Satin Dress, Sandra's Side

At Happily_Married87's suggestion, the story from Sandra's side. It will help if you read 'Satin Dress' first.

Some people didn't like the abrupt ending of 'Satin Dress', some loved it. I took Happily_Married87's suggestion and told the story from Sandra's view. I had no preconceived ideas when I started to where it was going to end up. I just let the story take me.

If I had thought about it I would have written both at the same time. I didn't so there is going to be some disconnect 'tween this and 'Satin Dress'.

My thanks to AnAverageGuy61 for his tweaking.

I have said before, communication is an art and sometimes we send the wrong signals to the wrong people.

Daughters tend not to lie to their Fathers.

Don't take it too seriously. Please just enjoy the story. It's fiction like Great Expectations,

My Dad sat across from me, he was not happy. My Step Mum had her arm around my shoulders holding me. I'd stopped crying, for now, I was on the edge of bursting into tears at any moment. She'd been a better Mum to me than the one who gave birth to me. She'd been a Mum to me since she married Dad when I was 12, when my old Mum messed up a couple of years before. We didn't talk about it. It upset Dad.

After Brian left I tried to take the 'For Sale' sign down, I couldn't. Jonathan was no use, he just crawled away.

I phoned Dad and he and Mum came over, I'd been calling her 'Mum' for the last 15 years.

I waited outside for them and asked Dad to take the sign down. He did. I was still crying.

They helped me inside. Dad phoned the Estate Agent because he couldn't get any sense out of me. He put the phone on speaker. They told him that they had instructions on Tuesday morning to put the property on the market for a quick sale. And they had already had an offer for the asking price. During the conversation it came out that they suspected that the couple who owned the house were splitting up, that is why it was so cheap.

Dad glared at me and went to make some tea. Mum just cuddled me.

Dad brought the tea back and put the mugs in front of us. I had calmed down, enough to talk.

Mum said. "You'd better tell us the whole story, love." She held my hand.

"And don't leave anything out." Dad added.

I pulled myself together as best as I could, Dad wouldn't like it, especially when I got to what Jonathan had said.

I told them Jonathan from work had been chatting with me and a little bit of flirting for the past 6 months or so, he'd asked me out a few times, but I always told him 'No'. I was happily married.

I never responded to the flirting, but I did enjoy the attention. We did have lunch twice, but nothing happened.

"Did you tell Brian about those lunches?" Asked Dad.

"I did the first one."

"Not the second." I shook my head. "Why not?"

I shrugged my shoulders. That annoyed him.

He growled at me. "You know that was not an acceptable answer as a child, even less so now." Mum squeezed my hand gently.

"Brian wasn't happy after the first one, so I didn't tell him about the second."

Dad was less happy. "Has Brian met this Jonathan?"

"Yes, he doesn't like him, or trust him, but I have to work with him." I tried to hold my head up. "I told Jonathan there would be no more lunches after the second one."

"Why?" Mum said gently.

"I didn't want Jonathan to get the wrong idea, or Brian to get upset. He can be unforgiving when he's upset."

Dad didn't let up. "So that obviously wasn't the end of it, otherwise we wouldn't be sitting here now. Carry on." He was a little gentler with me.

"Jonathan backed off for a while, but he came back chatting and flirting about a month ago. I missed the attention when he stopped. But I didn't encourage him, I didn't Dad, really." The look on his face told me he didn't believe me, but it was true.

"Then three weeks ago he told me he might be moving away; he had the offer of another job down south. And he asked if we could go out on one date before he left. I still said 'No' because Brian didn't trust him, and I thought with the flirting he might want to do something that Brian wouldn't like."

"What about you? Did you want to do 'something' that Brian wouldn't like?"

"NO, Dad, I'm faithful. Brian is the only man for me."

"So what changed your mind?"

"Jonathan came to me on Monday and asked if we could have a date on Friday, I said 'No', he carried on. He told me that he didn't want to have sex with me. Well, he admitted he would liked to have done, but he respected me too much to destroy my marriage. So, if I went out with him there would be no sex, just two friends having dinner before he left, talking over the last year, the projects we'd done together. Just a memory for me of the good times we had at work. Something for me to remember him by, and there had been some good ones. He promised."

"And you believed him?"

"Dad, I've worked with this man for over a year, I've never known him to lie. Why would he start now?"

