SATURDAY STORY - NOVEMBER 18, 2023

 SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2023 - STORY

I write fiction on Saturdays.

*****

SLAM.  The front door slammed as Dave Hulm stormed out.  Carol Hulm watched as he left - mad at him for being such a jerk.  She had made it five years with this stubborn man - and it had gone downhill the last three years.  

*****

Dave Hull had been a friend in the choir at Western Minnesota State University.  He had a good voice and frequently sang the baritone solos.  Carol was a second soprano - and never had a solo.  Dave was two years older than Carol and was finishing his JD degree (law degree). He had a standing offer to join the Kleipner, Hull, and Minx law firm when he graduated - since his father was a partner. 

Dave was in Sigma Phi Kappa fraternity and served as President in his Junior/Senior year.  He was on the Student Senate and the Student Activities board.  He was a BMOC - a big man on campus.  

Dave was also known as a lover.  Even within Delta Theta (Carol’s sorority), at least three sisters had dated Dave.  Carol wasn’t sure if she “won” or “lost” in that competition as she found out she was pregnant with Dave’s child. 

Carol’s parents insisted that Dave get married to Carol.  And, they did - and seventh months into their marriage, an eight-pound, nine-ounce baby boy was born to Carol and Dave Hull.  They called him Michael David Hull, IV.  He was Mike - as the name ran in the family.  Dave’s grandfather, the first of the lawyers, was Michael David Hull (and was the first).  Dave’s dad was Michael David Hull - the second - and went by Mike Hull; Dave was Michael David Hull - the third, and this boy, if all went according to plan, would be known as Mike Hull - like his grandfather.  

But, if anything, that started the trouble even more.  Dave wanted to continue to be a stud.  Carol knew that Dave was frustrated in the later months of her pregnancy because he couldn’t have sex.  Dave forced Carol to have oral sex on him.  Carol hated that act.  Sex was to be a communication between partners - and when only one partner is happy, it is poor communication. 

But Dave was a good lawyer, had a great courtroom presence, and made much money.  

But now, five years into the marriage, Carol knew Dave had been unfaithful at least twice that she knew of, and probably more.  Communication?  Dave might be the great, passionate orator in the courtroom, but not at home or in the bedroom.  His communication was rather one-sided - and generally on one topic - sex.   

There was only one thing lacking in Carol’s life - LOVE.  They vacationed worldwide, skied in the Alps, and had a vacation home in Kauai, Hawaii (also known as the Garden Isle).  Baby Mike got to Disneyland for his fifth birthday.  The only thing lacking in Carol’s life was love.  

Carol got along well with Abby Hull, her mother-in-law.  Abby knew what Carol was going through - and she had learned to live with it.  Mike Hull, Carol’s father-in-law and Abby’s husband, was also a  womanizer.  Abby had thrown herself into charity work - working with low-income families. Mike Hull (and Dave Hull) would never have defended low-income clients - they went for the big fish with deep pockets. 

Carol followed her mother-in-law and worked with low-income families.  Her degree had been in psychology, and she completed a master’s degree and received a Master of Social Work and an LMSW - Licensed Master’s in Social Work certification.  

She worked part-time for the State Department of Children and Families around Mike’s preschool times. 

*****

Carol did attempt to have regular sex with Dave.  They did discuss their relationship with the expectation that Carol would have intercourse with Dave three times a month (skipping the week of her period).  That kept Dave happy.  Carol wasn’t pleased, but she did want Mike (and any other children) to grow up in a two-parent family.  

Carol also did her expected duties of being the wife of a well-known attorney.  She kept her weight off, exercised five times a week, and could speak Spanish and English.  

She visited her parents four times a year.  Dave went with her for the Christmas/Holiday visit, but he was generally busy with his work for the other three visits.  Dave did support Carol with about $200,000 a year for her expenses.  Carol used some of those funds to help her family and siblings.  She earned $50,000 from her part-time job with the State Department of Children and Families.  

*****

Carol wasn’t happy - she was Dave Hull's wife - and expected to be supportive.  

*****

Twice a year, Dave went to American Bar Association Meetings.  Although the legal profession was open to male and female lawyers, over 75% of all lawyers were male.  When the ABA was holding a meeting in a city (like Miami), there was an uptick in escort services (and prostitution) in the city.  

Dave (and many of his philandering friends) had false IDs and paid in cash.  Only once was there a problem - nothing that a good physician could do to kill off a sexually transmitted disease (STD).

That was the norm - Carol took care of Mike and the home, and Dave did the big-time lawyer work. Kleipner, Hull, and Minx had some excellent staff that would find the dirt on the client’s opponents and often pushed for pre-trial settlements (generally hush-hush and very favorable to Kleipner, Hull, and Minx and the client).  

Money - greed - control.  Yup - that was Dave Hull.  And sex - on his terms.

*****

When Dave was fifty, his Dad had a heart attack and died.  Dave was already a partner and replaced his father as a managing partner in Kleipner, Hull, and Minx. 

At age 57, the State Republican committee asked if Dave Hull would run for the United States Congress.  He agreed.  Moving to Washington, D.C., was fantastic for Dave.  He had his pick of many call girls.  Some of the lobbying firms discretely knew the preferences of congress members and would help line up dates and arrangements. 

Sure, there were opportunities for Carol to appear as the loving wife of Dave on the campaign trail. He was an “All-American boy” on the campaign trail.  He listened to his constituents, but he listened more to his big-money contributors and lobbyists.

Carol went to Washington for inaugurations and other significant events. It was good politics to have his wife show up and show what a wonderful family man Dave Hull was.  

 Dave’s sex drive had diminished - but he still liked the good-looking (and somewhat kinky) call girls on the DC cycle.  Occasionally, there would be a call girl who wanted to tell her story - and she either ended up in Fairbanks, Alaska, with a load of money or face-down on the muddy shore of the Potomac River. Money talked.  

When Senator Orville Patterson opted to retire, the State Republicans asked Dave to run for the U.S. Senate - more power, money, and opportunities to be a big shot - not just a Big Man on Campus, but now a Big Man of the Congress.  

But, few knew the blackness of Dave Hull[‘s heart.  Even Carol, from her work with low-income families and children, knew that Dave Hull would vote against anything she supported if it came up to a vote in Congress. 

Carol found that she hated herself. She hated Dave Hull - but had to keep a positive public appearance with him.  

*****

This story will be completed next week. 

LOVE WINS

LOVE TRANSFORMS

KAREN ANNE WHITE, ©, NOVEMBER 18, 2023