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Sally's Trip to the Theater

By: carvohi



Introduction:

The following is a sequel to a story by Just Plain Bob titled 'Sally's Trip to the Theater'. There's no prologue and no introduction. You have to find JPB's story and read that first. It's right here on Literotica so that shouldn't be a problem. My sequel picks up immediately where his leaves off.

I got JPB's permission to do this. I only hope he doesn't get too pissed about what I've written here. When you've finished at the end you'll find my reasons for the way I ended his story.

++++++++++++++++++++

Sally's Trip to the Theater, Part Two.

By carvohi with Bob's permission.

Yeah, I decided Sally was history I just didn't know how to make it happen yet. Well I had couple days off; I'd start to figure all that it out in the morning. I crawled under the covers and decided to pretend to be asleep when she came in. 

No sooner had my head hit the pillow then I heard the front door slam. I heard Sally tromp loudly up the stairs. I guessed the pretending to be asleep wasn't going to happen.

Sally trounced in the bedroom, turned on the overhead light and trundled straight to her side of the bed, "Don't pretend to be asleep. I saw you at the window."

I rolled over. There was a lot I wanted to say, but getting into a knock down drag out fight had never been my style not with Sally, so I answered, "Was that the guy Sam you went to the play with?"

Sally, arms akimbo sneered back at me, "Sure was. We saw the play, and then he fucked the living shit out of me. I even gave him my ass. He loved it."

I felt a little like laughing, and would have too if I hadn't seen them. Sally was never very good at the sneer thing; it just wasn't in her, and the ass thing, that was a joke. Sally's ass was the size of a dime; if he'd gotten her there she sure wouldn't be walking much. I knew that was bullshit.

I sat there in the bed and stared at her for maybe six or seven seconds; that's all it took to get through what crossed my mind. Sally and I had only done the anal thing one time in all our married life, but she cried so much I stopped. She said it hurt too much so I'd stopped pushing in. I never did get very far. And Christ, afterward even then she limped around like a cripple for a week.

I sat further up in the bed. Sally was really working on her 'meaningful glare'; that was another thing for which she had no aptitude. 

I stared at her for a couple more seconds. I wanted to climb out of bed and wipe that smug smile off her face; what she needed was a good spanking, but I wasn't the type to ever hit a woman, especially as one as little as her. 

Shit for most of our married years I'd felt guilty just yelling at her. She'd had it kind of tough growing up. She was the oldest of six, her dad was a bum and so her mom had to take a job outside the house; that left Sally with all the housework, all the cooking, cleaning, and babysitting and stuff. I sort of thought when we got married I was rescuing her. I think she thought so too. 

For most of our marriage Sally had been the subservient little mouse. I mean if I just stared at her she'd get all flustered; most times she wouldn't even be able to complete her sentences. It'd only been in the last few months that Sally had become something of a bitch. Well let's say she tried; she wasn't very good at it. I wondered what was wrong. I never thought she might have been cheating on me, but now, what with this guy Sam that changed. 

I faked a yawn and replied, "He must have a little pecker if you liked it..."

She interrupted me, "Sam has a great pecker! He's a lot bigger than you," I watched her as she hesitated. I could see she was trying to summon up some courage before she said what she was thinking. Then she blurted out, "You're a needle peter!"

Wow; that was a new one for her. I wondered where she picked it up. It should have pissed me off, but coming from her it sounded childish and silly. I felt like laughing but held it in. I smiled, "Look tomorrow's a busy day..."

She cut me off again, "What going to play Galahad and save the company again?"

I must have pursed my lips because her smile broadened. I answered, "Maybe; I just know I have a lot to do tomorrow." Of course I had the next few days off, but I wasn't about to tell her. I knew I'd be busy; just not with the office. I'd be busy making history.

She growled, "You don't care that I fucked Sam?"

Shit, I thought, another inane remark; if she was going to use profanity she ought to at least try to make it work, but coming from her it just sounded juvenile. I didn't take the bait; no sir I decided, no fights tonight, not if I could help it. I asked, "How was the play?"

Her demeanor changed, and I got a look at the woman I knew. Her voiced softened; it lost the phony, nonsensical, stridency, "It was good. You'd have liked it...look John..."

I interrupted her, "Good night Sally. Like I said I have a busy day tomorrow," I rolled back over and closed my eyes.

She squeaked, "I hate you John." 

Well, I thought; she's trying to get to me again. I heard her as she went to the bathroom. I kept my eyes closed. I wrapped my head in my pillow and thought I'd try to get to sleep, but even through the pillow I heard the shower running. I figured she deliberately left the bathroom door open. A few minutes later she came back and crawled in bed beside me. She lay on her side facing the bedroom door. I lay on my side and faced toward the window. This was how we pouted. 

I don't think either of us slept a wink all night. Once or twice I felt her fingertips as she pressed her hand back against the back of my thighs. Customarily this was supposed to be when I'd roll back over, wrap my arms around her, start kissing the back of her neck, and start whispering endearments in her ear. This time I didn't. I wanted to. I still loved her, but my mind's eye kept seeing her head bobbing up and down in the car. Oh did that piss me off!

~~-v-~~

I awakened early. I guess I did get to sleep after all. I climbed out of bed, slipped on a Tee shirt, no drawers, I decided to let my wang hang free, and started for the door. I glanced over at the bed. Sally was awake and she was looking at me. I knew she was checking me out. Yeah, I thought, needle peter my ass. I turned and went on downstairs. I got to the kitchen, put the coffee on, and trudged back up to our bedroom. Though I was off I decided to follow my normal 'workday' routine. I showered, shaved, brushed my teeth, went back in the bedroom and dressed for work. By then Sally was up and sitting on the side of the bed. I kept getting ready.

Sally, hands pressed against the bed on either side of her hips murmured, "John I..."

I didn't look at her while I tied my tie and started for the door, "Can't talk...busy day, more dragons you know, got to save the company." Out of the corner of my eye I saw her looking at me. She was trying desperately to affect a smirk. That didn't work either; I mean imagine being growled at by a puppy. She didn't get up, and try as she might she just couldn't pull the 'bitch' thing off. 

She spread her legs and showed me her crotch, "Want some?"

Gee, I thought, another first! I grinned, "Hell no, after what I saw I bet you've got the clap."

As I left the bedroom Sally shouted, or more accurately yelped at me, "Cuckold!"

Now that got me, I know I winced, but I pretended not to hear. I clambered on down the steps, climbed in my Lexus and drove away. As I drove I pulled out my cell and called Jerry Malone. Malone was our family lawyer. He handled most of our legal work such as it was. Malone and I weren't really friends; friendly would have been a better word. I called and left a message that I'd like to see him about finding a divorce lawyer. Then I went on over to the nearest IHOP to get some breakfast.

While I ate my fried eggs over medium and biscuit I reflected on my nearly dead marriage. Now I'm not a crier, but this was getting to me. Shit she knew how I felt about fidelity. I thought we'd agreed on that. Up till the other day I thought we'd had a pretty good marriage. I know I'd been good to her. I got her away from a horrid home life, I'd helped her get into college and get her A.A. I even helped her find a decent job at a local company. She only worked part-time and didn't make a lot of money, but her college and her new career had given her a sense of real accomplishment she hadn't had. Hell, until the other day I'd been damn proud of her. The more I thought about what she'd done the more it hurt, and the angrier I got. Damn, she said cuckold, now that hurt.

~~-v-~~

For Christ's sake Sally was no raving beauty. She was just someone's typical mousy little nobody. I don't even know why I took a shine to her. I mean I had my choice of some prime stock. She just looked so vulnerable when I met her. We'd met at a local public library back in Pennsylvania. I was looking for a copy of something about the Persian Wars. I'd already read Herodotus. I was looking for something that might throw a little critique in old Herodotus's direction when I first came across her. 

She was piling up a little heap of romance stuff. Some of it I saw was old books my mom used to read. I recognized some of the names; names like Kathleen Woodiwiss and Rosemary Rogers. That was some pretty old stuff. I'd read a few when I was in high school. Don't ask me why; I just did that kind of shit. I even read 'Little Women'. I remember my dad thought it was funny that I'd read 'Little Women', but then a couple days later I caught him reading it too.

I waited till 9:00 a.m. before driving over to Malone's. I went in and saw his secretary. She said he'd see me, but just for a few minutes. She ushered me into his office.

Jerry got up and held out his hand as I walked in, "John, come on in. I can't talk long, but I did get your cell message. Divorce is it?"

"Yeah, it looks like Sally and I are on the way out."

"Too bad," Jerry replied, "You know I don't do domestic work, but I have a colleague who might be able to help, names Fred Mertz. In fact I already called him. He said he didn't need to be anywhere until after lunch. His office is down the hall."

I heard the name Fred Mertz and thought shit 'I Love Lucy'. What kind of lawyer would have a name like that? I stood as Jerry stood.

Jerry said, "Let me walk you to his office."

Jerry left me at Fred's door. I knocked and went in. I took one look at the man and thought, Jesus, it is Fred Mertz!

