Lucky Day Ch. 01

Before getting into the story I need to acknowledge a couple of people who have helped me with the story. I was blessed to have the assistance of Robyn and Randi for all their thoughtful ideas and suggestions. Let's not forget editing. Without their help this would not have happened.

I also want to accept any blame for poor spelling or grammar. As hard as the girls worked I still tinkered with it when they finished. Mistakes are mine alone. You want to pick on somebody, well make that me.

This is a two part story and I hope the second part will appear within a couple of days of the first.

*

On her way to the second meeting for what was turning out to be a day from hell, Annie decided to stop at a hot dog cart for a quick bite. In the middle of a very busy day, she hadn't even had time to stop for coffee. Tapping her foot impatiently, she waited for her dog with the lot. Glancing down at her watch, she mumbled to herself, "Come on, come on already."

As she handed him the change, she noticed a familiar face. She nearly dropped her food as she stared open-mouthed at her husband Henry in the arms of some skimpily clad bimbo. Her mind spun crazily as she tried to fathom some reason why he would be in the arms of some other woman, but as he pulled her into a tight embrace and she reached up for his kiss, Annie's world collapsed. This was no first-time meeting, some random girl; this was like two lovers kissing, it was like when they were newlyweds. Her lips quivered knowing exactly what that slutty bimbo was feeling.

The kiss, the taste of Henry's lips, the little tickle from his goatee.

She stumbled a little causing, the hot dog vendor to rush around and grab her. "You all right lady?" he asked.

She looked at him with empty eyes, nothing made sense. "Yes, I'm fine."

He held her by the elbows, offering just enough support. "Yeah, well, you sure don't look fine."

Shivering, she glared at him and grumbled offhandedly, "I said I'm fine."

He dropped her arms and shrugged, returning to his waiting customers. Annie walked off staring at the couple across the street, still in their embrace. As she reached the intersection they untangled from the kiss, and Annie noted with disgust that he held her hand as they quickly walked away.

As she waited for the lights to change, she took a large bite of her hotdog and a stream of mustard spilled from the end, falling onto her new cream blouse, "Oh crap!" she moaned.

The guy standing beside her chuckled, "This ain't your lucky day, is it lady."

Giving him an icy cold stare, she snapped. "No it isn't, if you only knew the half of it."

The lights changed and she rushed pushed along by the gathered throng of pedestrians.

Late for her meeting, she ate on the run.

She wasn't quite a waste of space at the meeting, but her boss Harry had to ask several times if she was listening. Of course, she wasn't; her mind was out of control as she tried to figure out what to do.

The dirty bastard was cheating... she couldn't but help wonder if that was behind his lack of interest in sex... Their intimacy levels seemed to have dissolved recently, their love life had lost its heat.

It brought into question her feelings. Crap, the girls were only four and five, respectively, not even at school yet. As usual, the mere image in her head caused her mouth to curl into a loving warm smile. God, she loved the little bundles of joy and she thought Henry did, as well, but how could he... how could he love them if he was doing this? Annie had always prided herself on not being one of those teary-eyed women who cried every time something in her life failed. She liked to think she was strong, resilient and determined. Throughout her life, it held her in good stead. Every aspect of her life had relied on her ability to not need others; she learned long ago that her independence was important. But here... now the tears flowed. He was obviously planning on leaving her, and that hurt.

A cold shiver ran down her spine as she contemplated what that meant. The house was gifted to them by her Grandmother when she passed. There was only a small mortgage they took out to update the kitchen and bathroom. Damn it, that was her house; her grandmother left it to her for her family. If he was going to behave like some sex-mad man-whore, then he could leave. If she had to, she would buy him out.

She just couldn't get any traction; her mind just wouldn't clear. Damn it, she had only just gone back to work, and that was only because her Mom looked after the girls. Yeah, he liked the money, lashing out to buy a new car with her added income.

"Damn it, god damn it!" She screamed inside. The signs were there, the late nights at the office, his new gym membership. His new suits, yeah, the signs were there all right, she was just too stupid, too trusting, to see them. She trusted the bastard, well she used to. Now what?

On her way home, she called her best friend Tammy, "What... No, no, no I don't believe it, not Henry... Are you sure hon, I mean, how do you know?"

"I saw them together, kissing and carrying on in the street like fucking lovers," she snapped caustically.

