One Short Night

Chris burst into tears. Don felt no sympathy.

That night, Don did get first dibs on his wife, after her pregnancy. It was not much fun for him. Chris wasn't into it. Don fucked her rolled off and got up. He showered, and he slept in his home office. The next morning, after the girls went off to a sitter's house, Don sat Chris down in the kitchen. Unbeknownst to her, he had taken off work.

He made more coffee. Chris didn't want any. He offered her juice, but she declined. She seemed nervous. And, just as he suspected, there came the sound of the side door opening. Ronald waltzed into the kitchen, whistling.

The whistling stopped when he saw Don in the kitchen with Chris. He stared.

Don said, "Don't you knock, Ronald?" He turned to Chris, "Doesn't Ronald knock?"

Ronald said, "I don't. I'm here to see my son."

"I believe JJ is asleep. I believe you knew he would be asleep. I believe you thought I would be gone to work. Right Chris?"

Chris spoke in a wavery voice. "Don, Ronald helps with JJ."

Don spat out, "He's here expecting to fuck you, right? While JJ's asleep, and I'm at work."

Chris looked down. Ronald said, "We had a deal. I get access."

Don said, "Well, Ronald, JJ is asleep. And you don't get unlimited access to Chris. And you never get access here in my house. Get the fuck out of my house, and do not come back." Don was gripping a filet knife as he spoke.

Ronald, who was bigger, if older, said, "I will not leave. Chris has invited me. It's her house, too." He hadn't seen the knife, yet.

Chris said, "Ronald, please. Leave. I don't want a big fight."

Ronald started toward Don. But Don was ready for that. He stood up, holding the knife by his side. He waited.....

Ronald stopped, unsure. He didn't want to die. He just came for the sex. Both men had been in the war. But Ronald rode a desk at the Pentagon. Don had been to Europe, and was a trained soldier. He'd probably killed people.

Chris started crying. Rocking, "Oh, God....Oh, God...."

Ronald turned and left.

Don's presence in the house after the confrontation was problematic for Chris. But Don explained to her that she'd been violating the agreement, and that, if she continued to do that, he would divorce her.

She said, "Okay, Don. I do understand. I do. But Ronald does get his day this month."

"Chris. Last night was like fucking a blow-up doll. My impression is that you would much have preferred Ronald's cock. This deal, which I hate, will go out the window if your attitude continues."

Don stood up and pulled Chris to him. He gave her a deep, body to body kiss. She responded. Don had the passing thought that his confrontation with Ronald had turned her on. But he was too busy right then to give that a lot of thought. He picked her up and carried her to their bedroom.

He stripped her, licked her, put on a condom, and fucked her missionary. He didn't give any thought to treating her gently. He fucked her hard, and she responded, bucking wildly under him. She had her second big orgasm as Don filled the condom.

They lay there on the bed until JJ woke up and started crying. Don got off, and Chris put on a robe. Don tossed the condom, put on some shorts, and went to see JJ. Despite JJ's parentage, Don had decided to treat him as a full son. It was about time for him to show that.

The rest of the day, he and Chris spent with JJ, and then the girls. It was a nice day and Uncle Ronald made no appearance. After the three children were asleep. Chris came downstairs in a short nightie. She posed in front of Don, twirled so he could see that she wore nothing else. The she dropped to her knees in front of him as he sat on the couch. He was wearing gym shorts and boxers. She had his cock out quickly, and she licked it, sucked it and used her hand for good pressure. She brought him to the edge, then backed off. Three times. She had him groaning. Then she let him come, squeezing at just the right place to get maximum pressure. She did this while he was in her mouth. He came like a fire hose. Chris swallowed, and swallowed. When he was spent, she backed off and showed him the remains of his ejaculate, on her tongue. Then, she swallowed it all, and smiled up at him. She said, "Thanks for today, big boy."

Later, he returned the favor, and had her screaming in their bedroom. After, he said, "Thanks for the blow job, babe. It was the best." They both slept well. Chris had avoided the discussion that she knew she'd have to have with Don soon. The three of them had to work out details of what would happen going forward. That would require Ronald's presence, and participation. She knew she had taken a risk, giving Don that blow job. He knew she hadn't liked that so much before Ronald. Ronald had taught her what she had used on Don. She only hoped that Don didn't think it through.

