Guilt Ch. 04

"Why didn't you just say something, ask me?"

"I was waiting for you to tell me."

Dave flushed at that. If he had just told her, let it out and taken what came? Maybe that would be better?

She stood looking at him. She didn't seem to be angry?

"I'm really sorry, honey. I really am."

"So am I. Then you brought her up here, it's still going on, isn't it?" Janet turned and went into the bedroom, slammed the door.

"Janet, no! I didn't. Martha hired her, I didn't know..." He called after her.

Janet didn't answer.

Dave opened the door and glanced in, she was busy looking at clothing, packing. He went and got another beer, sat down in the living room.

"Dinner is ready. Mom will pick up the kids Saturday morning, we leave for the docks that afternoon." She said later as she came in and joined him. The nice dinner out she had mentioned seemed to have been forgotten.

Later, Dave clicked on the "Survivor" show they both liked, they sat and watched it quietly. Like always, they both guessed on who was going to get kicked out next, like always, they were both wrong. Then they went to bed, Janet didn't reach for him, and he just rolled over and went to sleep.

The next day and evening was the same. They ate together, talked about the upcoming trip. The day was perfectly normal, except for that undercurrent of upset.

Saturday morning was bright and Sunny, Janet's Mom Sandra came by and loaded up the kids in her van. Dave wanted to corner her and say some things to her, but she managed to stay very close to Janet. Apparently she knew that he knew, because she kept very busy the whole time, avoiding him.

The big cruise ship left right on schedule. Dave did get his deep sea fishing trip, there was a moment there when after a full half hour struggle he managed to land the biggest fish he had ever seen in his life. The thing looked huge, wide and flat, it's eyes bulging out of the top of it's head.

He was crushed when the crew let it go, saying it was too small.

Dave had no idea what he would have done with the thing anyway. But it was a good day, the other problems all seemed far away for a long period.

Back on the big ship later that day he found Janet sunning herself up on the deck. He was surprised at that, since it was on the cool side but she didn't seem to be uncomfortable.

She had on a tiny little bikini he had never seen before. She looked good, her rich brown body contrasted the deep yellow color of the suit.

Dave felt the first tinglings he had felt for several days, they had not made love in all the time since they left.

"Where did you get that outfit?" He asked her.

"In the gift shop down below. Do you like it?" She got a coy look on her face.

"Yes, it's pretty, although I don't see how you stay in it!" He teased.

"I think that is the idea." She grinned, batting her eyes at him. Then she stood up and stretched, that did it. She knew it, too, it was deliberate. They were in their cabin just a few minutes later. Several people looked at them oddly as they went down the hallway, Janet in her skimpy bathing suit and Dave wearing heavy clothing and a huge coat.

"You smell like fish." She laughed afterward.

"Probably, sorry. I didn't think about that."

"That's OK, it was kind of different. Hey, let's go down and use the shower room off the pool. It has lots more room than this thing." She looked inside the tiny little shower cabinet that was in their suite.

"There will be people down there?" Dave asked.

"I don't care, do you?"

"No, not really." He laughed.

They grabbed a couple of towels, Dave put on his suit and they walked down the hallway to the shower room. There was nobody in there but it was fun anyway as they stripped,soaped each other up and rinsed off. One older woman came in just as they were putting their suits back on.

"Oh! Excuse me!" She said and quickly left. Dave and Janet got a giggle out of that. There were a few people out by the pool when they came out again wearing their suits, nobody paid any attention to them.

The rest of the cruise trip was uneventful, things were becoming more relaxed between them. The world and all of it's problems began to seem far away. Dave felt good about that, maybe it was working, he thought.

Janet once again acted...normal?

The resort in Mexico was wonderful, the suite was large and comfortable. On the beach, Janet was uncomfortable about taking her top off at first.

She had teasingly mentioned doing that several times, even going to that spa and tanning all over, but when it came right down to it she was hesitant, there were people everywhere. After awhile, with nearly all of the other women running around that way, she did.

Dave had thought from all of the brochures that the place would be full of beautiful women, but most of them were in their fifties and looked well fed.

Janet looked rather spectacular in comparison, it gave him a feeling of pride.

