Welcome to the Anglo Swiss World: MULTIPLY United Friends Challenge #112: Fred and Carol

Vinnyandflask's Challenge

Write a story about a young lady who has lost her boyfriend, husband, or someone close to her.

Carol had a well organised life. She met her husband at a local dance and they married after a two year engagement. Carol was then 22 years old and Fred, her husband, 24. Now things look so ideal and to make them more perfect two years later their daughter Shirley was born, they were both happy. Fred was the perfect husband and Carol the perfect wife. If Fred said he would be home in the evening at a certain time, he would be there. Sometimes he had to work later in the office, but he always called Carol on the phone to tell her that things would be later. If he said one hour, then he was home one hour later. Carol could rely on her Fred and he was an ideal father. On Sunday morning Carol cooked their lunch, something special. Fred realised that she had to prepare lunch and always took Shirley for a walk to the park and to visit her grandmother to give Carol a chance to prepare things on her own.

Of course, Carol had her own private life as well. She enjoyed making her own clothes and during the week she attended a dress making course. She would go with her girlfriend, Maureen, where they would meet some other friends and it was a nice evening out. Sometimes she would make herself something special, or often she would make a pretty dress for her daughter. Fred would look after Shirley on those evenings.

It was the ideal marriage, and they were known as the perfect pair. It was Maureen who first sewed the seeds of doubt in Carol’s mind. She phoned Carol to say she could not come to the sewing classes as she was not feeling so well.
“By the way Carol” said Maureen “I saw Fred in town yesterday afternoon.”
“That cannot be” answered Carol “Fred is at work in the afternoon.”
“I was surprised myself, but it was Fred. He seemed to be waiting for someone outside the cinema and kept looking at his watch.”
“Are you sure Maureen, he called me yesterday to say he would have to work later and only arrived home at eight in the evening.”
“Well, I thought it was Fred, but perhaps just someone that resembled him” and the two women closed their conversation.
It just didn’t go out of Carol’s head that Fred was not at work. When Fred came home that evening she said nothing, and was her normal self. Her Fred would never lie to her. When he said he was coming home later, then it would be the truth.

The next time Fred called from work to say he would be coming home later, Carol somehow felt a bit unsure. She called her friend Maureen and asked if she could bring Shirley for the afternoon. Maureen also had a little girl about the same age, so that was no problem. Maureen was glad that her daughter had a playmate for the afternoon.

After Carol had left her daughter at Maureen’s she made her way to Fred’s company and waited outside. She didn’t know why she did this, but had a sort of unsure feeling. All these years she had a perfect relationship with her husband and now her best friend tells her she saw him in town in the afternoon. Carol waited at least half an hour, wanted to go, and then she saw Fred leave his work place and walk along the street. Carol hid herself in a doorway, and then followed him. After a while Fred stopped at a street corner and stood waiting. His wait soon ended when a young good looking girl came along the street. She then saw Fred and the girl putting there arms around each other and were exchanging kisses. Carol was shocked, particularly as the girl just couldn’t be older than eighteen years. The couple walked along the road together arm in arm. Carol decided she had seen enough. She she picked up her daughter from Maureen’s house and went home. Fred arrived as promised at eight in the evening but was quite astonished. He wanted to open the door with his key and found it did not fit. Carol had lost no time and had already called the locksmith to change the lock on the front door, inventing a story about losing a set of her keys.

“Carol, it’s me, I am having a problem with the door.”
“I know Fred”, was the answer “I will open the door for you, just wait.”
Fred waited patiently and Carol opened the door. She had a bag in her hand and gave it to Fred.
“Something’s wrong with my front door key it won’t work and why are you giving me that bag.”
“Fred I have packed as much as I could in that bag, when you tell me where you are living I will have the rest brought to you.”
“Carol, I don’t understand, can you tell me what is going on.”
“No problem Fred. I just hope your new girlfriend has room for you where she lives, because I do not have room any more. I saw you together this afternoon and actions speak louder than words. Goodbye Fred” and Carol shut the door leaving Fred outside.
She heard him calling her name, but she ignored it. Carol had her ideas about love and marriage and they just did not include a teenager. If Fred decided to have a girlfriend, then he could have her.
Later that evening Fred called Carol on the phone.
“Please Carol, let me come home, I have nowhere to go.”
“You can move in with your teenager girlfriend.”
“That was really just a bit of fun Carol, nothing serious.”
“Fred that is your problem. Then go to your mother’s. At least I know where to send the divorce papers.”
“But I don’t want a divorce.”
“You don’t, but I do. I do not want my daughter growing up with a father that runs off the moment a teenager looks at him with big eyes. You will hear from my lawyer.” And they were the last words that Fred heard from his wife before the divorce.

Fred’s new teenage girlfriend decided that she did not really want to live with Fred or marry him; after all it was just a bit of fun to go out with an older man. That was his problem if he was married and his wife got annoyed.

The divorce went well for Carol. Fred had to pay Carol for her upkeep. His daughter was allowed to visit Fred once a month for a week-end. The first two week-ends were ok, but Shirley decided it was not so much fun visiting daddy for just two days a month so she preferred to stay at home.

Carol was an attractive woman and one day she met and fell in love with one of Maureen’s husband’s friends. She got married and lived happily ever after. Yes, there was no messing with Carol.