Catwomen Caught Ch. 02: After the Party

Lies! Lies! Lies!

Here is some truth. She fucked a Dominic. She let him stick his dick into her vagina. She opened her legs, invited him into her sacred place, and made him cum.

She probably kissed him. A wet, passionate kiss that communicates arousal and lust. She probably put his dick in her mouth and accepted him into her throat as she coated his shaft with her saliva.

Slurp. Slurp.

I'll bet that fucker enjoyed that; getting sucked by another man's wife. He probably flipped her around and pushed her head into the pillow, jutting her ass obscenely in the air to await his invasion.

My ass. My mouth. My wife.

What right did he have? I am the one who sat with her when she was sick. I was the one in the delivery room with her, TWICE, holding her hand and wiping her sweat. I was the one who promised to love her IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH. I was the one who pledged my life to her. What did he do? Whip his dick out and say, "Me Tarzan, you Alicia. Suck, Bitch."

The insistent ringtone continued to torture me with its lies. It would pause for a minute, only to start again. I turned it off and snatched the battery out.

Silence. No more lies.

I drove aimlessly around for what seemed like an endless amount of time. My body must have been on autopilot because my mind had checked out to save itself from overload. The streaming video of tonight's events - and worse the events that I imagined happened between my wife and the jungle asshole - were overclocking my CPU. It wasn't until I looked up and saw my parent's garage in front of me that reality kicked in. I didn't remember driving here. Apparently, my subconscious took me back to the place of my childhood. I cut the engine and made my way inside.

Every kid has a key to his parent's house, even if he vowed to never go back there again. Well, maybe not every kid. But I did.

Since it was late (or early in the morning, depending on your perception) the living room that I'd grown up in was dark. Nothing had really changed over the decades. The couch, the coffee table, the lamp, all of the contents were the EXACT same furniture that I remembered, frozen in the EXACT same spot. I could honestly navigate my way around with my eyes closed.

Strangely, I found some comfort in that. This night had changed everything for me, in a moment. I had always been skeptical when people told stories where their whole world changed in an instant (other than a tragic event, of course). This night made me a believer. Everything that I had known about my life turned upside down in one drunken conversation with a Neanderthal. Being back in familiar surroundings that I had grown up with felt...stable. After an earthquake that crumbles buildings and leaves the ground split open, the thing that people want most is for everything to be still. Stability was really what I needed at this moment.

For now, I was home. Safe.

"Hello? Who's there?" I heard my mom call out. I pictured her crouched in the corner with a baseball bat, ready to bat out some RBI's. Really bad injuries.

"It's me ma."

"Gregory?"

"Yeah."

The lights switched on suddenly, overloading my vision for a moment. I had to squint to keep from going blind.

"What in the devil's name are you skulking around in the dark for? You trying to kill me off by giving me a heart attack?"

"Nice to see you too ma."

When my eyes adjusted, I was welcomed with the sight of an old lady in flower print pajamas. Her hair was in rollers. If you are seeing a vision of "Mama's Family" then you are right on the money.

"Why are you here so late? And why are you dressed like an idiot?" Straight to the point, my mother.

Until that moment, I'd forgotten that I still had most of my pirate costume on. By now I'd lost the hat, the parrot, and the eye patch. So now I just looked like...well, an idiot.

"Long story ma. Look, I'm gonna be staying here for a while. The kids will go home tomorrow, but I will be coming back. I'll tell you about it, but I don't wanna discuss it in front of the kids, okay?"

You will notice that I didn't ask her to stay with her. I just let her know my intentions. It may seem a bit odd to most people, but not to us. My family isn't what you would call lovey dovey. My old man is a straight forward kind of guy. He never says any more than what is needed, and he expects the same in return. A hug consisted of a brief bump of the chest and a pat on the back. "I love you" was a term reserved for near death experiences.

He and my mom made the perfect couple, because she was exactly the same way. She was very limited in the amount of affection that she showed to him. Or to me. How they ever navigated their way to each other's genitals to make me is a mystery that is puzzling, yet disturbing. I honestly think that there is no one else that could have dealt with either of them. They were destined to find each other, or suffer the world alone.

"Fine Gregory. You know where everything is. I'm going back to bed."