Mr. Mertz got up and walked around his desk toward me. I guess he understood the expression on my face because he said, "I get that all the time. Believe me it's actually good for business. Jerry says you're looking for a divorce lawyer," He took my arm and walked me over to two chairs. We both sat down, "Tell me about it."

I spent the next few minutes explaining to Fred what had happened, how I felt, and what I thought I wanted. While I talked he asked if I had a picture of Sally. I got one out of my wallet and handed it to him. When I finished he started in. 

"John," he said, "let me tell you how things work around here. We're in Colorado. Beautiful state, but the divorce laws don't always match the beauty. We're not precisely a 'no fault' state; more along the lines of a 'fair distribution' state," he handed me Sally's picture back, "She looks like a nice girl, pretty girl, but John let's face it, she's no Mila Kunis." 

I asked, "What's that supposed to mean," I guess even though I was furious with her for what she did she was still my wife.

Fred smiled, "You ask for a divorce and you'll probably get it, but let me tell you what it will cost you."

I was a little pissed at his attitude and I think he caught it, still I asked, "What do you mean?"

Fred went into me then, "Let's see you're what thirty-two, Sally's thirty-one. You've got light brown almost blond hair, blue eyes, I'd say 33 inch waist, broad shoulders. You're what 6'2", 6'3"?"

"I'm 6'2"," I answered, "So what?"

"Well look here Sally's maybe 5'3" in that picture and she's wearing some kind of stacked heel. She's got dark brown hair, brown eyes. She's little. You earn over $80,000.00, she gets what $18,000.00?"

I replied, "That's about right. So what? What's all this got to do with anything?"

Fred smiled, "Come John, you're considered quite young. Sally, well Sally's over thirty, and she's not what most men would call a looker. You could collect a stable of likely babes. What's Sally got to look forward to? Not much I'd say. Gee John, you're rich, you have a great future with a good company. You have looks. You have everything. What's Sally got? She's got you. You say she cheated on you. You got any proof? You don't think she's going to stand up say yes I cheated? Even if she did; look where she works. Those people there have a small privately owned company; it's run by some deeply religious people. You know they've got some kind of morals clause..."

I interrupted, "Good, then I'll get her fired and get her lover fired too!"

Fred smiled again, "Calm down John. You get her fired; then what. Then she's got nothing, only you."

Damn it I knew some things Fred didn't. For one I knew if some judge asked her if she cheated she'd tell the truth, but he was right about the other things. I saw where Fred was headed, and it was pissing me off.

Fred went on, "John you'll go to court in a $1,000.00 suit, wearing a $200.00 tie, and $400.00 Italian shoes. You'll look like a god. Sally will show up, and she'll look small and weak; she'll look like a lamb to the slaughter. The judge, and it won't matter, man or woman, they'll see a young upwardly mobile narcissist trying to dump his poor frumpy but loving wife."

I couldn't hold it in another second, "She's not frumpy. She's pretty. She could get any guy she wants. Man, this is such bullshit."

Fred chuckled, "You're right about that; it is bullshit, and believe me John if Sally gets a halfway decent lawyer it'll be you in the shit. If you win, you'll lose. Say she loses her job; what happens to her alimony, the payments you'll make. John I'll be glad to take your case. I'll take your money. I'm $250.00 an hour by the way, but in the end you'll be shit out of luck, completely shit out of luck."

"So you're saying just go home. Pretend nothing happened. Just be the big cuckold."

"No I didn't say that. Sure go home, but pack up a few things. Get a place closer to work. Move out, but don't stay out. Go back home every few days. Cut the grass. Paint the kitchen. Pay the mortgage. Be the husband. Just don't hang around. Take your time. See what she does."

I replied, "Fred I've always taken care of things, you know..."

He responded, "John you came in looking for a divorce. Don't tell me you take care of everything, and she's this helpless child. She not some kid; she's thirty one."

"Yeah, but when I found her she was still living at home. She doesn't..."

He finished my sentence, "Have any experience. Maybe that's what she needs."

I thought about that. I scratched my chin, "What about the other bills?"

Fred smiled broadly, "This is all off the record you know."

I smiled and leaned forward, "Yeah?"

"Go home. Be the faithful husband. Like I said, pay the mortgage. You said you have one saving's account and one checking account. Clean them out, but leave enough in the checking so she can buy groceries." 

I remarked, "But if I took her off everything she probably wouldn't have any credit. That wouldn't be..."

He stopped me again, "What, you mean fair? So what; what's not fair? She cheated on you didn't she?"

I nodded.

"OK then. Let her face a few problems. Give her the chance to see some of the consequences."

I got up and held out my hand, "I think I get it. Thanks Fred."

Fred stood up and took my hand.

I asked, "What about today's bill."

Fred replied, "We'll mail you; oh and by the way don't open it. Let your wife see it. If she's as helpless as you think it'll terrify her."

I smiled one last time and left his office. My next stop was the bank. 

I spent the next few hours taking care of business. I closed our savings account and opened a new one in just my name. I emptied our checking down to $100.00 and took my name off it. Her car insurance was on my policy so I called and had her dropped and her car removed too. I paid off and closed our two credit cards, and opened two new ones in just my name. By the time I finished the only things that were still jointly shared was the mortgage, the Gas and Electric bill, and our health insurance. 

When I got home Sally was there. I usually got home after she did so there was nothing unusual about that. She was in the kitchen when I walked in the front door. I smelled something good; it smelled like homemade lasagna, one of my favorites. It broke my heart. I realized Sally certainly hadn't tried her credit cards, and of course if she'd written a check to cover the ingredients for the lasagna she wouldn't have known the checking was down so low.

Sally must have heard me come in, "John is that you?"

I answered, "Yes."

"I called you on your cell. You didn't answer."

I ignored her. I hadn't answered because I'd thrown my cell in the trunk of my car. I'd bought a new cell phone with an entirely new package. 

"Dinner's almost ready. I'll..."

I continued to ignore her as I ran upstairs. I decided not to wait around. I didn't want to talk to her. I just didn't feel like getting into it right then. I guessed the lasagna was supposed to be some kind of peace offering. Well it wasn't going to work that way. I went in the bedroom, pulled down an overnight bag and started packing a few things. I took just one casual outfit, one suit, my shave creams, tooth brush, and a few other cosmetics. 

I was coming down the steps when she stepped through the dining room to the foyer. She had an unopened bottle of beer in her hand, "Dinner's almost ready," she held up the beer, "I thought..."

I kept walking, "Nope, can't stay."

Sally followed me as I walked out the front door, "John I've fixed..."

I glanced back, "No can do," I kept walking toward my car.

Sally followed me out, "John I..."

I looked back very briefly, "Smells good though." I turned and kept walking. I know she said something more, but I didn't catch it. God I wanted to forgive her, but then I remembered her in that guy's car. Shit, I wanted some of that lasagna too. The kid can cook! 

I threw my bag across the seat, climbed in my car, closed the door, and backed down the drive. I watched her as she stood there holding a beer in her left hand. She had an apron on, and she was tugging at it with her right hand. She had one hell of a forlorn look; all white and unhappy, hair a little mussed. As I backed away I thought about what Mertz had said. Yeah he was right. She was a mousy little thing, just a vulnerable helpless not very pretty little nobody. God I felt terrible. Fuck! Why'd she do what she did?

~~-v-~~

I drove all over town until I found a place that looked like it might have the kind of apartment I was after. I pulled up and went in, but no one was in the office. They were closed. I noted the office number and address, and went back to my car. OK. I'd get a motel room for the rest of the week and weekend. I drove around and found a good motel, and got a room for a few nights. The place I picked was a little northwest of Denver.

I picked a place to the northwest because I'd made a down payment on a nice six acre lot just outside Boulder. Sally didn't know about it. Her birthday was coming up and I thought I'd surprise her. We'd planned on starting a family soon. The area I'd kind of settled on had terrific schools, almost no crime, and it was in one of the most scenic places in the region, I mean scenic even by Denver standards. 


Sally's Trip to the Theater



Believe me I've grown to love Denver. I was born and raised back east, actually about fifty miles north of Baltimore, Maryland up in central Pennsylvania. I love the Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania region, but believe me it's not like Colorado. Imagine more than two hundred and fifty days of sunshine, skiing in the winter on 'real' mountains, and the canoeing, swimming, hiking, and fishing all summer. There's no place like it; I mean it's a great place to live, a great place to raise a family. Sally and I had picked the perfect city. We'd even started a list of names for our kids. Now it looked like it might be all gone to hell. 

Why had she done what she did? What the fuck was wrong with her? Sure I'd missed the fucking play. So what! She'd missed shit too. 

Sally had grown up in Waynesboro. I remember once one of her sisters had a baby shower or something for another one of her fucking relatives. My boss had arranged a big party for work that same weekend. I wanted to take Sally, sort of show her off. Sure she was mousy, but she was my fucking mouse. See here, she could really be kind of cute, I mean in an impish sort of way. Well I always thought so. Sally wouldn't hear it; she had to fly back to some shit-ass shower so she could spend a whole day waiting on her fucking siblings. I didn't like it, but I didn't go out and fuck my boss's secretary to get even!

