A Girl's Night Out

This is a short story about one woman. While there are other characters, they are ancillary to her story. These secondary characters have issues that are not resolved within this story. If this is not acceptable to you, read no further. Also, this is fiction.

I have long known that my spelling is atrocious and I rely on Microsoft Word. For a review of grammar and punctuation, I use Grammarly.

I sincerely hope you enjoy the story.

Jeanne was forty and after sixteen years of marriage, she was returning to work. Her twin girls were fourteen now and with the full-time housekeeper made possible by her husband's income; she decided to return to her profession. Six weeks ago, she had been hired by an up-and-coming new firm that was in the process of relocating to more spacious and luxurious offices. She was delighted with her new job. During the interview process, she met the partners of the firm, three males and one female, and was impressed by their enthusiasm, cordiality, and professionalism. The partners were similarly impressed by her personality, credentials, professional demeanor, and what they rightly interpreted as her strong work ethic. Her immediate counterparts were a coterie of five women, three of them married each of them a few years younger than herself, and two recent college graduates.

Since the firm was moving to new quarters, their time was divided between carrying on the day-to-day business of the firm and packing its records for the move. Jeanne decided to forgo bringing in her family photos and personal effects until they were safely ensconced in their new offices. So, her workmates came to know about her and her family through their conversations during lunches together and after a few after-work cocktail hours.

Jeanne became fast friends with her new colleagues: Nell, Meg, Alice, Susan and Emily. As the name of the firm was Windsor & Associates, Nell, Meg, and Alice referred to themselves as 'the Merry Wives of Windsor' and welcomed Jeanne into their group as they had previously welcomed the two young and unmarried women, Susan and Emily. They learned that Jeanne was happily married to Philip, a partner with the architectural firm Skidmore Owings & Merrill. They were able to deduce that Philip had a high six-figure income and that Jeanne's return to accounting was not out of financial necessity. It was after a few drinks on one particular occasion that they surmised that Jeanne absolutely adored her husband.

On that occasion, Jeanne smiled as she recounted "I came to work at Skidmore in the accounting department working with foreign accounts, recording the repatriation of profits and currency translations for tax purposes. I was straight out of college with virtually no experience. I was there about six months when I noticed this man, Philip, who kept coming around and asking me about accounting." Her memory of the events and the three glasses of wine-induced a slight giggle.

She continued "His questions were totally inane. It was obvious that he knew nothing about accounting. It was also obvious that he was smitten with me but he was incredibly shy, too shy to ask me out."

Laughing, Meg asked "And you have two kids? How did that happen?"

Jeanne replied smiling, "Oh the usual way."

All the girls laughed heartily as Jeanne continued "After about three more months, he finally summoned the nerve to ask me out. Our first date was dinner at an expensive restaurant followed by the symphony. What I noticed, even from the start was that he was a perfect gentleman, very poised. He opened doors and held my chair for me, things that men don't do anymore. Our first two dates ended with a soft kiss on the cheek. Then on the third date, he held out his hand and with his fingers under my chin he lifted my head and kissed me. It was so gentle and lingering."

Jeanne warmly remembered that kiss and the sense of being safe and protected that enveloped her. While she certainly felt aroused, the greater sense touched her heart the same way she felt when her father held her - a sense that this man would never hurt her, never disappoint her, and would give his all for her.

Jeanne continued "As the kiss ended, I slowly opened my eyes. I clearly remember thinking 'This is the man I am going to marry'. Later, I chided myself for being so silly in thinking that on only our third date. But it was a hell of a kiss!"

More laughter came from her friends as she recounted more of her life: her idyllic childhood; her upbringing in a liberal Catholic family; her dreams of a 'Prince Charming'. She shared a joke that Philip made shortly before they were married, "Philip said that Catholic girls make the best wives because before marriage, sex is a sin but afterward, it's a sacrament. And what good little Catholic girl wouldn't want to receive the sacrament three times a night!!" Jeanne and her friends roared with laughter.

