Is It Really Cheating?

When I got up in the morning I could smell coffee, got out of bed and freshened up before heading down. On my way tapped on Tiffany's door and told her to get up and then proceeded to the kitchen. As per usual Mark had made the coffee before heading off to work. I poured a cup and then proceeded back into the hall about to yell up the stairs for my daughter to get her butt in gear. When the door to the main floor bathroom in the hall opened. I screamed, "MARK you scared the hell out of me what are you still doing home?"

"I am on my way I just wanted to speak to you before I left," as he walked past me and poured himself a second cup of coffee. " Stephanie, you did not need to bring the computer back into the kitchen." He saw that I was about to speak and held up his hand to holt my words.

"Stephanie, I felt stupid the other day at your work when I asked you to open your computer. I feel stupid everyday monitoring you at home. But nowhere near as stupid, humiliated and sad as the day I caught you with that man online. I know we need to talk in order to move forward one way or the other and I am getting there. I have to go to work. We can discuss this more at the next therapy meeting."

Just then Tiffany came bouncing down the stairs "Hey, Dad, you're still home!"

"Heading out Sweetheart, have a great day, see you two when i get home."

Nothing much new happened for the rest of the week, it was finally Thursday.

Margaret came out into the waiting room where Mark and I were sitting, not together but one seat apart. Just before she came in I was thinking this is an awkward silent, at least he is sitting near me rather than the chairs across the room. Margaret said if it was all right I'd like to speak with Mark alone for the first part and then together for the second. I smiled at her, Mark stood up and went into the room. I picked up a magazine to read.

(Marks Session)

Margaret offered me a cup of coffee which I accepted and sat down at the round table. She inquired as to how I was feeling and how the week had played out. I gave her the highlights. I told her about visiting my mother for the weekend. I also spoke to her about my daughter mentioning that Mom was hurting and two wrongs not being right. Told her about the laptop and she asked me why I moved it, which I explain exactly what I told Stephanie. I also told her about the incident in the downstairs where Stephanie tried to get intimate and I stopped her.

"Mark, do you desire your wife, do you love her?"

"Of course I do, but I am trying to do what is right, I'm trying to do what's right for all three of us."

"Mark, you realize that regardless if you stay with your wife or if you leave her the two of you are going to have to talk possibly argue or not!"

I know you are wearing that emotional blanket called anger. Mark, your daughter is not always around. There is times when the two of you can talk, She knows that she hurt you, Mark. Are you afraid that if you talk to her you will get angry, that anger might hurt her? Maybe you love her so much you do not want to hurt her?....That's just food for thought, let us talk about how you to first met and what drew you to her."

I told her about our dating life when we first met and how I was in love with Stephanie from first date. I told her Stephanie is loving beautiful warm smart understanding and everything that I want in a woman.

Margaret then asked me to describe a cute mannerism that Stephanie's not even aware she does, that you notice about her. That was an easy one, when she is really concentrating or sometimes when shes stressed she wiggles her nose, it is so cute."

"What is your wife to you, Mark?"

"Stephanie is my wife, a mother, she's my lover, my best friend."

"I wonder if friendship should be a little higher on your list. She seems to be starved for your attention, even before this incident that brought us all together.... Mark, would you please ask Stephanie to come in here. I would like to speak to the two of you at this point about something."

Mark came out into the waiting room and asked me to come in. I do not think I have ever been this nervous in my whole life even when we married. Margaret greeted me with a smile and said "I would like to talk a little bit about the discussion we had last week."

As the three of us sat at the table Mark kept his eyes directly on Margaret.

Margaret started off talk about flirting.

"Men have been known to be more motivated by sexualization and visual content; this alters their perception of a what the flirting intends, and causes them to be more assertive in approach. I describe men's flirting like trolling, most men will cast out a line here and there no particular target hoping to catch a bite with their flirting. Women flirt to build friendships and to show their femininity, to prove to themselves they are still desirable, boosts self-esteem. Everyone flirts but in slightly different manners."

