I'm Not That Stupid

My latest accomplishments, was a meeting with an overseas garment manufacturer, which had plants in five Asian countries. I had met the owners at a party about a year ago, and thrown a few of my ideas their way. They were impressed, so much so, we met the following week to talk about our firm taking them on.

"Dan I like the way your firm operates, you seem to go beyond the norm and put a personal touch to everything you do," one of the perspective owners told him. "Each plant right now operates independently, so I need someone to set up the same system in each facility, so we can run them all from one overseas office."

They weren't happy that I wouldn't be handling the overseas operation myself, but I convinced them that I would monitor everything that was going on myself, so that there would be no slip-ups. With a signed contract and a handshake the party began.

We had been working on this account for nine months, and I would have loved to come home to Carol with my good news. I would have loved to have taken her out to the best restaurant, brought her home, and ravished her body; but when I got home, the house was empty and so was his heart. Beth came in with Andy twenty minutes later with Chinese takeout.

I was busting at the seams, and had to tell someone my great news, so I told Beth. "Forget dinner, we're all going out tonight and celebrate," I told her. Put on your finest, because we're going out in style.

My bosses had made reservations at the best restaurant in town for 8:00 and were sending a limo around to pick us up at 7:30; so we had to hurry.

I shaved, showered and got dressed. I told Beth that I would get Andy ready so she would have more time. By 7:15, Andy and I were both dressed and ready to go; that's when I saw Beth descend the stairs.

"I hope you don't mind, I didn't have anything fancy so I found one of your wife's dresses that kind of fit," she explained to me. She was right, it kind of fit. It fit her like a silk glove, but was a little short, since she was a lot taller than Carol. "Do you think it looks ok?"

"You look great Beth," I said with my mouth hanging wide open as the bell rang. The three of us were led into the back of the limousine just as Carol was driving down our street.

"What the hell," is all she could say as she saw them all pile into the stretch limo. "I wonder what's going on?" she thought as she turned her car around to follow them. She then watched them get out, and go into the restaurant. "That bastard, he'll take them out to the best place in town, and when I wanted to go before, he said we couldn't afford it," she steamed. "And who in the hell was the girl wearing my dress?"

We all had a wonderful night. I was the guest of honor and we ate and drank our fill. It was Beth who told me it was time to leave, as Andy was getting tired, because it was way past his bedtime.

"You're right, we'd better leave or we'll never get him up in the morning for school." I thanked everyone for the dinner but as they shook my hand, they were looking past me to Beth; and not only the men.

Beth looked hot tonight and all the women looked jealously at her. They'd all heard the story of Carol's leaving to find herself, "and it looks like Dan wasted no time in replacing her," they chuckled to themselves.

It was a quiet ride home as Andy fell asleep as soon as we got in the limo. I carried him upstairs, undressed him and put him into bed with a kiss on the forehead goodnight. I walked downstairs, still in my tux, and found Beth enjoying a glass of wine at the kitchen table.

"I want to thank you for tonight, you didn't have to take me you know," she told me with a smile.

"How could I have left you here alone tonight, and besides I really enjoy your company Beth," I said pouring myself a glass of wine. "I hope it wasn't too boring for you tonight, sitting around with a bunch of accountants."

"Quite the contrary, I never knew your job was so interesting and all the people seem to really like you; including myself," she said with a little smile. "You make me feel like part of your family, even though I'm just the nanny."

"Be still my heart, and God damn it, I wish my hard-on wasn't so apparent," I thought as I hid my erection from Beth. It had been a while since I had made real love to a woman. The last few times with Carol were disappointing, as she had just gone through the motions. I would love to take Beth to my bedroom but I also knew I was still married, and I would remain true to Carol no matter what.

"Tonight was magical and my mind is reeling with things I'd like to be doing right now, but they're not going to happen tonight, much to my dismay," I told her. "Maybe if things were different, but they're not, so with that I need to take a cold shower and go to sleep," I told Beth kissing her on the cheek as she gave me a hug.

It was two in the morning when I felt Beth climb into my bed next to me. By the heat she generated, I could tell she was naked. I started to say something but she put her finger to my lips.

"I know we can't do anything tonight, I just want to be close to you, that's all," she said as she spooned me.

I woke up alone the next morning. I found Beth downstairs dressed, cooking breakfast for the three of us; nothing was said.