Her frail form disappeared around the corner and ascended the stairs before she yelled out, "And lock up!"

+++

The next morning, I decided to activate the retched device and see the damage. Twenty-nine missed calls. Fifteen from Alicia. A few from Richard, and a few from others that were at the party.

I didn't return any of the calls. No doubt it was full of people who wanted to pump the porn watching, wife neglecting asshole for information about his whereabouts.

After a few hours of restless non-sleep, I was still hurt. I was still mad. I was confused. I admit I was curious about what the hell had happened, but my other emotions overwhelmed me.

I was also wondering where the cops were at. I don't know what happened to Dominic after I left. Did he go to the hospital? Did he press charges? Was I going to jail?

I rolled out of bed and slipped out of the house before my mom woke up. I wrote a note saying that I was going out, and that if Alicia called to tell her I would call her when I was ready. She was free to pick up the kids if she wanted. If not, I would bring them home later on.

Luckily it was Sunday. I didn't have to be to work. It was a good thing, because I needed something liquid and potent. The pain of last night sat inside of my chest, and I needed something just as strong to drown it out.

So I parked outside of my favorite bar and strolled in.

+++

I hid out at my mom's house for the next couple of weeks. In this time, the only contact I had with Alicia was when I brought the kids home and picked up a few items. After a few stilted attempts at a conversation, she walked away frustrated. Before I left, I heard her talking on the phone. My ears perked as I listened for a few minutes. If she were on the phone with that asshole, I was going to lose it. Judging from her half of the conversation, it was Susie.

Not sure if that was better, or worse.

Between my parent's house and the bar I spent much of my free time. My dad was traveling on business, so it was just me and my mom. Oh joy. She really isn't one for deep, profound conversations. To her credit, she did listen, and was pretty supportive, but I don't think that she could really relate. Besides that, there was no way I was telling her about the porn. Especially after all of her warnings during my younger years about "going blind" and "hairy palms".

During my time with my mom, we talked very little. I gave her a general idea of why I was staying with her. She listened intently, but didn't say much about the situation. She asked me what I was going to do about it. The only answer I could give her was a shrug and a "I dunno."

"You'll figure it out." was her word of encouragement. Nothing else was said about it.

Sounds kind of cold when I say it aloud. Surprisingly, it was comforting in a way. I didn't have to retell the turn of events over and over ad nauseam. She didn't require daily updates on my mind state or treat me like some fragile china doll that had to be coddled and protected. No time was spent trying to cheer me up. I was free to grieve on my own in my own way.

I'd called in all of my sick days and personal days. I just couldn't face anyone. Even though no one at my job was at the party, we did live in a relatively small town. Word has a tendency to travel at "Flash" velocities. The speed of sound. The speed it took one gossiper to inform another.

It wasn't just the cheating wife that I was dealing with. It was the way she destroyed me. Publically, in front of everyone. Full of venom and mirth.

Poor Greg. He's too tired to make love to his wife. Yet he finds time to sit in front of his computer and jerk off to porn EVERY SINGLE NIGHT! Maybe if you stopped looking up plastic Barbie dolls on the internet and payed more attention to your wife, she wouldn't have to go crying to her best friend about the husband who isn't interested in her anymore!

How do you come back from that?

I finally had to turn off my cell phone. The damn thing would suddenly start having shitfits. Out of nowhere it would ring and ring and ring. Various faces glowed, begging me to pick up. Fuck them all.

Don't know if it were the universe looking out for me or simple male pride on Dominic's part, but the cops never showed.

It was interesting to see how my friends behaved. They emailed and texted a lot. Even called. But they didn't come to my parents house. I concluded that when people don't know what to say, the just avoid the situation. They weren't bad friends, but they had no clue what was happening or how to help. So they did nothing.

This was curse as much as it was a blessing. Because there were no distractions, I thought about it ALL OF THE TIME. The only way I could stop was to drown the horrible images running through my mind. So I drank at the bar. Karen became my goddess as well as my savior.

The worst thing about staying with my mom was that I was exiled from my kids. It was an exile of my own doing, but it still sucked. I knew that seeing them meant seeing Alicia. It was like I knew there was a warm bed waiting for me, but I had to swim across a half frozen lake to get there.

So I drank even more to forget that.