"Jesus, girl, I can't believe it; he loves you, he always has. Shit, all the girls think he's fucking perfect."

"I saw them, Tammy, fucking saw them and it obviously wasn't the first time they've been together. That damn kiss... this has been going on for a long time."

"Oh, Hon, I'm so sorry, what a shitty thing to do, damn it what was he thinking?"

"Well, fuck him, he's not shitting all over our family."

"What are you going to do? Are you going to confront him? Do you want me to come over for support?"

"No, Babe, not yet. I have to get my head straight; I need to talk to Pop and get some advice. He is going to be so disappointed." She sniffled, the tears starting all over again.

Disconnecting the call, she pulled into her parents' driveway, and as always, the girls ran out, waving their arms frantically. "Mommy."

Kneeling down, she accepted the smiling little missiles into her waiting arms. There were lots of hugs and kisses as she held them tight.

Her mom came out to greet her with a hug of her own. "Hey darling, how was work?"

As they hugged, Annie gripped tight holding her mother tighter than ever, her sniffly nose buried against her neck, "Oh, Honey, what has happened?" She stroked her hair comfortingly, "Come on, Honey, something's wrong, let me help."

Annie stepped back and gave her runny nose a rub, relaying the whole story.

Alarmed and shocked, her mom made them both a cup of tea and they sat in the living room where the girls had their toys spread far and wide. Her mother glanced worryingly at Annie as she held her hand, "So what are you going to do?"

Confused and disoriented she grumbled, "I don't know, Mom, all I know is he's not getting the house, that was Grandmas."

"Honey, surely you must give him a chance to put it right."

"What?" she yelped, "You think I should just forgive and forget?"

With her hand stroking the back of Annie's hand she muttered, "Darling, you have been so happy together, he has been a good husband. All right, I agree he has let you down and his behaviour in this is despicable, but give him a chance to explain."

"Mom, you didn't see it. They were all over each other and on the main street, for god's sake."

"I am not defending him, Darling. No, he has behaved abysmally, all I'm saying is that perhaps if he owns up and begs, oh god yes, make the little shit beg, but marriage counselling might help."

"I don't know, Mom, I don't know what to do. How do you trust somebody after they have betrayed you like that?"

Her mom pulled her deep into her comforting arms, enveloping her in an aura of warmth and love: a mother's love.

Annie left her mom's feeling conflicted, angry, and overwhelmed with a sense of impending doom, wondering how she could even look him in the face without gouging out his eyes.

That night as she prepared their evening meal, she dreamt up at least a hundred ways of killing him in his sleep. She jumped, startled as his car pulled into the attached garage, wiping her eyes, which seemed to have a continuous drip at the moment.

The girls were screaming as they ran to greet the returning hero. "Daddy!" they screeched as they ran full tilt into his waiting arms. He fell over backwards as the girls clambered all over him and he pretended to wrestle with them.

"Mommy, help, Daddy's beating us up," Emma, the eldest, screamed.

Annie wandered out to watch the play fight. Henry smiled brightly. "Hi, luscious, how was your day?"

He kissed the girls a final time and walked over towards her. His arms opened as he approached for his usual kiss. Accepting his hug, she appraised his expression. God damn it, there was nothing. It was like every other day. Crap... how long had this affair been going on?"

She turned my head at the last moment and all he got was cheek. He gave her a confused glance, but said nothing as they walked into the kitchen, a daughter clinging defiantly to each leg.

"How was your day?" Annie asked brusquely.

"Better than yours apparently, what's the matter, luscious?" he whined, confused at her shortness.

He tried to pull her into a hug, but she bent down to pull a pan from the cupboard. "Nothing's wrong, did you have lunch?" she grumbled.

He grimaced, "Yes, I managed to get a bite; still hungry though, what are we having?"

Annie snapped caustically, "Food!"

"Jesus, Honey, what the hell is wrong? Have I done something wrong or something?"

Grumpily, she growled, "You tell me, Henry. Have you got something you want to tell me?"

The look on his face was priceless. "Hon, you're scaring me, what the hell's going on?"

Unable to hold it any longer, Annie blurted it out, "Tell me, my loving husband, where did you go for lunch... who were you with? Did you get a kiss for your trouble?" she snarled bitterly.