But Don was very quick, and he knew before he came into Chris' mouth that she had learned the technique from Ronald. He gave some serious thought to killing Ronald. Do it in some way that he wouldn't get caught. But he felt that the odds were against him, given his motive for the killing. It wasn't the war anymore. Killing had a price. The next day Don went out and arranged for a heavy bag to be hung in his basement. He needed an outlet for his rage.

The discussion between the three happened three days after the Don/Ronald confrontation - at Ronald's house. It was fraught with tension. Don never once sat down. He paced around - prowled really - like some jungle cat. Chris and Ronald were very unsettled by that. Ronald found that he was afraid of Don. Even though Don was smaller, he had gained muscle, and he was younger. Also, he carried anger with him all the time.

It came down to that Ronald wanted more sex than once a month. Chris believed that he should get that. Maybe once a week. She said so.

"We can't leave Ronald frustrated all month, Don."

Don stopped his prowling. He said, "No. Deal's a deal."

Ronald said, "I can't be limited to once a month for sex. That's not enough for me."

Don smiled, "Go get some other slut."

Chris gasped. But she said nothing.

Ronald stood and growled, "You asshole. She's no slut."

"Oh? By my definition any wife that screws someone else and has his kid is a slut. You wanna argue?"

Ronald's fear of Don kept him from attacking. He said, "I don't want other women. Just Chris."

"Well, pal, that's too bad. Believe me when I say that once a month is all I'll stand for. You're lucky that I'm doing that. She's my wife, not yours."

Don was right in Ronald's face, then. Ronald sat down. Don smiled at him.

Chris said, "Boys, don't I get something to say?"

They looked at her. She said, "Although I would like to have sex with Ronald more than once a month, that's what we agreed. Ronald will find some other....outlet."

Then Don said, "And....if you knock her up, I'll kill you." He was looking at both, back and forth. He turned and left.

Chris and Ronald were both shaken by Don's attitude. They discussed it all, and decided that they would stick strictly to the once a month limit - at least for a while.

That was what happened. For nearly a year, Ronald was not allowed into Don's house. Chris visited him at his home - once a month, and no more. The first Monday of the month - 7:00pm to midnight.

Don relented about Ronald's coming to their house on JJ's first birthday. From then on, Ronald was allowed to be there, but only if Don was also there.

Ronald did, indeed, develop other relationships with various women. But none were ever serious. It was sex and companionship. Over the years there were perhaps twenty different women who filled that role. None of them ever got so far as to move any clothes into his house.

Meanwhile, Don's attitude toward Chris hardened, slowly, year by year. He was always polite, and they had frequent sex. But love? Not so much. Every so often, on the first Monday of the month, Don would hire a sitter and go out with some woman. He kept this activity discrete. It almost always resulted in sex. Chris knew about it, because sometimes Don would be gone all night. They discussed it. She was angry. But....what could she really say? She couldn't make him stay home babysitting the kids while she fucked the neighbor.

When the children got older, the overnights stopped. Don would also be home by midnight. So, a pattern developed. The daughters, in their mid-teens, talked it over, but came to no firm conclusion. JJ was not included in the discussions. And the pattern was so ingrained, that he stopped paying attention. He thought his mom went to quilt bee, and his dad sometimes to a bar for darts or bowling.

Life moved on, and the children became adults. JJ's departure for college caused some consternation for Chris. She was a little bored with both her men. But she held on. Now JJ was graduating, and probably divorcing at the same time.

Mary arranged to take her last test late. She barely passed. Then she went home to Julia. Julia had heard from JJ, who called her back. What she heard was that JJ was through with Mary. And Julia had absolutely no doubt that he meant it.

So, when Mary came home, Julia tried to prepare her for that - JJ gone for good. But Mary would have none of it. She tried calling JJ's parents' home. JJ refused to speak to her. Mary was inconsolable. She knew that it was all her fault. What she didn't know was why she had done it. Sammi was a great looking guy, for sure. But ever since she had matured, Mary had guys trying for her. And all the time she was married, it was the same. So.....why now?

Mary asked her mother for some insight. After all, Julia had done the same thing - even more, not just one night.

Julia said, "Mary, I screwed around on your dad because.....well, I was tired of being married. But that was years along in the marriage. So, I don't know about you. What do you think?"

"I don't know, Mom. The guy was really hot."

"That's fine, Mary. But you did it right in front of JJ. And he gave you a chance to come away with him. So, why did you stay?"

"I wanted Sammi. Why shouldn't I get......shit."

