Walking the Fine Line

She came over and sat down at my table, not a word came out of her mouth. I figured the less said the better so I stayed quiet too, then I looked up and here came fucking Jerry.

He reached for my hand and acted like he had just found his long lost best bud, I really didn't want to talk to him.

"Well, how was Tina?" He gave me a big shit eating grin.

I just shrugged.

"Tight as hell, huh?" he pushed it a little.

I still didn't say anything.

Then he reached out and put his hand on Alene's shoulder, rubbed it, let his hands start down her front.

"Yea, Tina is as snug as this little lady right here!"

That did it, I popped him one, next thing I know we are knocking over tables and chairs, people are heading all directions to get out of the way. I figured he would be easy, his fat ass would go down and stay down but he didn't. The fucker came right back at me and in seconds I realized he was not only fast but strong as a bull.

I was almost grateful when two guys the size of the fucking Rocky Mountains grabbed us, the one guy lifted my 200 pound frame like I was a feather duster and next thing I knew I was rolling across the parking lot.

Jerry was pissed off and yelling, face twisted up in a rage. I saw the blood pouring out of his nose, somehow that made me feel real good.

"Yea, I fucked your cunt wife and your cunt girlfriend and I will fuck your cunt mother!"

I tried to pull free to reach him but that didn't work, the animal holding me had me and that was it.

I relaxed, nothing else to do. Alene came walking out, somehow she had dressed.

The guy holding me relaxed his grip at a nod from her.

"Got it under control, buddy?"

I nodded, Alene and I got in my car and left.

At the house I barely got the door shut, she turned to me.

"That guy has never had me."

"Says he did."

"He hired me for a private dance once and he tried but he didn't. Nobody at the club ever has, I don't do that."

I can't say as I believed her, I really didn't believe women about anything right then. I just sat on the couch, said nothing.

Alene went into the spare bedroom, she hadn't done that in weeks. I went into the bathroom, checked some of my lumps. I could see I was going to get a black eye, there was a spot of blood in the corner of my mouth, nothing to worry about. Then I heard Alene through the side door, she was crying, trying to stifle the sound.

I suddenly felt bad, I knocked on the door asked her to come out.

"OK."

She came out and sat down, her eyes were puffy and red.

"I believe you." Suddenly I did, too. She reached out and hugged me, then we were off into one of those sweet sessions of lovemaking.

"I love you so much, Dan."

"I love you too." I said, not sure if I did.

That seemed to settle things. I quit going to the club, odds were high I would get rolled across the parking lot again anyway. Alene kept working, I just put that out of my head. Life settled down to something that could be called normal if living with a nude dancer is ever normal.

Then one day my phone rang, it was Dotty. She sounded like everything was completely normal, wanted to meet for coffee.

Like an idiot, I went. Alene was at work anyway. I spotted Dotty the moment I walked into the shop, she was dressed to the nine's, I have to say she looked good.

We chatted, brought each other up to date, a bit hesitant at first but we had been married so in no time we relaxed. It felt normal. She even listened while I finally explained exactly what had happened with Tina, she nodded like she believed me.

The vision of her laying there with Jerry on top of her popped into my head, but I managed to shake it off.

One thing led to another, it wasn't two hours and Dotty was back at my house with me, naked on my bed as I lay with her, feeling all the familiar sensations of her body again. I knew we were back together, my problem was what to tell Alene, how to explain that.

It wasn't even really a scene, I did see the hurt in her eyes as I explained to her that Dotty and I were going to try again. She busied herself gathering up her things and left. There was no concern about money, she had as much as me, probably more.

For about a Month we lived together normally, some of the problems we had simply became like a dream.

I have to say I was happy, content. I didn't even notice it one evening when I got home from work and Dotty had obviously barely beaten me home. It went over my head when a week later she was almost an hour late getting home, setting down some bags saying she lost track of the time shopping.

I guess I was a bit stupid, because one day I realized that Dotty was now being late a lot. I thought about it, she hadn't been that way before, in fact, just the opposite. Then I realized it was always Wednesday and Friday.

So I started to snoop. I took a day off work the following Wednesday, getting one of the night shift guys to do a double to cover me. I left for work like always, drove down to the rental place and got a car because Dotty would spot mine from a mile away.

Then I parked and waited. It was a long wait, around 2 in the afternoon Dotty drove down the street, turned and headed towards town. I followed along. In just a few blocks, I realized with a shock where she was headed.

She parked in the street outside of Jerry and Tina's house, went up and simply walked in. That was all I needed to know.

I drove back, dropped off the car, got mine and went home. I was sitting in my chair, on my 3rd beer when Dotty came in.

"How was Jerry today?" I demanded, no beating around the bush.

"What are you talking about?"

"I saw you go over there!" I stood up.

"Fuck you, you cocksucker!" she screamed at me. "Who the hell do you think you are, following me around?"

I just looked at her.

"Pack up and get out!"

"I won't do any such a damn thing!"

"PACK...UP...AND...GET...OUT!" I stepped towards her. It was in my head to wrap my fingers around her throat, she saw that.

Her expression changed to fear, she started slamming things into suitcases, in 20 minutes, she was gone.

Again.

I sat there and got nice and drunk, waking up around midnight. Something changed in me, I knew I had made a mistake. I stood there and cried like a baby. Then I washed my face, changed clothes, headed for the nightclub where Alene danced.

No one seemed to notice me as I walked in and sat down. I ordered a coffee, waited. It was a few minutes before I spotted Tina on stage, she did her set. I knew she saw me, and sure enough, she came over to my table.

"Want a private dance?" she asked.

"Where is Alene?"

"Alene doesn't work here anymore."

"Where did she go?"

"Who knows, she quit a month or so ago."

I thanked her, got up and left. I knew all the other clubs in town, so I started going to them. Over the next few days I went to all of them, asked questions, no one knew anything.

{Each night I come home late, sleep. I get up, go to work. I come home, clean up and go to the clubs. Now I drive to other cities, check the clubs there. I know Alene's last name, I call information over and over, one town after another.

I know I made a mistake.

I don't know why.

I don't know why.

I don't know why.}