Cheater's Gallery Ep. 04: Linda

"It doesn't hurt that he's a hunk, either," Dee added. Linda and I both knew who he was, but we weren't very interested in anything besides each other just then. We let the conversation wash over us, holding hands under the table.

"Hey, you two, get a room!" Dee said. Linda and I looked at each other. We hadn't even been kissing. Well, not really kissing, anyway. My feeding her wings didn't count. Besides, we'd already gotten a room. We were saved from further embarrassment when the band started again.

"Shall we dance here, or upstairs?" I whispered to Linda. Before she could reply, Jane interrupted.

"Look! He's coming this way!" she exclaimed. Sure enough, LaValliere had left his table and was heading for ours. I was amused by the reaction of the women at our table. Four of them primped and strutted, all but saying "pick me, pick me!" Talk about an embarrassing display. If you think a woman can't strut while she's sitting down, think again. Linda looked down, and held my hand a little tighter.

"Hi, I'm Marc. Would you like to dance?" he asked. He stood behind Linda's left shoulder, holding his hand out to her.

I felt her gasp as she dropped my hand as if it were a hot potato. I watched, dumbstruck, as she turned her back to me without a word, gave Marc her right hand and gracefully rose from her chair without even giving me a second look. I noticed her hand practically disappeared in his large paw. I also noticed the look of rapture on her face. At that moment, I had simply ceased to exist in her mind.

"Hey, man, now my feelings are hurt. I thought she was just dancing with you tonight," Dave said as he needled me.

"Yeah, that's what I thought, too," I grumbled.

"Relax, Jim. It's just a dance," Jane said as she tried to soothe me. I tried to believe her, but I couldn't help having a bad feeling about this.

The band played a couple of fast songs, and our whole table watched them dance. So did everyone else in the room. Marc was good, far better than I was, and Linda was clearly enjoying herself. Her partner and her dress combined to show her off to perfection.

"Don't they look great together? Come on, Jim, let's join them," Dee invited, clearly trying to distract me.

"Thanks, but no," I said abruptly.

The next song was a slow one. I watched Linda melt into his arms, fitting perfectly as though she belonged there. He was good at that, too. Lots of practice, I'll bet, I thought to myself. Marc whispered something to Linda. She smiled sweetly as she responded. He wasn't doing anything I could legitimately object to. He didn't dance any closer to her than I danced with Dee or Jane -- his hands didn't go anywhere they weren't supposed to.

Another slow song, a ballad this time. I could see the band leader taking his cues by watching my wife and her new partner. Marc smiled as he held her in his arms. He was clearly pleased with whatever was going on. I'd seen enough and was determined to put a stop to it. I rose from my chair, and felt Jane's hand on my arm.

"Wait, Jim. Let her have this. Don't ruin it for her," she said.

I jerked my arm free, and then looked at Linda's face. She clearly wanted to be exactly where she was, and nowhere else. She did not want any interference from me. In fact, I was nowhere in her thoughts, and it was obvious. I slumped back into my chair, broken-hearted. Finally, the song ended. Marc nodded at the band leader, who started a faster song. He and Linda left the dance floor, smiling at each other, but not touching, not even holding hands. Linda gave him a last brilliant smile as she turned toward our table and Marc turned toward his.

The difference between a woman's best smile and her second-best smile isn't much. Unless you know the woman well, you probably wouldn't notice it at all. As Linda neared our table and our eyes met, her best smile faded to her second-best. At that moment, I knew we had a problem.

"I keep telling you that you're the most attractive woman in here," I whispered in her ear as I seated her. I reached for her hand, and held it in both of mine. "Is it time to take the next dance back to our room?"

For just the tiniest moment, I could have sworn Linda was afraid. Her eyes widened and I could feel her hand trembling. She recovered quickly, and looked away from me, across the table.

"I'm sorry, everyone, I just have to go to the restroom right now. Linda, come with me?" Dee asked. Her voice could be heard far beyond our table. I was too preoccupied to wonder why she had to broadcast this to the room at large. Linda looked at me apologetically.