Mark got up to pour himself a cup of coffee and Margaret stop talking for a moment till he sat back down. As Mark's wife, I knew him well enough to know that he was agitated and wanted to know the point of all of this. I was wringing my hands under the table and looking directly at Margaret pleadingly.

"Excuse me Margaret but is there a point to this, we are all aware of what transpired."

"Here's my point, Mark, now I am not trying to defend Stephanie in anyway what she did was a major breach of trust. In my business you run across these characters from time to time. I call them spouse poachers. Finding sport in seducing another person's wife. They are very good at what they do, Mark. Like for instance when you tell your wife she looks pretty."

"A spouse poachers says, I love you in that blue dress you always look good in blue because he is not casting. Hunter targeted your wife, your wife only. He knows what she wears each day and the colours she chooses. Now I know what you are thinking, Mark, you compliment your wife all the time and that is a good thing."

"These predators are working the art of seduction. He will notice every type of makeup that she puts on, how she wears it, what jewellery she wears. They are very specific about their compliments trying to get into her psyche. They believe in disparaging the husband but they will be very subtle about it. If he had said anything directly derogatory your wife would have caught on and he she would have lost her off the line. So to speak."

"So what you're saying is this Hunter character was targeting my wife to seduce."

"Stephanie describe a couple of the situations that we discussed last week that I brought to her attention. Please tell, Mark, what you told me, Stephanie."

I nervously cleared my throat and wiped a tear in the corner of my eye. For the first time since we sat down Mark was looking directly into my eyes.

"Well a long time ago back when Hunter was still working at my office. You know how I like to get into work early well one morning when I was leaving. I had noticed that you had forgot to put the trash out so I pulled the car back into the driveway went into the garage and put it out to the road. I really did not think anything of it until I got to work and I was a little bit late with my regular morning routine."

"At that point Hunter came in the door and started talking to me and so did Kathy. Now because my routine was slightly altered and everyone was talking to me I was slightly irritated. Hunter asked me immediately if I was ok. I nonchalantly said I am off my routine. I had to put the garbage out this morning my husband had forgot. Hunter immediately said, "Well that was irresponsible of him."

"Thinking back in that moment after Hunter's comment I immediately became irritated with you, Mark, when I should have irritated by his opinion."

Margaret jumped into the conversation at that moment "You see, Mark, even though your wife was not really upset with you. She understood you had just simply forgot. Hunter took that moment he knew Stephanie was irritated and needed her morning quiet time. Irritated by the fact that her co-workers were in her face and subtly brought it on you in order to cast her mood as your fault, Mark, very effective. Go ahead, Stephanie, tell him the part about Hunter discribing his Wife and what he told you at the restaurant."

"I never really asked him a lot of questions about his personal life though he asked a lot about mine, Mark. I guess I was flattered that someone would have an interest in plain old house wife me. I do remember now after talking to Margaret last session. He did mention he had a wife at one point and that she travelled a lot and they did not have an active sex life and he wondered if she might be having an affair.

Margaret is fairly certain that these are all just lies that he spun in order to try to work on me."

Mark's eyes more sad than angry now and he asked me about this restaurant conversation.

"Oh yes one time Kathy, Hunter and I went to lunch. I was saying that you were going to take me to dinner at that burger restaurant we liked and Hunter piped up and said if I was taking you to dinner I would take you to that new Piano Bar, music, wine and dancing. Once again I never really caught on but Margaret was saying that was his way of disparaging the restaurant that we like to go to and making it sound like a life with him would be much more luxurious."

"So a recap, Mark, what I am hearing is yes, Stephanie made of major mistake here, that we all agree she is remorseful for. As married couple do after time, we end up doing lip service to each other. A wife may say her husband is handsome, but she does not say what in particular she is talking about that makes her make that statement in that moment. Like for instance that is my favourite suit that you wear. That blue tie goes perfect with it. Or a husband might say, I love the way you twitch your nose I find that so adorable."