Emma picked up on the anger and gripped onto her leg like she would never let go. "Don't fight," she sobbed, "Please stop."

Annie picked her up and cuddled away her tears as Henry stared at them with an anxious panicky expression painted on his tightly-drawn face, "What are you getting at?" he asked hesitantly. "Are you accusing me of something?"

Annie sneered, "Am I? Why don't you tell me?"

He flinched, wondering if she knew. How could she... 'Oh shit." he thought as the girls dragged him away to play while Annie finished getting dinner ready.

The meal was finished in a cold clammy silence. There was no warm discussion, no warm conversation, no love. Annie snapped at the girls as they tried to talk.

After dinner, Henry took the girls for their bath and put them to bed with a bedtime story. He lay on the bed reading, a fearful dread hanging over him, 'How could she know... did somebody tell her?' No surely this has to be something else. The girls were long since asleep when he walked back into the living room.

Annie sat curled up on the sofa. Sucking in a deep breath he walked slowly over towards her and sat nervously with her. With a stuttering bravado he definitely didn't feel, he asked, "All right, Annie, what is bugging you, you've been carrying on like a bear with a sore head ever since I got home. What exactly is it I have supposedly done wrong?"

As she turned towards him, seeing her eyes dark and foreboding, his guts knotted tightly, he could see the anger, and right at that moment he actually felt his bowels twisting, his arse clenching. It was fear. 'Jesus, I hope she hasn't got a gun!' he mused.

"All right, Henry, you want to know what's wrong... well here goes. Today, I found out you've been carrying on an affair with another woman, that you've been having sex with her." She had been trying to keep a lid on her boiling emotions, but it was impossible. Like an overheating pot, the lid lifted, and she exploded. "You cheating lying bastard, how could you... tell me that, how could you come home every night and tell me you love me when you've been carrying on with her?"

He grimaced, his world fell, collapsing in a knotted pile. A knife ripped open his stomach and hacked mercilessly at his intestines. "Annie, I... I... I, don't know what to say. I'm sorry."

"Sorry!" she shrieked, "Sorry you got caught more likely. How long, how god damned long have you been lying to me?"

For the briefest moment he contemplated lying, but resignation crept over him; he needed to be honest. The truth is it had been eating him up, in many ways he was glad it was out in the open.

"It's been about two months I guess." He bit his lip painfully as the words dribbled out, shrinking shamefacedly.

Annie sighed. "Two months, so every night when we were in bed together you've been thinking of her... when we made love, you were thinking about her. Oh my god!" she hissed, "are you in love with her? Are you leaving me?"

"No!" He howled, "God no, I love you, Annie, you know I do, I have always loved you."

"Then why... just tell me why?"

Defeated, flustered, he whispered hoarsely, "I don't know, I didn't plan it, I didn't mean to hurt you. Christ you have to believe me, Annie, I love you."

"Who is she?"

"Kaia, she's new at work and she was assigned to me to oversee her probation."

Already knowing the answer she couldn't help but ask. "Is she pretty?"

Swallowing a lump that just didn't want to go down he admitted, "Yes, she's pretty."

"So that's why you hit on her? She's young and sexy and you thought, what the hell, I'll just fuck her!"

"No, it wasn't like that, we worked together. Yes she's pretty, but I didn't hit on her. If anything, it was the other way round. She seduced me."

Annie almost choked her laughter was so intense, "Oh, for heaven's sake. You expect me to believe that a sexy young woman decided to seduce you... give me a fucking break. Your office is full of handsome young single guys."

He grimaced. It hurt that she didn't think he was desirable, and that flowed out in a little retaliation of his own. "Yeah, well maybe, if we made love a little more, I wouldn't have accepted her offer."

She glared angrily at him. "Don't try to make this about me, you fucking weasel. The only reason we haven't been doing it is because you've been too tired, too stressed."

He gasped at her cutting words and realised she was right. Since he and Kaia had been going at it, he had ignored Annie, she was right to be angry.

After a stony silence that seemed unending, Henry blurted out, "Let me make it right, tell me what to do and I'll do it."

She snorted. "Well, the first thing is to get rid of the bitch, tell me it's over and fire her slutty arse."

Stung, he groaned hesitantly, "It's over, I promise, believe me, it's over."

"Good, then get rid of her."