Dave could tell she was slightly shy about going topless at first but then she relaxed. In short order after that, Janet was carefully oiling herself up, paying no attention to the few men around her.

Janet really did keep herself in good shape, her bust was still firm even after three children, and her stomach was pretty flat and tight, with just a small tell tale bulge of soft tummy above her bikini bottoms.

The world outside once again seemed to be very far away.

It was the third day there that he noticed one of the waiters appeared to be coming by quite a lot.

The young man named Carlos was slender with sandy colored hair and spoke perfect English. His body was muscular, that showed clearly in the snug white pullover shirt and shorts he wore.

Janet showed no signs of being concerned about her semi nudity around him, and at first Dave never paid any attention.

Then he saw her stretch once as the young man approached with some drinks. It almost looked like she was posing?

Dave watched more carefully after that. It soon became obvious to him that she was doing exactly that. When she saw him coming she would roll over onto her back and sit up.

Before the upset in their lives, before Janet had that brief fling with Randy, Dave would never have even noticed Carlos, or her reaction to him.

Now he found himself watching intently. Even worse, he made some excuses to wander off, then he slipped back to where he could watch her from a distance. He felt guilty about spying on her, but did it anyway.

At one point, the young man came over and said something to her, she got up and walked with him down the beach. She looked to be unconcerned about her near nudity. Carlos was smiling and chatting with her, Dave saw him looking Janet up and down, now at the point of not even trying to hide his interest. At one point he said something and she leaned her head back and laughed, reaching out to briefly touch his arm in what looked to be a familiar manner to Dave.

The flash of anger poured over him again.

He was just starting down the path to call her about that when he saw Janet coming back by herself, she had a platter with huge chunks of fruit on it. He went over to their blanket, waited.

"Where have you been honey?" She asked him as he walked up to the blanket he sat on.

"I was...beach combing." He said, realizing instantly how stupid that sounded. The beaches were all pristine sand, there was little to see.

"Did you find anything?" She asked, picking up a huge piece of Papaya.

"No, not really."

"I bet you saw some cute women, right?" She giggled.

"What were you and Carlos doing?" That caused her to give him a quick glance.

"He just told me they were putting out some fruit platters, he showed me where it was."

"Oh. OK." Dave sat down, feeling foolish.

"Carlos told me they have a band coming in this afternoon, want to go?"

"Sure, sounds like fun." Dave felt himself start to relax again. Of course nothing was going on with Carlos, he was just being a waiter.

But he couldn't just leave it alone.

"That guy sure does seem to like you?" He asked finally.

"Which guy?"

"Carlos. He seems to be very attentive."

"I know. I saw him looking at me, it's flattering. I am an old lady and he is just a kid." She grinned.

"You are a pretty good looking old lady, honey. I saw him staring at your boobs."

"Well, what do you expect? I am sitting here half naked, men look. I see them look at me sometimes when I am fully dressed, you even do that. Relax honey, I am all yours!" Janet reached out and touched his forearm.

Just like he had seen her do with Carlos.

Dave just nodded.

"All yours." She said. Dave wasn't too sure of that. Jealousy, it seems, is a powerful emotion.

That night they got ready to walk up the beach to the dance. Janet came out wearing a flimsy one piece dress, it reached almost to the ground. The top was wrinkly looking, it had a long waistline that came up to under her breasts.

"Is that new?" He asked.

"Yes, I got it on the boat. It's really comfortable."

"No bra?" He asked. That was obvious, the top portion had elastic that went across the top of her breasts, there were no straps.

"Nope!" She giggled. "No place to put one, the straps would show. Besides, I have been topless all day, what's the big deal?"

"Oh, nothing."

"Do you want me to go change?" She asked, getting a pout on her lips.

"No, that is fine. You look good, I was just curious is all."

The party was great, there was a dance floor set up on supports right on the beach. The band was playing Mexican style music that was fun to dance to. Dave was really enjoying himself, normally he didn't like to dance much but it was one of those times that he found it fun.

They had just sat down to rest when Carlos walked up to their table.

"Good evening! I hope you and the lady are enjoying the music?" He said, smiling.

"Yes, they are very good." Janet told him, sipping her drink.

"May I ask the lady for the next dance?" He asked Dave.

Instantly that one night when the man named Randy had asked just like that popped into his head.