"Sorry, Jim. I can use some freshening up, too," she said, a hint of sadness in her voice. She rose and left, without answering my question. Of course, the conversation immediately turned to why no woman who is out with a group can possibly go to the restroom by herself. I had just started to wonder why my friends were working so hard to keep the conversation going on that topic, when Dee came back. She was alone.

"Where's Linda? Is she okay?" I asked, practically shouting.

"Relax, Jim," Dee said, smiling. "Linda is fine, she just has something to do. You don't need to worry about her. She is a grown woman, you know." What was that supposed to mean, I wondered. It's true that I worried about Linda, but she worried about me the same way. I put up with the ribbing for about five minutes, and when Linda still hadn't returned, I'd had enough. I got up and headed for the bar, taking an empty plate with me as an excuse and approached one of the female bartenders.

"Excuse me, but my wife went to the restroom about fifteen minutes ago, and hasn't come out," I said. "She never takes that long. Could you please go, or send someone, to be sure she's all right?"

The bartender gave me a dubious look. The plate in my hand gave me an idea.

"The wings are great, and she likes spicy food, but every now and then she gets a reaction. Really, I just want to know she's all right. Her name is Linda. Here, let me show you a picture of her," I said. I put the plate down and pulled up Linda's picture on my phone. The bartender was beginning to look somewhat sympathetic when there was a voice at my elbow.

"She's all right, you don't need to check on her," Dee said almost apologetically. She turned to the bartender. "Everything's fine. I'll take care of this," she said, placing a five dollar bill on the counter. I wondered why the bartender looked at me with what seemed like sympathy as she pocketed the bill.

"What... why... but she went there with you? because you asked her?" I was completely confused.

"Jim, she's not in the restroom. She has left the club," Dee said. I felt as if I had just been punched in the gut.

"Left? Without me? Why? What's the matter? Why didn't she tell me? Where did she go? Is she all right?" I asked. I still didn't get it.

"Let's go to the end of the bar where there's some privacy," Dee said. I just went where Dee dragged me. It was quieter in the dark corner at the end of the bar. She looked me in the eye.

"Jim, Linda loves you. She loves you and the children more than anything else in the world, and she always will, and you know it. But she is spending tonight with Marc," she said.

I stood there with my mouth open, looking stupid as my whole world ended. Pictures whirled madly through my mind, or what was left of it. Linda at the top of the stairs in her beautiful blue dress. Linda at dinner. Linda at the club. Linda as we fed wings to each other. Linda in Asshole's arms. Asshole fucking Linda. My Linda. The mother of our children. The love of my life. My anger rose.

...

Angry, I took a step back and was relieved to see Linda had joined me. Her face had turned a shade of white that I'm sure contrasted sharply with the hot burn of humiliation I was feeling. She looked at me and shook her head.

"Jim, you know this isn't real," she said. "I'd never do anything like that to you. Ever."

"Apparently, someone thinks you would," I said. "I saw the look you gave him in that... that... scenario, and it was the exact same look in the portrait."

"But sweetheart, this isn't real," she said. "Let's go back in and see what else is going on, okay? Please?" I looked at the glass in the alcove before responding. Did I even want to see any more? Could I handle it? Finally, I nodded my head and we stepped back in. I got the impression that the scenario had continued to play even though we weren't there to see it all.

...

"Jim, I know how much you love Linda, and how much she loves you. This doesn't have to be a big deal. It's just one night, a one-time experience, compared to all the years and all the love you two have together. It isn't a big deal, unless you make it one. I know she'll come home to you, and I know eventually, you'll be fine," she said.

Dee spoke gently but confidently. It was all I could do not to grab the stupid woman and shake her until her teeth rattled for spouting such nonsense. She must be living in some sort of alternate universe if that's what she really thought.

"So if Asshole had picked you, as you wanted him to, you'd have done the same thing?" I asked her.

"I would." She flung her answer into my face.

"Does Dave know that?" I asked her.

"No, and he doesn't need to, because I don't think it will ever happen," she said softly.

"Maybe I should tell him," I said.

"Jim, please don't. Don't think that way. I know you're hurting, but that won't help. Please come back to the table. Let us take your mind off it for a while. You haven't danced a single dance with me all night, you know," she said as she smiled.