I dropped my shit in the motel room and found the nearest restaurant. I ordered their lasagna and a bottle of my favorite beer. The lasagna tasted like ketchup and the beer was flat and warm. I wanted to cry, just cry. I wanted to forgive her. I wanted to pretend I hadn't seen what I'd seen, but her head bobbing up and down, just up and down, over and over. God damn how I hated her for that. 

God damn her. Imagine Kathleen Woodiwiss, Rosemary Rogers. I don't even know why I ever asked her out. I do remember she had so many books she could hardly carry them so I asked if could help. I remember the look on her face. She'd gotten scared when I offered. I remember I had to say something to calm her down. I think I said something like, "I just mean I'd like to help you with your books. I'm not the big bad wolf," I recall how she pretended to laugh. I talked her into a cup of coffee at the Starbucks across from the library. From there, I don't know. I guess I asked her out. I remember we went to a dinner theater. I brought along a bottle of Jim Beam. I was a bourbon man back then. She enjoyed the food and the entertainment but wouldn't take a drink. 

Was I ever stupid? Fred Mertz was right. I always had my choice when it came to women. Geez Sally was such a homely little scamp. But there was just something about her; it was like she needed to be protected. She's nearly a foot smaller than me; it's almost been like she was my child. No I don't mean a real child, more like some innocent kid. She was a virgin too. She was a virgin the night I took her. We weren't married yet, but we were engaged. 

Why am I torturing myself like this? She chose that Sam guy. Maybe I should punch him in the nose. No, he did what he did because he's a man. I can't blame him. She made her bed, now she can lie in it. Fuck her. But why did she do it? Christ she's not stupid, and I'm no needle dick. I went back to my new domicile, a shitty little motel room off the Interstate. What was I going to do next?

~~-v-~~

The next morning I got up and went to the motel's breakfast nook. I picked up a Danish, a fresh cup of coffee, and sidled my way out to my car where I opened the trunk and flipped up my cell phone. There were a lot messages on it, more than I could count, all from Sally. I closed it back up, turned it off, and tossed it back in the trunk. 

The next couple days were a blur as I just sort of hung out, got pissed, drank Scotch, and felt sorry for myself. By the end of the week I decided to change of my life again.

My first stop was a Walmart where I bought some inexpensive underwear, boxers for me, a new toothbrush and more shaving equipment. I thought about growing a mustache. I also picked up a couple pairs of jeans. Usually I bought Levis, but this time I bought Lee jeans. Lees came in several colors other than blue and black. I picked up a couple tan and one dark green pair. I'd never worn anything like that and thought it would be kind of neat. I also grabbed a few black Tee shirts. All my life I'd worn those cotton shirts with the fake collars, everyone knows about them, the ones that have the fucking alligator on them. They'd only been invented because golf courses insisted men wear shirts with collars. Hell I never liked golf, and I always felt stupid in those shirts. 

Don't get me wrong. I play golf. I'm good too, but I only play because that's where so many deals are made. 

Today I got what I liked. I also snatched a couple pairs of real work shoes and a couple bundles of white socks. That's right; I was fucking tired of buying overpriced tennis shoes. I decided if I never put on another pair of wing tipped shoes that was all right with me. I liked loafers; loafers without the tassels. I made my mind up right then and there I wasn't wearing anymore sweat pants, speedos, or any more of those phony high priced kinds of things, not any more. 

I loaded what I bought and headed back to our house. Today was Saturday, and I usually worked in the yard on Saturdays. I liked yard work, always did. 

I got home; I rummaged through my bags of shit till I found the things I wanted to wear. By the time I was ready Sally was at the front door.

Sally stood just outside the door, she chirped, "I called, but..."

She always talked and acted chirpy, like a little sparrow; especially when she wanted to be extra nice. Usually I enjoyed it, I mean the sound of her voice and the way she'd sort of flit around me, like a little bird she was. I recall I hadn't seen much of that lately. 

I brushed past her and went straight for the first floor bathroom. Sally followed me. I noticed the chirpy sparrow had been replaced; she'd become the helpless fawn, "John can we talk?"

I ignored her.

"I just put on a fresh pot of coffee."

"No thanks already had some."

"Want me to fix you some breakfast?"

"Not hungry," I noticed she was shifting from foot to foot like she had to pee.

"I can fry up some eggs..."

She wasn't wearing a bra and her little boobs were pressing against the thin material of the romper she had on. They kind of bounced when she talked. I didn't think she had any panties on either, because she had a little 'wedgy' up the front of her crease. 

I said, "Sorry, already ate," I stepped from the bathroom in my new jeans, black Tee shirt, brown work shoes and white socks. Of course no one would see the socks as the jeans were crumpled down over the shoes.

Sally looked at me, "John you look so...so...so handsome. I've never seen you like..."

I pushed by her, "Sorry, I need to get to the lawn."

Sally followed me out. From the corner of my eye I could see her tears. I almost caved. She said, "John please..."

I kept walking toward the shed in the backyard. She kept following, "John I quit my job."

That stopped me. I turned around, "You what?"

"I quit my job."

"Why'd you do that?"

"Oh John I hated my job," she held her arms out and started toward me

I put my hands up, "Stay away; don't get near me."

Sally abruptly stopped. She put her left hand to her lips. They started to quiver, "John...I."

I pointed to the kitchen door, "Go inside. I've got things to do. I'll be in for lunch."

Sally tried to smile but I could see she couldn't quite make it work. She said, "What can I fix you for lunch?"

I felt like shit. I wanted so much to just go to her, take her in my arms, and kiss the living shit out of her, but then, that guy Sam, what I saw...I regained control, "Just a sandwich, maybe some chips."

Sally nodded at me like I'd just given her a new Jaguar, I'd bought the Mustang for her by the way; then she ran back in the house.

I spent the morning riding my John Deere and thinking up ways I could punish her. The Deere ran fine, but my mind was running amuck. I guess it was about 10:00 a.m. I saw Sally pull away in her Mustang. I never thought a thing of it until about an hour later a cab pulled up in front of the house. I glanced over as Sally got out. She came back to where I was.

"John?"

I turned off the Deere and got off, "Yes, what?"

"I tried to use my credit cards and they wouldn't work. I tried to get home but ran out of gas. My cell phone wouldn't work either so I had to walk to a gas station and use their pay phone. They were mean and wouldn't lend me a gas can. John did you cancel my cards and my phone?"

I remember the other day doing just that. At the time I thought it would be great. I figured she'd get mad; she'd be her 'newer' bitchy self and yell and holler. Now I was looking at the 'old' Sally. She just looked hurt and scared. 

I replied, "Well yeah."

She started to cry, "John I have food in my car. I bought you ice cream."

Fuck! I brushed the grass off my pants, "Come on I'll drive you to your car." I grabbed the still half full gas can, and we both climbed in my Lexus and started down the driveway, "Where are you parked?"

"I had to leave it in the street. I'm sorry. I ran out of gas."

"Shit," I said, "You're sorry. I know you're sorry. You're one sorry fucking woman; one sorry assed fucking excuse for a wife, a real piece of shit, a worthless sorry assed piece of no good dishonest, lying, cheating hunk of gooey green shit. You shouldn't be driving it anyway. I cancelled your insurance," I watched her out of the corner of my eye as she collapsed.

Sally dropped her head in her hands and started crying, "John I saw there was a letter from some lawyer in the mail this morning. It said something about 'domestic' stuff on the envelope. I didn't open it though. Honest I didn't," she leaned around, reached over the console, and put her hands on my right thigh, "John please...I didn't...I mean...oh I know...John can't we talk?"

I kept driving. I said, Fuck you and no!" I was listening though. I kept wondering, why'd the fuck did she do it?

Sally's lower lip was all over the place. Her eyes were spilling water like Niagara Falls. Her cheeks and face were puffy and red. Finally she said, "John please can't we just talk? John I'm so sorry. Please can't we talk?" 

I pulled to the side of the road, "Listen Sally. Let's get your car, and go back home. You can fix lunch, and I'll think about it."

She managed to stop crying, "OK John, anything you say, and John...you know I love you..."

I thought, yeah right. We drove on, got her car, I dumped in a gallon of gas, and we sneaked it back to our house without being pulled over. I went back to the yard and restarted the lawn tractor. Sally went in and fixed lunch. While I rode around on my Deere I more or less made up my mind what I was going to do. I'd tell Sally when I went in for lunch.

Sally came out about forty minutes later. She waved at me. I rode my Deere up to the back porch, turned it off, got off, climbed the three steps to the porch and followed her inside. When I got in I saw she'd made each of us a BLT, and she'd purchased several kinds of chips. I sat down. She handed me a tall glass of iced tea. It was one of the things we'd agreed to long ago. Whenever I was using yard machinery, whether it was the mower, weed whacker, chain saw or whatever I wouldn't drink anything alcoholic. 

We both sat down at the table. Sally folded her hands to say grace; I thought about that, church and things like grace had been things we'd stopped doing. She said grace, and then we quietly ate.

After I finished my BLT Sally started to say something, but I held up my hand to stop her, "No, I have something to say."

