Classifieds.

I Read Things Very Wrong.

Christmas was soon upon the family, the time they loved the best. It was one of the times aside from their birthday they spoiled the twins. The couple had heard nothing from the states, they thought that was the end of it. Then the call came, the DEA wanted to talk to us, Denise specifically. Since being home, we talked over and over about what evidence they might have on us?

We knew that they couldn't possibly have any. We knew Maxwell was the South American connection, Gus did most of the dirty work and we're ninety nine point nine percent sure he won't talk, everyone else was gone. We needed reassurance that any conversations I had with Alexander and Curtis were unheard. We hired a man known to us, he was an ex soldier, angry at the government for mistreatment after many tours in Afghanistan. The man in question would travel to the US, get close to Alexander's group and do his due diligence on Curtis, to make sure the American authorities had nothing on us.

The man whom we sent still had his security clearance, he had a brother that lives in the US, he could use his police security clearance to find out what they needed to find out. Mr T as he likes to be called, was nicknamed that in the army due to his fear of flying, yes extraordinary I know, but he managed to get posting somehow.

Mr T got into Alexander's house while he and his group were travelling, it turns out he secretly recorded he and Denise's conversations. Mr T also found a hiding place in Curtis' old home, it contained hundreds of recordings. Mr T listened to them all, Denise's name was mentioned in total over a thousand times.

Mr T flew home with all the evidence, Denise too listened to them, she found that it contained lots of incriminating evidence. Mr T assured us he had the principle copies, from what he could see, it doesn't look like any copies were made, the properties of the CD showed it wasn't accessed or copied. Mr T told Denise to sell the house in Florida and steer clear of the US for the foreseeable, if she wants to travel there, it would need to be under fake identification and today that's extremely hard.

Denise and Loretta were relaxed for a little while, but their original base was now a little holiday village. The area was completely clean. They had heard Gus is still on the Algarve, he's just living his life normally. The large amounts of money they made is mostly in offshore accounts, in places the governments can't touch, it's not even under Denise's name, it's under Bab's name.

Mr T was paid for his work and sent on his way. We called a realtor in Florida and had the villa put on the market, it sold extremely quickly, we began trying to get on with our lives. Loretta however changed, she was becoming distant, I queried why she was feeling this way, but she would only give vague responses. Babs called and asked to meet for lunch, I agreed as things were getting extremely tense at home. As much as I tried to reassure my wife we would be fine, the more she pulled away. I decided to leave her to it for a little while.

Babs didn't want to drive all the way down south, I drove up to towards her. We met in a little boutique cafe in a little town, she was explaining how she was feeling my frustration and she was having vivid dreams about me going to prison. The eeriness of our conversation struck me, maybe she was psychic and she was seeing these things through dreams.

Reality began to hit home. If we go to jail, we will lose the girls. I decided then and there that if anything happens, Babs should get the girls. Babs and I parted ways, I told her that her dreams were just that, she had nothing to worry about. I drove home, thinking about the contract I'd draw up if and when things get worse. I drove home as fast as I could, I enter our front door, I hear nothing but silence, the girls would be getting ready for their baths now, I would be hearing Loretta yell at Sinead for not washing behind her ears. I heard nothing, I walked through the house slowly. I walk upstairs and the twins beds weren't made, their closets empty, then I walked into our room, Loretta's clothes were gone too. I fall onto our bed, I began sobbing. Then I found a letter on our dresser, it was from Loretta.

I took the letter and went downstairs and poured a drink, I sat down and began shaking as I was opening it. In my mind I had "babe, just going for a little while until things blow over."

It didn't read that, it read, "My Darling Denise, no matter what these are still your girls, but I am no longer in love with you, I'm not leaving you because of the American issues, I'm leaving you because you can't keep us safe anymore, that's what changed my feelings towards you. When you lost your confidence in yourself, I lost my confidence in you. Once the girls and I find a safe place, when we are settled, I will send you the address. I'm sorry, but I fell in love with a strong and confident woman, but lately you've been a quivering wreck. I know you're not made of stone, but I expected a more fastidious approach to our predicament. I'll always love you, but I've fallen out of love with you. Always Retta."

The devastation set in, how could I go on without her? I soon got my bearings again, I had to still protect her even though she wasn't here. I became angry, how could the person I have spent thirteen years with just walk away like this. I began looking through our computer, she wasn't as fastidious as she wanted me to be, she forgot to destroy some evidence of where she might be? I soon learned that she was in regular contact with the twins father, he even made her have a DNA test done. It seems from the emails they were exchanging that he has been having Skype calls with the girls. I now had no doubt in my mind she was with him. I can't believe she had the twins lie to me. To me this proved she wasn't the woman I'd fallen in love with, thirteen years and now nothing. I didn't go into full blown mourning, I couldn't. Loretta may no longer love me the same way anymore, I still had to protect them like they were here.

Weeks passed, I still hadn't heard from her then I got a letter, it was posted from where the twins father lived. Loretta must've moved in with him or at least near him? It piqued my interest, I was missing the girls, Loretta included but I was slowly falling out of love with her, she was lying to me too. I remembered his address from the night the twins were conceived, I had fuck all else to do. I drove up there, I sat across the street, for hours seeing nothing, then I seen the twins leave the house with him.

I watched as the twins held his hand and the three of them skipped down the street, just as we did. I watched as Loretta waved them off. I could see a light back in her eyes. I was debating with myself the entire hour, I decided to wait a little to see if he came home with the twins, he didn't. I got out of the car and knocked on the door. Loretta almost fainted, she invited me inside and I asked her to explain herself, she told what she said in the letter is still how she feels. I needed to use the bathroom and I nipped upstairs, I seen the twins room, I looked across to the main bedroom and I seen Loretta's things in his room. I came down the stairs and I looked at Loretta and told her good luck and left.

Loretta didn't even try to stop me, I said as I was leaving, "I want the twins once a month, if not I'll see you in court."

Loretta didn't reply, she just closed the door. I got in my car and cried my eyes out and drove home.