Lesson

Many thanks to Linda62953 for all the hard work in editing and improving this story from a previous version.

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"You look like the cat that swallowed the canary," said Eleanor after Neil walked in the door, turned off the television set and turned to face her. "Where have you been? You told me earlier you were so tired you were going to bed early. What did you do?"

"I didn't think you were going to be home until later," he said. "Don't get up. You're not going to believe this."

"OK," she said. "But I hope this doesn't take long. I am dead tired."

"So am I," he said. "I can tell you the details tomorrow if you want, but I have a feeling you'll want to hear them now. The bottom line is I cheated on you tonight. Also, we have to move out of here, or at least I have to."

Eleanor was suddenly wide awake. "You're not being funny, Neil," she said, frowning. "I hope this is a joke, because you know that if you ever cheat on me, it means we're finished. I told you that when we first moved in together."

"I know," he said, still smiling mischievously. "Like I said, you're not going to believe this. It's about James and Inga -- and me."

When James and Inga moved in a couple of floors above the condo Neil and Eleanor were subletting, everyone in the building was talking about how they had taken the entire floor, which was normally four condos, and broken through walls to remodel it into one unit.

James had a reputation for a being a ruthless businessman. He was crude, obnoxious and overbearing, especially to those who didn't have as much money as he did. Even his appearance was intimidating. He was a giant, at least 6' 5"; he looked as powerful as when he was a college football lineman. He had a short fuse, and there were stories about him putting a few men who crossed him in the hospital. It was said that he considered the medical bills and damages part of the overhead to keep his reputation fresh.

Neil had checked James out one time when his company was considering a joint venture, but everything he found out pointed to trouble, so the company passed on the deal.

Inga had once been James' executive secretary, but if anyone thought she was important to his success, that was before they met her in person. She was a classic beauty, with a voluptuous body even more stunning than her face, but once she opened her mouth and men heard her high, breathy voice speaking in her backwoods Southern drawl, their minds were focused completely on sexual daydreams involving her.

When they first met her, some men thought James used her to distract men he dealt with, but that was before they found out James was insanely jealous. Even before they were married and she retired from work, he had told dozens of men how many pieces their bodies would be broken into if they so much as looked twice at Inga, and his obsessive and aggressive behavior on the subject of Inga sometimes drove business away because his threats were frightening in their intensity.

When they moved into the building, they kept to themselves. The women who lived there noticed that Inga sometimes had female friends visit during the day when James was at work, but they never saw any couples come to their home. The men couldn't help noticing Inga, who no longer dressed in business clothes. Even though she wore expensive designer outfits, her body seemed to be barely contained by them, and it always looked like it wanted to break out so it could be naked and ready for sex. The women in the building thought she looked like a slut and resented the stares she drew from their men. The boyfriends and husbands were lost in wonder whenever they saw her.

A couple of them stopped looking at her after being caught by James. He didn't attack them physically, and he didn't use the language he was famous for, maybe because Inga was present. However, each time, he had moved close to the admiring man and told him quietly about the things that would be done to him if he ever looked at Inga again.

Neil had heard the stories, so he was careful to never glance in Inga's direction when he saw her with James. Nevertheless, that didn't help him earlier that evening when he came home late from work. Eleanor was out for the night with her friends, and he was exhausted from work and looking forward to chilling with some leftovers and a glass of wine. He saw James and Inga in the lobby through the glass when he got out of the taxi. James was so large, he was always noticeable.

He opened the door and had to make a slight detour around them to get to the elevator. Suddenly, he was spun around, and two arms lifted him into the air. It was James, who easily carried him toward the elevator and set him back down on the floor. All Neil could see was his huge body hulking over him, and all he could hear was the hiss of his voice.

"Did you just touch my wife, buddy?" said James.

"No," said Neil. He heard the fright in his voice and was disgusted with himself, but he also knew that he had to say and do anything that would keep him from ending in the emergency room.