Dad just snorted at me.

"So, you agreed, and you told Brian that evening. How did he take it?"

"He wasn't happy, but he said it was my choice. I know he loves me. He warned me about Jonathan, but I told him there was going to be no sex. I knew he would worry about that, but Jonathan promised no sex. I told Brian that. Jonathan said maybe a little fun flirting, but he wouldn't take it any further."

"Did you tell Brian that bit? And was that all?"

"Well, No I didn't. He wouldn't like it. It was just going to be flirting, nothing would come of it."

Dad snorted again, twice in two minutes. I was in the shit.

"It would be exciting to go out with another man. Brian and I went dancing the other week, we told you about that, and the bottle of bubbly we won in the pub quiz. But it was all us together. I just wanted something on my own. Jonathan promised, there was no risk. But I don't think Brian saw it that way."

"Obviously not because the house went on the market the next day. He's treated you so well, and you wanted to go out with another man. One that he doesn't like and doesn't trust, what the fuck were you thinking girl."

I'd never heard my Dad use the 'F' word, well a couple of times when he and my old Mum had a falling out, and that was years ago. I don't think he was on my side. Shit. Mum stroked my hair, and I was crying again.

The tea was cold by now.

Dad went and made some more; I think he was upset with me.

He came back carrying the three mugs of tea, he stood at the door and looked at me. I wondered what he was looking at?

He came in from the kitchen, he said. "Is that all? I've known you for 27 years. I will know when you're lying."

He sat down putting the tea mugs on the coffee table.

"I've not seen that dress before, is it new?"

Oh shit.

"Erm yes, I saw it in 'Brides and Proms' on the way home on Wednesday and fell in love with it. I called in and they had one exactly my size. I tried it on, it felt so lovely. I had to have it."

I looked at him straight in the face. I knew what he was going to say next. I've known him for 27 years. He didn't disappoint. But I had an answer, an honest answer and he wasn't going to like it.

"Did you buy it for yourself, Brian or Jonathan?"

"I bought it for me, to make me feel good when I went out with Jonathan. Jonathan was no risk, he was safe. He promised. And Brian would get the benefit when I got home. Dad, please trust me." I squeezed Mum's hand. I don't think he believed me, but I could never hide a lie from this man. He knew me far too well. Those years after my old Mum left, when it was just me and him.

"Was it expensive? It looks like it."

"It wasn't cheap."

"So you bought an expensive dress for your boyfriend."

"No, it was for me, Brian would get the benefit when I got home."

"I take it Brian saw the dress?"

"Yes, and the stockings." I'd better be completely open and not try to hide anything.

"Stockings!" Dad was no prude. He knew what that meant.

There was silence broken only by the sound of the kettle cooling in the kitchen.

Mum spoke up. "Darling, you had better tell us everything."

"When I bought the dress in the same shop they had some stockings, they were the colour and feel that Brian likes, so I got a pair. They would look good with the dress."

"I take it Brian saw the dress before you went out. What did he say?"

I looked at my Mum, she smiled gently at me, and I needed her support. Dad was going to get angrier with me. Some of the things Brian said as he left made me think. In between the crying I had started to look at it from Brian's view.

"He asked me where we were going, I didn't tell him. He would've turned up and spoiled it for me."

I felt a bit guilty as I said that, but I was also bothered he would have done something stupid. Looking at my Mum I added. "He might have turned up and done something to Jonathan and ended up in jail. I couldn't let that happen." I think she understood, I looked at Dad, I'm not sure he did.

"Dad, I told Brian that on Thursday that I was leaving early Friday, so he wouldn't be worried when he got home and I wasn't here. He told me he wouldn't be here when I got back if I went out with Jonathan. I didn't believe him. We would always be together.

"Dad, it's worse than that. I told Jonathan I didn't want to be out late and upset Brian, so I had to be home by 10. So that we had a full evening Jonathan wanted to go out early. He booked a table at the Talbot Hotel for 5:15. He planned to pick me up at 4:30. Brian wasn't going to get in till 5:30, it was his turn to lock up at work. But he got home early, I had just finished dressing when he walked in."

"He saw the dress and the empty stockings packet on the bed. It was almost like he knew I was hiding something; I wasn't."

I looked at my Dad, more truth. "Well, I was really, I didn't want to spoil the surprise for him when I got back at 10 wearing the dress and stockings for him as a reward for giving me the choice."