I looked up at Margaret and then I looked over at Mark, my Dad used to say that I twitched my nose!....Do I still twitch my nose, did Mark say that to Margaret? She stood up and said.

"Okay that's enough for today you two, I am giving you homework, talk to each other."

Mark and I walked out to our cars together in the parking lot. I asked Mark if he would call Tiffany and tell her not to eat anything and I will pick up dinner for us. He smiled and said "Why do you not give her a call and let me take care of dinner this time and I will see you at home."

Tiffany seemed extremely excited to see us tonight and asked us if we had a good day. Mark gave her a hug and kissed her on top of head and said, "Yes Sweetheart, we should eat while it is hot."

After dinner, Mark, suggested the three of us go for a walk, Tiffany immediately rolled her eyes. He added we can go to that ice cream shop a couple blocks down. That immediately changed her attitude as she hurried to get ready. I looked at Mark and smiled saying. "That is a wonderful idea I think I will change out of this dress and put on a pair of jeans."

"Stephanie the dress you are wearing, is that not the dress you wore at the Christmas party last year? You look amazing in that dress, it is one of my favourites."

I was taken back by Mark comment felt my face turn red. "Yes it is Mark, thank you for noticing should I leave it on?"

He stood up and as he was leaving the kitchen stating "No jeans are probably more comfortable for a walk and if they are the ones I am thinking I like the way your ass sways when you walk in them."

I stood there dumbfounded, did I just hear him right? A large grin appearing on my face I rushed off to the bedroom to change. As we walked along Tiffany carry the conversation. We turn the corner on to the next street the sidewalk was narrowed taking Tiffany's hand and walked in front of Mark. One foot In front of the other, accentuating the pivot of my hips. Reaching the ice cream store we sat at a booth.

For some reason I felt nervous almost like I was on a date. During the conversation I informed Tiffany that we will call Grandma when we get back and thank her for the gifts. I told Mark that I was thinking that maybe we should take that office space that is not needed any longer and turned it into a proper bedroom that your mother could use. I was nervous bringing up the subject of that room but I knew that we had to do something, it was slowly becoming a shrine to my mistake.

"What do you think sweetheart, if we let her know that the room is available to her anytime she wants to stay."

"That is a very nice gesture, Stephanie, while we are on the subject of grandparents. I was thinking maybe we should give your parents a call and ask if Tiffany can stay at their place tomorrow so we can have some time to talk more."

"That's a good idea you two should talk." Tiffany said with a smug smile on her face and continued to lick her ice cream.

When we got home Tiffany called her grandmother and we both thanked her for the gifts. I did not bring up the subject of the spare bedroom leaving that for her son to tell her. Mark in the basement and Stephanie retired to her room I took a moment to call my parents. Surprisingly my Dad answered the phone. I nervously took this moment that I was speaking with him to say, "Dad, I know you have always treated me like a princess and I could do no wrong but I am not perfect, Dad. I am and always was afraid of disappointing you."

"I know you are not perfect honey no one is, though you will always be perfectly my little girl I love you."

" I love you too, Dad"

He handed the phone over to Mom and we talked about her and Dad picking up Tiffany tomorrow after school which she happily agreed to.

Getting off the phone I informed Mark that I was going to take a shower and he was welcome to join me. After taking a shower on my own I was still hopeful and slipped into some lingerie. I laid there waiting for him for the longest time but he never showed.

The next day at work I got into a conversation with Kathy, it turns out we do have a lot in common, We have even read some of the same books. She talked to me a little bit about her up and coming wedding. In that moment I thought she would probably make a good friend not just a co-worker. I asked her if she would like to come over one afternoon. She readily agreed and said that we definitely put that together for next week.