Sally put her sandwich down; she folded her hands in her lap, and kind of looked down. I thought she looked really pretty; more like my 'old Sally'. I started, "I'm really mad at you." 

She looked up at me with those big brown cow eyes of hers. I wondered if she knew how pretty I thought she was. I wondered if I told her anything like that lately. I couldn't remember when the last time was I had. I know I'd been working really hard. We'd been on a hugely important job; a contract we'd been working on for months, a contract that was vitally important for our company's success. Had I been neglecting her? I thought she knew how I felt. Crap, what difference did it make? I saw how much she thought of me. 

Well I knew what she did sure wasn't my fault. I went on, "Like I said you've made me really mad. You really hurt me." I could see she understood. I could see it in her eyes and in her demeanor, "Sally I've just about given up on us. I mean there's not much you could have done that would have been worse. And yes I went to see a lawyer. We talked. I honestly don't know. He said some things. Mostly he said to go slow and stay calm," Of course, he hadn't really, but she sure didn't know that.

I went on, "Right now I've taken a room someplace. When I finish the lawn I'll be leaving, but I'll be back Monday evening. Maybe by Monday I'll have come to some sort of decision. Meanwhile you stay home. I'll reinstate your car insurance Monday. About the credit cards; you'll have enough money in the checking for now, but if I decide to move on you'll need to get your own cards," I paused and then continued, "I'll do this for you. I'll stop back Monday night. You'll be able to say what you want then, but don't count on anything. Face it Sally; you fucked up. I don't see much hope here."

I watched her as she clenched and unclenched her hands. I didn't know who I was watching; was it my old girl or was it the new bitch? Well one way or the other. I got up, went back outside, finished the lawn, parked my Deere in the shed, and left.

~~-v-~~

I had a lot on my mind as I drove back to my motel room. Mertz had made it pretty clear divorce was a costly option; it would cost money, but there were emotional costs too. I was conflicted; my pride told me one thing, but my heart said another. 

I'd been scrupulously faithful to Sally throughout our entire marriage. Oh I had my chances, gee did I have the opportunities, but I'd never given in. I'd never succumbed. Sally on the other hand had; she'd jumped that Sam guy right off the bat. Had it been right off the bat? I wondered. I could still see her head bouncing up and down, her feet in the air, and the needle dick remark. Well shit I could throw the needle dick thing right out. I didn't really know how big I was, or how big anybody else was for that matter, but I knew I was more than enough for Sally. 

Sally, she was tiny; her little tunnel was narrow and short. I'd always been careful about that; I mean about not hurting her, her cervix was so close to the front. It would have been easy to really hurt her. Of course, I'd never do anything like that. I mean I knew I could really ram it home, really pound it in, but why do something like that? There'd been women, other women, women I'd known before Sally. Yeah there were women who could take everything I had, but not Sally. 

I wondered; had I been too gentle? I always figured her to be kind of delicate, sort of fragile. She sure wasn't acting fragile with old Sammy boy was she? That thought gave me pause. Sally was always so tight, but over the phone old Sammy boy was sliding in and out like she was the Holland Tunnel. Oh yeah, I knew who the real needle dick was; yeah, Sammy the bug fucker, ha ha. The bitch! Shit, if we ever had kids that'd be something. I can imagine a nine pound baby barreling down through that thin little tube. 

I called out sick Monday morning. Mellisa got the phone and laughed. I guess she figured Sally and I had really torn one open. That was another thing that occurred to me. I think Mellisa had only met Sally one time. In fact I was sure of it. Come to mind; whenever my office had a function, a party, a barbecue, even just a little get together Sally found a way to beg off. I think Sally had been to only one activity, and that had been like some years ago? Why didn't she ever want go? She never really said. I wondered.

By Monday afternoon I not only was ready to listen to Sally, but I had a few questions of my own, and not just questions about her and that guy Sam. There were other things. I really wondered why she did it. I wondered why I even cared.

~~-v-~~

I slipped on a pair of my new jeans, another black Tee shirt, my work shoes, and drove home. I'd been checking the Internet, and I'd been reading about how other men felt when they'd caught their wives cheating. I had to admit I had many of those same feelings. I mean it was something of an ego hit, a big hit actually, and my trust in Sally was on the table or more realistically not so much on the table as in the toilet. 

Yeah, the trust thing; that was big, real big. At first, because of the Sam thing I had started to have doubts about her fidelity before this Sam, but, except for the bitchiness of the last few months, I just didn't see any other signs. Sally had always been timid about sex, and that timidity hadn't changed one way or the other. I respected that, besides I'd been away so much the last few months I didn't know if I could make a real judgment. I know she hated it when I had to leave town, but there was the big contract. I wasn't making any sense, and I knew it. 

But another thing was the promises we'd made. We'd promised to be loyal to each other. I'd been loyal; it was Sally who'd crossed the line. Could I forgive that? I didn't know. It was a big thing; maybe the biggest thing. 

I guessed shit, fuck that, I knew what the biggest thing was, it was what I saw. I mean her head bobbing up and down, up and down, and her feet up in the air. I'd been lying in bed and replaying it, over and over and over again. I think what was just as bad, no worse actually was when she took the back of her hand and wiped his semen off her face. Well at least she didn't lick it off her hand. I wasn't sure about that though; she hadn't, had she? Those things, the visual things; they made me physically sick. I doubted if I'd ever get over them. I wished she hadn't gotten in the back of his car when they were in front of our house. Gee, if only she fought him off a little more. Yeah it was the things I saw that hurt the most. 

There was one thing I read that didn't hit me. Other men said they'd stopped thinking of their house as being theirs anymore. I guess it was mostly those men who'd seen something inside their house. 

As I pulled up to my house I knew I still thought of it as my home. We'd been married a while, but we'd only been in the house about three years. It was a starter home for us. I loved it of course; everything in it was ours, and ours really for the first time. I used to laugh and tell my colleagues that everywhere I looked I saw something that needed to be fixed. I mean there was a broken bi-fold door on the linen closet, the cracks in the driveway macadam, the fact that some prior owner had painted some of the windows so they wouldn't open anymore. These were things I could fix; things I wanted to fix. Gee I wished I had more free time.

I pulled in the drive, got out of the car, went up the walk, and let myself in. Sally was in the kitchen fixing dinner. I'd completely forgotten about that possibility, and I'd picked up something at a fast food place and ate it on the way over. I hoped I had enough room for what Sally was making; it looked like she was broiling steaks. Damn I loved a good steak smothered in onions, and Sally knew just how I liked them. She was a good cook, a terrific cook. 

She had a real domestic bent. That was something; I knew she'd make a great mom someday. I wondered; if I stayed would they even be my kids? I just didn't know. Could I ever trust her again?




Sally's Trip to the Theater



I stepped to the kitchen. She hadn't heard me so I tapped on the wall. She turned around, gasped a little I guess. She put her hand to her chest. Sally had what I'd call smallish breasts. They were pretty, well-shaped, like two pretty little pears, small maybe, but I had to admit they were just the way I liked them. I gave her what I was afraid was a somewhat tentative smile, "Did I scare you?"

She woofed, "Yes, but come in and sit down. Can I get you a beer, a drink?"

I stepped over and took my usual place, "No, I think I'll just sit and watch you," she blushed.

Sally got the steaks out. She got the onions off the stove top, and pulled out two baked potatoes she'd had in the microwave, "I have some fresh string beans ready. Let me warm them up in the microwave."

I waited while she finished. It was just another minute, and she and I were seated at our kitchen table having dinner just like it was any other day in the week, it wasn't though. We ate, boy the steak was good, and then we scraped the dishes and put them in the dishwasher together just like we'd done hundreds of times before. 

When we finished I asked her, "Where do you want to do this?"

She said, "How about the living room?"

Together we got up and went to the living room. I sat down first. I sat on the sofa. She sat down beside me. 

I looked at her, "OK."

Sally clamped her hands together on her lap. She looked at me. She looked scared, "First I want to say I love you. I mean I don't just love you, I adore you. I don't want you to leave me. I want to be with you forever. I want to make your babies. And John, I'm scared."

I kept my cool, "OK, OK, let's get with it. Why'd you do it? How many other men have you been with? Was he all that good? I mean was he worth it? Was it worth ruining, no killing our marriage?"

She reached across to get one of my hands, but I pulled away, "No Sally tell me what's with you." 

Sally sort of cringed, "First until last week you were the only man. I never...," she hiccoughed, "before...I mean...you know," she coughed. It sounded like a cough..."and Sam...he...he was nothing," she seemed to be trying to catch her breath, "I mean nothing. It was nothing, like nothing," I watched her, she was holding her throat. I figured more phony tears. 

Sally seemed to be trying to catch her breath, she said, "I didn't like it. The whole time he...he was doing me I kept thinking about you. I was dry. There was...well...no excitement...not like you. I was so mad at you...Look John," she started gasping for air. 

I watched her as she blushed. No that wasn't right! She was turning white! She sort of coughed again. No it wasn't a cough; it was a...God damn she was gasping for air! She was choking! She was trying to get up, to stand up.