"Philip has given me so much, a wonderful sense of being adored as well as what I would call a storybook romance. He's very romantic. Even after all these years, he brings me flowers on a whim. And, when he tells me I'm beautiful, it's because he really believes it. And I gave him something in return, confidence. He was so painfully shy when I met him. He told me that after he won my heart, he felt invincible - that he could do anything. That confidence helped his career immeasurably. Everyone always recognized his genius but it was only after he gained that confidence that he was noticed. I am overjoyed that I have had such a positive influence in his life."

From other conversations in their times together, the girls were able to conclude that Phillip was Jeanne's first and only lover. The younger girls thought it was a generational thing and a product of a Catholic background. The 'merry wives' thought it odd. Jeanne didn't appear to be repressed and was certainly not a moralizing zealot. It seemed inconceivable to them that a woman as bright, beautiful, and charming as Jeanne would have limited her sexual experience to a single partner.

At one lunch with the two younger women, Susan who recently became engaged asked Jeanne "You have been married for sixteen years, what do you think makes a successful marriage?"

Jeanne replied "Love of course as well as trust and respect. But also, a willingness to compromise..."

Emily interrupted "Everyone says what a great accountant you are and how valuable you are to the firm. We all love working with you. Everyone knows you'll make partner, probably within a year. Do you regret putting your career on hold to be a housewife and mother? Is that a compromise you made, to let your husband's career advance while yours was interrupted? Did your husband give you a choice?"

Jeanne responded "It was my choice entirely. When I told Philip of my decision to stay at home after the children were born, he said he would support whatever decision I made on going back to work. I realize that this decision is not one that's available to all or even most women. We are very privileged. The opportunities we have are made possible because of our income and our families. My father is a physician, and Philip's is an architect. We were both raised in upper-middle-class homes. We both graduated college without incurring any debt and our families are there if we ever need help. And Philip's career was well on its way when we decided to have children. I wouldn't call it a compromise, it's what I wanted. And as time went on, I found it more fulfilling to be with my girls rather than return to work. I'm sure a lot of women feel differently - and that's their right. I think a woman can have a career and be a good mother as well and I would never presume to criticize another woman's choice."

Jeanne continued "By compromise, I mean when there's a choice and each of you has different ideas. The best example was our honeymoon."

Susan interrupted, "This should be good!!!"

"Oh, it was!!" Jeanne said as they all laughed together. "Philip is an architect and his idea was that we would honeymoon in Paris with its museums, art, Baroque architecture, the whole fin de siècle feeling...I wanted to go to Hawaii. I'd been to Europe with my parents and I really wanted to see Hawaii. So, we compromised."

"So, where did you go?"

The answer "Hawaii" prompted more, almost riotous laughter.

Jeanne continued "It probably wasn't fair but we were discussing it one day at my apartment and I told Philip to wait while I changed clothes. In the bedroom, I changed into a cocktail dress, the quintessential little black dress I just bought. When I came back into the room, I told Philip 'This is the sort of thing I'll wear if we go to Paris' and I saw him smile appreciatively. Without any further discussion, I turned and went back into the bedroom and changed into the tiny and I do mean 'tiny' little bikini I bought the same day. I went back into the room where Philip was, he was reading some magazine when I announced 'This is what I'll wear if we go to Hawaii'. I can still see the look of surprise on his face and his jaw dropping to the floor! He never stood a chance!!!"

When the laughter finally died down, Jeanne explained that there are times when you have to give up something for the person you love. "The question you have to ask yourself before you get married is 'Is this something I am willing to do and what are the limits.' Marriage also has its opportunity costs. That's the cost of giving up other opportunities to have what you are choosing to have now. I was just over twenty-two when I took the job at Skidmore. I had my undergraduate and master's degrees and my CPA.

I had a good salary, independence, and different and better choices than when I was in college. For one thing, dating was a different world. A college date was a movie and an inexpensive meal. In the working world the men, even the younger ones, were more established and certainly had more money and, generally but not always, better judgment. A date in the working world meant tickets to a play or concert, meals at expensive restaurants, and nightclubs, and sometimes an invitation to a weekend away in some exotic location."

