But I had a Hall Pass

It was fifteen years ago that Amy and I got married. We dated for three years exclusively after our first date when Amy was a sophomore in college. My name is Mark Butler, I was junior a when Amy and I met at a party. We were an instant item, inseparable till I graduated two years later. We were apart for Amy's senior year as we had planned to get married after her graduation.

About six months after we were married, we were at a party with several other couples our age. It was a BBQ with steaks on the grill and plenty to drink. As it got later in the evening the crowd had whittled down to us and three couples sitting around a fire pit drinking and talking.

The topic of "the celebrity hall pass" came up. "What the hell is a celebrity hall pass?" I asked.

Sadie, a little blonde on my left spoke up. "A celebrity hall pass is just like it sounds. It is a game we play where you name the person you want to get a pass from your marital vows. You know, a celebrity you are allowed to have sex with."

"So, this is just a game you guys play?" I asked.

"Yes and no," Sadie said patting her husband on the leg. "Yes, it is a game that we play, but Tom and I have made an agreement that we will give each other one hall pass. Doesn't have to be a celebrity."

I was shocked, "For real? You mean you guys have a standing agreement that you can go have sex with someone else at any time?"

Tom looked me straight in the eye and laughed. "That's right buddy. It is a little more than that, but that is the basic agreement." He pointed to the other two couples. "They have the same agreement. We all agreed the same night. Katie, you've used your hall pass, right?"

Katie put her head down, "Tom, you don't need to tell the world. Yes, I was at a conference and I was working with this cute guy whose wife had just died in a car accident. I called Carl and told him I was going to use my hall pass to help the guy."

Amy had been quiet but moved closer to me holding my hand. "Carl, you were okay with Katie having sex with another man?"

"Oh yeah, I'm fine with it. She came home to me and I will get to use mine someday."

They continued on with their game naming who their celebrity hall pass would be. Amy prodded me into naming one myself after she announced hers. Fifteen years later I couldn't remember who each of us choose but I do remember the hot sex we had when we got home. Amy even admitted that when we were making love, she was picturing her fantasy lover fucking her. The next morning, I was very clear with her that I would never agree to a hall pass. Amy agreed that it was just a game.

The events of that night faded from my memory for the most part. We moved on with our life. Amy and I quickly started a family, having a boy and girl in quick succession. Amy and I stayed in touch with Sadie and Tom for a few years but lost track of them after they divorced.

A couple of years ago I ran into Tom at a bar. I just happened to stop in after work and saw him drinking alone. We had a drink while he told me that not only were he and Sadie divorced but the other two couples from that BBQ had both divorced. The underlying cause of each divorce was the hall pass. Tom said that they each believed that the hall pass would allow them to have experience excitement outside their marriage with no effect on the marriage. Tom said they couldn't have been more wrong. After each had used the pass there were comparisons and suspicions. The suspicions led to contempt which led to divorce.

My conversation with Tom confirmed what thought the night at that party about the hall pass. It might be a fun game to play as a fantasy. In the real world, it doesn't work. I had intended to tell Amy about my run-in with Tom but with our busy lives it never came up.

Sitting here now, I wish I had. It was a Thursday night with Amy away at a conference in LA. About midnight my phone rang from Amy. The noise on her end sounded like she was in a club. I could hear in her voice that she had been drinking. "You're not going to believe it but we met Joshua from my Soap. He likes me and I'm going to use my hall pass."

The noise on her end got louder. "What did you say. Did you say something about using your pass?"

"Yeah honey, I knew you would understand. See you Saturday."

"What? What the fuck are you saying. Can you hear me Amy?"

The call had ended. I quickly tried to call her back but her phone went right to voice mail. I left her several messages telling her not to do anything stupid. I sent her several texts that there would be consequences if broke our wedding vows.

After hearing nothing from Amy all night I tried several times in the morning with still no results. Friday was a horrible day not knowing what was going on with my wife in LA. I took the kids to my parent's house after work. After dropping the I off I headed to Jack's house. Jack's wife Amy went on the same trip with my wife. They worked together and were good friends.

Jack met me at the door surprised to see me. "Hi Jack, I need your help. I can't get ahold of Amy. When she called me last night she sounded strange. Can you call Jenny to see if she knows anything?"