"Sure, but just one, I am getting tired." Janet smiled, hopping up before Dave could open his mouth to tell Carlos no.

They drifted out onto the dance floor, it was a fairly fast song so Dave relaxed. He was doing some Spanish style dance, Janet picked up on it almost instantly. Carlos took her hand and did some spins, Dave found himself enjoying watching Janet's fluid movements like he always did.

Then as they moved across the floor, Carlos spun her again, right in front of the stage. Dave realized with a shock that he could see right through the dress due to the lights behind her, and Janet was obviously naked underneath it! It was just for an instant, but he had not realized up until that exact moment.

He started to get to his feet but mercifully the song ended. Carlos returned her to the table, said thank you and left.

"What's wrong? Are you mad that I danced with Carlos?"

"No." Dave lied.

"But why don't you have any underwear on?"

"Oh! Does it show? It's just hot, and this dress is long."

"In front of the light it does."

"I'm sorry, I didn't even think of that. No one saw me, did they?"

"Only about 30 people here. Maybe we better leave."

Just then another man came up to Janet and asked her to dance, she told him no with a polite thank you.

They walked quietly back down the beach to their room.

"What's the matter, honey?" She asked, as soon as they were inside.

"I don't know, I just feel odd. It never used to bother me when you danced, or even if someone noticed you but now it does."

"I guess I understand that, I'm sorry." Janet went in and changed into a robe. They sat and watched TV the rest of the evening, it took Dave quite a bit of time to find a channel in English.

In bed, she reached for him, trying to cuddle up. Dave told her he was sorry, he wasn't in the mood. She turned away and curled up.

When he woke up in the middle of the night, Janet wasn't there.

He sat up with a start, looking around. The room was dark but he could see a band of light under the bathroom door. When she hadn't come out for several minutes, he got up and walked to the door.

Janet was in there, softly crying. Dave went and slipped back into bed, pretending sleep. He felt her slide back under the covers a bit later, and lay there for a long time, feeling terrible.

The next day they went down to the beach. Janet kept her top on this time, Dave didn't even mention that he noticed that. He proceeded to get roaring drunk.

Along towards afternoon, Carlos came by and asked them if they needed anything, Dave told him "No!" in a loud voice.

"Very well, sir." He quickly left.

"That was rude, Dave." Janet told him.

"The guy is paying too damn much attention to you!" He snarled.

"Oh, honey. He is just a waiter, and he is just a kid."

"Yea, sure." Dave got up and stumbled back to the room. He lay down, his head was swimming. Then he got sick, barely managed to make it to the bathroom. The last thing he remembered was Janet sitting there, washing his face with a cool wet towel.

When he woke up, it was dark. He had no idea what time it was. He called out for Janet, there was no answer. He went out onto the balcony, she wasn't there. He dug around and found his watch, it was nearly one in the morning.

Back inside, he drank a huge glass of water, then took off to find her. She wasn't in the bar, there was no sign of her anywhere. He turned and headed for the beach, she had to be down there.

He was just passing back by their suite with no sign at all of her when he saw the headlights of one of the little 4 wheel ATV's the hotel used on the beaches. As it got closer, he realized Janet was in the passenger seat, Carlos was driving.

Carlos pulled up and stopped.

"I am bringing your wife home, sir. She is very drunk."

"How did this happen?" He demanded.

"I do not know, sir. I found her on the beach with several men, she was in danger there so I brought her home to you."

"Hi David! Are you still being an asshole?" Janet yelled, slurring her words.

"Come on, honey. Let's go home."

"Why? I am just out doing what all whores do, I am partying!"

"Janet! Come on now."

"Oh, you can get drunk and be a prick but I can't? Well fuck you and the horse you..." She leaned over and threw up on the sand.

Dave went around and supported her as she retched. Then when he tried to get her out of the machine she yelled.

"No! I am not going with you, I will stay here with Carlos. He likes me don't you Carlos? I bet you want to fuck me, right Carlos? Dave doesn't want to he hates me." She leaned over and threw up again.

Then she mercifully passed out. Dave gathered her up in his arms.

"Nothing happened, did it? They didn't do anything to her?" He asked Carlos.