Now Dad was going to get really upset.

"I think Brian saw that I was trying to sneak out wearing this dress. But I'd have to come home wearing it. I couldn't hide it from him then."

Dad was shaking his head slowly. "By then as far as Brian was concerned you wore that dress for Jonathan and not for him, he would feel second best."

"He got angry at me. He asked me who paid for the dress, I think for a minute he thought Jonathan had paid for it, he didn't. I told him I did, he got angrier saying that he paid most of the money in our bank account, so he was paying for it. He was upset that I was wearing stockings for Jonathan, and not him. I didn't dress up for him when he took me dancing last week.

"He seemed to calm down, then he asked me the most difficult question I've ever had to answer. 'Why?'"

"Dad, I couldn't tell him, I had an answer, but he wouldn't like it, I wanted something for just myself. He would feel excluded. And that would hurt him. So, I just mumbled and shook my head. I wanted something different, exciting and just for me, just the once. There was no risk, Jonathan promised. I was going to be safe. So was my marriage."

"I told him I was coming home early to be with him. I told him I would be home by 10."

"So you were going out to get revved up by your boyfriend and bring it home to your husband?"

"NO DAD, I wasn't."

Shit. Dad was seething, this was going to hurt me.

I was right. "You dress up sexily for another man, and then come home to your husband who you can't be bothered to dress sexily for when he takes you out. Girl, you are in the shit."

He looked at me hard. "I hope you're wearing knickers?"

"OF COURSE!" What I didn't tell him was that it was the set that I brought for Brian for Valentine's Day last year.

"Sexy ones?" Shit he had me there. I looked into my lap again. I dare not look him in the eyes, I wouldn't like what I saw there. He walked out. More tea, we drank the last one.

Mum squeezed my hand. "You'd best tell us what happened next."

Dad came back and sat opposite me, he wasn't going to like this bit either, I didn't. I was crying again. Mum cuddled me. "Come on sweetie, better out than in, you're going to have to tell your Dad."

"There was a knock at the door, and it could only have been Jonathan. Brian got down the stairs first and opened the door. I think Jonathan was surprised to see him there. I was confused. My plans were a mess. Then Brian did something I never expected. I thought he was going to punch Jonathan, but he just stepped aside and said to me. 'If you put one foot outside that door, I will leave you.' he wouldn't Dad. He loves me."

I looked at my Dad sitting there, I felt he was trying to keep his anger bottled up. "Dad, I was confused. All the discussions we'd had, all the talking we did upstairs about the dress, the stockings and going out and the reason why. I was confused. Then Jonathan held his hand out and he called me Sandy. It was my way out of his mess for a few minutes so I could get my head together. But I made the biggest mistake of my life and I stepped out that door. I still don't believe what happened next. Brian took an envelope out of his back pocket. He took his wedding ring off, dropped it inside and closed it. He tried to give it to me. I wouldn't take it. If I didn't take it, it wouldn't happen. Jonathan still had his hand out. so, Brian dropped into his hand. He said something to him, I don't know what it was. Brian turned to me and told me I can fuck whoever I wanted now. He was angry, he was livid, I'd never seen him so angry before and it was all my fault."

"Jonathan said something and pushed Brian. The next thing I know Jonathan is on the floor holding his groin and throwing up."

By now I was hanging on to Mum for grim death. This had drained me. It was only a couple of hours ago, it was all so vivid. And to relive my mistakes was painful.

Dad walked out again, I was hoping for something stronger than tea this time, and I got it. I had no idea where the wine came from but finished it in one go. I didn't taste it.

"Brian walked into the garden, went up behind the rose bush, and brought out a 'For Sale' sign. He stuck it in the ground and ty-wrapped it to the fence post. He came back inside, picked up some bags and left. He didn't even say goodbye or look back, he just left."

Mum asked me where he went, I told her I didn't know.

I looked at my Dad, braced myself and said. "Dad, you're not going to like this, Jonathan said. 'Well I can't fuck you tonight now, can I?' I asked him what he meant by 'now'. There was not going to be any sex. He promised. And then he said to me 'Yeah Of course there was you silly cow, I lied. And then you come out looking like that, I thought you wanted it." He threw up again. 'I would've fucked off when I found your old man here. But dressed like that I thought you were up for it.' Dad, I kicked him again. But he's right, I am a silly cow."

