Janie's Card

For those of you who are interested, I have significantly revised my story Valentine's Day Card - Another View https://literotica.com/s/valentine-s-day-card-another-view based on many of the comments I received. The story below is a short, fun variation on the same theme. I sincerely hope you enjoy the story.

Regarding spelling and grammar, I rely on Microsoft Word for spelling. For grammar, I have not found an available editor.

NOTE: There is no sex in the story. The male character is not a former SAS/Green Beret/Navy Seal/CIA assassin. The female character is not a heartless bitch. She is modeled on a real person.

Janie's Card

Janie and I had been married for a little over five years. To say they were the happiest five years of my life is a profound understatement. In most ways, our honeymoon never ended. She is still the adoring and affectionate girl I married.

We met in college. I never dreamt that a girl that beautiful would go out with me, much less become my wife. While I'm not a troll, I could never under any circumstances be even remotely considered as 'God's gift to women'. I'm short, five six to be exact, nearsighted, introverted...you get the point. While Janie is vivacious, effervescent, and drop-dead gorgeous. Imagine a petite blonde, brown-eyed Playboy centerfold with a 150 IQ. Yes, Janie is a genius as well beautiful.

In college, she attracted the really, REALLY handsome athletic types. She had a lot of first dates but not too many second ones. While friendly and charming, her intellect made her intimidating to most men, particularly those whose greatest assets were their looks. If you couldn't follow a conversation on Mozart, molecular genetics (her major), the maxims of La Rochefoucauld, or whether Poussin or Lorain was the better painter, you were far better off pursuing someone else. I was lucky. My early years were spent in an English boarding school where such topics, except for molecular genetics, were taught as opposed to anything remotely useful in making one's way through life. And, while not as smart as Janie, I have a talent for mathematics and economics and did manage a PhD in the latter.

One day I decided to leave work early. I went straight home, let myself in and heard noises that indicated physical exertion coming from our bedroom. As I entered, there was Janie lifting a recently packed and very full suitcase off of our bed. We were finally moving out of our small condominium to a four-bedroom house in preparation for starting our family.

When Janie saw me, she raced to me threw her arms around my neck and kissed me passionately saying "I am packing all the things that I can't trust to the movers; my better dresses, jewelry, wedding photos and the all the love letters you've sent me."

"Love letters? You saved the letters I sent?"

With her thousand-watt smile she said "Of course I did, silly! Those letters are the most valuable possession I have! If our house were on fire, those letters would be the first thing I would save. I take them out occasionally and reread them and when I do I feel myself falling in love with you all over again. I have every letter, every card and every note you've ever sent...even the ones you've sent with flowers with just our names and 'I love you' written on them."

"The first letter you sent was after our first date. We went to that very expensive restaurant. Most guys took me for pizza or burgers but you took me to an elegant dinner. I remember you telling me that even if I didn't like you by the end of the evening, at least I would have the memory of a nice dinner. That was really cute and so very thoughtful. I remember that we began dinner at seven that evening and we didn't leave until well after midnight. We talked and laughed together all that time. I think it was around nine that evening that I decided that I was going to seduce you."

"Even after my stupid champagne joke?"

"It wasn't stupid, and you properly attributed it to David Niven rather than trying to claim it."

I remembered "Ah yes, champagne is the minimum of alcohol..."

She continued "...and the maximum of companionship." At that she laughed and my world brightened in response as it always does.

"I confess I didn't get as much packing done as I thought I would...I got lost reading some of your letters and cards. Do you remember the card you gave me when you proposed?"

My mind drew a blank and it showed on my face. She smiled and waited and then said "'The Get Out of Jail Free Card'. It was at the bottom of the box. I had forgotten all about it."

My mind raced as I thought "Holy fuck, I forgot about 'the card'!" Yes, I was a blithering idiot. I was so afraid she would say 'no'. I panicked and did the stupidest thing I have ever done in my life and possibly the stupidest thing in the history of mankind. I offered her one assignation, one time only with no repercussions or recriminations. Shit, shit, shit what an idiot. Janie had always attracted the handsome, athletic types and while I trusted her completely, I was so afraid that one day someone like that would sweep her off her feet. In the words of the great philosopher Clint Eastwood 'a man's got to know his limitations' so I STUPIDLY gave her an allowance for a one-time fling figuring that was better than losing her forever.

My fears came to a climax about a month before I proposed when I was in Washington DC for a job interview. While there I visited the Corcoran Gallery and saw a sculpture, "The Sons of God Saw the Daughters of Men That They Were Fair", a marble sculpture by David Chester French. The sculpture takes its name from an obscure passage in Genesis and refers to angels taking women for wives/lovers, whatever arrangements angels make. The sculpture is very erotic, a perfect male specimen with wings taking a woman whose body is responding and whose face shows pure ecstasy. I had nightmares about that statue for a week. The sculpture encapsulated the real fear that I couldn't compete with some Adonis. The fear I had was real and was almost paralyzing. But now, after five wonderful years of marriage it seemed pointless.

Janie spoke softly "I remember when you gave it to me. At first, I thought it was a joke. It was so like your quirky sense of humor. Then I realized you meant it. It overwhelmed me, not the idea but what the gesture meant...that you were willing to sacrifice your happiness for mine. I have never doubted that you would give your life for me if the need arose. And that fills me with awe."

I felt as though I had dodged a bullet with my name engraved on it in REALLY BIG LETTERS.

With a slight smile and her arms still around my neck, Janie spoke "I have decided to use my 'card'."

I swear I felt my heart stop beating. I felt faint. I couldn't manage to speak.

Janie continued "Tonight, we are going to celebrate one of our last nights in the condominium. In two days, we will be in our new home. I've chilled champagne and we will nestle by the fireplace and I will use my 'card' to light the fire to keep us warm while we make love. As the card goes up in smoke, so should any idea you may have that you owe me a chance to 'get out of jail free'. I love you with all my heart and I would rather die than betray you. You are the kindest most gentle and most caring person that I have ever known. John, I love you with all my heart. I never thought it was possible to love anyone as much as I love you."

She paused for a moment "I said how moved I was by the gesture of your card...but at the time I also thought that, as incredibly intelligent as you are...you can be a real dope sometimes." She smiled and continued "What ever possessed you to think of such a totally ridiculous idea? I suppose you knew in your heart that I would NEVER use it. But, why tempt fate? Honestly, I had forgotten about the card until I found it this morning, otherwise I would have burned it long ago. I wouldn't want you to go through the rest of our lives together with a sword hanging over your head."

Then she said the wisest thing I have ever heard from anyone "You are really lucky to have me. God only knows what a mess you would make of everything if I weren't around."

Epilogue: About nine months later our daughter Georgina was born. Thank God she appears to have received all her genetic material, beauty and brains, from her mother.