"I do not know, sir. I don't think so. When I saw her she was...dancing on the sand but I think that is all that happened. The club called me when she left with them, so I went to check."

"Thank you."

"Take good care of her sir. She is a fine woman, she is just upset about something." Carlos started the machine and drove off.

Dave carried Janet inside and lay her on the bed. She had on that same flimsy dress she wore at the dance and nothing else, not even shoes. He stripped her dress off with a struggle, she was totally limp. Carefully looking at her, he saw there were some small bruises in her right breast, another high up on her thigh. Her arms also had bruises on both biceps.

She moaned when he pressed her legs open to check her vagina. He couldn't really tell for sure, she didn't look like she had been raped. He reached down to touch her, while she felt slightly damp he just couldn't tell. She moaned softly again when he did that, mumbled "No!", trying to pull away.

He covered her and tucked her in snugly, then went and sat in the chair by her side. This was all his fault, he felt, he had been being so hard on her and while he was upset with her, he knew he was every bit as guilty. She could have been raped, even killed. Finally he dozed off.

The next morning when he woke up, she was still asleep. She stirred when he washed her face down with a damp towel but that was all. It was nearly evening before she opened her eyes.

She sat up with a groan, held her head.

"Oh, God, what did I do?" She asked.

"You got pretty drunk, I guess."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be, I did the same thing yesterday."

"Yesterday? What day is today?"

"Thursday, I think."

"Oh, God." She moaned. She got up, looked down.

"I'm naked."

"I undressed you, Carlos brought you home last night."

"Carlos? Oh no! Did I...?"

"No. Carlos turned out to be all right. He found you at some beach party with some men. That's all I know."

Janet went in and climbed in the shower, she was in there for a good half hour. Dave sat and quietly waited. He was all but over his own hangover.

Finally Janet came out with only a towel wrapped around her waist. She sat down, gave him a sheepish look.

"What happened?" She asked him.

"I don't know, you tell me."

"You were asleep, and sick. I walked down to the bar to get a drink. I was just talking to Maria, the bartender when some man bought me a drink, then another one. I think I got drunk."

"No kidding."

"The man was nice, he was going to walk me home, but we didn't go here, we went down the beach. There were three of them and they had a fire built. I remember some music and some dancing but that's all. Everything was strange, I wanted to come home but I just couldn't."

"Did anything happen?"

"I don't think so, one guy kept grabbing at my boobs but I kept slapping at him. The other guy wasn't so I moved over closer to him, and then I was dancing." She appeared to be trying to think.

"Oh! Then Carlos showed up and there was a fight but he took me and we left."

"A fight?"

"Yes, the one man was mean and told Carlos to get lost and shoved him. Carlos knocked him down and then kicked the other one and we left."

"He brought you back to the house, I guess I owe him one."

"Yes, Carlos is a real nice boy."

"That's all that happened?"

"I think so, I was really way too drunk. I remember the music, and the one man kept grabbing at me, but...."

"I wonder if they slipped something in your drink? Maybe we had better get you to a Doctor?"

"No. I think I am all right."

Just then there was a knock at the door. Carlos stood there with a tray, there was a pitcher of juice and two glasses.

"I thought you folks could use this about now." He smiled.

"Thanks, yes, we probably can." Dave took the tray and set it down. Janet reached for it instantly. That was when Dave realized Janet was sitting there in just a towel around her waist. He realized he didn't care, Carlos had already seen her, and he had seen hundreds of other women.

"Come on in, I want to ask you some questions." Dave told him.

Carlos stepped in.

"Janet tells me you fought over her?"

"It was not much of a fight, sir." He smiled.

"Well, there were three of them, I want you to know I appreciate your help."

"They were all very drunk, sir. I was not. That makes it very easy."

"Well, I want you to know that we both thank you."

"You are welcome. It is my job, we always go and patrol the beach every night, several times. Then when my bartender called, I went quickly. We take care of our customers."

"We?" Dave asked.

"Yes, my family owns the resort, sir." He smiled at that.

"Enjoy your stay. And it might be best to keep the lady away from the Tequila." He grinned, glanced again at Janet sitting there.

"You are a lucky man, sir. Take care of the lady." He gave Dave a serious look, then he left.

Dave sat down and thought for a few minutes.