"I wanted to dance with my wife, but thanks to you and her and Asshole, that's not an option anymore, is it? I also wanted to spend the night alone with her, but that obviously isn't happening either," I said. I turned my back on her and stalked back to our table.

The talk at the table stopped abruptly when I appeared. The averted eyes told the tale. All of our so-called friends now knew that my wife and Asshole were at that very moment making a cuckold of me. I wanted to strangle them. I wanted to tear the place apart. I wanted to find Asshole and kick his nuts into the middle of next week.

"Uh, Jim, are you going to be okay?" Dave asked hesitantly after he seated Dee. I wanted to tell him what Dee had said and ask if he would be okay, but I couldn't force the words out of my mouth. I guess I hadn't gotten over being the good guy yet. Oh yes, I would have to work on that.

"It depends on what you mean by okay," I said. There were a couple of nervous giggles.

"I mean, yeah, that was a shitty thing to do, but you two are going to make it, aren't you? You're not going to divorce Linda over this, are you?" Dave asked.

"I don't see why I shouldn't," I responded coldly. There was a collective gasp around the table.

"Why are you all acting surprised?" I asked. "We all know how we feel about cheating: once and done. We established that a long time ago."

"But Jim, it's Marc LaValliere..." Dee interposed.

"So what? I don't care who's fucking her. If it isn't me, that's that," I said angrily. I looked at Dave. "What would you say if it was Dee who walked out with Asshole to spend the night? Would you be okay with that?" He turned red in the face for a moment, then looked at his wife, who was now busy examining a spot on the floor.

"Jim, what about your kids? We all know how much you love them, and how much they need you. Think of them before you do anything," Jane said. Her kids were about the same age as mine and were best buds.

"You mean, like my wife is thinking about them right now?" I asked.

"Well, that's why you got a sitter, so you wouldn't have to think about your kids," Dee said. I thought she meant it to be funny, but it fell as flat as it deserved to. "Come on, Jim, it's just one night. It's an opportunity she'll never have again. You wouldn't divorce Linda over one night," she added.

"Why the fuck not?" I glared at her. An uncomfortable silence followed.

"Jim, try to think of it this way, maybe it will help," Jane said, trying to sound sympathetic. "What if the cover model from the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue was here tonight? Say she picked you out of everyone here to dance with, and then she offered to spend the night with you. Can you honestly say you wouldn't be tempted? Can you honestly say you would turn her down?" The pleading look in her warm brown eyes made her look like a winsome puppy dog, and was usually quite effective in getting her what she wanted. But it wasn't going to happen. Not tonight. I stood and looked down at Jane.

"Yes, I might be tempted, but I would turn her down," I said emphatically. "You see, I have a wife, and I don't want to hurt her. At least, that's what I'd have done before tonight."

There was another one of those deafening silences. I looked around the table at each of my former friends, all of whom were siding with my cheating wife. At that moment, I sincerely hoped never to see any of them again. A rather large and muscular bouncer made his way to our table.

"Is there a problem here, folks?" he asked in a deep baritone voice.

"Yeah, there is, a big one," I said. I pulled out a twenty dollar bill and dropped it on the table.

"Don't worry, I'm leaving," I said, putting up one hand. He nodded his head as I turned back to the others. "That will pay my tab. You're all covering for the slut I came with. You might as well cover her bill, too." I turned on my heel and stalked out of the club.

...

This time, Linda stepped out of the alcove, dragging me with her. She looked at me, shocked. I felt betrayed, humiliated and angry. I couldn't believe the woman I married would even contemplate doing what I saw. Did I even know her? Had she done something like this before?

"You called me a slut," she said, tears falling down her face. "And you said you would divorce me. Would you really do that over one night?" I looked at her hard before answering.

"Yes, I would," I said. "One and done, remember? You know how I feel about infidelity. We've talked about it enough. I just can't believe you actually have it in you to do something like that."

"But Jim, it's not real," she cried. "It's just one possible outcome. Let's look at the others. Maybe something different happens." I looked at the other alcoves. Did I really want to look? Truthfully, I had to say, no. But another part of me said that no matter what, I had to take a chance. We went through the other seven alcoves.

