Honey, We Need to Talk

"Honey, we need to talk."

Those dreaded words came out of the mouth of my gorgeous wife of 5 years. I had known Deborah for 8 years and waited for 2 of those before I could ask her out on a date. She had been in a steady relationship with Norman as long as I had known her and I would not be the person to interfere with that. It was just not the thing done. I had seen the damage done when someone tried to muscle in on a relationship not just to the couple but to the friendships all around them. Some of the friends would choose her side, some would choose his, and in one case another couple broke up when they took opposite sides.

Deborah was 28 to my 29, blonde and very well built. We enjoyed frequent intimate relations and I was happy with that, I thought she was too. We had recently decided that we would start our family and had set a date to stop birth control. I was ecstatic and I was looking forward to telling my parents that we would be expecting their first grandchild.

She sat across me at the kitchen table and slid a manilla envelop over to me. The label read 'Superior Private Investigations, Discreet and efficient'. I looked at it for a bit and noticed that the seal was broken.

"I don't understand" I started to say. "Have you been investigating someone?"

"Yes, Brian. You!"

"Why", I wanted to shout but I managed to keep my cool.

"Those late nights at the office, those recent frequent trips out of state, that new pretty young secretary", she was calm, no raised voice, no blazing eyes that she sometimes shows when we argue. It was almost as if she had already given up on our marriage and this was the coup de grace. In my defense, these were all legitimate and she knew about them. I had not had an affair and I knew it. But how can I prove it? She must have some evidence to confront me. That feeling that you get when the police are driving behind you and you start to think? Did I stop at that stop sign? Am I speeding? And the relief when they turn of to chase someone else. I wanted that relief. She gave it to me.

"There is nothing in that envelope that tells me you are having an affair or doing anything beyond what you have already told me. "

"So why?" I stammered.

"6 weeks ago Stephen called me and wanted to meet me for a coffee. He wanted to talk about a surprise he was organising for you. So I caught up with him at the Cape Bay Café. He looked worried at first and reassured me that he did not want hurt me and that I was a very attractive woman. He could not believe that you would do anything that would hurt me."

I had know Stephen for 12 years first year at college we had a Psychology class together and formed a study group with some other students. We stayed friends and would occasionally go to campus parties. We had chased girls, usually unsuccessfully. After school I started work using my business degree while he pursued a Masters Degree in human resources before being employed as a HR manager somewhere else. We still talked on the phone and played golf every few weeks. He did come to our wedding but was not in the wedding party.

Deborah continued: "He told me that you would not come to the golf game as often as before and that when you did go you raved about this new secretary of yours. He told me that he thought you were having an affair, maybe emotionally only. But he said 'emotional affairs often lead to physical affairs'. He was very insistent that I needed to know about that and that I should watch out. I asked him about an investigator but he said that would be a waste of money at this stage and that if I keep my eye open for things I would learn the truth for myself."

"So why did you get these guys involved?"

"I thought there was enough evidence of your 'cheating' that I started thinking about divorce. I needed actual evidence for the courts. But there is no evidence so either you are clever enough to hide yourself or you are not having an affair. Stephen has called me a number of times to see how I was doing and that he would support me emotionally.

"So here it is, Brian" She looked me straight in the eye, "Are you having an affair? Do you want this secretary? If so then we will file for divorce and go our own way. I will not be a party to an adulterous relationship."

I reached over to my wife and acknowledged that this was possibly the hardest thing she ever had to do. I took her hands in mine and said;

"My Darling, I am not having an affair, Grace is a wonderful secretary but her boyfriend would literally kill me. He is the Karate champion of the state and owns and runs the Health club. She very happy with him and even if I wanted to, I would not stand a chance. What I am wondering about is, why would Stephen do this to you? I think I better call him."

"No, wait, not yet. I have an idea but first I had better make it up to you" She dragged me to the bedroom and we enjoyed a few hours making love.

