Her Problem Ch. 03

I was filled with dread as I walked into the den and powered up the desktop computer located there. After hearing her mention the words "liquid courage", I had an inkling of what I'd see when I played the video. My emotions were bouncing back and forth between anger, fear, and hope with anger and fear the strongest of the three. I clicked the play button when the video was loaded and after inserting a CD into the computer so I could burn a copy of the video not wanting to take the chance that it would get lost or erased somehow if I only left it stored on the computer.

I managed to watch as Mare got drunker and drunker at some club which allowed her to become more uninhibited whenever she accepted an offer to dance from the multitude of men who asked her. I was angry at that time in the video as I heard Stephanie encouraging Mare to keep drinking the endless supply of free drinks that they were receiving at their table.

I could tell that whatever device Stephanie was using to make the video was sat down on top of the table for a short period of time an hour into it and was wondering why when it was picked back up, focused back on Mare, and Stephanie narrated to the recorder the reason.

"See those three hunks Mare's dancing with, "Mr. I Hate Your Guts". I had a little talk with them and assured them that they could all be getting lucky with my "BFF" if they didn't mind doing it together and letting me record it. From the way they're already touching her, you know what their answer was.

"My girl's going to have so much fun tonight, she'll forget about you, "Mr. Strait Lace Party Pooper". After your reaction the last time she had that kind of fun, I'm sure you'll overreact and run off again. Don't worry though; I have a number of men, the right kind of men, picked out as candidates for Mare's next husband. Goodbye Joe and if I never see or talk to you again, have a shitty life."

I watched the video up unto the point that the three men and Mare were in the back of a stretch limo that Stephanie had panned before they'd climbed into the back of when they exited the club and the men began mauling Mare's body while she groped their penises through their pants. I staggered out of the den and barely made it to downstairs bathroom where I puked up the mostly stomach acid filled remnants of the previous night's excellent home cooked meal.

The fact that someone was incessantly ringing the doorbell finally registered in my pain filled brain. I glanced at the clock hanging in the living room on my way past and saw that it was 5:30, a half hour past the time I was supposed to pick up Mark. Mark was on the other side of the door when I opened it and he couldn't suppress the look of shock that flashed across his face when he saw me.

"My God Joe, you look like shit. Please don't tell me Angie's cooking made you sick." Mark exclaimed to me.

"Not cooking. Den, computer, video." I managed to blurt out before having to run back to the bathroom and mostly dry heaved into the commode.

Mark stood outside the bathroom until I'd stopped heaving and then started toward the den.

"NO MARK, STOP! I DON"T WANT YOU SEEING THAT!" I yelled, much too loudly.

Mark hesitated before turning around and coming back to where I was slumped against the bathroom door. He helped me to my recliner in the living room before going to the kitchen and bringing me a glass of water.

"Mare, my Mare, why didn't you believe me when I told you Stephanie wasn't the kind of friend you thought she was? What have you done to us? What am I going to do? Oh Mark; tell me what am I going to do?" I mumbled to him in a barely understandable tone.

"I can't tell you what you're going to do unless you tell me more about what's going on or I see whatever has you so upset." Mark explained to me in a slightly agitated voice. "Are you going to tell me or do I go look at the video you mentioned a few minutes ago?"

"I can't tell you, Mark, it hurts too much and I'm definitely not going to let you see the video." I said to him as some of my composure began to return.

"Then I don't see how I can help you. I'm guessing our fishing trip is history. Do you want me to fix you something to eat or how about some coffee?" Mark managed to say after the short interval of nervous silence that had followed my refusal to tell him what I knew in my heart had happened the previous night.

"The thought of food has my stomach churning again and I don't drink coffee. Why don't you go back home and I'll call you if I need your help after I figure out what I'm going to do? I do know that I need you or Angie to pick up Mare at the airport later this afternoon. Will one of you do that for me, Mark?"

"Joe, you didn't have to ask. You should know by now that both Angie and I would do anything that wasn't illegal for both you and Mare. I think it would be better if Angie was the one to pick Mare up. What time is she getting back from Atlanta?"

"The plane is supposed to land at 3:48 PM, but at that time of day and it being a weekend, it will more than likely be late. Thanks for coming to check on me. I promise to call if or when I need your help." I told Mark dejectedly.

I sat in my recliner with all kinds of lewd and obscene images of Mare naked with those three men running through my head after Mark left. I didn't realize that I was crying until some of my tears landed on my bare chest and in a fit of anger toward myself, I slapped myself as hard as I could on the left side of my face. The pain from the slap broke the melancholy mood my mind had drifted into and anger with a tad of determination took its place. I headed toward the den, but stopped when I could hear that the video was still playing. I only got close enough to hear an indistinguishable noise coming from the computer's speakers.

I turned and ran upstairs to put on some clothes but was stopped short when I saw the rumbled bed clothing on the huge custom-made king sized canopy bed that Mare just had to have after she'd seen a full sized version of it in a furniture store not long after we'd been married.

When I tried to refuse it when her father gave it to us on our first anniversary, he politely yet firmly reminded me of our little ride in the back of his Mercedes and told me another ride similar to it wouldn't be as pleasant for me as that one had been before he asked me if I understood what he was saying. I quickly affirmed that I did understand and that I'd not do anything in the future for him to use that threat again.

I don't know how long I stood and stared at the bed as a slew of memories of Mare and I enjoying each other carnally upon it mixed with memories of us only lying in each other's arms as our love for each other filled us both. There were also memories of those horrible months of separation we'd put each other through after the night I'd caught her in a similar situation as the one I was sure she'd been in the night before. I was snapped back to the present by the ringing of my cell phone still on the charger and from the ringtone, knew that the call was from Mare.

I was far enough away that I wouldn't have reached it before it went to voicemail so I stayed where I was. I ignored the house phone's ringing, was far enough away from the answering machine that I couldn't hear what Mare was saying when it picked up, and started unplugging all the phones throughout the house when my cell phone started ringing again. I turned off my cell phone after it had quit ringing as a kernel of a plan began to sprout in my head. I left our house and drove to a small local diner that had the best breakfast menu and food I'd ever eaten. The tiny kernel blossomed into a full blown plan of action during my drive and smaller than normal for me meal at the diner.

I knew from our past separation that I couldn't live without Mare in my life, but I couldn't let what I thought had happened yet was too afraid to confirm by watching the video Stephanie had sent me, go without there being some consequences for both Mare and Stephanie. I didn't have a plan for Stephanie; but the plan I formulated, which would be hard on both me and Mare was the only one I could live with. I wasn't going to throw the woman I loved out despite the fact that she'd probably been unfaithful to me again.

To be continued.