Can We Be Saved

It all started at an evening out with people I had thought of loosely, as my friends. In truth, they were my wife's new friends whom she had met recently through her gym. We seldom saw our old friends who I much preferred.

I had missed a few, ok a lot, of such evenings recently but for once I was home from work early so managed it. Looking back, the look my wife Dorothy gave me was one of surprise and maybe a little bit unhappy I was home.

I'm Jeremy. I own and run a small business which is, even if I say so myself, highly successful. I have over two hundred staff. It's digital based and the software I write has been patented and licensed so money is now no problem. I treat my staff well. I know I should spend less time at work, enjoy the fruits of my labour a bit more but I do love what I do.

Dorothy and I are both in our early thirties. We met at university and courted through our last two years there. Dorothy is fun to be around. She's beautiful, about 5'4, slim with amazing natural 36D breasts which don't droop. The areolas are about an inch and a half wide and go from pale pink to red when she becomes aroused. The nipples grow so much, if I'm not careful, my eyes can be in danger. Her bum is lovely, just big enough to caress but not so overpowering, the cheeks come to the knees. I just don't get this big booty craze! Her long legs are well toned and look awesome in suspenders and stockings although she hasn't been wearing those for a while unfortunately. Her pussy is one that just asks to be kissed. The labia hang down slightly as though inviting you. I never refuse an invitation, it's so seldom issued. Her vagina is tight as she does her kegel exercises. She did trim her pubic hair which showed she's a true blond but recently it's been bare. It's something I've never asked for. Not sure I'm keen. I haven't experienced it yet!

While she is sex on legs as far as I'm concerned, she is quite restricted in what she will do sexually. I stopped trying to get her to expand her boundaries as it only led to arguments and weeks of frozen shoulders and backs.

As we dressed, I was looking happy. She spoke softly, "What's making you happy?"

I replied, "It's a long time since you wore something like this for me." I lied, this was a first!

She was wearing a red satin suspender belt, red stockings, a red satin thong, a little red dress which showed, for her, a lot of breast. I had noticed the lack of bra, - a first. The thong - a first. Her usual panties were midis or maxis cotton monsters. Yuk!

She laughed, "Who says it's for you?"

I would have laughed with her but her face said she wasn't joking!

My smile dropped, my eyes stared angrily, "If it's not tell me now. If this is to throw something in my face, you'll not like the consequences."

As she realised I had seen something in her which told me something was very wrong, she tried to deflect, "Jeremy, where's your sense of humour? You're seldom here. When have we talked at any length in recent months? Hell, we haven't had sex in at least four months. Maybe I should take a lover as you don't appreciate me as a wife, I'm just someone to hang on your arm and look good with."

I retorted angrily, "Maybe if you ever said yes, I would try but as you are never in the mood, I stopped asking. I shouldn't need to ask. As far as talking, who's out with friends almost every night. You've no time for me. Is this why?"

She wasn't happy. Neither was I.

So, the evening didn't start well!

At first the group of eight, Don and Tricia, Mike and Yvonne, Derek and Susan, Dorothy and I spent the evening discussing all manner of things. As I said, it was a relatively new group Dorothy had befriended. I don't know why. Our friends of longer standing were far nicer in my opinion, more like us. They seemed very superficial. As I had missed so many evenings, I had to be quiet as I tried to pick up the threads of conversations they had already shared.

I think because I'd been quiet, they thought I wasn't paying close attention, especially to Dorothy. Dorothy was sitting between Mike and Derek, but very close to Mike. There were frequent glances between them and he was lightly caressing her forearm. This incensed me but I couldn't jump right in. I thought it may be Dorothy playing me after our little discussion or it could be a sign of something far worse. I'm sure she and the others saw I wasn't amused.

When we'd had a few drinks, the conversation changed dramatically.

It was Susan who asked the question, "Can any marriage be monogamous?"

I was surprised. I almost choked on my drink. I'm sure they saw that as they all smiled, that annoying knowing smile.

Yvonne answered, "It would be difficult. It would depend on how the couple were. If they talked, shared fantasies and played around with each other, it may work. If they didn't something could happen."