"It sure looked like it," said James. "I don't know if I believe you. I should rip your lying tongue out of your mouth right now, but I don't want to upset my wife. You had better not get within 10 feet of her from now on, and I had better not see you looking at her if you don't want to end up in a hundred pieces. Do you understand me?"

"Y-yes," said Neil.

"Honey, who are you talking to?" said a high, breathy voice from behind James.

James ignored her. He leaned over so his face was next to Neil's and whispered. "You better stand here facing the elevator and disappear as fast as you can."

"Honey," said the voice, which was getting closer.

Neil turned around and faced the elevator, shaking.

"No, Honey," said the voice. "Get out of my way, please."

There was a tap on Neil's shoulder, but he didn't turn around. He faced the elevator as if he was at attention in the Army, his arms at his sides, his head straight and stiff. Then he felt her body.

"I'm sorry," she said. She had squeezed between him and the elevator and her breasts and thighs where pushing into him. He looked down and saw she was falling out of her dress, and he almost screamed in fright as he stepped back from her.

"I'm sorry," she said again. "I didn't mean to startle you, but I saw my husband talking to you. Don't you live here?"

"Yes," said Neil in a quavering voice.

"We're new in the building," she said, "and we haven't met anyone yet. My name is Inga. I guess you already know my husband. He seems to have met a few men from the building already, but I haven't met any of their wives or friends. Are you married? I've seen you with a woman, I think."

"I live with my girlfriend," said Neil. "We've been together three years."

"What are your names, if you don't mind my asking," she said, and Neil told her.

"Well, I hope we have a chance to get together sometime," she said. "Do you mind my asking what you and James were talking about?"

"Nothing," said Neil, looking around. He felt the presence of James behind him.

"I don't mean to pry," she said, "but I've seen James talking to several men in the building, and he's never told me what they said, so I'm just curious. You seem a little upset, and they were, too, and that's why I'm concerned."

"It was nothing," said Neil.

"OK," she said. "If that's the way you want it. Please don't think I'm angry with you. James will tell me. Yes, he will. Tonight. This has gone far enough. Oh, here's the elevator."

The three of them got on, and all faced the door silently. Neil got off first, and as soon as the door to his floor slid open, he briskly walked out and down the hall, opened his door, slammed it behind him and collapsed onto the couch, where he sat breathing heavily for a few minutes.

After he finally shook off the icy fear that had gripped him, he poured himself a glass of wine and turned on the television. He no longer felt tired and hungry. He felt numb and lifeless. He sipped the last of the wine and still didn't feel like getting up from the couch, but he forced himself to change from his suit to a pair of shorts and T-shirt. He looked in the refrigerator for something to eat.

That's when the doorbell rang. He opened it, and the icy chill came back. It was Inga, and she had changed. Her outfit at the elevator was provocative enough, but the dress she was wearing now was made of diaphanous layers of material, and as her body shifted in the light, one moment he could swear that he saw all the way through to every private part she owned, and the next he wasn't sure. Someone like her wearing an outfit like that could start a riot, he thought, but he was too afraid to appreciate it.

"Hi Neil," she said in her airy, clueless voice. She was a brunette, but her voice was like the voice of a million blonde jokes. "The doorman was nice enough to tell me where you lived. I'd like to come in and talk to you and Eleanor a moment."

"Eleanor's not home," he said, and he was ashamed of how tiny his voice was.

"May I come in anyway?" she said.

"I don't think that's a good idea," he said.

"But I need to talk to you," she said.

"There's really nothing to talk about," he said.

"I don't mean to insult you, but I have to disagree," she said. "I want to talk about James. I don't want to be pushy, but this is very important to me. I know you're scared, but I need some help, because I want to take care of this tonight. Please help me. I promise you all we'll do is talk, and you won't be in any danger from James."

"I'm really sorry I can't help you," said Neil. Even though James was not there, he tried to avoid looking at her. He focused on her eyes and her forehead.

She stood there looking at him for a minute without saying anything. Except for the fact that she obviously had no brains, it looked like she was thinking, he thought.