"I knew what I was giving up when I married Philip. I was pretty, intelligent and had the advantage of being raised in my parent's cultured, or if you prefer 'privileged' environment: the best schools; dancing lessons; riding lessons; deportment lessons; music lessons. I knew I was 'wife material' in every sense of the word. I found out I was also 'mistress material' in the eyes of more than one married man. Before Philip, I had several dates with wonderful men and I had offers of weekends in Barbados, jewelry, an exclusive and lavishly furnished apartment, and even a car - a Mercedes. Those were my opportunities, if I chose them."

"For me, marriage was not only a romantic adventure but also an informed, rational choice. And I did a lot of soul-searching before I made that decision. In addition to being in love with Philip, I also treasured his friendship and I knew that if I made a mistake in marrying him without being able to give up those other opportunities, it would destroy him. Whether you should marry or not greatly depends on whether you are willing to make that commitment. Everything in our marriage has not always been rainbows and unicorns but I can honestly say, like the Edith Piaf song Je ne regrette rien, I have no regrets."

Emily spoke, "It's wonderful that your life and marriage have been so fulfilling. But did you ever feel that your life or rather your talents were, well sort-of if not wasted then 'underutilized' by staying home? I mean you are so talented, so well educated. How could you feel the same level of accomplishment when vacuuming the carpet, cooking meals, or changing diapers? I am not being critical, but I wonder how I could reconcile duties as a wife with my ambitions, my desires."

Jeanne responded "That again speaks to the financial advantages we had. My focus was on raising the children, we had help for the rest. We had a wonderful housekeeper who did the cleaning and cooking. I took care of the children, paid the bills, and managed our investments. Others did the drudgery. I know how lucky we are, many if not most women have to send the children to daycare while they work, clean the house, etc. They get the 'un-fun' part of being a wife and mother while someone else takes care of their kids and it's very hard."

"I even had the luxury of returning to college to take classes when the girls turned two while my mother and mother-in-law helped care for them. I decided to take some beginning courses in architecture to better understand Philip's work. While I certainly can't design skyscrapers, I understand the basic concepts and I can help him explain things to clients in plain language so his PowerPoints and other presentations became much more client-friendly. It helped his career immeasurably. More importantly, it brought us closer together. It meant that we could spend more time with each other while discussing and preparing presentations to clients. It also did wonders for his ego, having his wife's interest in and support of his work. And it was no sacrifice, I loved learning new things. I think that this was what made my time away from my profession even more rewarding than it would have been had I remained in accounting."

Susan interjected, "Do you ever feel that you missed out by not at least trying some of those 'opportunities'?"

Emily joked "She means the men."

Susan responded "Not JUST the men."

Jeanne smiled "I know I said that I don't have regrets and that's true, but I don't know of anyone who doesn't wonder about how their lives could have been different had they made different choices. I began piano lessons at an early age and I was very good. I sometimes wonder if I could have been a concert pianist." With a smirk, she added, "My legs are just as good as Yuja Wang's." After the laughter, she added "In the end that wasn't my choice for a variety of reasons. As for men, Philip wasn't the first to propose to me. In fact, he was the third. The first was my college boyfriend. Tim was sweet, charming, very sincere, and INCREDIBLY good-looking. Most guys who are that good-looking have a narcissistic personality but not Tim. And while I liked him a lot, there was no spark, no passion."

"The second was more serious. He was older, very handsome, and very cultured. He told me he was separated from his wife, which turned out to be a lie. His wife had all the money, so he was never going to leave her. I agreed to have dinner with him occasionally. Since he was on the board of the ballet foundation, we frequented the ballet and the after-parties. I never slept with him and I wouldn't let him kiss me, I told him 'separated' wasn't good enough, and his divorce would have to be final before we could be intimate. He bought me expensive jewelry, which I refused to accept. He wanted to set me up in an apartment, to which I said 'no'. But, despite everything, I was starting to fall in love with him. Had I let it go on, I know he would have bedded me. When he finally proposed, he said he was divorcing her but it would take some time. That in itself told me it would never happen."