"Sure Mark, I'll call Jenny and tell her you here are looking for Amy."

"No, don't tell her I'm here. I'm afraid that Amy will have asked her to cover for her. Would you mind just calling her and bringing up Amy in the conversation and let me listen without her knowing?"

"Sure buddy, they should be just getting out of the classes right about now."

I don't know what possessed me to do it. While Jack was getting out his phone, I switched on the voice recorder on my phone.

His wife answered on the first ring. "Hi honey, you must have ESP. I just got back to my room after the classes. We have that dinner tonight and I will see you tomorrow."

The two talked about the conference for a bit then Jack brought up Amy. "Have you seen much of Amy? Mark called me leaving me a message asking if I had talked to you about her."

"Shit, don't tell him you talked to me. Last I saw of her was last night. We were all drinking when this hot soap star came up to our table. Amy got his autograph and they danced a few times. We were sitting at the table when Amy said something about her and Mark having a hall pass agreement. The soap star quickly jumped in volunteering to be her pass mate. I tried to talk her out of it but she said it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Amy whispered in my ear that she was going to let the guy fuck the shit out of her. Next thing I knew she was arm and arm with the guy walking out of the club. I haven't seen her since. God, don't tell Mark."

Jack ended the call looking at me, "Sorry brother. Do you guys have an agreement about a hall pass?"

"No, we played a game called celebrity hall pass years ago but afterward I told her in no uncertain terms that I would never agree to such a thing."

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't know, but it won't be good."

On my way home I stopped by my parent's house asked mom to keep the kids for the weekend. She could tell something was wrong but I didn't tell her what.

Back at the house, I tried a few more times calling and texting Amy with no results. I assumed she had turned her phone off not to be bothered while she fucked her soap star. Amy's flight would get in her in by midafternoon. Jenny had gotten a ride from Amy so I asked Jack to text me when Amy dropped her off. I set up our video camera on a shelf in the living room where I would confront her. I wanted everything she said recorded.

At four o'clock the text from Jack came in. I would have about twenty minutes. I slipped the remote for the camera under my leg and waited for my wife to come home.

I nearly jumped out of my seat when the garage door rumbled. Hitting the record button on the remote I tried to be as calm as I could.

Amy bounded in from the kitchen with her bag in tow. "Oh my God, what a crazy trip," She said with excitement.

"Yeah, I bet. I have been trying to call you."

"My phone got broke. I dropped it and it just shattered."

As calm as I could, I brought up her call to me late Thursday night. "The last time I talked to you I couldn't exactly hear you well. It sounded like you met up with a Soap Star and were using your pass."

"Yeah, we were at a club and Joshua Morrow came over to our table. You know the star on my soap. We danced a few times and we got to talking about our hall pass agreement. Damn, he is so hot. He said he wanted me to use my pass on him. That's why I called you. He's had all the hot actresses and he wanted me, can you believe it? He took me to his house and well, you probably don't want the details."

"No no, tell me how he fucked my wife with his actor dick that has been in hundreds of other women."

Amy still had no sense that I was angry. "Oh yes, he was experienced. He knows his way around a woman's body. He said he took one of those pills. Damn, you are going to have to try one. He lasted forever. Damn, he was good. Those stories you hear about these stars being good at sex are true."

Amy was just giddy telling her story. Finally, she noticed the anger in my face. "Mark, are you alright?"

"No, I'm not. My wife is standing here in my living room confessing to adultery and she can't contain her giddiness about having sex with another man."

"Adultery? What are you talking about Mark? It was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Joshua was my hall pass, I thought you would be happy I got to live out a dream fantasy."

"A dream fantasy? Is that what you are calling it? I'm supposed to be happy you broke our wedding vows?"

"I didn't break our wedding vows; I took a weekend off to live out a fantasy. It was like what our friends did, I just used my hall pass." Amy's face was starting to show concern.

"No Amy, that was just a game and I was very clear that it was just a game. I told you I would never violate our marriage vows and would not stand for you doing the same."

"If you had the chance to be with a celebrity, I would be all for it. I don't understand why you can't just be happy I had an experience I will never forget."

