Marie's Choice

Allen knew something was wrong the moment his wife Marie walked into the room. The kids were at friends' house. He was just watching TV as he usually did on his days off. He had to admit he had let myself go, he spent time at the gym and had exercise as part of his job, but also likes to eat the wrong type of foods. Marie was moody, which was not really unusual, but this time seemed different. She went straight to the bedroom with nothing more than a hello. He is the type of person that can be blinded to things going on around him, but a sound, a phrase or in this case a mood can wake him up. He starts seeing things that had been there the whole time, but had been ignored, but had been stored in his memory. He remembered quiet phone conversations or taking calls in the other room. He even remembered calls where no one had said anything. All this was going thru his mind as he watched her go into the room. She had plenty of time to see someone. He worked a 24 hour shift 6 days every two weeks. The pay was good if they were careful. Some of her customers were other than honorable people. She had a body that men took notice of. She is 5 ft. even, slender with a 38D chest.

Marie worked at a second-hand store as an assistant manager where she met a lot of people with rather loose morals. In plain language people who would have sex with anyone that would let them or that could be persuaded. Since we live in the rural South, most of her customers were Black.

Their girls ranged in age from 6 to 10. They have 3. They live in a 3 bedroom house.

One of the advantages of his job is he can take leave in the middle of a shift. This was a couple of weeks after he first noticed a change in her.Since it was Friday and he was off on Sunday, he could have a long weekend with the family. He was surprised when no one was home. He called their babysitter and found they were spending the night .He asked his oldest daughter where her mother was. She just said, on a date. He asked what she meant; she said that is what her mother told her.

He sat there and started watching TV. At about 10pm she came home, since she does not drive, someone had to bring her home .He heard 2 doors close and heard the front door open He had turned the TV off when he heard the car pull up. Marie walked in with a big black man hanging all over her ,the both appeared drunk ,her blouse was open and she did not have a bra on so his hands were massaging her breast. They did not know he was home until he asked "What the hell is going on? "They stopped what they were doing but she did not close her blouse.

She said "What are you doing home .You are supposed to be at work "She was making him out to be the bad guy for being home. She had seen him angry before and he did not seem to be angry, just surprised, what she did not know was when he was most angry (explosive type anger) he appeared calm.

He told her date. "It would be best if you leave now."

Her date James "Isn't that up to her,)

"Yes it is, if she wants to pay the consequences."

She asked "what consequences."

"We will discuss that when your boyfriend leaves."

"What if I do not want him to leave?"

"Then I will leave."

"Good I will have all weekend with him instead of just tonight."

"Are you prepared for the consequences of your actions?"

She finally decided to send James home, but gave him a kiss as he left. As soon as he left, Allen exploded, "Are you out of your stupid mind? Did you forget where I was raised and in what environment? Did you think I would put up with this? I am seconds away from calling your parents and telling them what I saw tonight and tell them to make room for you because I am sending you out to California."

She was taken aback by the response. After the initial outburst, he calmed a little.

"At least you cannot get pregnant. You would have had a hard time explaining a black baby to our friends at church and our family .My family does not like you now, but they tolerate you. Now explain to me what is going on.

Marie buttoned her shirt and sat down. "As you know, you were my first and only lover, I have heard from other women about their boyfriends and even the affairs they have. I was just getting curious .You read porn magazines with stories about cheating wives and husbands who watch. We even talked during sex about being other people. I was getting curious. Plus you are the one that encouraged me to go out in the first place."

"You always are able to make me out to be the bad guy, not this time. I encouraged you to go out and have fun with the girls, not to go out and hook up with another man .If you want to continue going out with other men, you will pay the consequences. I will leave and take the girls .I will stop direct deposit to our joint account and set up my own account. I will stop paying rent and utilities. You can move in with your boyfriend and let him support you or you can move in with your parents. I will not divorce you, if you want a divorce you can get one. I do not know what you have done to date. You have a choice to make. You can still go out with the girls, but if I find out you are having an affair, you are gone. It is your choice." He got up and left her there.