Carol was pissed. "Here I am trying to figure out what I want in my life with Dan, and he has already tossed me to the curb and found some slut," she said slamming her hand on the desk. She had made the mistake mentioning it to Karin, who told her that all husbands cheat on their wife's, and that tonight they should go out and celebrate her newfound freedom. She didn't feel like going out and partying tonight, and really wanted to talk to Dan, but he was always in some damn meeting; "how can one person be so damn busy."

Carol and the group met at Tony's again and it was packed as usual. After a couple of drinks, most of their group headed for home; but not Carol and Karin. A couple of good-looking guys were trying to stake their claim and Karin was already making out with one of them. The other guy had her on the dance floor and when a slow dance started, she melted into his arms.

His warm hands were all over her body as Carol felt herself slowly succumbing to his advances. She hadn't been with a man in a long time, and this guy was great looking, had the body of a Greek God and wanted her as much as she wanted him.

She never stopped him when he kissed her as they danced. She never stopped him as he steered her over to the corner of the dance floor and up against the wall. She however should have stopped him when he put his hands into her dress and fondled her breasts and pushed her thong aside to feel her pussy. Yes she should have stopped him, especially because the private dick Dan had hired was getting it all on tape.

The four of them had gone back to Karin's place, and even though Carol was now naked, lying on the bed with him, she finally came to her senses. "I can't, I just can't do it," she told him. "I'm still married and no matter what I still love my husband," she told him above his objections. So he left her alone and Carol took one of two cold showers that night. One right after he got out of her bed, and the other after she masturbated herself to two climaxes. "I've got to get my head and ass wired together," she told herself the next morning, but things beyond her control had started changing her life and not for the better.

On my computer screen I saw the pictures of Carol, the final one being the four of them entering Karin's apartment. I e-mail them to my attorney and told him to get the paper work together, but to hold it until Monday.

"I guess she's finally made up her mind," I said sadly because I had really wanted to get back together with Carol, but no longer.

"I'm going to handle the Asian project myself," I told my bosses the next day. "I need to get away, and this will give me the time to clear my head and get my life back in order," I told them.

"Dan, everything is set for startup on the 12th, which is a week from next Tuesday, can you be ready to leave by them?" they asked.

"Give me two days to get my affairs in order, and setup with an apartment, so I'll have a place to send my things," I told them. "I've got to talk to two more people today, and if everything going according to plan, I'll be ready."

That afternoon, I set up my staff to handle all my unfinished projects. I drafted paperwork to give my mother my power of attorney, and told Keith to serve papers on Carol the following Monday. I would be safely in the air while she was being served, "same amount of notice that she gave me," I said sadly.

That night I went home to a house that wouldn't be mine when I returned from overseas and felt really sad. Carol and I had picked it out together, and there were so many good memories associated with it; and now they would all be gone.

I was unusually quiet at dinner and Beth thought it was something she'd done. "No, it's just that I've got a lot on my mind, we'll talk after Andy goes to bed," I told her. By 10:00 the house was quiet as the two of us starred at each other; Beth spoke first.

"What's the matter Dan?" "If it's about the other night, I'm really sorry and it won't happen again, I promise," she told me.

"Beth, it's not that. Remember that party the company threw me a couple of weeks ago? Well, I've decided to do the overseas work myself, and Andy and I'll be leaving early Monday morning," I told her. "And I have an important question to ask you," I started to say, as I now saw Beth starting to cry. "Do you want to go with us?"

She went from teary-eyed to all smiles. "Hell yes," she told me as she ran into my arms.

"Do you have an updated passport Beth?" I asked.

"I had it updated last year went I went on a cruise with my college friends," she told me.

"Well then it's all set. You will need to have everything packed up by Saturday because they're shipping out all our stuff ahead of time. Leave just enough clothes for the rest of the weekend and Monday's travel clothes. You can tell your family and friends, but I don't want Carol to know until we're in the air. I'm not sure if it's totally legal, to just take Andy with us and leave, but I'm doing it anyway; I'll answer all the questions when we get back," I told her.

That night I got with my mother and explained everything to her; including giving her my power of attorney. "Shit will probably hit the fan Monday afternoon with Carol, but I still want you to put the house up for sale next week. Keith will send you a copy of the papers I'm sending to Carol, and if she has any questions, just tell her to talk to Keith."

"You sure this is what you want Dan, you don't want to try and straighten it out with her?" my mom asked.

"She's made her bed, and now she can sleep in it, with whom ever she wishes," I told her.

"You're taking Beth with you?" she said trying to get the final piece out of her son.