It wasn't until Karen showed me a story written by my good friend that I broke the pattern. "Catwomen Caught" was the name. A story that bared a striking resemblance to my scenario. Two Catwomen. A pirate. Fucking Tarzan. Superman vs Hulk.

JavMor, you mother fucker!

I pulled out my cell, turned it on, and angrily punched in seven digits.

"Good Morning. Mr. Kirkson's office. This is Betty. How may I help you today?"

**********************

RICHARD NARRATING

Present Day - At Richard's house

"So, what you gonna do about Alicia? Divorce? Separation? Beat the shit out of her?"

Greg gave a small, sad laugh and looked at the plate in front of him. "Do I have to choose?" he joked half-heartedly.

I saw the pain etched on his face. I could see his mind running through the events that happened on Halloween over and over. Listening to her words, as if they were on repeat.

"Greg, I have to ask. You can tell me to go to hell if this is too personal, but about the...porn. What did she mean by that?"

Greg's cheeks reddened and he shifted nervously in his seat.

"So what? I watch porn. You telling me you don't?" He said defensively.

"Of course I've looked at porn. But Alicia said that you look at it instead of making love to her. Is that true?"

"Go to hell Richard. Too personal."

"Ok buddy. Ok. But I just want to understand what went wrong with you two. I mean, you guys were always so happy. I never suspected anything."

He looked down at his food as his fork swirled it around his plate.

"She just doesn't understand Rich."

"What doesn't she understand?"

Greg dropped his fork and rubbed his face with both hands as he blew out a long breath. It was a sad sigh mixed with something else. Maybe guilt.

"I work ten to twelve hours every day. If I'm lucky I only work five days a week. When I come home, I'm tired. I'm stressed. I deal with angry investors, angry customers, angry managers, sexual harassment suits, discrimination claims, everything. It all falls on me. If my stores' numbers are falling, or some asshole customer claims to see a rat to extort a free meal out of us, I have to handle it."

He took a breath as if he were gearing up to continue. I patiently waited for him to get it out.

"Alicia needs a lot of foreplay. I mean A LOT. She loves getting oral sex. She also likes kissing, licking, everything. I could spend 30 minutes on just foreplay alone. Then, when she's primed and ready, and we get to the actual sex, it takes her a long time to get off. She likes to switch positions frequently. On top of that, she wants me to talk dirty to her while all of this is going on. I love my wife. I really do. And when I have the energy, its great. I know guys who complain that their wife is frigid, or unimaginative, or just want to get the fucking over with. Alicia is none of those. But I don't have the energy to do that every night. Especially after dealing with all of the shit I have to deal with during the day."

He paused and looked off in another direction.

"Rich, sometimes it's just easier when I am alone. I hate to say that. I mean, every man dreams about a woman like Alicia; a horny woman who loves sex in a major way. I'm lucky to have her. I know that. But..."

I saw his eyes start to mist up. Drudging up the hurt of one's marriage can do that. Seeing the part that you played to your predicament is hard.

"I do so much for her. For the girls. I work my ass off to give them all of the things that I didn't have as a kid. My dad is very frugal. He only buys what is necessary. I want more for my girls. My wife. And I love spending time with them. They are my world. But sometimes I just feel like NOT doing something for someone else. When I come home after dealing with all of the shit that I deal with, I just want to be...me. I don't always want to be dad, or husband, or boss. I...I guess I let that slip away a bit."

"How long has it been since you two made love? I mean, before the party."

He shook his head. "I don't know Rich. I really don't. I didn't even realize that it had been that long."

I nodded as some level of understanding hit me. Then I saw his eyes flash anger.

"That doesn't give her the right to do what she did though Richard! I didn't humiliate her in front of everybody. I didn't fuck another woman. SHE SHOULD HAVE COME TO ME! WHY DIDN'T SHE COME TO ME?"

I had to take a chance with my next statement. It was important to get my point across without making him feel like I was taking her side.

"Maybe for the same reason you never told her why you were looking at porn. Communication is hard, especially if you don't realize you need to say something in the first place. How do you tell your spouse that you're unhappy?"

"Easily. You say, I'm unhappy."

"Touché."

Things were getting a bit too deep. These are usually the times that I insert a joke. So I switched modes.

