One Slip: The Aftermath

Mike nodded for he knew they won't living together at the moment, "I know something like that can be a shock but if you love her you can get past it, it's possible. One Slip shouldn't destroy a marriage, all those good years you two had."

(Sigh)"I know but its also what Gil told me that day. He said that it had been so easy to seduce her she probably had done it before. I know it turned out that he's a liar but what if there was a touch of truth to it?"

"I have something to tell you I probably shouldn't," Mike said, "but as a husband I can relate to what you are going through. Before I tell you though I have to say that you will have to take my word for it. The proof is evidence and I am not allowed legally to show it to you."

Steve nodded with a mystified look on his face. He understood what Mike was saying about not being able to show him evidence, but didn't know what that had to do with him.

"Did you find some more pictures of my wife?"

"We found pictures of various victims. Gil liked to save them, probably as reminders of his conquests. But when we searched his house we also found a journal he kept. In it was a description of each of his victims and how he seduced them, as well as what he made them do once he had them under his control."

Mike paused for a moment and Steve looked at a puzzled expression on his face.

"Gil had lots of entries concerning you wife. This is what you are going to have to take my word for, since I am not allowed to show you the journal, as I said. Gil, according to what he wrote, set his sights on your wife a year ago."

Mike paused again and obviously anticipating a question he thought Steve may be thinking he said, "It doesn't say why he took so long to set out to seduce your wife or why he choose then to do it. It does say, however, that it took him the whole year to accomplish his goal."

"But I was around him most of the times he was with my wife. I never saw him do or say anything out of place. If he had attempted anything while they were alone she would have spoken up about it. Just like she told me about the, um, err, one slip."

"He had made a practice of seducing women subtly. It sometimes took longer but it was more satisfying to him. Here is one example of how he worked on your wife a few months ago. He 'happened' to meet your wife at the gym and they exercised together. Afterwards he went to your house with her."

"I remember that. I was home soon after they got there but everything was on the up and up."

"Not everything. You remember Gil giving your wife a neck message afterwards?"

"Yes, I watched him and he kept his hands where they should have been."

"You should have been watching his mouth."

"Huh? He never kissed her, well once on the cheek after he was done but it was quick and chaste."

"I wasn't talking about what he did with his mouth but what he said."

Steve looked puzzled again and Mike continued,"Gil had developed a way of talking that was hypnotic. He talked low in a voice only your wife would hear and it was in a friendly, peaceful tone. He complimented her on how well she looked, how well she did her exercises. Then, when she didn't react to that in a bad way, he went on to talk about how sexy she was, how he had always liked her body. Most of the time he was massaging her and giving her good feelings while he was telling her how good she looked."

Steve's mouth dropped open slightly and he looked incredulous.

He said, " he hypnotized her?"

"In a way. This hypnosis isn't like you would see on a stage show with post hypnotic suggestions or even as we have used a few times to crack hard cases. This was more subtle. It helped to get the words he was using into her subconscious without her realizing they were even said. Later they would appear in her conscious mind and she would think they were her ideas or suggestions. I need to add that she would be able to reject those ideas but if she thought they were hers she would be more likely to go with them. Especially if they were supported by good feelings and continual support."

Steve shook his head in disbelief, the guy who was his friend, who he had trusted, had done this.

"Did you see how he was dressed? He went to the gym that day specifically to find Donna, he knew what time she exercised and knew what exercises she did. He made sure that he was dressed in a muscle shirt and speedo shorts. When he found her he made sure he had a lifecycle then a treadmill right next to her. She was in a front row right in front of the mirror wall. Gil knew that when he was right next to her she would have no choice but to look at him in the mirror especially when he was talking to her at the same time. And he made sure his outfit showed off his, um, attributes. As I said, it was no coincidence that he just 'happened' to be there at the same time she was. Since he was a friend and trusted he could talk to her and get her attention on him and the way he looked.