"OK, Neil," she said, and her voice sounded a bit put out. It was cute, like a little girl pouting, but he reminded himself that broken bones weren't cute. "I was hoping for some counseling to help me understand and deal with my problem. I guess I'll have to do this on my own. But that's all right. I'm already thinking of some ideas. Maybe they'll work. When is Eleanor is coming home?"

"Oh, she won't be home until late," he said. He could visualize Eleanor opening the door to Inga dressed like this and Inga telling her she and he had been talking about her marital problems. I'm not out of danger yet, he thought, but Eleanor won't break my bones. At least, I don't think she would. She does have a temper.

"Thanks," said Inga as she spun around and walked to the elevator. He watched her for a second and could swear he saw her firm buttocks swaying and pulsating under the filmy layers of her dress, or negligee or whatever it was. Then he quickly closed the door and turned the deadbolt, which he usually never did.

He started to pour another glass of wine, but decided he better get his dinner together first. A half-hour later, he was eating and sipping while still trying to forget about what had happened earlier when the phone rang. He had a bad premonition when he picked it up, and he knew he was right as soon as he heard her voice. He wanted to slam down the receiver, but he was afraid to.

"Hi Neil," said Inga. "The doorman was nice enough to give me your number. Please don't hang up. Are you free?"

"I'm eating dinner," he said.

"Oh," she said. "I understand. Well, in that case, please come up when you're done. I'll look for you in half an hour."

"I can't come," he said and held his breath.

"I'm sorry, Neil," she said. "I hate to do this, but when I asked if I could talk to you for a few minutes, you turned me down. So, I had to work on this myself. I can't do it alone, so you need to come up here."

"I can't," he said.

"That doesn't work, Neil," she said. "If you're too scared to come here by yourself, James is going to come down and help you. I looked at your door, by the way. The locks are good, but the door itself is really thin. When you come up, you can look at our solid front door. I'll be glad to give you the name of our carpenter."

"Neil, I know you're scared of James, and I don't want to send him down to get you, but I will if I have to, and if he damages your door, I'll pay for your new one. Neil, please come up on your own. I promise you that you won't be in any danger. I swear it. Please trust me."

Neil was frantic. Should he tell her that he didn't care what she promised or swore? She couldn't prevent James from going into a jealous rage and breaking him apart. She was just the beautiful airhead wife, one of her husband's toys. On the other hand, maybe she could get James to come and break down his door. What should he do?

"OK," he said quietly. "I'll be there."

"Thank you so much, Neil," she said. "And please don't worry. I just need your help a little, and I hope you'll be back before Eleanor comes home. She doesn't need to know anything about this."

"OK," he said, as he thought, oh my God, what is she going to do with me?

When Inga opened up the door a half-hour later, she was still wearing that dress. He tried to look her in the eyes as she said, "Hi Neil. Thanks so much for coming. Please come in."

As he stepped into their home, he looked in every direction and even turned around. She watched him.

"I love what our decorator did," she said. "I'd be glad to give you and Eleanor a tour."

That really spooked him. The thought of Eleanor here with him and Inga in that dress caused him to breathe deeply.

"Oh," she said, "you are looking for James. Don't worry. I've made sure we're not interrupted. Come sit on the couch next to me. I see you're afraid to look at me. You can just look at my face. You need to relax now. Nobody is going to hurt you, no matter what happens here."

"What do you mean by what happens," Neil blurted out, and then quickly said, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude."

"Right here," she said, patting her hand on the couch. He sat down and felt his knees touching hers. He tried to move away, but the arm of the couch prevented him. He thought about facing forward, but then she could move even closer to him, so he looked at her face.

"There," she said. "I know you're not comfortable yet, but please just listen for now. If you can relax a little, this will be a lot easier.

"First, I need to tell you about James and me. You've probably heard all sorts of stories, because James is such an unusual person. Some of them are true. He's really an aggressive man in business, and he's been unscrupulous, too, but I'm working on that.

"Do you know I used to be his executive assistant? You do? The reason I had that job is because he's so smart. I was working for one of the companies that was joint venturing with him on a big project. He realized that I was really running that company, and my bosses would just do what I told them because it was making them rich.