They were all pretty much the same, with just a few slight variations. In all but one scenario, Linda left with the Asshole. That's how I thought about him by now. In all but one scenario, we ended up divorced, our family destroyed, relationships with friends gone. We saw the anguish in our respective parents and witnessed the children crying when told their mother and father could no longer live together.

I did notice something in all of the different scenarios -- in each one, LaValliere approached Linda. In each one, she left to dance with him. And in each one, I simply sat, shocked, stunned and humiliated. And in each one, our so-called "friends" acted like it was no big deal. But it was a big deal, at least to me.

We were both shaken by the time we completed all eight scenarios. I looked at Linda, not recognizing the woman who stood there. I simply couldn't believe she had it in her to publicly humiliate me that way. Linda must've seen the expression on my face, since she wrapped her arms around me and cried on my shoulder.

"Please, Jim, you have to believe I would never, ever, do something like that to you," she said through her tears.

"I feel like I don't even know you," I said.

"Right now, I feel the same way about you," she said in response. "Oh my God, what are we gonna do?"

"Move forward," Adrestia said as she came up to us. "What happens in the future is up to you. Each of you has a choice to make. Choose... wisely. And, Jim, to answer your question, no, Linda has never done anything like this before. That's one reason I chose to give you advance warning." She turned to leave and we followed her back downstairs.

"Remember, the future is in your hands," she said as she approached the front door.

"Dr. A," I said as she began to open the door. "What kind of a gallery is this?"

"It's a gallery of cheaters," she said. "From throughout the ages. Men and women of all stripes and all walks of life. Destined to spend all eternity on these walls. It is not a place you want to end up, trust me."

"Do we have a chance?" Linda asked, still shaken.

"Of course you have a chance," Dr. A said. "Your future is in your hands. For your sake and the sake of your children, make it a good one."

"We will, I promise," she said.

"I certainly hope so," Dr. A said with a thin smile. "Have a pleasant evening, and feel free to come back after tomorrow night."

"Thank you, we will," I said, guiding Linda out the door. Dr. A closed the heavy door as we left. We got back in the car and drove home in silence, each of us processing what we just witnessed. We stopped long enough to pick the children up and drove home. It was fairly late by the time we got home, so we put the kids to bed and tried to eat some leftover pizza, but neither of us had much of an appetite. Exhausted and shaken, we went to bed and simply held each other. Neither of us felt much like making love that night. What we experienced at the gallery had shaken us to the core.

The next day, I simply went through the motions. I got through the day, but several of my co-workers commented that I seemed to have my mind on something else. What could I tell them? That I saw my wife humiliate and cuckold me in the future?

I went home and we got ready for the night, both of us scared about what might happen. The kids picked up on it, but we assured them everything was alright. We dropped them off and headed to the hotel. After dropping off our overnight bags, we walked arm-in-arm to the club, both of us scared about what was sure to happen.

We both tried to put on brave faces, but our friends noticed that something was amiss. Dave pulled me over to the side.

"Is everything okay with you two?" he asked. "You're both about as nervous as two cats in a room full of rocking chairs. What's going on?"

"You'd never believe me if I told you," I said.

"Just relax, please, and enjoy the evening," he said.

"I'm trying, believe me," I said. I got the same from the other three men and Linda got the same from Dee and the other girls. They sensed that something was wrong, but what could we say? I tried to relax, but it was difficult. I decided to break the ice by complimenting Linda on her new dress.

"You're attracting a lot of attention, babe," I whispered in her ear. "You're clearly the most attractive woman in the room, as usual."

"Oh, you," she said nervously. She looked up at me, lightly pressing a soft breast into my arm. I could feel her trembling and knew she was every bit as anxious as I was. "You know flattery will get you everywhere."

Neither of us are the best dancers, but we did it for the fun and the enjoyment of being with each other. So I danced with the love of my life, taking breaks for hot wings and drinks. I had gone to replenish the wings. When I came back, Dave was asking Linda to dance. I heard her response and knew the time of decision was nearly upon us. I could tell by the way her voice cracked that Linda realized the same thing.