I reached across and grabbed her by the arm. I pulled her over on my lap. I started pummeling her stomach with my fist. All at once she expectorated this mass of phlegm and a huge piece of steak. She kept coughing and wheezing. She wasn't crying, but her eyes were filled with tears. I took the hem of the apron she'd been wearing and wiped her mouth. Jesus I thought, fucking helpless! 

Sally leaned into me and started to weep, "Oh John...I know about your business trips. I know about what men do..."

I interrupted her, "You all right?"

She whimpered back, "Yes now, thank you." 

I got back on track, "What's that? What you just said. What do you mean, 'what men do, my business trips'?"

She sniffled. Shit she was on my lap. How did she wangle that? She said, "I heard the girls at my work. They used to talk. John I understand. I mean it's OK if..."

I was a little put off, "Understand what? What girls? What talk?"

"Oh John...I know. I don't care, not really. Well I do care, but..."

This was exasperating, "Sally, what the fuck are you talking about?"

She leaned back a little, "You and the other women, you know, your lovers."

"What the fuck? What lovers?"

"I know John. The girls explained it to me. You're a man. You have needs. Me, I'm just...you know..."

I was really royally 'fucking A' pissed to shit! I yelled at her, I got right in her face and yelled, "Other fucking women! Sally there are no other fucking women. Not in my life!"

She was scared. I'd scared her. Fuck! Why couldn't she have been scared a week ago?

Sally murmured, "The girls at work said...they said when you went on your trips you...you know..."

"No I don't know Sally. Why don't you tell me?"

"They said you probably met up with one of the women you work with, that you...you know...have sex."

I never heard such bullshit. She had to be making this up. I wondered who she'd been talking to. This story was just too good. I told her, "Sally stop this stupid bullshit. If you think some wild assed story like this is going to get me to...," I stared at her. Sally wasn't lying! This wasn't some made up story. She really thought..., "Sally that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard you say," she started coughing again, "You're not choking again?"

She shook her head no. 

"Sally I admit I fooled around. I fooled around quite a bit before we got married, but since we got married I've never even seriously looked at another woman. OK I admit I look, but I've never once considered doing anything."

She replied very quietly. It was a small childlike voice, "You haven't?"

"No Sally I haven't, and don't tell me you hooked up with that Sam guy because you thought I was."

I watched her as she sighed deeply. She was trembling, "No, that wasn't why, not exactly," she looked at me like she was some little kid, "I just got mad. I mean I thought you were...you know...well...I thought I needed to...well...do something, something to get you back before you...," she sniffled, "before you left me. I mean before you chose someone else. I thought; well I thought first the play, and then later we could, and I could, and you would," she started whimpering, "but you called and said you were leaving again, and then you said you didn't give a rat fuck about the play...or...or anything. At first I wanted to cry, but then I got mad, really mad. I mean really mad. I decided I'd show you. I'd show you good. That's when I decided to...well... Then you said to bring your bag to the airport. That's when I decided to find someone...someone I could throw in your face. I asked around, but Sam was the only one. No one else took me seriously. Most only laughed." 

That sort of aggravated me too. Who would laugh at a chance at my wife? Gee, was I stupid, "So you got this guy Sam, and he fucked you."

Sally looked down. She wouldn't look at me, "Yes I guess so, I guess."

"You guess. He fucked you Sally. I saw him fuck you, and I saw you suck him off."

She kept looking away, but this time she nodded, "I suppose I did. I guess. I mean I did yes. But I didn't like it. John I didn't mean it. No, I don't know. I just...he was smaller than you, and all I thought about was how mad I was. I didn't even think about him, or what I was doing, or what we were doing at all. I just kept thinking about what you said...anyway, he might have fucked me, but I didn't fuck him back."

"What I said? Are you stupid? Not fuck him back? His dick was inside you. Why'd you even do it anyway?"

"The 'rat fuck' thing."

I was thoroughly and totally angry, "Sally didn't it ever occur to you that you were throwing away our marriage? Didn't it ever occur to you I might have been busting my ass for us? Didn't it ever cross your amoeba sized brain that you might be hurting me in the worst way?"

She really started crying then, "No, yes, I mean no, I mean...Oh John you have all those beautiful women around you. I saw them at that one party. They're all crazy about you. John you're so handsome. You could have any one of them. I hear people talk when we go out. I hear what they say about you...about me. They see you. Then they see me. I hear them; they say 'what's he doing with her'?"

I listened, but I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

She kept going on and on, "You could have anybody. You're Brad Pitt. Me, I'm Gilda Radner," she started crying again.

I was so angry. I yelled at her, "Stop crying. You're just feeling sorry for yourself, and who the hell is Gilda Radner?"

Sally sniffled some more, she wiped her eyes with her sleeve, "I'm sorry for crying so much. Gilda Radner was a star on that Saturday Night Live Show back in the 1970's."

I was stumped, "Shit Sally, that was before I was born. Christ you're younger than me. How did you come up with someone like that?"

"My dad used to lie around the house all day. He'd bought these tapes of all the old shows. He used to make me and my brothers and sisters watch," Sally sort of smiled, "Sometimes they were funny. Gilda Radner was one of the people. She died of something, cancer I think. She was ugly like me."

I shouted at her, "Sally you are one stupid broad! You are not ugly. You're beautiful! I think you're absolutely totally breathtakingly beautiful. Holy Jesus shit Sally! I married you didn't I?"

She got real quiet again. I could barely hear her as she murmured, "Yes."

I had to leave. I had to get out of there, "Sally I'm leaving," I watched her, and realized right away I'd made a mistake, "no I'm not leaving for good. I'm leaving tonight. You're not making any sense. I'll call you later in the week. Meanwhile you just stay home here and try to figure out what you want."

She jumped up at that, "I already know. I want you!"

"Sally get your head out of your ass," I got up to leave, "I'll call you in a couple days," I marched with great deliberation straight toward the front door. At the door I turned, "Oh, and yeah. I really liked the steak," with that I opened the front door and left. Jesus, I thought; if this isn't a mucked up fess.

~~-v-~~

It was Tuesday; time to go back to work. When I walked in the front of the office I was rushed by a crowd of fellow employees. They surrounded me and I was battered with a cacophony of chatter and back slaps. Finally Mellisa got to me, John you've got to go right in and see the boss."

I was dumbfounded. I thought I'd done all right the previous week. Had something gone wrong? I asked Mellisa, "What wrong?"

She smiled at me, "Just go see the boss."

I stepped to the boss's office door and knocked. Mellisa was behind me, "No just go in."

I went in. The boss, Richard Gronier, got up from his chair and walked around. He grabbed my hand, "My boy you're marvelous!"

"Marvelous? Me? What?"

"I'm so proud of you. You didn't just hit a homerun last week; you hit a grand slam."

"I did?"

My boss started talking, "Well since we; I mean since you pulled down that Boston Johnson account our phones have been ringing off the hook. The local J.P.B. people want us, and we got a call from Pennsylvania, you know the big H.D.K. account. Not only that we got a nibble from the Stang group. Even H.I.V. way back in Virginia gave us a call. I tell you John; you're success with Johnson is bringing them in from all over. Hell I might have to give you that promotion I've been hinting at."

"Shit boss; that's great!"

"You said it son. Now see here; we're arranging a big party for this Friday night. I mean a real feast. I'm bringing in all our people. This is big. We need to share this with everyone, and I want you and your lovely wife to be there."

I was numb, "Sure boss; we'll be there." The rest of the day was a blur. I know I worked: I just couldn't remember what it was I did. Later as I got in my car I wondered what to do about my wife. Sally and I weren't the sure thing my boss thought we were. Even if we were she'd made it kind of clear she was afraid to be seen with me at my work; she was afraid she'd look bad when compared to the 'so-called' babes I worked with.

I decided to drive home. I'd decided. Sally was going to the big bash Friday night, and I'd see to it she'd be the belle of the ball. If she demurred then that would be it; I'd dump her.

One thing I'd let slide about Sally was her appearance. It wasn't that she looked bad or anything; it was just that most of her clothes never seemed to quite work. Everything just seemed to hang on her; like everything was just a size too large. That wasn't always, but it seemed that way sometimes, especially the last year or so. I had to straighten that out. 

I called her on my way home and told her to get dressed, that she and I were going out for a little while. I could tell by the tone of her voice; her hesitant, I'd say tremulous tone, that she wasn't especially excited about the prospect.

When I got home and walked in the living room I saw she was already dressed and waiting for me. I recognized the outfit. It was a nice suit; one of her work dos, a pretty A-line skirt, an angular button up white blouse, and a smart looking jacket. The only thing wrong with it was the thing just looked to be about one size too large. I mean her neck was lost in the collar, the skirt's material, though only cotton, seemed to overwhelm her legs, and the jacket was way too large across her shoulders. I guessed Sally just didn't know what looked good on her. I'd made up my mind. I was going to start to fix that tonight. Shit I'd either been too busy to notice, or too nice to comment for way too long. I had her now, and I was going to do something about it. 

