"Son, you are young and won't understand. When a man marries an attractive woman, and consecutive pregnancies destroy her looks, it's depressing, and I lose my libido."
These words from Dad left me stunned and haunted me in the days and weeks that followed. I was happy to help and spend time with Livia, but I was available only on weekends. During our precious weekend time, we did almost everything together.
About 4 months after finding out she was pregnant again, I was driving to the Home Depot to buy a shelf that Livia needed in her room, and from the corner of my eye, I saw my father standing near the entrance to the Hilton. He didn't notice me. I stopped the car on the side of the road and planned to go talk to him, but as I opened the car door, a young lady joined Dad. He hugged her, kissed her lips, and then they entered the hotel together. I stopped in my tracks and, a minute later, drove away.
I brought the needed shelf and fixed it on the wall. However, Livia noted I was distracted and inquired for a reason. I lied and said I saw an accident on the road. That evening, we had satisfying sex, but after Livia fell asleep, I stayed awake for 2 hours, thinking about Dad's cheating with another woman. I woke up in the morning and saw Livia smiling at me, "Mark dear, you turned and tossed the whole night and mumbled gibberish that sounded like, 'No... don't do it to her... pregnant.' What was that all about?"
"I must have had a nightmare, but I can't remember the details."
On Sunday night, I left home and drove to Champaign.
...
Monday after classes, I dialed Dad's phone and told him we needed to talk.
"Son, is it urgent?"
"Yes."
"Can it wait until the weekend and we'll discuss it with Livia present at home?"
"Not a good idea. Dad, please come here one evening this week."
"I'll be at your place on Wednesday at 7 pm. It better be good because I am very busy these days."
I smirked, "There is nothing new; you are ALWAYS very busy for your family. See you Wednesday."
My father arrived as scheduled. We sat in my room, and I asked him point blank, "Dad, do you still love Livia?"
He stared at me, "What kind of a question is that?"
"Please, just answer sincerely."
"We are married. Of course I have feelings for her. I hope you brought me here for a more serious issue."
"Despite the fact that a pregnant wife needs her mate to be around, you avoid home as much as possible."
"Son, are you sure you want to hear the truth? Like Jack Nicholson said in A Few Good Men, can you handle the truth?"
"Absolutely."
"I married Livia because I was impressed with her face and body. But she is constantly pregnant and lost her appeal. It's not my fault she refused to use birth control measures."
"So you are no longer in love with her. Right?"
"As long as it stays between us, you can say that."
"I suggest that you divorce her."
"Mark, don't be ridiculous. A man does not divorce a pregnant wife."
"I have a recommendation: You are very rich. In the divorce papers, you promise her 1 million dollars a year for the rest of her life. Unlike you, I love Livia and will try to help her until she finds a suitable man who will appreciate her more than you."
"Why would I do that?"
"I know you date another woman and have sex with her. I saw you two at the Hilton on Saturday. Once you officially separate from Livia, you won't have to hide behind stupid excuses."
"Even if I agree with your idea, who says Livia will agree? I'd rather she doesn't know I was seeing another woman."
"If you promise to settle in writing for a million a year until her death, I'll persuade her to agree to divorce you without mentioning your affair."
"Let me think about it until the weekend. I'll call you with my answer, but let's keep it between us for now."
After Dad left, I thought to myself it went smoothly. Perhaps it was TOO easy. I was determined to ensure there was no trap. On Friday, Dad phoned me and blurted, "Check carefully if Livia would consent to a divorce for a million a year."
I said, "For life, and no strings attached."
"My lawyer will write the agreement."
"Dad, I am not kidding. It is $1,000,000 a year until her death, irrespective of anything else that happens in between."
He sighed, "OK, but don't mention the affair because then I'll have to pay much more."
"I promise, but I wish to see it on paper with YOUR signature and then I'll check with another lawyer to make sure you cannot renege on the agreement later."
He chuckled, "Why would I try to swindle her? You are my only heir, so all the money will come from YOUR inheritance anyway."
"If I was sure it was true, I would not insist on seeing the document certified, but one day, you may decide to write a will, giving your money to your new lady or her children if she got pregnant."
"OK, I'll do it. You'll get it notarized by next week."
...
I arrived home Friday afternoon. Livia kissed me, nuzzled her face in my chest, and said, "I missed you dearly."
"Honey, I missed you more."