Tricia laughed, "Like the other week when a footballer took a married woman away from her husband. Apparently, he's quite famous but I don't follow sport. He did nothing for me. Her husband wasn't very happy. I wonder how they are getting on."

Dorothy laughed, "He's probably happy a famous footballer wanted an evening with his wife."

The men tried to say, "No he wouldn't be," but not very convincingly. The girls didn't accept that.

As I listened, I saw that this had all been rehearsed. It was the way the speeches went. There was no spontaneity. I watched as Dorothy was apparently using her hand to stroke Mike's penis under the table. He was obviously enjoying it.

I was beginning to have serious concerns that these people were friends. The conversation went around them. They all seemed open to playing around.

Susan asked me directly, "Jeremy, as you work so long hours, if Dorothy took a lover, you'd be okay with that?"

I looked at Dorothy. Her face showed expectation. She had planted the question.

I looked around them all and said firmly, "No!"

Dorothy looked at me with a frown, shocked I'd refuse her permission to fuck around. She spoke determinedly, "It's my body. I say who can access it. You don't control it."

I spoke quietly, trying to suppress my anger at being the victim of this charade, "Dorothy, I agree with what you just said. However, in a relationship, if you do not consider what your actions will do to the other, then do you have any relationship worth keeping?

"If you wish to take a lover, I can't stop you. It may be you have already auditioned Mike. The way you've been interacting, caressing his little dick, shows you have mutual interest. It may be a wind up after our spat earlier or it's intended to show me what you desire or have done.

"In the same way, you are in control so am I. I shall react in the way which is right for me. If you have no consideration for me, we'd be over."

Everyone was mad -- at me.

Susan spoke with some anger, "You'd throw all those years away if she had a lover. You're never there. She needs someone capable of showing her love and tenderness."

I laughed but my tone showed how angry I was, "I can do that except Mrs Freezer there doesn't want me. If she did, she would have addressed this in our home. Not have you all rehearse your little speeches which she hoped I would agree with so she can continue fucking Mike and maybe the rest of you as well. Maybe more.

"I don't agree with adultery. I have turned down many women because I loved Dorothy and I thought she loved me. Now I know I was bloody mistaken!

"The answer to your footballer question is simple, that marriage, if it continues, is irrevocably changed and not for the better. There's the betrayal, humiliation and breach of trust to begin with. Add their personalities to the mix and you have a toxic concoction.

"He may fuck her but he won't be making love to her. He will be using her to dump his sperm.

"Not one of you took a moment to consider me, you went along with Dorothy's idea. You may have been the ones to convince her to have an affair. Maybe when I'm not here you all have an orgy. That would explain Dorothy being upset I was home in time to be here tonight. I spoiled her fun.

"Well, I no longer consider any of you friends. Friends would have told me what was happening.

"Dorothy, you wanted my answer. You have a choice to make. For clarity, our marriage has already changed."

I stood up and walked away without looking back. As I collected my coat, the manager asked nervously, "Are you still paying for everything as usual?"

I snarled, "The bastards can pay for themselves!"

I took a taxi home. I was furious. I never saw this coming. I wasn't home more than thirty minutes before Dorothy came marching in. She was mad.

"You fucking bastard! Not only do you humiliate me in front of our friends but you cancelled my cards so I couldn't pay for the evening."

I replied calmly, "They're your friends. They covered for you. Friends tell other friends when shit is going on behind their back. I won't be paying for them again."

She snarled, "You can fucking sleep in the spare room."

I laughed, "I'm sleeping in my bed. If you don't want to share it, you go to the other room."

Dorothy smiled but it didn't reach her eyes, " I did dress for you. I had thought to make love with you tonight but you can forget it. I admit I yanked your chain, caressing Mike. It wasn't going any further. He loves Yvonne. She knew what I planned. I haven't been intimate with anyone.

"I wanted to make you stop and consider where we are. We've stopped being a couple. Instead, I got a lecture on morality.

"When you said I never loved you, that hurt. I do love you. I just don't love what we've become."

I replied angrily, "If you wanted to discuss our problems, you could have spoken with me. Suggested counselling and I would have been happy to do it.