"He lured me away at a huge salary for a little country girl and then turned over his entire operation to me so that he didn't have to worry while he was out making new deals. For some reason, he fell for me, too, but I told him I didn't mix business with pleasure and, for sure, I didn't mix it with love. At first he left me alone, but a couple of years ago, he told me that he loved me so much that he would let me quit if I married him. I loved him, too, even though I knew he was a rough diamond that needed a lot of polishing.

"I told him that he didn't want to marry me, because if he did, I was going to change him. I said that he was a wild mustang who needed a cowgirl to break him and civilize him, and if I agreed to marry him, he would have to accept me as the boss in our personal life, and he would have to give me his complete obedience and loyalty at home, like I had always given him at work.

"Not only that, I told him that I was also going to interfere with his business. I said that I didn't mind him being ambitious and competitive, but I was going to work on his style. I didn't want to spend my life with someone everyone in town hated. He wasn't happy about all this, so I gave his ring back to him and told him I'd continue working for him as long as he wanted, but he was never to mention love or marriage to me again, or I'd quit.

"He really surprised me a couple of months later in the middle of a meeting. The entire staff was there when he kneeled and proposed. He gave me a ring with a diamond twice as large as before and vowed in front of everyone there that no matter what I wanted, it was mine, and no matter what I told him to do, he would do it. He also warned everyone at the meeting that they were witnessing a company secret, and if they told anyone, he'd sue them for as long as it took to bankrupt them with court costs. I think the word got out anyway, but I heard that a lot of people think it's just a story and never really happened.

"I do love James deeply. I know Rome wasn't built in a day, so I've been working on him patiently. When we moved here, I was looking forward to meeting some nice couples who aren't put off by our money and starting to build a social life. However, we've been here for months, and nothing has happened. I started thinking everyone in the building was icy cold, but then I saw James talking to one of the men. He wouldn't tell me what they were talking about, and I didn't press him.

"But it happened a few more times, and when I saw him talking to you today, I decided that there was something going on I had to know about. After we left you and went home, I wouldn't let him off the hook, and finally he broke down and told me everything.

"I was shocked, but not because he was insanely jealous and possessive. There were incidents at work that I had to smooth over. But, he knew how much it meant to me for us to fit in here and start socializing. I told him again and again before the wedding that I wouldn't live in his goldfish bowl, no matter how jealous he was, and that if he tried to cage me -- that sounds stupid, caging a goldfish, but you get what I mean. I told him if he did that, I'd divorce him.

"So when he confessed what he had said to you and the others, I told him that he hadn't learned his lesson and he had made promises that he wasn't keeping and he had shown me that I can't depend on him changing his ways voluntarily. I said he wasn't a wild mustang but an ornery donkey and that I needed to train him like a donkey.

"I said that I was going to use the carrot and the stick on him, just like a donkey, until he was housebroken -- I mean housebroken like a dog, not a housebroken donkey, but you get what I mean. I said that when he had that meeting where he proposed, he promised me unconditional obedience. I said that I didn't think I'd ever have to call him on that promise, but now I was going to.

"I told him that he had a choice to make. I was going to start his donkey training immediately, but if he objected, I would just move out and see him in court. We didn't have a pre-nuptial agreement, but I told him that I didn't want a thing from him, and we could have our marriage annulled, and he could keep his money and his nasty temper and his jealousy and his lack of control and forget we ever met.

"I really wondered what he would do when I put things like that. At first, he tried to argue with me and browbeat me, but when he saw it wasn't working, he broke down, and then he got on his knees and begged me to stay and said he would do whatever I told him to do.

"That all happened after we left you. When he said all those things, I was thinking that I really didn't know where to go from there. I knew I had to do something, but what? I thought about you and how maybe I could talk to you and get some ideas. I told James I was going to your place, and he begged me not to. Then I put on this outfit that drives him wild, and he almost went out of his mind, as I was getting ready to walk out the door. But he didn't lift a finger or say anything except beg me to not go to you.