My Wife's Best Friend

A/N - I think it's half and half regarding any 'Romance' stories I write as to whether I'll add a whole lot of drama, or whether I'll just write a sweet, happy tale about two people falling in love. I think it's safe to say that the first part of this story will have a fair dose of drama, dealing with an issue that I have highlighted in other stories though I've tried to keep it 'fresh' with another way of it being approached.

Like most stories I write for this category, there won't be all that much in the way of long and detailed sex scenes.

Previous stories in this series:

My Aunt's Best Friend (Mature)

My Brother's Best Friend (Transgender)

My Father's Best Friend (Gay Male)

My Mother's Best Friend (Mature)

My Sister's Best Friend (First Time)

Australian / British standard English. There is a good chance of reading the following: lots of profanity, characters drinking, typos, and bad grammar at times.

Proofreading and editing suggestions provided by OhDave1. Any mistakes are still mine.

Comments are appreciated as always.

Feedback by email is always welcome. Enjoy chatting with anyone who likes my work.

*****

She was there for him when it mattered most.

*****

"Daddy!" I heard two cute little voices call as I closed the front door behind me. I heard footsteps on the hardwood floor before the two little terrors appeared through the doorway. I smiled as I lowered myself to a knee and my girls giggled before I hugged them tightly.

It was always the best moment of my day, to be welcomed home by two little girls who seemed to worship the ground I walked on. Still dressed in their school uniform, my mother appeared in the doorway wearing an apron as I know she would have started preparing dinner for them. After hugging my girls, I gave my mother a quick hug before I placed my workbag down in its usual place.

"Good day, Chris?" Mum asked as the girls returned to the kitchen table where my mother could keep an eye on them.

"Same old, same old. How were these two when you picked them up?"

"They're good girls, Chris. Aren't you, girls?"

"Yes, Grandma," my two girls replied in near unison.

"Are you staying for dinner or are you going home?" I wondered.

"Your father will be playing darts tonight, so I've already eaten. I'll just head on home once Erica gets here."

"She's been doing longer hours lately. Barely getting home to see the girls to sleep," I muttered.

Mum shuffled closer. "Everything okay?" she asked quietly, ensuring the girls couldn't hear us.

"I don't know. I won't say things have been tense lately. It's more that she's been distracted. At least she is during the week. Once she's home by Friday night, she's her old self."

"Isn't she in line for some sort of promotion?"

"Yeah, that's what she's told me. She's currently the personal assistant for someone and a new position has opened up for one of the bigwigs. She's put her name forward and I know she's been waiting to hear about it. Maybe it's just the added stress. Anyway, how are you finding your days now the girls are at school full-time?"

"I keep myself busy enough. To be honest, I'm glad I gave up part-time work. I like volunteering for a few hours a day before I need to pick the girls up. Your father makes more than enough money that what I was making was either spending money or going into savings."

"How is the old man?"

Mum gave me a cheeky grin. "Still miffed that he's at least ten years from retirement. But I make sure I look after him when he's home. And at least he keeps himself busy. Darts tonight. He'll probably play golf Sunday morning. And I don't mind his occasional visit to the pub to visit with his friends."

Erica breezed in over an hour later. Mum had already disappeared off home. The girls had eaten dinner and been bathed by then, both of them already in bed though I was reading them a story when she appeared in the doorway to the bedroom the two girls shared. Being twins, they were incredibly close, and I knew they'd likely share a room for many years to come.

I watched my wife kiss and cuddle our daughters. I knew our girls were sad that their mother disappeared before I did in the morning and arrived home so much later than them. It came with her working in the CBD of Sydney. Driving in and out every morning wasn't fun, and with the lack of public transport options, there was no choice for my wife but to drive every day. It was a bitch of a commute.

She grabbed the dish that I kept heated in the oven and poured herself a glass of wine before she joined me on the couch. What did make me smile is that she immediately cuddled into me while she was eating, keeping the television volume low so we could chat about our day. I noticed she practically inhaled her meal, so I asked if she had eaten lunch. She smiled and kissed my cheek after wiping her lips clean with a napkin.