Nordstrom had a place over at Cherry Creek. I waved at Sally, "Come on. We've got some shopping to do."

She picked up her 'way to large' pocket book and asked, "Where're we going?"

"Nordstrom's', I replied.

Sally reacted, "Nordstrom's? Nordstrom's! They're way too expensive! I don't need anything, and you don't shop there!"

I tugged her out the door and pulled her down to the Mustang, "Yes you do, and that's where we're going."

I got her in the car, and off we went. I must say we shopped and shopped. We nearly bought out the store. Luckily I found out pretty quick what the problem was. Sally felt that, since she was an adult and over thirty she should be buying in the women's department. There was only one problem with that. Everything in the women's department was too large. We scouted the place out. I found a sales lady, and we started to hit some of the other departments. They had a 'contemporary' department, a junior department, a deb shop, and a very nice department that carried children's apparel that fit Sally quite nicely. 

At first Sally was mortified, but I made it clear this was going to be one of the conditions of any rapprochement. Once that was understood things went more smoothly. I saw to it that she had more than enough stuff, and that everything fit just the way I wanted it. After a while Sally got in the swing of it; she started to enjoy herself, she was like a kid.

While I watched her it dawned on me that, while I was probably overdressed, and stuffed into suits and such that were way too expensive for someone with my kind of job, Sally had compensated for my extravagance by being overly parsimonious in her clothing choices. I knew she'd always had decent taste; she'd just put her interests aside in an attempt to save money so there'd be more for me. That I decided, if we tried to make a go of it, would come to an end.

While we shopped I wangled her into an especially pretty dress. It was made of a very finely woven linen. It was light brown, and a good match for her hair and eyes. It wasn't a mini-dress, but the hem did come just above the knee. It buttoned up the back, but had a very feminine peter pan collar, slightly capped shoulders, and three quarter length sleeves with delightful cuffs that matched the size of the collar. The dress had what the sales lady called a 'shelf bra'. I liked it. I got Sally to buy a pair of shoes with low two inch heels with thin straps across the top front of her ankles. We got a variety of colors of panty hose too, but mostly I liked the slightly darker browns.

Once we were finished and we were leaving the store Sally asked me, "What was all this about?"

I told her, "First if you're worried about the way you look, the best way to solve that problem is to buy clothes that I know you'll look good in because I know I like them. And second, that one pretty dress we got, the brown one? Well you're wearing that this Friday night when we go to my office party," I watched Sally pale visibly at that.

We drove home pretty much in silence. I suggested we stop for something to eat, but Sally said she was too tired. I guessed she was after all the putting on and taking off she'd been doing. Once I'd helped her get everything we'd bought inside the house I left. I was tired too. The only difference was; Sally would be able to stay home and sleep late, while I still had a job.

I reflected on the last thing she said to me once we'd gotten everything in and I was about to leave. She didn't say she loved me or that she was sorry; she just said she'd understand if I left her. She said she'd always known one day I'd leave. I didn't ask her why she thought that. I already had that figured out. 

~~-v-~~ 

The next several work days were good; the time went fast. The boss was right; new clients were clamoring to get on board. The nights were another matter. Wednesday was especially bad. Gee, it had only been a week since the day and night of Sam. 

I recalled all the comments other betrayed and deceived husbands had mentioned. It had taken them months, years, and sometimes they never got beyond their initial suffering. Here I'd only been a week and I'd almost completely forgiven her. I hadn't forgotten yet, but yes forgiveness could be close at hand. 

Why was I so amenable to forgiveness? Was I that shallow that what she'd done didn't matter? I didn't think I was shallow, but I did wonder. I think the biggest thing was that I believed her. I believed this was her only time. I believed her when she said anger was what had driven her, and I believed her when she opened up about her insecurities.

I had to admit some things to myself too. First, though I'd never tell her, I had to agree with Sally when she said she wasn't pretty. Sally wasn't attractive in the classic sense. She was right when she said she was a mousy, introverted, overmuch self-conscious, and insecure person. I also had to admit that, though I really loved her, I never said or did anything to encourage her to step out of that shell of inferiority she'd built around herself. I had to admit it had been cruelly self-serving for me to let her wallow in her fears. 

I had other things I had to answer for too. For one I'd known she'd put a lot of stock in going to that play, yet I'd never bothered to even find out what play it was. I spent some time and looked up what plays had been showing around the city just a week ago. To my surprise there hadn't been all that much out there and those that were available weren't sold out. So what was the big deal? 

It took a stroke of luck; it couldn't have been genius for me to come up with what she wanted me to see. The University of Colorado in Denver's drama department had prepared a showing of the Shakespearean play "Troilus and Cressida". They'd only planned a few showings, but they'd been planning and rehearsing for months, and they'd set the thing for just last week. Moreover, several professors had decided to use the play as part of their course requirements. The play had been sold out. 

Troilus and Cressida had been a side story in the greater story of the Iliad, and the Iliad, I knew this was a stretch, was the story of a war between the Greeks and the eastern city of Troy, a city many believe was an outpost of the Hittite Empire. 

This I figured was where the stretch came in. Sally and I first met in a library where I was searching for literature related to the Persian Wars. In a way it made sense; Sally had found something centered on the Aegean Sea, a region whose history I'd always had an interest in. Though I doubted if there'd been a two month wait; tickets to that play had been at a premium. 




Sally's Trip to the Theater



If Sally was looking for a way to reignite what she feared was my lost affection, what better way than to find something that connected us back to where we began, back to the library and our first meeting. Gee, it had been a 'big deal' for her! 

It must have really hurt when I'd said I didn't give a 'rat fuck'. Shit it was something she'd put her whole heart and soul into. Yeah, without knowing I'd broken her heart. She'd planned a special evening, and I'd, though unknowingly, had callously crushed her. But why hadn't she told me? I knew why; it was supposed to be a surprise. To her my 'rat fuck' plus the business trip wasn't just thoughtless; it was downright cruel. 

I knew what I had to do. I had to find a way to punish her, but it had to be something she'd see as fair, but also something that would allow us to put this single tragic event in a box and move on. I had something figured out; it would all come together Friday night and Saturday. I didn't think what I had in mind would ever bury what I saw, and how I felt about it, but what the fuck, I knew I loved her. I'd chance it. I'd suck it up.

~~-v-~~

Friday afternoon finally arrived. I took off early, everybody else did too, and I drove straight home. When I got there Sally was up to her old tricks. She gave me one of her 'wan smiles', and said, "John I don't feel well. Maybe we could just stay home." 

Of course I knew what this was about, "No Sally we're going and I want you to wear that pretty light brown dress we got you the other night."

"John that's not an appropriate party dress; I'll look childish and silly."

"Sally you're right and wrong. For sure there'll be lots of cleavage and thigh on display tonight. I'm certain quite a few of the women will be putting on a show, but you won't be childish or silly, you'll look like a young married woman who is dressed to please her husband."

"John I don't want to wear that dress. Let me choose something else."

"No Sally you're going to look the way you should. Come on, you're small; you can't compete with a bunch of big breasted blonds. You're who you are. You're gorgeous when you don't try to be something you aren't."

"John."

"Sally."

"Oh."

I got her to wear the dress, and we went to the party. Sure enough the place was loaded with low cut high hemmed black and red dresses, but there was only one Sally and she looked adorable, at least she did to me. 

I decided to add one more dimension. Just before we went inside I took out a jewelry box and showed her a large ruby pendant I'd bought just for this occasion. I'd bought it that very afternoon. I placed the thing around her neck. It drooped daintily just a few inches down the front of her chest. The red stone glittered and shone brightly between her tiny breasts. It accentuated the delicate curve of her upper body, and gave her a soft feminine, dare I say concupiscent, look that drew men's eyes in the direction I intended. 

I wore a dark brown suit that matched her dress. I stayed at her side the entire night. When other men asked for a dance I graciously shared her hand, but I never strayed. If I couldn't dance with my wife, I just didn't dance. She noticed too.

As the night wore on Sally and I were both swept up in the emotion of the evening. I hadn't seen her this happy in quite some time. I was glad too, because later I had a punishment planned for her. We danced and danced. I loved holding her body close to mine. She was nearly a foot shorter than me, and if I leaned down slightly and she leaned up, her head pressed snugly under my chin. People noticed that too.

Her hair was in a tight bun; it had a soft, I'd say a subtle floral scent. It was combed back so tightly against her scalp that her petite well shaped ears were fully revealed; delicate gold hoops dangled from her lobes. They splashed a brilliant light with her every move. 

Her smallish breasts were pushed up and out by the garment's finely woven shelf bra. They felt invitingly firm against my upper abdomen, and as she slowly swayed back and forth across my torso I felt very much a man. The ruby pendant hung invitingly between her two twin orbs, and created a gentle swale that accentuated her femininity. 

Did Sally feel self-conscious? Yes she was self-conscious. I don't think she'd ever had so many men look at her the way they did; many stared hungrily. She alternately blanched and blushed. She may not have been the belle of the ball, but she was certainly a hit. As we danced I discreetly watched as my male colleagues cast ravening looks in her direction. I was proud she was my woman. 

