We stayed in the motel, comfort with the arrangement of the kitchenette until I left him. To my knowledge, he is still living there. A few years after we moved in there, we became friendly with a couple living downstairs, Kevin and Vivien. One night, partying while the man worked on his bicycle, I drove him to the nearest convenience store for a can of fix-a-flat. When I got back, the woman told me Bill had exposed himself and put his penis on her face. As I walked in, leaving Kevin to fix his bike tire, Bill walked out, heading up the stairs. Hearing Vivien’s declaration, I was very upset. Vivien and I stepped outside, talking about. She didn’t want to tell Kevin, he would surely react with some violence. I told her she could tell him anything she felt comfortable admitting. Bill deserved anything he got in retaliation. Perhaps I wanted someone to take him to ask for something he did wrong. You see, he believed he never did anything wrong at all, that he could do anything he pleased and get away with it. It wasn’t wrong if he did it and people are supposed to allow it, and even lie for him if necessary.

There were no acceptable lies this time. Even n apology wouldn’t cut it now. Bill had dared to ‘touch’ another man’s woman and would face the consequences. Vivien did admit to Kevin what Bill had done. Bill came down stairs, apparently realizing Vivien would tell Kevin. He started apologizing, “I’m sorry, man. I f***** up.” Kevin, of course, was angry and punched him in the side. Bill caved. Only one hit and the so-called Navy SEAL caved. He went back upstairs and stayed there.

I stayed with them a little longer, talking mostly, before Bill came down shortly after sunrise, wanting me to go get him some more rum. I told him I couldn’t as it was Sunday and only eight o’clock. In Arizona, you can’t buy alcohol anywhere on Sunday until 10.00am. He asked if I was coming home. I told him I couldn’t talk to him yet. I was still so upset about it, didn’t know what I’d say to him without a nasty fight, and couldn’t face him yet. When I did go back upstairs, I found him on the floor. He had actually cleaned the kitchen, washing dishes and straightening up a little. I made coffee. When he got up, sat on the bed, he started trying to convince me Vivien had ‘come on’ to him, driven him to it. I knew better and flat out told him, “No she didn’t.” He got mad and took off, driving of to who knew where. I went back to Vivien, making sure she was okay. With their door open, she’d seen Bill leave. I couldn’t very well stop him from driving drunk and part of me hoped he’d get stopped with a DUI, that maybe that would curb his drinking. It didn’t happen. Not long after that, Kevin and Vivien left the motel and we never saw them again.

But the pattern continued, in fact got even worse. I’ll explore that further in the next article The Fire Smolders: The Ultimate Betrayal.