Big Foot's Decision

Henry was shocked that she would insert herself into his path like this but stopped and just stared at her. He said, "O.K.," and took the sheet of paper from her. He scanned the single paragraph at first and then put down his brief case and started studying it. He then, acting coy, ignored the print out. He looked at her and said, "I am terribly hungry is dinner about ready?"

"Yes. Please fetch the children who are playing in the back yard and be sure they wash their hands - you too - as I am putting the food on the table now.

At dinner the two adults were quiet while the children chatted amiably about their day. Henry's eyes rarely strayed from looking at his wife, and he was surprised that both of their appetites had returned. After dinner she announced to the children, "You have one hour to play games on your iPads in the living room, starting right now," as they watched their mother set the timer.

After they left the table, Henry quietly said, "Tell me exactly what was said in the doctors office, please?"

She said, "Paraphrasing as best I can I said, ' I am having a heck of time focusing at work throughout the day, and I have these urges for sexual release from time to time, and my muscles are rigid most of the day and my skin is very dry. ' The doctor was an older lady who came right out and said that she assumed I was having an affair just based on the blood test results. She then said, ' The three prescriptions are designed to balance some of my hormones,' and I can already sense that the tension is less. I love you so much, Henry, please forgive me, and let me make it up to you. She did also say, 'Being promiscuous in the future or not, was up to me, even though the medication would decrease my tendency to do that.' If you will love me again, Henry, what I did can not possibly happen in the future. Please, Big Foot."

"Barbara, I forgive you for screwing the two Techies as that amounts to nothing - but I am concerned that over the long term you will grow weary of being committed to a blue-collar husband and remember the world of those whiz kids - even if they do have pencil dicks. Could you and I continue to be happy if in your heart you should really want a witty and charming gentleman in your bed - even if you didn't follow through with divorcing me and marrying one like that?"

She replied, "I have never met such a gentleman, assuming they exist, but should I meet and be attracted to one that question can be answered only then. That might not be a usual answer but I am through with lying and that is all I can tell you for sure."

Henry thought for a minute and said, "Of course, you are right. Nobody can think about what they can not even imagine. But, we need to love and raise these children so that happiness as adults is possible to them, and that trumps the other options open to either of us, doesn't it?"

"So what is next in our relationship, Dear Husband?"

"Barbara, I want to continue the way we are while I try to digest what you have told me and try to be sure that I still love you. And more importantly, do I believe a different and lovable 'Barbara' will become my wife, and if you again find me to be that exciting person you first married, so that we have a chance. In the mean time lets how you react to the medicine over the coming days. O.K.?"

"O.K. Thank you for not shouting at me or worse when you found out. I am so lucky and the children are so lucky. Just you watch me turn myself into someone who you wouldn't think of leaving no matter what!"

Later Henry lay in bed trying to get sleepy while thinking about the evening as he heard Barbara reading two stories to the children and tucking them in. He said to himself, "What a fucked up marriage you have! Almost all the women at the plant would get it on with you if there was an interest on your part, but you have done that and know its a dead end. Hell, right after the first time Barbara and you fucked, you broke it off with two fuck buddies - and for sure she did the same with some guys she knew. But that was a phase and you were both in college where that kind of conduct was wide spread..." Henry drifted off to sleep.

——-

Three weeks later Henry had spent day one of a Two day meeting in a Downtown Boston hotel conference room, at a managers meeting. The attendees were his counterparts from all the company's bakeries in the New England region. It started with the CEO giving a welcome speech and then breakout committees went to various small rooms for discussions. Henry's group concerned implementing some new automated equipment installations that would probably strain labor relations more than they already were. The 8 managers in the room were screaming at each other until they were forced to break it up. He was exhausted, but went back to his room to lie down.

He called his mother after he had rested, who had picked up the children after school and taken them to his and his wife's home. He said, after greetings and some comments about their school day, "Since I will be spending a night in this hotel, are you sure you won't mind staying over so I can ask Barbara to spend the night with me in my hotel room?"

"Oh son, please wine and dine Barbara - I pray every day that you will tear down that wall between you. Beside that I shuffled both you and your sister off to school for years and did a good job of it. Your children will be just fine and I am glad for the opportunity to babysit my grand children. You and Barbara have fun! and don't worry about what is going on here."

Henry refreshed himself and put on a clean shirt. He was hungry and was anxious to surprise his wife by meeting her in the lobby of the building where she worked. He even regretted that nothing was open so he could buy flowers.

Arriving at the security counter about 6:45, again the three guards did not see him approach and were watching a monitor and whooping and cheering, and again Henry could see the same couch on the screen and there were three naked bodies on the couch. He stood silently and started silently crying and then screamed out, "Security! " The tall one turned around and squinted trying to remember who Henry was.

The visitor said, "I am going to be sick, please give me a key to your rest room."

At that moment LeRoy remembered who Henry was while writing down the cypher number and said, "Don't worry dude, your wife doesn't party in the computer room anymore. Those two dudes now have a younger one attending, and on other days she has agreed to party with us as well. Your wife should be down promptly at 7:00 if you want to hang out another ten minutes."

At hearing this Henry's whole world changed back to when he wasn't consciously aware that he had a single care. He even smiled broadly at the tall guard.

The elevator doors opened at 30 seconds past 7:00 and out walked Barbara with a firm, quick step. She smiled at the guards and said, "Good evening, Fellas!" She was surprised that they didn't speak but just smiled at her broadly. After she went through the turn stiles she spotted her husband standing to one side waiting for her noting that he was in a relaxed state. She stopped dead in her tracks because this is only the second time he had met her here after work over the months.

Henry offered his arm and said, "Want to have a wild and exciting time with me tonight, Lady?"

Looking over her shoulder at the three guards with a smile on her face, she whispered, "I have dreamed all day that you would treat me to dinner tire me out afterwards since I knew you were meeting in an Atlantic Avenue hotel. Thank you. Thank you. Did you check on the children?"

He answered her after they walked outside. "Yes, dear lady, I did and Mom is pleased to babysit the children tonight, sleeping over, and will drive them to school in the morning. Would you like to sleep in my hotel bed tonight?"

She stopped with her heart about to burst with excitement and said jokingly, "Big Foot, I will be forced to sleep naked since I didn't bring a gown."

"Oh, that is quite O.K. I did take the liberty of secretly bringing you some clean underwear from home but you will have to wear the same dress to work tomorrow. Can you handle it?"

After about 10 minutes of chatting outside her building, a young lady came through the revolving door walking slowly leaving work. Barbara gestured towards her and said, "She is an accounting clerk contractor who is my replacement 'helping out' the guys in the computer room - but she is single and a part time student. Better her than me."

Once again, life was good for both.

The End.