There was a long silent pause. I could see Dad thinking. I recognised it. This was going to hurt me.

"So let me get this straight." Said Dad holding up his right hand, closed.

His thumb first. "You were going out on a date with a man not your Husband, and one your Husband doesn't like or trust."

I nodded.

His index finger. "You brought an expensive dress and stockings for your date. And don't tell me it was just for you. You were thinking about Jonathan when you brought that dress."

That wasn't quite true, I was thinking of Brian. I didn't say anything because Dad was partly right, Jonathan was in the back of my mind.

Middle finger. "And you used your Husband's money to do it." There was nothing I could say to that.

Then his ring finger. "So when you deemed you would get home from your boyfriend, Brian was going to get second hand offerings after you had spent the evening with Jonathan. So, he was second best. That's so disrespectful girl."

His pinky was next. "He warned you several times about what would happen, and you ignored him." He raised his voice. "And then you went and did the very thing he told you not to do. You are fucked."

He shook his head; he looked sad. He got up and walked into the kitchen.

Bloody hell that's the two men in my life that I love the most I've upset. I started crying again, Mum just held me as she cried as well.

Brian had told me I was disrespectful, and now my Dad told me that as well. He was right, I was fucked.

Dad came back with one of Brian's beers, nothing for me. He looked drained; shit, I'd done that.

I gathered myself together. "Dad, help me please. I need your help. He'll listen to you. I screwed up. I love him, I want him back."

Dad walked away. I saw him get his phone out. I wondered who he was phoning. I could hear him talking, he was walking up and down in the kitchen. I couldn't hear what was being said.

He came back in. "I've just spoken to Phil and Marie. Brian is with them. He is currently getting drunk. Not something you should do in front of your parents. They'll look after him. We'll stay here with you tonight for two reasons. One, to look after you and, two, to give you an alibi, and to beat the living shit out of Jonathan if he comes back."

I didn't tell him that was three reasons.

How bad was it that I needed an alibi. Oh shit.

He carried on in a tone of voice I knew and hated, he was extra serious. "If we can get him back, and you do anything so stupid again. I will never, ever, speak to you again. He does not deserve to be treated like that."

I wasn't going to; I'd learned my lesson. But to lose both of the men in my life and probably my Mum as well was an extra incentive.

Brian came on Saturday, he looked rough, not as bad as I did. I begged him, I told him I had messed up, I got it wrong. I was sorry.

He told me that if I was going to go out on dinner dates with work colleagues dressed like that, it showed I had no respect for him. He told me it was only a matter of time before I strayed.

And he wasn't going to wait around for that to happen. I told him I'd learned my lesson, no more dates with anyone except him. I promised, and I meant mine.

He told me to find somewhere to live as he was going to accept the offer on the house and to sign the paperwork when it turned up. I was hoping that wouldn't happen.

He went round the house picking what he wanted and put it in the large suitcase he'd brought and walked out the door. He didn't look back this time either, but he did say goodbye, it sounded final.

I was tempted to run after him. But me, Mum and Dad had hatched a plan. He just got to the boot of his car when Mum and Dad turned up. Dad held his hand out, Brian put the suitcase down and took it. Mum leaned in and gave him a big hug. I think she was crying. There was lots of talking and the occasional look at me. Brian kept on shaking his head, at one stage he shrugged his shoulders. Then he looked at me and I could see he had tears in his eyes as well. He shook his head again. I'm sure they had been talking for nearly ten minutes. Brian put his hand out, Dad took it, but pulled him into a man hug. They had never done that before. It seemed to go on for a long time. They separated and Mum took over, that hug lasted longer.

Shit, that did not look good.

Brian opened the boot, picked up his suitcase and reached into the car. I couldn't take it. I ran at him and I screamed. "No, please come back. I will never do anything like that again. I'm sorry. Please come home." Brian stopped what he was doing and looked at me.

I got to him and threw my arms around his neck. He didn't take hold of me. I was lost.

He whispered in my ear. "I'm just picking up this suitcase, you had better carry the other bag indoors for me."

I realised what he said. I was stunned when I saw he had a suitcase in each hand. He was coming back. He looked at me and said, "Your Mum and Dad phoned me last night and asked me to keep an open mind and could we have a talk today."