Chapter Seventy Nine

I stood looking at the women that I had been married too for years, and realised I really didn't know her at all. That kinda spooked me.
"what are playing at Dot?"
"Oh I'm not playing Jon, I mean business, which is what this is all about... and now I have your attention, do you not think we can at least sit down and talk like the adults we are?"
I moved back round inside and sat at the desk.
I looked at D a cold feeling in my heart, I cannot believe I had ever loved her, it was like the blinkers had been lifted and I was seeing her with new eyes for the very first time.
With little to no know emotion in my voice I spoke,

"So talk."
She sat on the couch opposite the desk and crossed her legs and inter linked her fingers and lent forward as she spoke.
"Right this is what I want, and when you hear my proposal I'm sure you will think it fair..."
"I'm listening"
"right, I want you to buy me out of this place, and I agree to accept your original idea of moving and living in the Hamptons with the SoHo apartment in New York, but I do want a salary too, I had thought about having a one off payment but that is no good to me, so here's what I propose, you give me a monthly salary of $50,000, and I'll agree to have the kids live with me and carry on providing for them so you can go off and do what it is you enjoy doing, look at it as a business investment " she sat back and smiled to herself thinking she had won.
I studied her, and it dawned on me she thought she had something over me she could use, I was sure of it.
I asked the question, "And if I disagree? "
"Oooh I wouldn't do that..."
"and why not?"
"well lets just say Maddy, is that what you call her? she aint back yet is she?, a little car trouble wasn't it?"
"What have you done?"
"Oh nothing yet... as I said it all depends on you?"
I looked at D in total disbelief, "when you get so cold?" Then I answered my own question, "no you ain't just become cold, that's really who you are right?; I've been fooled all these years..... God you're some peice of work you know that?"
She clapped her hands together in a mock applause, "really jon, you used to love that I was independent, not clingy and needy, now your calling it cold, fact is Jon, I've not changed, you have, you've become a sad pathetic weak man, you know I used to respect you and your values; now all I can think is pity and from that I see an opportunity."
"Really? If that's what you think you see? You are way off Base. ..and D you really don't know me at all....."
She rolled her eye's to the ceiling..."Oh please.... everything you do is predictable, why you think it was so easy for that women to stalk you? Cause you are predictable, same routine, different day. Take a good hard look at yourself jon, wake up and taste the coffee" she sat back on the couch and laughed. I could not believe the audacity of the women, but she was not gonna win...
" You can believe what you want, that's your right, and maybe at times I am repetative,  but that's cause I care, I have a heart. Yeah Antonia saw her chance and she took it, but the world is full of whackos, and I guess I should thank you for your enlightened talk, now I know I've been married to one for years... as for your proposal and plan, you can shove it. I'll see you in court before I give you one cent... remember this D, you need to prove you have provided half of the money to get your share, and you haven't... your pathetic attempt from teaching brought in measly bucks, so not substantial... so do your worse... the fight is on"

I got up and walked to the door and opened it for her to leave, but she remained seated, "And Maddy?"

"what about her?"

"You want to have a nice life don't you?"

"out with it Dot..."

"Well either agree or she wont be getting home anytime soon tonight,?"

"wait a minute your blackmailing me?"

"No Jon, I'm bargaining and using the only think that you seem intent on protecting right now..."

"don't forget Maddy is a 6th dan black belt, you seriously think you stand a chance against her, she's young, fit and if she can whoop your ass, she'll do it to whoever gets in her face..."

she smirked, "mmm maybe, but not if its a gun..."

I moved so fast I left a dust trail in my wake as I reached out and grabbed D round the throat and dragged her to her feet, she had no time to react and the look on her face was fear. "I think you have underestimated me Dot, told you that you didn't know me..."