"I always eat, honey, but I'm just so busy. I know everyone is watching me regarding the promotion available."

"When will you hear about it?"

"I've been told the end of next month, so around six weeks."

"I'm just worried about, you know, these really long hours you're putting in."

She turned my head so she could kiss my lips before cuddling me tightly. "Once I have the promotion confirmed, I'll know what my hours will be. They know I'm married and have young children. Trust me, I missed our girls and I miss you with the hours I'm pulling. It'll be worth it in the end."

"Want to have a barbecue in the next couple of weeks? Feels like it's been ages since we've had all our friends around. Weather might just be warm enough to get the pool ready."

She leaned back and grinned. "That sounds wonderful. Group of friends. Get them to bring the kids along. We'll invite some family too?"

"Yeah, make it a big shindig. Haven't done that since before winter hit."

"Send out a group message tomorrow for the Saturday after next. I'll make sure I finish early later in the week so we can go shopping for supplies. We'll ask everyone to bring a little something too."

"I'll send out a group message tomorrow and see who will want to come."

Despite any minor niggles I had about our marriage, Erica did her best to douse them that night as we made love for a couple of hours. Our sex life was still as strong as it ever was, to be honest, so I wasn't worried about her doing untoward. It was just that she seemed to be gone more often than not. The only time we really got to spend any time with her as a family was on the weekend. Early mornings and late nights meant she missed a lot of time with our girls. I know they missed their mother.

I wasn't surprised that nearly all our friends and family were eager to come around for a barbecue. I let Erica know when she arrived home from work on Friday night and she was delighted, sitting down with me to start planning what we would need. I'd operate the grill as I always did. She would look after salads and platters. We'd have plenty of beer, cider and wine for the adults, soft drinks and juice for the kids.

The next couple of weeks passed quickly enough. The girls and I were used to their mother doing long hours, so although they did miss her, they were well-behaved when their grandmother looked after them in the afternoon, and despite the excitement rising when I walked in the door at the end of the working day, they would happily eat dinner, have a bath and then calm down by the time they were to be in bed. Erica always managed to get in the door before the girls were asleep, and I knew the girls loved to give their mother a hug and kiss before they went to sleep.

I could sense Erica was getting tired with each passing week from the long hours and the pressure on her shoulders. I did what I could and offered to help. I'd receive a sweet smile, my wife just needed some love and affection most of the time. A kiss and a cuddle, and when the mood took her, a further expression of love in the bedroom.

A couple of days before the gathering on the weekend, Erica let me know that she would cut out early from work on Thursday so we could go shopping and get everything organised. My mother was happy to babysit them for longer at home, Erica and I strolling around the supermarket hand in hand. It was one of those times when we didn't need to say a word. All she would have to do is look at me and smile to know how she felt.

"It's going to be fun," she said while we were at the checkout counter, "It'll be nice to see our friends. It feels like I haven't seen any of the girls in months."

The next week was much the same that I was getting used to. I honestly didn't mind all that much in the sense that it gave me some alone time with our girls. Mum loved looking after them in the afternoon, and being her only son, I know how much she loved seeing me every afternoon. My sisters were both younger than I was, still single and focusing on their careers. I heard from them often by messages or when they called me though we didn't catch up too much in person. They were coming on the weekend though.

The morning of the gathering, I woke up to find Erica snuggled into me, slowly opening her eyes and smiling at me. Any chance of some morning nookie ended as our girls had been taught to knock and wait before we called out for them to enter. They were giggling as they opened the door and managed to clamber up onto the bed. Erica kept them occupied as I slipped out of bed and had a quick shower, taking the girls into the kitchen once I was done to get them some breakfast so my wife could shower next.

We spent the morning getting everything organised outside. The girls were ever so excited as although they didn't have any cousins yet, a couple of my friends already had a couple of kids around the same age, and one of Erica's friends was a single mother with two kids of her own.