He winced. "I can't, she doesn't work for me, only the boss can fire her."

"I thought you said you were looking after her?"

"Honey, I am just helping her get settled in, acquainting her with the systems and programs. Introducing her to clients."

"Then tell your boss she's useless, she's not working out. There is no fucking way I am going to put up with you still working with her. If she stays, then you leave."

"What?" he yelped. "You are joking, please tell me you're joking. Honey, I have sweated blood to get where I am right now. I can't throw that away."

"Well, you better find a way to get rid of her because, if you can't then our marriage is over."

With that she stood quickly and stormed off to bed. Henry reclined back on the sofa, his head in his hands as he tried to think, all he could say was, "FUCK!" Christ, he had been such a fool, Kaia was such a fox, his dick gave a little twitch as her name resonated around his head. Damn it, she was the one, she came on to him. Yeah, okay, he fell pretty easily, but things had been so hard here at home, the girls took up so much time, Annie was worn out and frazzled. He could see that, and when Kaia started flirting with him, he reacted like a fucking kid.

His lips curled upwards in a lascivious grin as he thought about the times they had been together, Annie was a beautiful attractive sexy woman, but Kaia, holy shit, she was sex on two legs, pure unadulterated sex. It oozed out of every pore of her body. Her sexy full pouty lips, her legs... oh my god, her fucking legs, and that arse, fuck, what man could say no to that?"

He wasn't a bad guy, he still loved Annie, she had to see it, he would tell Kaia and things would go back to normal. It wasn't his fault, damn it. He waited a while before braving an attempt at going to bed, but Annie was having none of that; he was dispatched to the spare room.

The next morning was as all the days had been lately: a mad house. Annie rushed around getting the kids ready to go to Grandma's house, which they loved, and she had to get ready for another hectic day. Henry tried to get conversation going, but if anything, Annie was colder than the previous night. As they were leaving, she said, "You have the rest of the week and that's it. If she isn't gone then we are done, Henry."

He went off to work a worried man. What the hell was he going to do? Damn it, he loved Annie, he really did, this stupid thing with Kaia was nothing, just a fling, it wasn't serious, and he felt sure she would understand when he explained the situation, wouldn't she?

The problem was what to do about her at work. Jesus, it wasn't like he had any control over where she worked, and if he said anything derogatory it would destroy her career, and that wouldn't be fair either.

He was greeted as he walked into the office by Kaia who gave him a hug and passed him a coffee. Their usual routine was to sit down and go over plans for the day. She followed him into his office, sitting beside him. "So, are we on for lunch today?" She giggled knowingly.

He winced. "Kaia, I'm sorry, I don't know how, but Annie found out and she has laid down the law. If I'm going to save my marriage, our little fling is over."

Her face fell, and she grabbed his hand, "Oh my god, I'm so sorry, Henry. What can I do?"

"I need you to give me some space. I don't know who dropped me in hot water; it might be somebody here."

With a trembling shiver she glanced out into the corridor. "You're serious, aren't you?"

He nodded. "I really have enjoyed our time together, but I do want to try and save what we have, I shouldn't have been so stupid."

Gritting her teeth, Kaia whispered, "What does she think about us working together?"

His awkward glance away and the huge swallow told her. "Henry, I could ask for a transfer, or something."

Shocked by her offer, he muttered, "No that wouldn't be fair. No, I will tell her it's over, but we are still going to be working together. She is just going to have to accept it."

Kaia sighed. "Wow, good luck with that, Babe. If I put myself in her boots, I wouldn't be so accepting."

The rest of the day was awkward, uncomfortable and downright problematic. They kept bumping into each other. They already had scheduled meetings which there was no way of rearranging. After all, the whole reason they had been pushed together was so Henry could show her the ropes.

Annie had a chaotic day of heavy meetings, herself, and it grew increasingly impossible as the day went along. She felt like breaking randomly into a bawling bundle of sadness. All her colleagues sensed there was something wrong and tried to help, but every time they asked what's wrong, it set her off again. It turned into a shambolic crazy day. Her boss came to her mid-afternoon and told her to go home.

Driving home, she tried to get thoughts together. It seemed impossible: something that happened to other people, not her and Henry. Their marriage had been wonderful, warm, loving, supportive, but now it seemed to be a flaming ember, a dying sun.