don't have a cent to pay for legal services!"

"You're the Godfather for my son, and I'll represent you for free!" Bobby
replied.  "To be honest with you, I've dreamed of this day!  It's time for
you to get rid of that bitch, and I'm going to make it happen!  Let me
handle everything!  I'll start the paperwork tomorrow when I go to my
office!"

John felt sick when the phone call ended.  His job had ended.  His marriage
was going to end.  The only thing that kept him from blowing his brains out
was the knowledge that he would have a grandson to love.  He heard his dog
coming down the steps and was happy to see Barney's excitement.  The beagle
was six years old and had bonded with all of the neighbors.  John never had
to worry about his dog because he had a food and water station in the
kitchen and a dog door so Barney could come and go at any hour.  He hugged
his dog and shed tears at the state of his life.  The dog could sense his
feelings and licked the tears off from John's cheeks.

John was supposed to go to work the next day, but he couldn't face his
people after being told that he was being fired.  He called in and said he
was sick, and no one doubted that he was telling the truth.  He headed for
the law offices of Goldman & Goldman, and was anxious about meeting with
Bobby.  He was terrified of having his addiction to child pornography
revealed in court, and was still considering suicide.

"Mr. Goldman is waiting for you," Karen Wilson said to John.  "Go right
in!"

John walked into Bobby's office and was afraid that his friend would decide
not to represent him in his divorce proceedings.  His fears were
extinguished when Bobby jumped out of his chair and gave John a big hug.

"I was ready to serve Margaret with divorce papers today, but I changed my
mind," Bobby said.  "Sit down and I'll explain why."

John tried to relax, but his mind was filled with the images of Margaret
displaying his collection of boy porn in court.  He had copied his favorite
files to disks and had wiped the hard drive of his computer clean of any
illegal files.  Before he had left home for the meeting with Bobby, he had
hidden the disks in the rafters of the garage.

"I have a friend who's a private detective," Bobby began.  "Taylor owes me
a bunch of favors, and I've asked him to tail you wife and see what she's
been doing with her free time.  She's only working three days a week now,
and I suspect that she's doing more than spending money."

"I didn't know that she was down to three days a week," John admitted.  "I
knew that she was down to 32 hours a week, but she never tells me anything
and I never see her paychecks."

"The first thing that I'll do today is shut off all of the credit cards,"
Bobby said.  "When you get your severance pay from Chrysler, I want you to
bring the check to me.  I'll put it in a private account so she can't get
to the money.  She'll go ballistic when she realizes that she can't spend
your money, and things might get really nasty at home for you.  Mary and I
want you to come to live with us until we get things settled."

"I can't do that!" John said.  "I'm not very good company right now, and I
sure don't want to interfere with your family life."

"You're the Godfather for Justin, and he loves being around you!" Bobby
replied.  "We have a guest room, and I won't take no for an answer!"

"Margaret will explode if I move out and stop her from spending money,"
John said.

"That's why I want you to move out," Bobby replied.  "If she goes postal,
she'll try to bait you into hitting her!  You can't lose control and hit
her!  Spousal abuse will cost you when we go to court!"

"What should I do about Barney?" John asked.  "He'll go crazy if I'm not
around!"

"I want you to go home and make a video tape of every room in your home and
ask your neighbors to watch the dog," Bobby said.  "Open every cabinet and
every closet and make a record of what's in the house.  If she tries to
take anything or sell anything, we'll have the proof of what's missing.
Your computer will be her first target, so I want you to re-format your
hard drive to get rid of any damaging evidence."

"I already did that," John admitted.  "She told me that she has copies of
some of my child porn, and said she would use it against me."

"That could backfire on her if my plan works," Bobby said.  "I want you to
go home and pack your clothes and anything that you'll need for the next
few months.  I really don't know when we'll file, but let's get ready for
the worst case scenario."

John left Bobby's office and returned home.  He was relieved when he found
the home empty, and quickly packed his possessions.  He found the video
camera and spent over two hours videotaping the contents of the home, just
like Bobby had suggested.  He left his computer in the basement and looked
around the home and took a long look at the lake before loading his truck
for the drive to the Goldman home.  He didn't want to leave his boat and
motor or dog, but he didn't want to take too much to Bobby's home.  The
boat was the last thing that he owned that had belonged to his father, and
he loved it.  He would miss the company of his dog, but knew that his
neighbors would take good care of Barney.  He took the videotapes of the
contents of the home and left a simple note for his nasty wife.  "I'm not
coming back.  If you need to contact me, call Bobby at his office.  John"

Margaret went to the hairdresser for her regular Wednesday appointment.
She always had her hair done each week, and this week she treated herself
to a manicure and pedicure.  When she went to pay for the services, she
couldn't believe the receptionist when she was told that her credit card
had been declined.  Margaret immediately produced another credit card, and
was livid when it was also declined.  She tried all six credit cards, and
was screaming obscenities at everyone in the salon when she realized that
she didn't have her checkbook or cash to pay for the services.