I return to my desk to work. I was nervously looking forward to talking with Mark tonight, especially after the disappointment of last night. When I received an even bigger disappointment. A text message from Mark saying that he would be an hour late getting home that he had to swing by the lawyer's office. Receiving that texted made me a nervous wreck. By one o'clock I informed Kathy I was going to take the rest of the day off.

On my way home I stopped and picked up a nice red wine. Back at home I busied myself putting together a nice meal for Mark and I. Even though in that moment I have no appetite feeling sick with worry. Dinner in the oven I decided to put on a nice dress and wait Mark's arrival. I decided on my three quarter length black tight chevage dress black stockings and heels. I had no idea why Mark was at the lawyer's office or what we were going to talk about for sure. But I wanted to pull out all the stops. I cannot remember the last time I wore a sexy dress for him around the house. If I was going down I was going to go down fighting for his love.

Mark finally arrived, I was so nervous, I was shaking, meeting him at the door. He smiled and said he was sorry that he was late we stood awkwardly staring each other for a minute. I so desperately wanted to kiss him but I thought it would be ill received under the circumstances.

"I am happy you are home, I put out a bottle of red wine, would you like to pour us a glass? I will check on dinner."

"Sure, Stephanie, by the way you look great. Your wearing the necklace I gave you when we first started dating."

"Yes it is, Mark, thank you, so sweet of you to remember."

We sat down quietly ate our dinner together. I commented that I enjoyed the wine, Mark agreed and complimented the meal. To say the atmosphere was tense was an understatement. Taking a sip of wine he smiled at me and laughed.

"I don't understand why you're laughing at me."

"Your nose is twiching, I find it cute."

Self-consciously put my hand to my nose then giggled like a little schoolgirl.

"Stephanie, leave the dishes, fill our glass of wine, join me it the livingroom, let's talk."

I nervously followed him to the livingroom, this was it the momment of truth. We sat sideway on the sofa to face each other.

"Stephanie, I know I have been moody and quiet for awhile now, but you really shocked me and I was so hurt and disappointed. I have been thinking about a lot of things like this house and what a home is. I have been thinking about the good and the bad in our relationship."

"Mark, I hurt you and I can never forgive myself. Our original relationship is broken and I can not fix it. Can we build a new one on top of the love that we share, taking all the pieces of what is great in our relationship? PLEASE MARK... I love you."

"Well a house is what you live in, you, Stephenie, and Tiffiny that makes this a home. There is so much about you that I love, too much give up on you. I went to the lawyer;s office tonight to sign a application to withdraw. Stand up, come here."

I was in shock, I do not even know if I heard him right. I stood up almost robotically and walked over stood between his open legs as he moved forward onto the edge of the sofa. "Mmm..Mark, did I hear you right? Tears of joy this time, "Please say it again, please tell me we are going to be alright!"

"Steph, we got work to do and we are not done with Margaret. But we will get there, we will get there together."

Standing between his open legs he placed his hands on my nylons caressing my thighs and started running his hand under my short skirt. Exposing the top of my thigh highs as he rose my skirt above my hips. Seeing the hunger in his eyes as he stared at my black lace panties and flat bare tummy. Standing with my legs pressed tightly together they started to quake, Mark lean forward and started putting bunny kisses on my bare belly. I almost had an orgasm just from his touch. Mark looked up into my eyes, then stood up, pushing back my hair turning my head to the side I felt his lips and hot breath on my neck. Sending shivers down my spine I heard him whisper.

"I hunger for dessert, feed me, I hunger for you." He then pressed his lips on mine, my tongue darted into his mouth gently moaning.....My petite build against his strong and manly frame. I wrapped my arms around his neck and jumped up wrapped my legs around his waist. Mark's hands immediately grasped my almost bare bottom supporting me in his arms.

I looked into Mark's eyes and said, "Carry me upstairs and let me show you my gratitude for loving me tonight and every night that you want me."

THE END