~~-v-~~

We left shortly after midnight. Sally was exhausted, and I have to admit that I was pretty tired too. I got her home, took her upstairs, and helped her undress.

Once we were both undressed Sally came toward me, but I held her off, I said, "Sally you've been bad, very bad, and I need to punish you."

She looked confused, "What are you going to do?" 

I told her, "Reach under your side of the bed."

She walked back, knelt down, reached under the bed and found the instrument of her doom. She pulled out the orange paddle I had placed there earlier. Holding it in her hands nervously she got back up and unsteadily walked back toward me, she asked, "What are you going to do with this?"

I replied, "Give me the paddle then come here and bend over my lap."

She instinctively stepped back, "No."

I repeated, "Come here."

She whispered, "John no, please."

Pointing to my lap I said again, "Here, now."

She shakily stepped forward.

I took her left hand and gently pulled so that her stomach pressed against my lap, "Now Sally I'm going to repay you for some of the pain you've caused me."

She sniveled, "John no, please don't."

"This is going to hurt Sally," she started to cry. I raised the paddle high and brought it down viciously against her left cheek. There was a loud smack. I think the swiftness and the ferocity of my first strike stunned her. She didn't cry out at first. Then when the paddle fell on her right cheek she moaned. I'd hoped for more, but pretty soon she was bellowing and screaming. I brought the paddle down repeatedly, again and again. I didn't bother to count. I hit her bottom as hard as I could. My pent up anger, my pain, more and more of the tense emotion and fury that had been stored up over the past week was unleashed as I pummeled her tiny ass. I savagely altered her rearmost contours; they went from their original delightful pale pink, first to a dark pink, then to pale red, transformed next to a deeper red, then to dark crimson, and last to an angry deep bluish black. I felt my anger, my rage slowly dissipate. At last, after for her what must have seemed like hours, but in reality was only a few short minutes I stopped. 

The paddle had done its job. She rolled off my lap and scrunched down to her knees. She clung desperately to my legs, "Oh John please. I'm so sorry," she cried as she stammered, "John, John...let me be your wife, let me stay your wife," she gasped and whimpered over and over, "I'm so sorry, sorry, please forgive me, please John let me stay. I love you so..."

I looked down at her. She appeared so helpless. I felt like a sadistic bastard, but I felt good too. I'd had a degree of retribution. I reached down and lifted her off the floor. I carried her to our bed and laid her face down, on her stomach, "Don't move," I said. I went to the bathroom and obtained the aloe we kept in the medicine cabinet. I lay down beside her, and after warming the medication with my hand I carefully spread it over her ravaged cheeks. She wept as I massaged the cream into her brutalized flesh.

At last I gently helped her roll so that she was facing me, "I love you Sally. I forgive you. I also forgive myself. I realize I've been blind." 

I took my hand and wiped her face. I wiped my fingers across her now matted but still soft and fragrant hair, "I'm going to show my love for you every day from now on. I promise, you'll never feel neglected or overlooked again. You're mine, and I want you to know you'll never doubt that again, not ever. And remember, not for one minute that there could ever be anyone else. You're who I want, just you, only you."

I pulled her close. She responded. We lay there together, side by side. I was already fully erect. We kissed. I always loved the soft feel of her lips on mine. Lying side by side, facing each other, I slowly pressed against her, I pressed myself inside her. She was tight, tiny, but she was wet. She was ready for me. I slowly pushed myself in, deeper and deeper. I reached the limit of her woman's cave. I felt the head of my penis against her cervix. I continued to push, further, as deep as I could go. Still I wasn't able to get completely inside. I'd never had. It didn't matter; it never mattered before, not to me.

I felt her respond. She pushed back against me. She wrapped her hands around my neck; her right leg she lapped over my left. We were two people, but we were one and the same. Back and forth, in and out, this time we enjoyed a different dance. Earlier it had been on the dance floor at a club, it had been a waltz; now we danced to a different rhythm. We were both hot, and wet, and filled with love.

~~-v-~~

When morning came I couldn't recall how much, how many, or how deeply we'd made love. I know I was sorer than shit. I rolled over and checked the clock; it was after 11:00 a.m. I heard Sally singing downstairs. I realized there were a few more things to do. I climbed out of bed, slipped on a pair of boxers and went downstairs. This was the final payoff.

I reached the kitchen just as she placed a coffee in front of me, "Sally," I said, "there are a few more things."

She took a cup of her own, but remained standing, "Yes my darling?"

I want you to first take all your birth control devices, the diaphragm, the morning after pills, any other birth control devices you might have, and I want you to throw them all away. Second, forget about looking for any kind of new job. Beginning today we go to work on building our family. We already have the names; now we need to make the children who'll own them," I watched as her eyes filled with water. 

"One last thing; we need to get dressed. There' something I have to show you." 

After a few more swallows of coffee and several 'morning mouth' kisses we went upstairs, shared a warm shower, I rubbed in some more aloe, we brushed our hair and our teeth, and got dressed. She wore a cute comfort fitting slip over dress. I slipped on anther Tee shirt, a pair of tan jeans, some white socks, and my work shoes. 

We took Sally's Mustang and we drove out north and west of the city. Sally had no idea where we were going or what I had in mind. After a lengthy drive we left the main road and drove up a back lane till we reached 'the place'. 

I told her, "Stop here," I walked around and helped her from the car. I took her hand and we walked across the open space to the acreage I'd been paying on. I asked her, "What do you think?"

She looked out; to the north and west were the Rocky Mountains, not far off was downtown Boulder, off to the southeast in the distance was Denver. We weren't far from the Flatirons, and just off a short distance was a creek that fed the South Platte River. She was holding my hand, she wistfully murmured, "It's beautiful here."

I squeezed her hand, "It's ours, or it will be after a few more payments."

She looked at me; first in surprise and then adoringly, "You mean?"

"Yeah I saw the area and fell in love with it. It's a nice lot, six acres," I pointed to a copse of trees, "I thought maybe we could build over there."

She closed the short distance that separated us. She wrapped her arms around my waist and pressed her head to my chest, "Oh John..."

And that's where it ends. 

~~-v-~~

Well I guess you got to the end. I want to thank Bob for letting me write this. I gave the story the end I did mainly because of the way most of Bob's stories generally end. If you've ever noticed; those stories that he writes that do actually definitively have a conclusion most often end up with some level of reconciliation or if not reconciliation without rancor. He's been known to burn a 'B' or two, but more often he tends to be generous. There are those who might consider that wimpish; I think it's admirable. 

Alas, for those readers who expect literality I did take some minor cosmetic license. In Bob's account there's no mention of Sally having a job, but in mine I gave her one, and that was where she found Sam. In Bob's account she'd called around. Since there was no precise reference as what 'called around' meant I thought I could get away with the way I wrote it. Also in Bob's account Sally told John Sam might stay over that night after the play. Since John never absolutely knew Sam had stayed the night, I gave John a pass on Sally having had sex in his house. Bob had Sally be quite the shrew. In the sequel she's more a desperate mouse than shrew. As Bob's account was almost all action we never got a clear description of what John and Sally looked like so I got to turn John into a 'hunk' and Sally into someone a lot less sexy. If I missed something else, please don't take umbrage.

Please leave a comment. Vote if you're inclined. If you didn't like it say so, but tell me why. I know I've been pretty thin skinned in the past, but I'm trying to do better. And Harry, if you read it; I hope I get a comment from you too. 

And one last p.s.: 

I haven't been to Denver in many years, and that was just a short stopover on my way to the west coast. I do remember how beautiful Colorado is, but I'm kind of fuzzy on the specifics. Of course, it's grown a lot since I was there. Please don't hold my geographic ignorance against me.

Carvohi



Sally's Trip to the Theatre



For me, the day started out bad and got progressively worse. The clock didn't go off when it was supposed to and when I woke up I was already half an hour late for work. I skipped breakfast and with only a cup of black coffee for sustenance I jumped in my car only to find that the battery was dead. It cost me $55 to get the service station to send over a guy to give me a jump-start and when I finally got down town I couldn't find a place to park. I had to settle for one of the rip-off parking lots that hosed me $30 for the day. In the elevator on the way up to the 16th floor I rehearsed my excuses for being late, but I fully expected to have my butt reamed regardless of what I said so I was pleasantly surprised when my boss caught me coming off the elevator and greeted me with:

"John! Thank God you're here. Come into my office." 

As I followed him to his office I thought things might be looking up, but that hope was dashed as soon as the door closed behind us.

"The client called and is very unhappy with the proposal we sent. You have to fly out there this afternoon and see what we can do to salvage the account. Mellisa has your tickets and itinerary, and John - don't fuck this up. If we lose Johnson heads will roll."

Great I thought, just fucking great! If we lose the account, and it sounds as if we already have, and I'm the last guy to have talked to the client, guess who will get the blame. Add to that the fact that I'm terrified of flying and that my wife has been waiting two months to see the play I'm supposed to take her to see tonight, and I could see my entire life going to hell in a hand basket.