I was busy at the grill getting it ready when friends and family started to arrive. I got along famously with her parents, practically adopting me as their son as they gave birth to Erica and her younger sister before my mother-in-law was told she couldn't have more kids. She loved looking after our two girls. The only reason she didn't help my mother is that my mother-in-law still worked full-time. Didn't stop them babysitting at other times though.

While I had some close friends that I'd known since high school, and a couple of them would be coming this afternoon, Erica had three best friends that she'd kept in touch with. One she'd known since primary school. One since high school. And then one from her time at university.

Her first friend to arrive was Angela. Erica met her on the first day at high school and they'd been best friends ever since. She walked in with her two little girls trailing behind her, the pair smiling shyly at me before they scampered off to greet my daughters. Angela greeted me with a kiss on the cheek before I hugged her.

"Everything okay?" I had to ask. I knew Angela struggled at times as her ex-husband, father to the two girls, was a complete deadbeat. Never been physical with her, he was just a complete waste of space. Could barely hold down a job, barely paid child support, and was the sort of bloke who thought the world was against him.

"Could be better, but could be a hell of a lot worse, Chris," she replied before taking a sip of wine, "How are things here?"

"Crazy as always."

"Girls running you ragged?"

"Nah. They're good girls. They behave for Mum. Makes every day worthwhile when I come home."

"Erica still working long hours?"

"Yeah. That promotion is still being dangled in front of her. Hopefully, it'll all be put to bed soon and we'll know what her future will hold. Anything new on the job front with you?"

"Apart from half the guys in the office continuing to sniff around, hoping I'll put out... Swear to God, Chris, I might just become a lesbian. But then I remember that most women are totally fucking nuts as well. Might just give up entirely and become a nun." I laughed at the idea of her being a nun as, being completely honest, she was honest after a few drinks about how much she loved sex. She just occasionally picked the worst guys possible. Her ex-husband is the best example. "My focus is mostly on my girls, but if I can make some moves regarding the career, that'll make things a little easier."

"If you ever need help, you know who to call. And I don't just mean Erica."

That earned a brief hug before she disappeared to go off and mingle. Erica always enjoyed playing hostess, a sign on our front door telling everyone to just head to the side gate and let themselves in. Claire was the next to arrive, her best friend since primary school. They had sat at the same table in Year Two and had been two peas in a pod since those days. They'd attended the same high school and then university together.

Claire was single without any kids. She'd never been married though she's been engaged once. That ended when she discovered he was cheating on her. And not just with one woman. He practically had a harem of girlfriends. While a couple of them seemed happy with the arrangement, Claire and two other women told him to fuck off. I approved of that message.

Approaching me with a gin and tonic in hand, I gave her a tight hug as I considered her a good friend as well, as much as I did Angela. "Don't suppose I could ask a favour?" she asked after greeting me.

"Shoot."

"I know you're pretty good with cars. Before I take it in to be serviced, could you come over one weekend and have a look? Let me know if it does need any work."

"Sure. Is there anything wrong with it?"

"No. It's only a few years old. But being a single woman, and knowing nothing about cars, I just read horror stories about being ripped off."

"When's it due its pink slip?"

"Next month."

"No worries. Plenty of time for me to pop around of an afternoon and have a look. Given its age, it really shouldn't need anything except an oil change and a top-up here and there. As long as your brakes and tyres are good, that's what I'd be worried about."

"Thanks, Chris. I'll let Erica know. She'll probably come out and give you one of those kisses that makes all the other women jealous."

I chuckled as she was probably right, giving her another hug before she wandered over to where Angela was chatting away. I was busy getting ready all the steaks, sausages, pork and lamb chops, pork ribs, chicken breasts and wings, everything someone could possibly want to eat at a barbecue when a familiar face appeared next to me.

Josephine, although she hated to be called that. The day I was introduced to her, she insisted her name was Josie. "The only person who calls me my full name is my mother, and she only does that because she knows it annoys me," I was told.