After a pause with Steve's face again developing an incredulous look, Mike went on, "Remember the party you guys went to before this last one?"

"Yes, we both went to that one."

"Remember how Gil and your wife talked a lot?"

"Yes, they did seem to talk a lot but I trusted him so I didn't really think that much about it. And at one point I walked past them and they were talking about boring stuff about work and fixing a yard up."

"Well, intermixed with the boring stuff were more compliments about the way she looked and a description of how he looked."

Steve looked puzzled at this and was about to ask when Mike continued. "Gil wrote he was doing some redecorating in the back yard. Taking out trees and bushes and putting in new stuff. In the process he had to dig out some hardpan. He described how, since it was the back yard he took off his shirt and used a pick to break up the hardpan. He also described how hot it was and how sweat poured off his shoulders and back as he swung the pick. As Gil described how he looked it became easy for your wife to picture his muscles rippling as he swung that pick."

"The next day, Donna mentioned a dream she had where Gil took the place of a specific mythical hero on a certain TV show, during one scene like that. The actor had long hair and rippling muscles. A few times through the run of the show he would do some heavy work without a shirt, with sweat pouring off of him like you said Gil described. In the show and in the dream he poured a wooden bucket full of water on himself. I thought there may have been more to the dream than what she said but I wasn't that worried about it. That must have been Gil's hypnotic suggestions working on Donna"

"Or just the decription after seeing him in that outfit as he worked out, working on her libido . Those are just two examples of how he worked on your wife. He also stated that during these talks of his he added a suggestion that people who liked her should be rewarded. He didn't say when he added that suggestion, but I think the first time was while he was massaging her shoulders. And the next two times he reinforced his suggestion. Then a month later he 'accidentally' let it slip that he always liked her. In fact if she hadn't been married to his best friend he would be pursuing her. He dated a lot of women but none captured his attention or desires like she did. Yes, that sounds like a line, but he was supposed to be your friend, so it wouldn't be a line coming from him."

Steve's eyes narrowed and his face got hard.

Mike continued, "From what he wrote, not only was your wife not an easy mark but she was a real challenge. The night of the party hadn't been the first time he tried to have sex with her. Three months previous to that night he tried but it failed so badly she didn't even realize he was attempting anything. Then, when he saw that she was a little drunk and that she probably was a bit angry at you he decided to try again. Starting with another massage. He had already given her a couple with no attempts at getting fresh, and after all, he was safe - being a friend."

The detective shrugged his shoulders, "You know the rest of the story."

There was a pause then he said, "remember, Donna was dealing with an expert at seduction who has had a lot of practice, and she didn't even know he was taking aim at her."

Steve nodded and finally said, "I think it's good that bastard is in jail, for his sake."

Mike said, "I don't blame you for that statement. As a husband of a beautiful wife I can relate, but at the same time its never good to take the law into your own hands."

"I think I can wait till the law can punish him but the law can't stop me from being there when he is sentenced and applauding when he gets what he deserves."

"We have a good case against him but I warn you that sometimes you never know what a jury will do. I have seen it when we have had an open and shut, air tight case and the jury still found the guy innocent but then there are cases where we go to court not sure if we have any case and yet the jury goes our way. As I said one never knows."

"But in this case people will know what type of person that bastard is, what ever way the jury goes."

"With the publicity, I think you're correct. Speaking of the publicity and your original question, Donna may not need to testify. We want to keep her ready just in case, but with the publicity, two past victims of Gil's have come forward and are willing to testify. One I think you know, also we have his pictures and the journal I just told you about. Not to mention the cameras we found in his office. However, even if she doesn't testify some news hound could still find out who blew the case open, and what your wife did could still get out. It would make a good story about the brave woman who decided not to be a victim."

"I understand... about both things you mean, but I thank you for trying to keep her out of the spotlight and for doing what you can to get him sent away for a long time."

"As I said, not only am I a police officer trying to do his job, but I am a husband and I understand how you feel."

"One more question. Whatever happened to Gil pressing charges against me."