"Don't worry I will never forget either. I'm sure the family that you forgot about will never forget either." I walked over to Amy grabbing her hand. I pulled her wedding ring off her finger. "Did you make love to him with your wedding ring on still on your finger? You know that symbol of our love and commitment to each other."

"We didn't make love, we had sex. Yes, I had it on. I was going to take it off but Joshua wanted me to leave it on."

"I'm sure he did. He wanted to make a mockery of your marriage but fucking you knowing you were a married woman."

Amy stood with her hand on her hip. This was her angry pose. "I don't know why you're making a big deal of this; it was just two nights. What? Do I need to take you upstairs to make it up to you?"

"Thanks, but no thanks. Let me ask you, soap boy didn't use a condom, did he?"

"Well no." Amy was still angry but now confused by my question.

"You let a man have unprotected sex with you that you believe has had sex with over a hundred women and given he is a TV star probably some men too. Wonder what Hollywood disease he gave you?" Amy gasped. "He may have given you something else unless you started using the pill again. You haven't been back on the pill, have you?"

"No, you know I'm not, I don't need to because you had a . . . Oh God!" Amy gasped again.

"Hey, just think, you may be carrying a TV star's baby."

Amy was clearly working the math in her head. "No, I had my period last week so I won't be fertile till later this week."

"Funny how you are just now thinking of that. Super Soap boy may have put enough sperm in you in those two days to find an early egg. How many times did he cum inside you?"

"Mark, you are making too big a deal of this."

"Too big a deal? So, you are saying I shouldn't make a big deal out of my wife committing adultery and throwing her family away."

Amy was stamping her feet. "I told you it wasn't adultery; I used my hall pass. I called you and even told you I was using it."

"There is the problem Amy, you used something that doesn't exist. I never gave you permission to quit on our marriage and destroy our family."

"Quit being so dramatic, I really thought you would be happy for me. I guess I was wrong. I'm done talking about this, where are the kids?"

"They are at my parents; I didn't want them here when we discuss our divorce."

"WHAT? What do you mean divorce? You're going to divorce me over this? No, no, no we are not getting a divorce."

As calm as I could I simply looked into Amy's eyes. "You made your choice, now I will make mine."

"Bullshit, you're telling me that you're going to throw away our family for this? This is not a big deal and you're are just going to have to get over it." Amy said screamed at me.

Done talking, I calmly walked upstairs to the guest bedroom locking the door behind me. For over an hour Amy pounded on the door telling me we needed to talk. Silence was my response.

Getting up early, I was out of the house before Amy awoke. Driving to my parents' house I found my dad up while the rest were asleep. Over a cup of coffee, I told Dad the whole story. Dad just listened, not saying a word till I finished.

When I got to the end, he simply looked up at me. "What a bitch."

"Dad, can I ask you what you would do in my situation?"

"Son you have to understand it was a different time when I was your age. It seems that this shit is acceptable now. If your mother had done what your wife did, I would put a bullet in her head. But you have to do what you have to do."

"Dad, I don't think I can get past this. She knew how I felt about infidelity, hell I thought she felt the same way. What with that pre-nup her mom made us sign."

"What was that all about? I asked Amy's mom about it at the wedding but she just said she didn't want to discuss it. She said she had her reasons."

"Amy told me her mom caught Amy's dad cheating several times and wanted protection for her daughter. It seems Amy has forgotten all about that."

My dad laughed, "I'm sure you're going to remind her of it."

"Oh yeah, but not at first. I want to see what she does from here. She kept saying it was no big deal and I just needed to get over it. Dad, I truly don't believe she is sorry she did it or that she did anything wrong."

It wasn't till after ten that my phone started blowing up. Amy was calling and texting wanting to know where I was. When I didn't answer she called the kids.

Julie our daughter walked into the kitchen yawing, "Dad, mom wants to know where you are and why aren't you answering her calls."

"Honey, what did she tell you?" I asked.

"That's funny, that is exactly what she asked me. She wanted to know what you told us. What is going on with your two? Are you cheating on her or is she cheating on you?"

"Damn, she is perceptive." Dad chimed in.

"Oh crap, mom cheated on you, didn't she?"