Marcell hated Margaret, but he had to wait on the nasty bitch.  He owned
the salon, and all of the other hairstylists had refused to book
appointments for Margaret Miller.  He held the bill for $125 in the air and
told Margaret that she wouldn't be allowed back in his salon, even after
the bill was paid.  He was thrilled that he was going to finally get rid of
the bitch, and celebrated with his employees when Margaret screamed
obscenities before slamming the door behind her.

Margaret stormed out of the salon and headed home.  She would find out why
the credit cards were declined and take out her anger on her husband.  When
she got home and saw the brief note from John, she started throwing things
against the walls.  She called all of the credit card companies, and cursed
at everyone she talked to when she learned that the accounts had been
closed.  Her demands for re-opening the accounts were rejected, and she was
ready to kill her husband.  She called Bobby's office and screamed at Karen
Wilson when the receptionist refused to interrupt Bobby's meeting.

John arrived at the Goldman home, and was surprised when Justin ran out to
greet him.  The seven-year-old boy was thrilled that his Godfather was
coming to stay with them, and he wanted to help John carry in his
possessions.  The small boy had always been very affectionate with John,
and John loved his special status with the cute boy.

Bobby got home right before the evening meal, and he wanted to talk to John
in private.  Justin was upset that he couldn't be with John and his father,
but listened to his mother when she told him "the guys need to talk in
private".

"Margaret called my office today," Bobby said after making Manhattans for
himself and John.  He knew the exact way that John made the special drinks,
and had developed an appreciation for the simple formula.

"God, I bet she was pissed!" John said.

"Margaret didn't listen to the recorded message that all incoming calls are
recorded," Bobby said.  "The language that she used with Karen was illegal!
She's playing right into our hands!"

"Do I have to tell her where I am?" John asked.

"NO!" Bobby exclaimed.  "We filed a change of address for you with the post
office and shut off her cell phone.  We'll get the bills and use the new
account to keep the payments current.  She'll have to live on her own
income, and that will push her to the limit!"

"I called my boss at work today and told him that I won't be coming in
again," John said.  "I cleaned out my office when they told me that my job
was terminated, and I don't want to go back there for any reason."

"I think that you should call Johnny and your friends to tell them where
you're living," Bobby suggested.  "Make sure that none of them will tell
Margaret where you are.  Reality is going to hit her real soon, and she'll
try everything to find you to make you miserable."

"I'm already miserable!" John admitted.  "I'm interfering with your family,
and I don't like it!"

"Do you remember when we were roommates in college?" Bobby asked.  "I had
mononucleosis, and you were the only one who took care of me!  I would have
flunked out without your help, and I still owe you a ton of favors!"

John thought back to his college times with Bobby.  They were more than
just roommates.  They were lovers, and their love for each other had been a
closely guarded secret.  They both had female relationships, but they
always found time for intimacy with each other.  They both had found women
that they loved, and had been the best man for each other in their
marriages.

"You've always been part of my family, and now I'm going to make sure that
you find happiness," Bobby said.

John spent the next two months with the Goldman family.  It had only taken
the private investigator two weeks to uncover some dirt on Margaret.  She
spent a lot of time with two of her female friends, and the investigator
had uncovered a pattern of cell phone calls that Margaret made to a secret
club called "Kitten Klub".  The club was a lesbian dating service that
provided young girls for sexual activities.  The credit card bills showed
that Margaret had been using the "services" of the Kitten Klub for several
years.  The private detective had bribed some key people to obtain
information that several of the girls that Margaret had sex with were as
young as 16.  The photos of Margaret eating the pussies of the teen girls
would be vital in the impending divorce proceedings.  Taylor Coleman was a
talented private investigator, and had a friend who worked at the Kitten
Klub who had provided the videotapes of the private sessions where women
were "entertained" by the teenaged girls.

When Margaret was served with the divorce papers, she went ballistic.
Margaret was at work and lost control of her emotions and assaulted the
process server.  The security surveillance at the Department of Social
Services recorded the altercation, and the security forces responded by
subduing Margaret until the police arrived.  She was arrested and charged
with Assault and Battery.