I found Mellisa, the bosses' secretary, and got my tickets and travel schedule and noticed that my luck was still running true to form - coach instead of business class or first class. Mellisa noticed my expression and said:

"Sorry John. That is all that was available on such short notice."

I gave her a weak smile and said, "Don't sweat it Mel. I'll let you make it up to me some time. You can buy me a drink if I survive this mess." 

I sat down at my desk and grabbed the phone and called home knowing that the conversation I was about to have was not going to be pleasant. When Sally answered I told her what happened and asked her to pack me a bag and meet me at the airport.

"John, you can't do this to me," she yelled, "It took me three months to get the tickets for tonight's show and I've waited for the last two months for tonight to get here." 

And then I did a bad thing. The day's frustrations had built up in me and I lost it.

"I don't give a rat's fuck about that goddamn play! My fucking career is on the line here and if I don't pull this off I'm going to be out of a job and I'm here to tell you that jobs that pay eighty grand a year don't grow on trees. Now please pack me that fucking bag and meet me at the airport."

There was silence on the other end of the phone for several moments and then in a very controlled voice Sally said, "You'll get your fucking bag and maybe a few other things you didn't bargain for" and she hung up.

++++++++++++++++++++

I was at the gate nervously pacing back and forth because it was only ten minutes until flight time and Sally hadn't shown up yet. She arrived just as they made the last call for boarding and without a word she tossed me the bag. I went to kiss her, but she stepped back and said:

"We don't have time for things like that, you have to rush off and save your precious job." 

This pissed me off and so instead of trying to reason with her I just turned and boarded the aircraft. As luck would have it, bad luck of course, I got a window seat on the terminal side of the aircraft and I could see Sally watching from the window as the plane pushed back. I saw a man I didn't recognize walk up next to her, put his arm around her and then the two of them turned and walked away. With a sinking feeling in my heart I settled into my cramped seat and wondered what else God had in store for me. I didn't have long to wait to find out as the speaker system came alive.

"This is the Captain speaking. We are experiencing some erratic indications on our engine instruments and we are returning to the gate. I apologize for the inconvenience, but your safety is our primary concern. I'll keep you informed." 

Five minutes after getting back to the gate the speaker squawked:

"This is the Captain. The problem is a little more serious than we thought and the aircraft is going to have to be taken to the maintenance hanger. Operations tells us that there will be another aircraft available in forty-five minutes so we are asking you to deplane at this time." 

Once off the airplane I got to a pay phone and called the office to let them know the situation and then I decided to get myself a drink. I entered one of the small airport bars and was just about to sit down when I saw Sally and the man who had put his arm around her sitting at a table. I probably should have just gone over there and surprised them, but something made me move to where I could keep an eye on them, but where they might not notice me. I ordered a scotch on the rocks, but before the drink arrived Sally and the man got up to leave. I threw a five on the table and got up to follow them. I don't know if my tailing techniques were all that good, or they were just too wrapped up in themselves to notice me, but I was able to follow them out to the rear corner of the short term parking lot where they got into a late model Ford Taurus.

I didn't see Sally's Mustang anywhere so I figured that the man must have driven her to the airport. I stood there aware that they were about to drive off and I would be unable to follow and I had just about decided to step out in front of them when I saw Sally lean over and disappear from view. From the way the man's head went back and his hands gripped the steering wheel I guessed that Sally was sucking his cock. With both of them distracted I gambled that I could move closer without being noticed and I eased my way forward until I could see Sally's head bobbing up and down in the man's lap. In only a few minutes (Sally is very good at giving head) the man took his hands from the steering wheel and put them on the back of Sally's head and held her in place while he came in her mouth. A minute later Sally sat up and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, the man started the car, and they drove off. Some where along the way my decision to step out in front of them and stop them had flown away and I just stood there and watched the taillights disappear.

+++++++++++++++++++

Back in the terminal I was informed that my flight would be leaving in five minutes and that I'd better hurry on board. I spent the entire flight sitting in my seat and staring out the window and seeing Sally's head bobbing up and down in the man's lap and wondering how long she had been screwing around on me. I'd always thought we had a good marriage and had cared for each other. Sure we had problems, but what marriage didn't? The sex was still good for both of us, or at least I thought it was. I know it was good for me, but had she been faking it? Was that what this was all about?

I stumbled around in a fog the whole time I was in Boston. I don't even remember what I said to the client, but what ever it was it was good enough to save the account. The only thing I remember about the trip was my phone call to Sally when I arrived at the hotel, actually two phone calls, mine to her and hers to me. As soon as I'd checked in at the hotel I'd called Sally to let her know where she could reach me and then I asked her what she was doing. 

"I'm getting ready to go to the play tonight," she said.

I said, "I thought that you didn't like to go to those things alone?" 

There was a moment's silence and then Sally said, "I'm not going alone." 

This time the silence was on my end of the line and then I asked, "Who are you going with?" Sally told me that she was going with someone she worked with and I asked; "Do I know her?" 

Another moment of silence, this one longer than the first, and then she said, "It's not a her, it's a him. His name is Sam."

I don't know why I said what I did, it just rushed out of my mouth like it had a will of it's own, "Is he the same guy you sucked off in the parking lot?" 

This time there was a very long silence during which the image of Sally with her head in the man's lap, and her wiping her mouth with the back of her hand danced in my head. And then, almost defiantly, Sally said, "Yes!"

No 'how did you know?" or "I'm sorry" or anything else, just a defiant "Yes!" Stunned, by both my question and her answer, I just held the phone without speaking until I was finally able to utter a single "Oh" and hang up the phone. I spent the next four hours staring at the walls of the hotel room and wondering why God had chosen that particular day to shit all over me. The phone rang, dragging me out of the pit of despair I was wallowing in, and I answered it to find out that he wasn't done fucking over me yet.

"Hello" I said and then I heard Sally say, "Oh good. I was afraid you might have gone to bed and turned off the phone." 

I looked at the bedside clock and saw that it was just past midnight, "What is it Sally?"

"You hung up on me earlier before I could say anything and I wanted to know what your slavish attention to your job cost you. When you let me know you weren't going to take me to the play I started calling around to find someone who would. Sam is the only one I could find who was free for the evening and when I asked him if he would take me he laughed and said he couldn't. He said I was a married woman and he only dates women he can take to bed. Since you had just screamed at me that you didn't, in your own words, "Give a rat's fuck about that goddamned play" and I was in a pretty pissed off mood I told him that if that were his price, I'd pay it. He didn't believe me and so I told him that if he drove me to the airport I would give him his first installment as soon as you left. Here, listen." 

I suddenly heard a squish, squish sound. 

Sally said, "What you just heard is the sound of Sam's cock sliding back and forth in my hot, wet pussy. This is the second time he has fucked me tonight and since he is staying over he may even fuck me a few more times. I know for sure that it will be at least once more - when we wake up in the morning. Also, he has asked me out for dinner tomorrow and if you are not home by then I'll probably go out with him and he'll fuck me again. Work hard John. Suck up to your boss and the client. Save your precious career" and she hung up.

+++++++++++++++++++

As I said, the rest of my stay in Boston is a bit hazy and I don't even remember getting back on the airplane to fly home. That I might have done something right did not begin to dawn on me until I walked into the office to the cheers and hand clapping of my fellow workers. I'd gone straight to the office from the airport more because I couldn't face going home than for any other reason. The boss took me into his office, shook my hand, and thanked me for my efforts in saving the account, "You're the only one who could have done it" he told me and then he said there would be a sizeable bonus on my paycheck. Then he said:

"Go on home. Take a couple of days off and you and Sally can spend some time chasing each other around the house." 

Yeah, right, I thought.

+++++++++++++++++++++++

I turned onto our street just in time to see Sally get into the same Ford Taurus I'd seen at the airport and drive away. Once inside the house I dropped my bag on the floor and headed for the liquor cabinet and made myself a strong drink. Sally had figured as much because there was a note taped to the door of the cabinet; 

"John - If you get home before I get back call me on my cell phone and let me know you are home." 

Why, I thought, so you can let me listen in again as you cheat on me? I read the note twice and then I wadded it up and threw it into the wastebasket. I spent the next couple of hours nursing a scotch on the rocks and wondering what I was going to do. Just after eleven a car pulled into the drive and parked behind my car and I watched through the bedroom window as Sally started to get out. The driver reached over and grabbed her and pulled her back in. A couple of minutes passed as they sat there, probably talking, and then Sally again started to get out of the car. Again the driver grabbed Sally and it looked like she was struggling to pull loose and I almost talked myself into going out there, but at the last moment I said:

"Fuck it. She made her bed, let her lie in it." 

I took a sip of my scotch and continued to watch. Sally stopped trying to get away from the man and a moment later her head disappeared below the dash. It was almost five minutes before her head came back up and I watched as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand just as she had in the airport parking lot. There seemed to be some more talking and then Sally and the driver got out of the car, but instead of coming toward the house they got in the backseat of the car. I saw Sally lay back and both she and the man disappeared from view and a minute later I saw both of her legs come up and began to kick in the air. I turned and walked away from the window and headed for the bed. Tomorrow was going to be a very bad day at our house. 

Sally was going to find out that she was history.