About 1:00, I pulled up in my truck in front of her room at the motel. Briskly, I walked up to the door and knocked. After a moment, she answered.

Wearing a tattered robe, she looked horrible. The years had not been kind. The drugs had damaged her skin and the weight was not becoming. When I’d married Angie, she was sort of pretty. After all, she used to get my cock to stirring, but now, she looked an awful fright.

Angie looked up at me and gave her best sexy smile, showing her mouth of missing teeth. “I had a feelin’ that I’d be seeing you, Hanky Pie,” she purred, batting her eyes. “You wuz missing some of what Angie used ta give ya, huh?”

My stomach gnarled in disgust.

“It ain’t like that!” I grunted, pushing past her into the motel room. She closed the door behind me. “I’m here to see that ya leave Cedar Rapids for good!”

She put her hands on her ample hips. “What makes ya think I’ll go quietly?”

“Because of this,” I said, taking the envelope with the money out of my pocket. “It’s three thousand dollars.”

Her hazel eyes grew very large with excitement.

“I knew this is what ya came here for! It wasn’t for me or for Austin! You’re here for cash!”

“You know me all too well,” she replied, reaching for the envelope.

I jerked it away from her grasp. “You can have this money under two conditions.”

“And what are these conditions?” she huffed.

“Number one… you leave town today!” I declared. “Number two… you never darken our doorway again! I don’t ever wanna see your face or have ya upsetting Austin like ya did!”

“If my faggot son was taking care of your needs as good as a real woman does, maybe he wouldn’t be so insecure when a little competition shows back up!” Angie hissed.

“First off, if you ever call Austin that name again, I’ll knock ya on your ass! I don’t give a damn if you’re a woman or not! Second, Austin takes care of all of my needs—way better than you ever did!”

“I doubt that!” she scoffed.

“So do we got a deal?” I asked gruffly. “You leave town today and never return to Cedar Rapids?”

She paused for a moment. I could see her internal wheels turning.

“Yes!” she declared. “Now, gimme that money!”

I handed her the envelope. Greedily, she began counting the hundred dollar bills.

After she’d counted the cash, she looked up at me and smiled. “This calls for a celebration.”

“A celebration?” I asked, watching her sashay over to the mini-fridge.

As I looked around the room and averted my eyes from what she was doing, I heard her fumble around and open two pop-tops. When I turned back toward her, she was approaching me with bottled beers.

“A little drinky-boo to clinch the deal,” she said, handing me the beer in her right hand.

“Where did ya get money for beer?” I asked angrily, taking the bottle from her.