"What you did was deliberate. You planted the seed that you were dressed for someone else. You suggested taking a lover. You played with another man's penis. You set out to humiliate me, determined to force me to agree that you can fuck around.

"If you loved me, why would you do that?"

Dorothy was angry, "I hate being alone all the time. I hate that you care more for your work than for me. You want me to consider what my actions will do to you. How about you consider what your actions have done to me?"

"I do. I don't go flouting women in front of you. I turn down all advances. You deliberately flaunted Mike. From the looks of everyone, this wasn't a one off. This was you saying, "FUCK YOU!""

Dorothy reacted, "It's my fucking body. I'll say who has access and your access privileges have been cancelled until further notice!"

She stormed into the bedroom. I followed.

"Dorothy, you're right. It's your body. You grant access to who you wish. It doesn't mean, it doesn't have a cost. You fuck someone else, I will go nuclear. If you don't want that, let's file for divorce and when you are free, you can fuck who you like.

"I'm not waiting in wondering who you're off fucking and what diseases you'll have.

"Hell, if I had posed the same question to you and that group, you'd have cut my balls off for suggesting I fuck someone else."

As she looked away from me, a thought came into my mind and out my mouth immediately, "I forgot to ask, "Is the bare cunt for Mike?"

Dorothy spun round, "You fucking bastard. I did it for me. I'll do what I want with my body."

Those were almost the last words we spoke until Wednesday. I did try to speak to her the next morning but was shot down so never bothered again. I wasn't going to break the impasse. I made sure I was home early each day. I did start to arrange a few other things as well.

She had come in and threw her car keys at me and told me to fill her car up and top up the water bottle. I normally did that.

"Do it your fucking self. You're in charge aren't you?"

If looks could kill, I wouldn't be here.

On Friday I was home by 3.30pm. I had spent some time with my solicitors, looking at all options. If she committed adultery, she would be the one to suffer.

At 6.30pm she came downstairs. She looked good enough to eat. The dress clung to her showing she wasn't wearing a bra. It came to mid-thigh. Her legs were bare.

She laughed as she watched me take in the view. She pranced happily out of the door without a word.

Two hours or so later, I received a WhatsApp from Mike. I had opened it before it registered. It was a photo of the bare back of Dorothy with more than just a slight hint of her left breast. There was a tramp stamp tattoo at the base of her spine just above her micro thong.

"What do you think?" the caption asked.

I was mad, furious. Mike had her almost naked at a tattoo parlour. MIKE!!!

I took a few minutes before I replied, "Dorothy knew I loved her flawless skin and how I hate tattoos, piercings. This is the final finger to me! You want to flaunt you're fucking and expect me to be okay with it. I told you, there would be a cost. I hope you will both find this is what you want."

I added my own photographs, divorce papers naming her and him with my signature already signed.

I'd had enough. The photo destroyed a part of me. She was defiled. I had already thought to move to a business apartment we used to house new employees when they moved here until they found their own accommodation. I packed a few suitcases and headed there.

Once there I began closing all access she had to any account not necessary for her day-to-day life. I put limits on the amount she could spend. I knew she spent money on those "friends." I had already changed all my passwords so she wouldn't be able to gain access through our home computer.

My PA, Belinda has been great. She had seen how upset, angry I was on the Monday. She suggested I find a counsellor to help me deal with the stress. I am seeing one on Monday. I hadn't a clue how they worked. I spent the weekend trying to work out how our lives had gotten so distorted, why Dorothy would do that to me.

I had shut down my phone as I didn't want to speak with anyone. I only went out to grab some takeaway. I'm not a big drinker so I didn't take solace in a bottle.

On Monday, Belinda was already in the office when I went in. I raised my eyebrow.

She smiled, just more like a grimace, "Some of us have been spending the weekend dealing with a very irate wife who couldn't contact her husband. Said husband was proposing a divorce which wasn't sitting well with her. He'd left the marital home.

"I've agreed to have lunch with her so I'm making up the time."

I smiled, "Belinda, you needn't make up the time. This is above and beyond your duties." I explained what happened on Friday night.

Belinda looked aghast when I told her about the tattoo. "She did this, knowing how you feel about them?"