"Maybe you got married too early. You wanted out. Because, I'm sure you knew JJ would leave."

"Oh, Mom. I'm so fucking stupid!" She ran crying from the room.

Julia thought, "At least she'll get some variety in her sex life."

The next day, Julia called Chris. She said, "Chris, the two of them need to talk. They can't just stop like this. I have no real hope for reconciliation. But they need to talk."

Chris said, "I'll see what I can do? Can the two of you show up Saturday?"

"Yeah, sure. We'll get a room nearby. What time?"

"Noon. Lunch. I'll make sandwiches."

And that's what happened. Chris and Don, and Ronald, to some extent, convinced JJ to have a talk with Mary.

At noon that Saturday, the doorbell rang. Julia and Mary were ushered in. Julia looked fabulous. Both Ronald and Don noticed. Don hadn't wanted Ronald there, but Chris and Ronald insisted.

Chris had sandwiches, and lemonade set out on the buffet. No one ate much. The six of them sat around the big dining table. JJ was at one end, and Mary at the other. Julia and Don were on one side, and Chris and Ronald on the other. Julia knew enough about the situation that she didn't find that surprising.

But Mary was inhibited by the crowd. She said, "JJ, I'm so sorry." She looked around. She said, "Can we take a walk, just us?"

JJ felt sorry for her. He could see how ragged she was. He assumed that she'd tried to look okay. But she'd failed. He got up and waved Mary out the back door.

They walked in silence for a while. Then JJ said, "Mary, I can't see how we can continue. I mean, you just threw it in my face."

"I really am so sorry, babe. I love you so much. I feel like I don't even know myself. Like I was someone else....then. Another person. A lousy one."

"But you aren't two people. One person. A person who could mess with me any time.....no warning."

She was silently crying, some tears running down her face. She spoke in a wavering voice. "I just would try...now that I know I'm susceptible.....I would never do that again."

"What does your mother say?"

"Oh...well, she says...she says I must have known I'd lose you. But I wasn't thinking like that, JJ."

"What? You thought I'd just...take you back? I...even if I did.....what could we have left?"

"We'd have love....wouldn't we?"

"We had that. We...if....you hurt me so bad, Mary. So bad."

"I do love you, though. And you love me, too."

"I do, Mary. That's the reason you can gut me like you did."

Mary could only cry. She started sobbing....."Sorry....so sorry."

JJ felt her pain and sorrow. But he simply watched her cry. Finally, he said, "I have to think about it all. Let's go back."

They walked back in silence, and by the time they got to his house, the others had eaten. They were greeted with stares when they came back inside.

JJ said, "I have some things to think about." He walked by them all, upstairs.

Mary and Julia left, then, to go to their motel.

When they got to their room, Julia asked, "How was it?"

Mary said, "Bad, I think. He's so hurt."

Julia said, "I think he's on the fence. He seemed so sure before your walk. So...we just will see."

They went to a movie. 'Bananas.' They had dinner at a Howard Johnson's. Neither slept well.

Meanwhile, JJ spent several hours in his old room - the one he got when his sisters left. He was not truly thinking - at least not in words. Images flashed by. They'd had a lot of good times, he and Mary. But the images always ended with her and Sammi.

And when he saw that, anger and resentment followed. So much anger. He went for a jog. Ronald wanted to go along, when he came downstairs. But JJ just ran out. And he ran a long time. It was dark when he returned. But, despite the run and the images, he was unable to make up his mind. He ate something. He went to bed.

Chris and Don sat with Ronald, after JJ went up. Ronald said, "JJ needs to take that girl back. They love each other."

Chris looked at Don. She said, "I hope that's how it turns out. What can we do?"

Don didn't say anything.

Ronald said, "We can advise him. I think he hasn't decided anything."

Ronald left soon thereafter. Chris and Don went to bed. Neither slept well. JJ, on the other hand, was worn out and slept deeply.

Julia and Mary were invited again for lunch.

JJ came down for breakfast. He was eating cereal when Chris and Don, and then Ronald came into the kitchen. The four sat around the big table. Chris asked JJ, "Have you decided anything?"

"No. I...don't know what to do. What do you think?"

Chris said, "She loves you, JJ. Anyone can see that. Maybe you should give her a chance."

Ronald nodded. "She's clearly sorry for what happened. It was just a....a...slip up. Only once."

JJ looked at those two. Then he looked at his dad.