"I think you should ask your mother that question." I didn't want to be accused of poising her. I knew that Julie was going to be very upset with her mother.

Julie, being an obstinate teenager, pulled out her phone putting it on speaker. "Dad's here. Did you cheat on him?"

"Julie, what are you talking about? Whatever he said is not true. What did your dad tell you?"

"He didn't tell me anything mom. I can read it in his face. You cheated on him, didn't you?"

"No, I didn't and if he tells you I did it is a lie."

"Okay mom, you sound guilty to me." Julie hit end on her phone. "Sorry dad, I can't believe she did that to you. I assume you're going to divorce her. You've always preached honesty and morality. I don't blame you if she cheated on you."

Julie with a somber look on her face turned around and walked back upstairs.

"Your kid has a good head on her shoulders. Mature way beyond her years. She'll get through this fine." Dad said.

"I'm not sure I will dad," I said.

Thirty minutes later there was a loud knock at the front door. I heard dad at the door, "Amy, you don't want to be her right now. I'm sorry but you are not welcome in our house today."

"Mr. Butler, I don't know what your son told you but he made it up. I haven't done anything."

"Whatever you say Amy, but you are still not welcome here."

"Tell him I didn't do anything and if he says I did it will be trouble for him." Amy stormed off.

"She seemed angry," I said to dad when he came back into the kitchen.

"Be careful son, I've seen that look. She is not going down easy. That woman is like a cat backed into a corner. She is going to lie and scratch her way out. I hope you can prove what she did. She looks ready for a fight."

Amy gave me the silent treatment when the kids and I came home later in the day. I slept in the guest room again that night. There was no one pounding on the door this night.

The kids left for school while I was still sitting at the kitchen table sipping my coffee. I decided that it was time to confront Amy.

She walked into the kitchen like she didn't have a care in the world. "The kids get off okay?" I nodded as she poured her coffee. "Honey, why are you sleeping in the guestroom? Are you feeling alright?"

"You know why, I don't want to sleep near my cheating wife."

"Cheating wife? Mark, what are you talking about?"

"So, I guess you're going to deny that you had sex with a soap star while you were out of town last week?"

"Mark, I don't know what you're up to." She turned looking me in the eyes with an angry look. "You accuse me of something you can't prove I will make you pay dearly. You know you can't prove anything."

"There it is, you've declared war."

"No, I haven't. We can go back to the way things were but that's up to you. I'm willing to forget your baseless accusations."

"Sorry, but I can't forget what you did."

"I'm going to say it again. I didn't do anything and more importantly, you can't prove that I did. You will regret it if you try to say I did something. Let it go and let's get on with our marriage."

I knew a threat when I heard it. I didn't say anything, just got up and walked to my car as if I was going to work. Having already called into work sick, I drove down the street waiting for Amy to head to her school where she was an associate principal. Once she was gone, I went back into the house. Taking Amy's words to heart I went into the house looking for evidence. If this was going to be war, I wanted as much ammunition as I could get.

Jenny had mentioned that Amy had gotten Soap Boy's autograph. She couldn't display if she was going to deny her affair ever happened. I figured something like that would be too big of a trophy to get rid of. She would hide it.

It took two hours of searching, but I finally found it. Find it I did. Amy had an old briefcase in the back of her side of the closet. It was locked but she always uses the same code for her all briefcases. At the bottom buried under several folders, I found the picture.

It was your standard publicity photo of soap boy. The signature was tame, "To my friend Amy, Joshua Morrow." On the back was another signature. It was signed, "You were a great fuck, Joshua."

I scanned the picture before putting it back where it was.

Next stop was the lawyer. Before leaving I put a copy of the scan, our pre-nup, the recording of Amy's friend's phone call, and my recording of Amy's confession on two flash drives.

The lawyer I visited was well known for her ruthless attacks on cheating spouses. Vickie Samson was known as "The Bitch" in the divorce world. I laid out my story about what Amy did. When I finished telling her the situation and how I wanted it to play out she just sat back and smiled. "I love this, you are evil. Set the trap and spring it when there is no turning back. You know it is going to be uncomfortable for you when before we show the proof. Everyone is going to think you are lying or crazy."