The next day we discussed the situation. What did Stephen stand to gain in interfering in our marriage? He was not that good a friend. We could just ignore him and leave it all alone however I am not that forgiving and I wanted to know and maybe some payback. Our local priest would not be happy with my lack of Forgive and Forget attitude.

We made a plan. If Stephen called again, Deborah would tell him that I had become distant and seemed to spend more time at the office. I had an out of state meeting coming up and I was going to take Grace with me. Not true of course but it might allow Stephen to broadcast his intentions. As luck would have it, he called that very week.

Deborah recorded the call, as a two party state we were not supposed to but what the hell, this was not going to court anyway.

"How are you doing Deborah?"

"Not sure Stephen, Brian came home late last night and went straight to bed. He barely even said hello. What does this mean?"

"I was afraid of this Debbie". Deborah hated to be called Debbie, it was a childhood pet peeve. "Is it possible he is working on some big project? Maybe there is a promotion in sight?"

"I am not sure, he has not mentioned anything." Deborah put a little sadness in her voice, she might have made a decent actress. "He is going away later in the week and I believe his secretary is coming too."

"Ohh, that is a bad sign Debbie. You should ask if you can come too. It might be good to get Away from the house and keep an eye on them at the same time" He wanted to sound sympathetic but I could not help but notice a bit of triumph in his voice.

"Good Idea Stephen. You are such a good friend. Call me tomorrow please I want to tell you if he agrees."

The next day he called almost as soon as I left for the office.

"What did he say Debbie?"

"He was very sorry but the meetings were going to take day and evening. He doubted if I would have time to see him. Apparently the people he is meeting with are only there for a few days and want to take as much of his time as they can. That is why Grace is going as well, to take lots of notes for them."

"I can see you need a friend Debbie, do you have any girl friends who can keep you company while Brian is away?" He managed to make my name sound disgusting. I hated him for that.

"I don't think so, most them have babies now so they need to he home at night."

"I'll try and think of something Debbie, cannot have you by yourself worrying about Brian. I'll call you later, OK?"

"Yeah, OK Steve. " Stephen hated to be called Steve too, but he did not react the same way that he did when I accidentally called him that some years ago. His face went red and he hissed at me that he hated that name and to never call him that again.

Two days later I 'left' for my meeting and had taken a few personal days from the office to stay home with my wife and lover. That afternoon the phone call came.

"How you doing Debbie?"

"I am worried Stephen, he promised to call when his plane landed but I have not heard from him, what if something is wrong?"

"He'll call Debbie, if he was doing anything wrong he would want to ease your mind so that you do not suspect anything."

"OK, you are probably right Stephen, I'll wait for his call"

We had a nice dinner and I was doing the dishes when the doorbell rang. I suspected who it was and I hid myself while Deborah answered the door, carrying the tea towel. No guesses who is at the door, however the bottle of wine was a nice touch.

The intruder made himself at home and poured two glasses of the wine, Deborah sipped at hers while he made soothing small talk about how she needed to be supported by her husband and how she is a very attractive woman. When her glass was half empty he would fill it up again. Sneaky action, she would not know how much she had had to drink. He also did not move back to his seat but sat beside her and placed his hand on her leg. I watched him as he made his moves. Deborah gave no indication that I was around.

When he went in for the kiss she turned her head towards me and smiled as I moved out of the shadows.

What would you do when someone is trying to seduce your wife?

Stephen and I had a nice chat, nicer for me than him. He knew he was never welcome again and as such has lost a good friend. I doubt I'd miss him after this. We'd find a new golf partner.

I just wanted to know why? Sure Deborah is attractive but there are other attractive women out there why the one that had pledged herself to me?

Turns out that many years ago a girl he was interested in took a fancy to me and nothing he did could stop that. When we broke up he still could not convince her to a date and he was convinced I'd poisoned her against me. Ironically, neither of us remembered her name or what she looked like. Stephen, or Steve as he is now known to us, decided that revenge is best served cold but failed to recognise that I had never set out to hurt him, she just was not interested in him.

He left our home and I took my wife to bed to get started on adding a new addition to our loving family.