"I'm not sure. Could be that during his arrest he just forgot, too many more pressing matters and I think his lawyer adviced him not to since it would look like he was just trying to get back at you."

They shook hands and Steve thanked him and left. Two days later after more thinking he called Donna. He asked her to come by the house and to make sure she brought her car.

Steve used the same unemotional voice he had used the day he told her not to be there when he got back from visiting Gil, and she wondered what he wanted.

She had received one phone call from Steve's lawyer and had kept expecting that he would have her sign some papers sooner or later. She was afraid it was time for her signature. The strange request for the car supported her thoughts.

With a heavy heart Donna arrived at the house hoping to see the kids, but only Steve was there. He had been expecting her and almost immediately, after asking politely how she was, told her to get in his pickup. She did, wondering what was up. Was he driving her to the lawyers to make sure she went there? Instead, though, they ended up back at the place she had been staying.

"Oh," she thought, "he has finally got around to wanting my car back".

She started to fish her keys out of her purse as soon as he parked.

Steve spoke first, "I have been doing a lot of thinking the past few days, but first I want to say that I'm proud of you for taking a stand against Gil. That took a lot of courage."

He paused as she looked at him funny, wondering what he was trying to say.

He continued with, "It's about time that Gil was stopped. He can't be allowed to destroy any more marriages."

Donna said, "From what Mike has told me, if Gil is convicted he won't be able to destroy any more marriages in the future."

"True, but I wasn't talking about future marriages he might mess up."

Donna looked at Steve and something that was almost hope appeared in her eyes.

Steve continued, "I had you come over and brought you back here not so I could take your car away, I, well, I..."

He looked down for a moment then looked back up straight in her eyes, "I overreacted the day you told me what you... what happened and I was in shock and those pictures didn't help. I'm not blaming you. I know the whole story now. You did good when you showed the photos to me and told me, I'm the one that overreacted."

There was a pause and he took a deep breath "I also have an apology to make to you about you and Gil. I spoke to Mike and he told me about some sort of diary Gil kept. It seems he was working on seducing you for about one year."

"What?" Donna interrupted, but Steve kept on talking.

"The bastard had perfected a whole routine, including some sort of hypnotic method, he used on the women he seduced. Donna, my love, you took far longer to break than any other woman Gil had tried to get."

He went on to explain what Mike had told him then ended with, "In the end I think it became an obsession with him. I'm sorry I reacted like I did. I think I even said to you something about 'the wife I knew wouldn't give in like that'. I should have realised how true that was. I should have known my wonderful wife didn't do those things, on her own. Please forgive me."

"Thank God," Donna said, "I have never been able to give myself a reason for what I did, let alone be able to explain it to you. It is a great relief in one way to know what happened, but I am still ashamed and sorry for what happened. Thank you for believing in me Steve. I need you so much".

Steve spoke again, "There's one more thing I need to apologize for. I'm sorry for asking you if you were going to be slut... God, that was a stupid question," he looked down in shame and said, "I'm sorry, even at the time I knew you wouldn't do that...all I can say ia that I was in shock."

She said, "I was in shook too."

After a short embrace Steve told Donna, "I brought you back here in my pickup because your car probably won't be big enough to carry all your stuff back to the house... where you belong... if you still want to come back home that is."

The last was said in a soft voice almost as if he was afraid of what her answer might be.

Donna was almost tempted to say that she would think about, just to tease him but decided she couldn't even pretend to think that way.

She reached across the cab and hugged him.

In the middle of the tight embrace she said, "Of course I want to come home. If you can forgive me for what I did I can forgive you for overreacting especially since it wasn't much of an overreaction. I love you, Steve."

He put his arms around her and pulled her across the seat until she was right next to him. "I love you too."

After a minute she said, "I'm not complaining, but what made you change your mind?"