Don lifted his right hand. He gave a thumbs down gesture. He said, "You'd always not know."

Chris was outraged. She hissed at Don, "You bastard! It's spite."

Ronald got up from the table like a shot. Then so did Don.

And JJ saw. Understood.

He saw what had been under his nose all his life. He saw that Ronald and his mom were lovers. And he saw his father's bitterness. He saw his father's deep-seated anger. Something close to despair. Something that had been there always.

JJ looked back and forth at the three older people. He made his decision. He walked outside, leaving the others in the kitchen.

Julia and Mary came early - 11am. JJ met them at the door. He asked Julia in, and took Mary outside, down the walk.

Julia and the others watched. Julia looked at the three. She was a perceptive person, and she had long suspected - known really - about Ronald and Chris. She heard her daughter wail, from the end of the walk. She gave the three one last look and said, "You're all worse than me. Way worse."

Then she ran to Mary, who had fallen to her knees. JJ was standing there, numb. Julia got Mary up and into her car. They drove away.

EIGHTEEN MONTHS LATER

Don had just moved into his new place near Pittsburgh. His divorce from Chris had involved the sale of the family home. Chris had moved in with Ronald.

Don's new apartment was near where his two daughters lived. Ann had a baby boy - Charles. Don was only five blocks away and saw Charles each weekday, helping Ann go back to work. Chris was a two-hou drive away, and would come by on some weekends. She had to work to support herself. Don was working part time for a Pittsburgh firm, and could do the work sporadically.

One morning, as he walked to the diner where he usually got coffee and a bun before getting to Ann's house, he saw Julia. He said, "Julia, Julia!"

She looked up from her newspaper, surprised. She had only just moved into the area, having changed jobs. She smiled at Don. "Well, you're a surprise. You look great. Divorce seems to agree with you."

Don did look good. Better that ever, really because he had a good YMCA near his house. And Don thought Julia looked great. He told her so.

She looked down, and said, "Thanks, Don. Maybe we can get a bite, or some coffee."

When they had their 'breakfast,' they sat at a booth.

Julia said, "Don, I'm sorry I included you in that comment I made about the three of you. None of this was your fault, I think."

He said, "Well, I did advise JJ not to keep on with Mary. I just thought it wouldn't be good for either of them."

"I agree. Reluctantly. I assume your own experience with Chris and Ronald informed that decision."

"Yep. You know, I've always treated JJ as if he were my own. He's my son."

Julia looked askance at him. "What do you mean?"

"Well, Ronald is his biological father."

Julia said, "What ever gave you that Idea?"

"Chris and Ronald fucked bareback, just before she got pregnant. Their first time, they said. I'd been using condoms since Tina was born."

Julia hesitated. But she said, "I don't believe Ronald is the father. You only have to look to see JJ is yours."

Don said, "They admitted it, Julia."

She smiled, "They admitted to the adultery. Condoms fail, you know. They're far from perfect. One little slip and....."

Don was stunned. The way it all happened, over time, had solidified his assumptions. After a while he never gave it much thought. He reached into his wallet and got out some photos of JJ and the girls. Julia scootched over next to him to see. She pointed out that JJ looked a lot like his sisters, and that his height and build were like Don's and not like Ronald's. Also, his nose was like Don's - regular - not long and narrow like Ronald's. The hair and eyes were the same, as well.

Don spoke in a low voice, almost a whisper, "All that time....I had to put up with that asshole."

Julia said, "You mean that you allowed Ronald.....?"

"I would have killed him, Julia. Except for me thinking he was close to JJ. He was actually close to JJ."

"Maybe you're lucky you didn't know. You'd have gone to jail."

"Nah. No one would have known I did it."

Julia decided to change the subject. That little sentence was best forgotten. She said, "What's JJ doing now? He's at Penn?"

"Yes, he went to Penn. He's doing finance and law, a dual degree. How about Mary? I hear she went to NYU."

"Yes. NYU law school. She....well, she waited a year, you know. To do anything. Lived with me. Didn't date, lived like a nun."

"But she's over it?"

"Maybe. In New York she seems to have friends. Some men. But she says she can't....get into it, you know."

"You mean sex? She can't get into sex?"

"Yeah. Ironic." A pause. "And, so unlike her mother." Julia smiled at Don. Don smiled right back. He had always liked Julia. Here she was, sitting very close to him. He asked her out, and she accepted.