"So Greg, about my wall..."

He looked up at me and saw that I was teasing him. He snickered and shook his head.

"Consider us even for the story, asshole."

"I thought the punch in the face was putting us even."

"Not even close."

I had to laugh. This glimpse into the Pre-Halloween Greg was refreshing. Even if it only lasted a moment.

"Fair enough."

It was then that I saw Nikki standing in the doorway with an odd look on her face. Her eyes were telling me to see her immediately. I left Greg to eat and walked over to her.

"Ummm, we have a problem."

"What is it hun?"

She looked at me nervously and pulled me closer to her so she could whisper.

"Somehow Alicia found out that Greg is here. She's...on her way."

Fucking John. He probably called her to yell at her or something stupid like that. He unwittingly fed her information about Greg's whereabouts.

"Ummm, you need to stop that bitch at the door Nikki."

Nikki held up her hands and shook her head.

"Rich, I am not getting involved in this shit. Greg needs to deal with this. He's been avoiding her for two weeks."

I found myself getting exasperated with my wife.

"His skank of a wife cheated on him. Did you forget that?"

"No I haven't forgotten. I have a fucking hole in my wall as a reminder!"

I turned to look at Greg, who was absently toying with the food on his plate. He seemed oblivious to the Kamikaze mission that was on its way to ambush him.

"What do you want me to do Nikki?"

Her face softened along with her resolve as she saw my desire to help my friend.

"He has to deal with this himself baby. You can be his friend and help him through it. But he can't run from it." She patted me on the chest and walked away. I turned to prepare Greg for what was to come.

"Greg..."

"I heard you guys. You can't whisper for shit. She's on her way." He rubbed his chin and grimaced. Then, his face took on a look of resolve.

"Good." He said finally as he pushed away from the table. He turned to me and looked me in the eyes.

"I'm ready to deal with it, Dr. Phil." He said flatly. Then he got up and went out my back door.

+++

GREG NARRATING

Beautiful sunset. Soft colors cascaded across the pale sky. Orange, red, and all hues in between. So serene. Almost calming.

"Greg, honey..."

Serenity gone.

I didn't answer the apprehensive voice that announced the arrival of my wayward wife. I didn't even turn around to look at her. I just kept my eyes pointed at the artistry above me.

Alicia took the absence of a refusal as an invitation. She wasn't totally wrong in doing so. She sat alongside me on Richard's back porch and curled her knees in front of her chest, as if for protection.

"I've been looking everywhere for you honey."

She could not have chosen a worse way to start this off.

"I've been the same place all night." I mumbled to myself, purposely repeating the exact words that I said to her when I caught her and Dominic huddled up in Richard's kitchen a couple of weeks ago

She looked at me a bit confused, as if she didn't understand my response.

"Greg, we need to talk."

I nodded my head in agreement with her. In my peripheral I could see the agony playing in her body language. I didn't look directly in her face, but I imagined it to be a chagrined sight. Puffy eyes, flushed cheeks, sullen expression. At least that is what her voice sounded like.

"I love you honey..."

"Lies." I interrupted her.

"Greg..."

"Stop it Alicia. Just stop it. You can't love me and humiliate me like you did. Airing my business out there like that? I would never do that to you."

"What are you talking about Greg? You did do that to me!" I heard the anger rising in her voice. "You came storming down the stairs like a madman! Then, in front of everyone, you asked Susie if she knew I was fucking her husband. IN FRONT OF EVERYONE! If you wanted to have a private conversation, you would have dragged me out of there and yelled at me in the car. BUT NO! You aired my shit out there first!"

She was right, sort of. I didn't see things that way when it happened. I was blind with rage.

"Okay Alicia. I'll concede that point. But I did not start this. Your fucking boyfriend confronted me and starting telling me about your pussy in front of other people. I dealt with it. I was in a rage. A FUCKING JUSTIFIED RAGE! Could I have handled it better? Sure."

I paused to get my emotions in check. They threatened to run away from me.

"But I didn't fuck anyone else." I continued. "You didn't have a woman coming up to you describing my dick size, or rubbing MY sluttiness in your face. You don't have to imagine my dick inside of someone else's vagina. If you didn't fuck him, there wouldn't have been any dirty laundry in the first place."