"I've been thinking and there are a number of reasons. The upper most one is that I love you and it was just one slip. You were influenced by a master seducer after all. Among other reasons are that the kids miss you and they need you. Third, as I said it took courage to stand up to Gil and to bring charges against him. That should be rewarded."

He paused then said, "It took me longer to reach this decision than it should have. I, um, initially I had my doubts that this was the first time."

Donna drew back her head and looked shocked.

"I'm not proud of those feelings but after what some of the pictures showed and what Gil said, well". He stopped and shrugged his shoulders.

She said, "I know what the pictures showed, but what does what he had to say have to do with me?"

Steve went on to explain what Gil had said when confronted by Steve.

She said, "I have never done anything like that before, I've never even kissed another man since we were engaged."

Steve said he believed her but then went on to explain what Gil had told him that day. As Steve finished her expression was hard as she considered what she would like to do to Gil.

Steve finished his naritive with, "when Gil was saying it to me it sounded sort of reasonable. I know now it was all bullshit, but at the time it hurt me bad".

When her husband was done Donna said in a very angry tone, "Why that bastard, that son of bitch!"

"That's pretty much what I said and thought after Mike explained all that to me. If I had known all that the day I confronted him I would have done more than just shove him against the wall a couple of times, even with Mike arriving when he did. If he does get off I will go looking for him."

"If he does get off he better wish you find him before I do, but at the same time it wouldn't do the kids any good if either you, I, or both were in prison"

"I know, so in that case he better not get off for our sakes."

They hugged again and then at Steve's suggestion they got out of the pick up and loaded her stuff. They drove home and unloaded it all with Steve carrying most of it back upstairs. When the kids got home and saw that mommy was there they climbed all over her and told her they had missed her, while she was gone on business. Donna hugged each one and told each one that she missed them too. With tears in her eyes she looked at her husband and said thanks. He just nodded.

Later that night they went to bed and Steve said, "I missed you."

He started to say something but this time it was her turn to interrupt him, "I am sorry for what I did and not just because it came out in the open. I would have told you."

"I believe you."

At that he took her in his arms and kissed her.

He again said, "I missed you."

"I missed you too."

Steve looked at the bed again and said,' 'I missed you in bed." He stopped for a moment then quickly added, "I don't mean in just that way, but I missed your companionship, your presence and you being here next to me in bed and in my life."

"I understand and I missed your presence too. And I missed you in 'that' way too."

They got to sleep late after having sex three times, to make up for lost time and to express their love for each other. The first time was soon after they declared how much they had missed each other.

There was a silence for a couple of moments, with both of them just standing there. Steve wanted her almost as much as he had on their wedding night but after what he had just said he didn't want to have Donna think he only missed her for sex. And on top of that he wasn't completely sure she would want to make love after what he had put her through.

She moved closer to him, reading his desire on his face and his uncertainty in his stance. Her body and her emotions were feeding her the same desires, so she took another step his way. He looked at her face. He must have seen what he was feeling mirrored there because he suddenly reached out and grabbed her, quickly pulling her to him. He mashed his mouth against hers. It was a little rough but her body was demanding the same thing therefore she kissed back just as hard.

After one long hard kiss he broke it to breathe but after a short gulp of air he shoved his lips onto hers again. After two kisses like that he started unbottoning her blouse. He went right down the line as fast as he could make his fingers move. She obviously didn't mind since when he was done she unbuttoned his shirt. They somehow managed to undo each other's pants at the same time. Soon he had her on the bed pulling off her pants. Donna's shoes had gone missing somewhere along the line so Steve didn't have to bother with them. She laid there with her unbuttoned blouse and bra on plus her panties. He could see a small spot in the area that hid her pussy indicating that she was aroused already. He just licked his lips and stared then grabbed hold of her panties and pulled them down her legs. He did it so fast they almost ripped but she managed to lift her butt to allow him to remove them in time. He slid them down her legs but somehow in his haste he got one leg off but not the other. As he reached for the other leg he looked between her legs and stopped his hand. He stared at her slit, then looked at her face.