I nodded, " She knows I hate tattoos. Her skin was flawless now it's been defiled. We discussed stuff like that as we became a couple. She knows full well my views. She says she is in control of her body. Who she has sex with and what is done to her body?

"Hell, that's two weeks running she's been out without a bra on. The first times ever. She has her pussy waxed as she knows I liked running my fingers through her pubic hair. She's saying "Fuck You" to me.

"I've suggested counselling, couples' retreats but nothing until she decided she and Mike should fuck. She was feeling his cock up on the Friday night the week before to show me my place.

"I receive no consideration to my views whatsoever. I've had enough. The last week has been purgatory. She wants to fuck others. I'm an impediment. The tattoo was the final straw. The best thing is to divorce.

"I won't be a cuckold, a nonentity in my marriage."

Belinda looked at me, "Did she offer you an open marriage?"

"I wouldn't have gone for that either. She looked bloody annoyed when I suggested I could accept some of the females who come on to me."

Belinda asked, "Any instructions for me?"

I nodded, "I don't want to speak with her or any of her friends. Be aware of what you say. She'll try and get you into her corner. There's going to be no winners here.

"What's my day like?"

Belinda went through my day. It would effectively end at 2.30 when I went to the counsellor. I didn't know what I was going to say. Belinda just smiled, "the lady is very good, she'll soon have you speaking."

I did need to switch my phone on as Belinda reminded me I had some calls coming in later that morning.

There were numerous WhatsApp's and texts from Dorothy. None were apologetic, most downright nasty about me. I transferred all those, like the tattoo photo to a file, to be used if necessary.

Belinda came in to remind me about my appointment as she was heading to lunch. I gave her some money. She looked at me, "I cancelled all Dorothy's non-essential cards. I've cut the limits on those she has left. She'll have been buying her friends so will be out of money, I expect. So, you'll have to pay."

In answer to the unasked question on her face, "I'm not paying for her to fuck around on me."

Belinda asked quietly, "Jeremy, have you asked her outright if she's fucking around on you. Is she trying to jolt you? Pissed off at how much time you've spent at work recently."

I looked at her, "Belinda, I haven't. I'm not sure I want to know the answer until I get my head straightened out. I'm shocked we've come to this. I knew things weren't good as I worked on those last few contracts. I told her how important they were and that after, I'd have more time to devote to our marriage. They are beginning to really pay a dividend workwise. I've been grooming Donovan, Jill and Ashley to take control of those accounts so I can take a few big steps back so I could be there for Dorothy more often.

"I know I have an element of blame but I'm not shamelessly feeling a woman's breasts in front of her like she did with Mike's cock."

"What did she say when she came back home that night?" Belinda asked quietly.

"It's her body, she decides access. We rowed as she wouldn't accept that her decision impacted upon me. I was adamant she should at least consider the effect if would have on me. We haven't spoken two non-angry words since.

"Friday night she flaunted how little she was wearing before she headed off. After the photo, I couldn't stay there any longer. I can't believe she did that." I was almost in tears. My eyes were definitely moist.

I grabbed lunch in the canteen before heading to see the counsellor. Belinda had picked her. I knew it wouldn't be easy. Belinda wanted me fixed so she'd go for the one to do it, no matter what it cost me emotionally.

I wasn't wrong.

The counsellor Sarah was slightly older and had a warmth about her. She began by asking me what I thought was the problem between Dorothy and me.

"In recent months we haven't been communicating at all well. Some of it was my fault due to my business but I explained everything to Dorothy and how after this, I would have more time for us. I was already cutting my hours but it seemed she was always out with her new friends even if I was at home. Our sex life stopped, five, six months ago.

"Ten days ago, I was home in plenty of time, for a change, before a night out with her friends. Her face said she wasn't pleased I was there. As she dressed, I was very pleased. She had gone way out to impress me. When she asked why I was smiling, I told her she'd never dressed like that for me before. She replied, "Who says it's for you!" Her face told me she wasn't lying. We rowed and the evening didn't get any better.

"During the night, she sat very close to Mike. I would swear she was caressing his cock. The table covered her hand but the arm movement was clear. Mike looked happy. He was caressing her arm. One started a discussion on monogamy. It was scripted about allowing wives to fuck around. I disagreed.