"Then one day, as I thought about it, I imagined my future with him. I imagined a Christmas alone, in a luxurious apartment decorated with antiques and with expensive art on the wall, boxes of jewelry, and closets filled with designer clothes. But alone, no children, no grandchildren, no extended family. He of course wouldn't be there. He would be with his family and only later would he come to me, assuming of course that he hadn't replaced me with a younger model. The cost of that option was far too great."

"There were others I dated, most of them very nice men. A few with more ego than brains and one who loved himself far more than he could possibly love anyone else. Then I met Philip. With him, I felt an immediate spark and what grew to be a level of desire that surprised me. And as we continued dating, I saw his confidence grow and I knew I was the inspiration for that growth. I also knew that I would never be just a trophy to him."

"I don't believe in the idea of 'soul mates' or that there is only one person that we are destined to be with. I could have had a happy marriage with many of the men I dated...possibly. I never try to second guess my marriage. I might have married a good and devoted man. On the other hand, I might have married a philanderer or someone who turned wantonly cruel. Philip isn't perfect, he can be exasperating at times but he is the kindest and most loving husband and father that anyone could hope for."

Finally, the move to the new offices was complete and a celebration was definitely in order. Before Jeanne joined the firm and before the extra work demands from the relocation, the 'merry wives' and the two younger women had several girl's nights, and everyone, including Jeannie, agreed that a celebration was long overdue.

As planning for their celebration took shape, Nell wondered about Jeannie's seemingly conventional marriage and asked Jeannie "Will your husband let you go on a girl's night out? Some husbands are reluctant to let their wives go out without them. Alice told me that she and Frank had quite a row when she wanted to go. She stood her ground and he relented but she told me things were very strained for a while. He still doesn't like it that much, but he's resigned to the fact that she's going. It is her choice."

Jeannie replied with a laugh "Philip is my husband, lover, and best friend, but not my jailer. I told him we were planning a night out and he told me how glad he was that I have such good friends at work and how it's good for me to have time with my friends. He trusts me completely - he knows he can."

Girl's Night Out

The arrangements were made. They were going to Sans Souci, a club directly adjacent to the Le Meridian hotel. The club was elegant and, according to Nell, 'upscale' with dancing, drinks, a limited menu, and proximity to a four-star hotel with a polite and very discrete staff. It was also very expensive so the men who came there were 'pre-screened' for 'desirability'.

The six women arrived together at 7 PM that Saturday. All were dressed elegantly, Nell and Meg showing more decolletage than the others but all of them looked very sexy. They were escorted to a large booth by the maître d who had served the 'merry wives' on many past occasions. As they took their seats, Jeanne instinctively reached for the drink's menu. Meg smiled and took it away explaining "Dear, we never buy our own drinks."

A moment later, two waiters appeared each with a tray holding champagne flutes with three bottles of champagne on each tray, one bottle for each of them. Jeanne started to say that they hadn't ordered but Meg touched her arm and smiled. The waiter said with aplomb, "With the compliments of the gentleman at the bar". They looked to the bar and saw a distinguished middle-aged man at the end of the bar who smiled, nodded, and then turned to answer a call on his mobile.

Meg smiled and said, "I wonder which one or ones of us he wants." Girlish giggles followed.

The waiter opened the bottles and poured the champagne. The flutes were large and held about a fourth of a bottle. The men at the club were admiring the six women but were waiting to approach them for a dance or a 'chat'. Grateful that someone else had purchased the wine, they only had to wait until their intended prey had indulged in a few glasses of champagne that would lower their resistance and hopefully heighten their libidos.

The girls hastened to enjoy one and then a second glass of champagne. More liquor would come later. Jeanne had somewhat less tolerance for alcohol than her compatriots and started feeling the effects of her second glass a little sooner. Emboldened by her second glass, she downed her third.