"I'm not sure where we're headed, but she makes me smile and keeps me sane. Other than that, I may have some real feelings for her; and that's all I'm going to say about it. We will be over Sunday night, so you can say goodbye to Andy," I told her.

Monday Carol was trying to get Dan on the phone when his work told her that he was on a special outside project, but would pass the message on to him. "Now what the hell was he doing?" she thought as she tried his cell phone to no avail.

"Carol Spencer?" the man asked. She nodded. "You have been served," he said handing her the envelope.

"Now what?" she said as she ripped into the envelope.

There was a brief note from Dan stating that I guess I'd made my decision, "hope you have a great life," is how he ended it; and then she saw the pictures.

"Oh shit," is all she could say.

"How in the hell did he get those pictures?" she thought. "The son of a bitch must have had me followed," she said as she flipped through them; not the kind of pictures you'd like to see of your wife, with another man. "But I never slept with him, I've got to make him understand that," she said to herself.

"Gone, what do you mean gone?" was her reply.

"Dan is on a four to five month project overseas; he left with Andy Monday morning," Dan's mother told Carol.

"He can't take Andy away from me, especially out of the country," she shouted. "I'll take him to court, I'll see he's thrown in jail," she yelled.

"Carol, Dan has full custody of Andy remember?" "You gave up that right when you left to find yourself," she reminded her. "To say you screwed up royally would be a gross understatement, you had a great marriage but I guess you wanted more; now you've got nothing," Dan's mother told her.

"I have to talk to him, and explain that it's not what it looks like," Carol said sobbing. "I still love him and never went to bed with anyone else; he's got to believe that."

"Carol I saw the pictures and if my husband was alive, and was doing what you were doing, I'd divorce his ass too. If I were you, I'd write him a letter and explain what you need to, and I'll make sure he gets it; in the mean time, I'd get a lawyer."

Carol did a good job stating her case. In that alcohol had played a major part, and that she'd stopped it and hadn't gone all the way with anyone since she left. Carol said that she still loved me, and would wait for me to come home to her.

Dan's reply was short and to the point. "Carol you haven't been a wife to me since you lost all that weight last year. It was like you were now too good for me. You ate up the attention, of all the men, and made me feel like I was being used on Wednesday nights, when you finally decided to come home to me. You were all hot and bothered and all you wanted was a good fuck, not to make love to your husband; I guess I no longer turned you on."

"So now, you and Karin are free to screw whomever you want. I told you Karin would eventually break us up, but you knew better; ya right. Andy, Beth and I are building a new life based on love and trust. You can see Andy anytime you want, just get a camera modem for your computer and I'll set it up. Sign the papers, because mom is putting the house up for sale this week. There isn't a chance in hell that we'll ever get back together so don't hold out hope I'll change my mind. I hope you've finally got what you were looking for Carol, and are happy; I never wanted this to happen."

Carol knew Dan was right. She'd been a stupid idiot for listening to all her "good friends," who knew what they were talking about; I guess that's why they were all divorced. She was going to fight it until she got Dan's letter, and finally signed the papers. The irony was that six months later, Carol was back to the 175 pounds she'd started with two years earlier, but no longer had Dan.

I was happy though. The work was a little tough, because of the language barrier, but I worked through that. Andy was picking up a word here and there and managed to communicate quite with all the kids he played with.

Beth took care of Andy and set up the agenda for our free time; "places to see, things to do," is how she phrased it.

I still remembers that night months ago. It was just after we arrived in country and we were all a little stressed. Andy fought going to bed, my program wasn't going as smooth as it should and Beth felt a little over whelmed.

She went into the den and kissed the back of my neck, which brought a smile to my face. She reached down, took me by the hand and led me into their bedroom; it had one candle on each side of our bed. We undressed each other and slipped into bed. Let's just say, heaven and earth became one that night.

We had tender loving sex for the first time. Over the next few months we did everything the other one wanted, unless it involved pain or some type of farm animals; we were more than happy.

Five months later my mom met us at the airport. She was happy to see us all, especially Andy. On the way home she kept glancing over at Beth who seemed to have this content look on her face.

"How far along are you?" she asked her. Beth seemed a little taken back.

"Three months, how did you know, I'm barely showing," she replied.

"You two just looked way too happy, like the cat that ate the canary," she told us.

Two weeks later we were married and Ronda was born six months later.

When Beth said she wanted to join a gym to get rid of her baby weight, I looked like I had seen a ghost. Two days later I sprung the news that I had hired her a personal trainer and that SHE would be supplying all the equipment.

"No use going through all that shit a second time," I thought to myself.