Johnny was in the apartment that he shared with his wife, Kirsty, when the
phone call came from the Detroit Police Department.  His mother was livid,
and demanded that he post her bail to get her out of jail.  Johnny refused
to post the bail and Margaret was furious.  She threatened to disown her
own son, but Johnny had reached his personal limit.  He called his own
mother a "bitch" and slammed the phone down.

Margaret spent the night in jail before her sisters came to her rescue.
She wanted to kill John and her own son and cussed at all of the police
officers before leaving the precinct.  She was placed on suspension at work
for her outburst and attack in front of the security personnel, and feared
that she would lose her job.

The next day, Robert Goldman served Margaret with a subpoena to appear for
a deposition.  She borrowed money from her sisters to hire an attorney, and
was furious!  She was going to destroy John's life and take every cent and
asset he owned!

John had to sit during the deposition and was humiliated.  Margaret turned
every answer to a pointed question from Bobby into an opportunity to berate
John for his addiction to child pornography.  John was embarrassed that the
court recorder and police officer were listening to details of his
collection of pornography, and didn't realize how Bobby was controlling the
deposition.  He was shocked when Margaret replied to Bobby's question about
the pornography.

"Do you have copies of the alleged pornography?" Bobby asked.

Bobby just smiled when Margaret replied to his direct question.  He knew
that he was now in control and baited Margaret until she released her anger
in an outburst of vulgarity.

John felt like vomiting when the deposition ended.  He was afraid that the
police officer would arrest him and that the court recorder would tell
everyone about his collection of pornography.

Bobby filed a motion of formal separation right before Christmas, and
Margaret was livid with the ruling of the judge.  The mortgage payments and
utility bills were pro-rated based on income, and John was unemployed.  She
would be forced to either borrow money to pay the bills or move out of the
home on the lake.  Her attorney, Trevor Robinson tried to calm her down,
but Margaret screamed obscenities at the judge when she heard her ruling.
She was threatened with Contempt of Court, and was practically dragged out
of the courtroom by her lawyer.  She had tried to disclose John's addiction
to pornography, but the judge was adamant that she would only allow
testimony about the financial arrangements for the formal separation.

"I apologize for the behavior of my wife!" John said to Judge Amy Curtis
after Margaret left the courtroom.

"You have nothing to apologize for!" Judge Curtis said to John.

"Your honor, now you have seen what we're dealing with in this divorce
case," Bobby Goldman said.  "My client will follow your instructions to the
letter!"

John left the courtroom and got into the car with Bobby.  He was humiliated
by the deposition and was thinking about ending his own life to avoid the
embarrassment of a divorce in front of a judge and the people that Margaret
would drag into the courtroom.

"That went great!" Bobby said to John.  "The bitch fell into my trap, and
now I have her right where I want her!"

"I could be arrested for what she revealed in the deposition," John said
softly to his friend.  "I thought that the cop would arrest me when the
deposition ended!"

"He's a friend of mine, and I wanted him there in case Margaret went
postal!" Bobby told him after he started the car.  "I don't know how you
could put up with her shit!  Just try to relax until we get home.  I have
this special recipe for Manhattans!  Three parts Canadian Club, one part
Martini & Rossi vermouth, half a teaspoon of maraschino cherry juice served
over cracked ice!  We both need some cherry soup to unwind after a very
successful day in court!"

John slumped back in the seat of Bobby's Mercedes and tried to push the
thoughts of his estranged wife out of his mind.  He knew that Bobby was
reciting his own recipe for the special drink that he enjoyed at home, and
he tried to push the thoughts of his bitchy wife out of his mind.  He
thought about Barney and worried that his dog would be upset that his
master wasn't coming home.


Stay tuned!!!


Feedback is appreciated to Jacob_latson@hotmail.com

If you are interested in reading any of my previous stories, they were
posted on the Nifty Archives...

Previous Stories

Title				Nifty Archive				Last Date

Washington Academy		BiSexual/High School			Jan. 11, 2007

CJ				Gay/College				Oct. 28, 2004

Brad Martin			Gay/Adult Youth			March 10, 2002

Land of Charta		Gay/Adult Youth			Feb. 15, 2002

Adam and Even More		Gay/Adult Youth			March 12, 2002

Christopher Robin		Gay/Adult Youth			Feb. 6, 2002

Life of Brad			Gay/Camping				Nov. 30, 1998
(this story was when I was using a different author name)