She was a petite, diminutive woman, particularly compared to me. I was around six feet even. She was barely five-two. Sandy blonde hair that was always changing style. Blue eyes that were always behind thin-framed glasses that she would change every year. Cute little nose and her lips were always covered in gloss or lipstick. She was rather pale, admitting that she didn't like the sun all that much as she simply burned.

"Hey, Josie," I said, placing the tongs down next to the barbecue and turning to cuddle her.

"Hey, yourself," she replied as she cuddled me back.

I had a lot of time for Josie. She was the most intelligent woman I knew. I didn't tell my wife that, of course. She was adorable at the same time. Same age as my wife and her other two friends, a couple of years younger than me, but she still looked as youthful as ever. She was almost too sweet for her own good at times.

She was also a statistic when it came to certain matters in our country. The day she called Erica in tears was the day I drove over and then walked into her house to take care of business. I spent a night in a police cell at the end of it. My wife never blamed me. Josie must have spent the next year thanking me for doing it. While I might have spent a night in a cell, her ex-partner would eventually face a magistrate for what he did to her. He was told to stay away. Permanently.

"Keeping busy?" I had to ask once I had tongs back in hand, Josie nursing a glass of wine.

"Mostly just working, to be honest. Keeps the brain active. If I'm not there, I'm at home just relaxing."

"No plans on heading back into the dating world?"

"I've had one or two over the past couple of months but none of them went anywhere. Way too many men out there are intimidated by a woman with intelligence and a wonderful career." She took a sip of her wine, "Probably intimidated by the fact the tiny woman loves to fuck too."

I almost spat my beer everywhere, needing to cough a couple of times as she patted my back. "Bit of warning next time, Josie," I stated as she giggled.

"Trust me, those men were sent home without getting just that. You know how selective I am, Chris."

"You ever run into any trouble again, you know who to call."

"I'm still thankful for that night."

"He should consider himself lucky that I didn't kill him."

It was a fun afternoon and evening. Most of the food was eaten. Plenty of alcohol was consumed. The pool was eventually used as it did get rather warm and quite humid in the afternoon. Even after two kids, my wife looked sexy as hell in a two-piece swimsuit. Angela wasn't quite as comfortable with her body though she still looked fantastic in her one-piece swimsuit. Josie made me chuckle as she whispered that perhaps it wasn't quite bikini weather and wasn't sure how all the men would react.

She was probably right.

The girls were put to bed only an hour or so later than normal with the other children snoozing in the lounge room. We didn't have a late night ourselves as our gathering started not long after midday. It had been a fun afternoon catching up with all our friends and family. I glanced at Erica every so often and knew it was just what she needed.

I was counting down the weeks alongside Erica to news of her possible promotion. She seemed to grow ever more pensive with each passing week, and being the ever-loving husband, I did what I could to ease her tension when she was home. I knew she appreciated it as her affection was endless when she was home. I knew she was distracted from time to time, and I understood why. I was fortunate that I could leave my work behind me as soon as I left. While Erica never brought work home with her in the form of paperwork and a laptop, I knew it still rested in the back of her mind.

It was Tuesday evening when the somewhat idyllic life I was living slowly started to change. Erica had called to inform me that she was going to be coming home rather late. She'd missed putting the girls to be a couple of times recently. I tried not to let it get to the girls. Even I tried to be understanding, but she was becoming an increasingly absent mother. I was sitting back on the couch when my phone rang, seeing it was Josie.

"Hey, Josie. What's up?"

"Hey, Chris. I'm well. You?"

"Same old, same old. Erica isn't home, but I'm guessing as you've called me directly..."

"I'm going to get straight to it, Chris. Has she mentioned anything about her new role recently?"

"No. I know she's pretty much the shoo-in for the promotion from what she's told me. Bump in pay. More responsibility. She'll be working for one of the head honchos. Might end up doing similar hours and some travel. I guess we'll just have to adapt to it."

She was silent for a few seconds. "Chris, I'm going to pop around tomorrow once I've finished work as we need to have a chat. Angela and Claire will be joining me."