Seven Year Itch

Jerry and his wife, Barbara, were sitting in the living room after dinner. They were talking about his old college friend, David, and David's wife, Anita. Barbara hadn't heard the story, probably because they lived in the next state and only saw them rarely. Plus, Jerry wasn't big on conversation.

"Why did they get divorced?"

"Short version? She cheated on him."

"That's awful." She shook her head in disappointment and then asked, "What's the longer version?"

"She's an idiot and she cheated on him."

"Okay, give me the much longer version."

"She was born 35 years ago in Chicago. It was an early summer's night. Her father was a businessman and her mother..."

"A little less long..."

"He brought a friend home for dinner. After a time, she told him to go out and get another bottle of wine and pickup some dessert on the way back. Half way to the liquor store he realized that he'd forgotten his wallet. He turned around, went home, walked into the house, and she was bent over the kitchen table with his friend's dick in her. She was enjoying it... a lot!"

"Oh my God! That's awful." Barbara wasn't smiling any longer.

"No, what's awful is that he put his so-called friend in the hospital, got arrested, and served 6 months for aggravated assault. When he got out she tried to mend fences, but he just moved out and divorced her. The whole affair broke his heart and his spirit. He still misses her and mourns the loss of their marriage."

"Maybe he deserved it? Maybe she just needed a little excitement and he should have understood?"

Jerry stared at his wife like she had lost her mind. He thought to himself, "What the fuck, is she kidding?"

The rest of the evening was quiet. That remark didn't sit well with Jerry and it lingered in his mind. In fact, it stayed in his mind, off and on, for weeks to come.

Two hours later when they were going to bed Barbara said "I was only kidding you know."

Jerry nodded, but said nothing. She was accustomed to his moods and decided to let him have his space. She just snuggled behind him quietly and they fell to sleep.

Jerry was a lot like David: he was kind, trusting, and devoted. He thought that he could drop his wife off in a locker room full of naked Olympic athletes and all she'd get would be a great story to tell her girlfriends.

Her comment kept turning over in his mind. It troubled him and he could not let it go. It wasn't like her, but she had said it anyway. Where could that have come from?

Five days each week Barbara would go off to work. She was the office manager in a major law firm in town. She made good money, had some small amount of authority, kept the office running smoothly and the drama to a minimum, and she hobnobbed with the rich and powerful men of the city. For the first time in his marriage, Jerry was nervous. He wondered if Barbara was still the same faithful, loving girl he married. He had no real reason to think otherwise; but he kept thinking of Barbara's words, "Maybe she just needed a little excitement..." After seven years, did Barbara need a little excitement? Is that what she was saying? Did she have the seven year itch?

Jerry kept wondering about his wife. There had been so many late nights at the office this past year. David never knew until that fateful night at his home. He'd been a clueless bastard until he forgot his wallet. Could Jerry be the same? Could he have grown too complacent, too trusting, too oblivious to what was going on in his own marriage?

Jerry would have to put these thoughts out of his mind. These thoughts were mind killers; they would kill his soul and kill his marriage. They would breed mistrust and suspicion. They would eat away at him. He was being paranoid and insecure. It was time to man-up. Barbara would never cheat. The Christmas season was coming. He'd bury this nonsense in the holiday preparations and forget about it. At least, he would try.

Three weeks later Barbara's firm had their annual Christmas party. Their parties were legendary and it was not unusual to find yourself rubbing elbows with the mayor or a senator. The food was always top notch, the music was live, and the liquor was free. They dressed for the night and Barbara was a vision. Jerry liked to tell her "You clean up good, girl!" It was an understated compliment and she always appreciated it. She knew how he felt about her.

They arrived at the party. Jerry was again introduced to her coworkers and the firm's big guns. Everyone paid attention to Barbara and complimented her on her dress. Some of the men watched her a bit too closely, but it had never worried Jerry before. Jerry danced with his wife and, as usual, Barbara was asked to dance by the other men. Jerry danced with the wives when there were wives, or sat one out when the men were single.

One of the recently promoted partners, a fellow named George Collins, seemed to dance with Barbara longer and more often than the others. He and Barbara were enjoying each other's company more than Jerry remembered. George was recently divorced and Jerry's mood was growing dark.

Jerry got caught up in social conversations and small talk with some of the men of the office, exchanged pleasantries with some of the wives, and when he turned around to find his wife she was gone. He searched everywhere; but she wasn't on the dance floor, she wasn't at the tables, and she wasn't in the hallway. Jerry's mind ran back to that night and her words about Anita, "Maybe she just needed a little excitement..." He could feel the anger growing inside him. This was a hotel, damn it, and they had 200 bedrooms to choose from! He'd never find her.

Jerry sat in the corner with a drink and he stewed. She wouldn't get away with this! Damn her, he will not be cuckold! He may be just an engineer and his friends are not among the high and mighty, but he will damn well not be cuckold!

As he sat there, stewing over his situation, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up and saw Barbara's face looking in his eyes. She was always so proud of him. It wasn't like him to sit alone like this. "I have a surprise for you."

"I bet you do."

"Come, let me show you."

They stepped outside into the brisk winter air and crossed the parking lot. There was a brand new Tesla model S sitting in front of the hotel. It was red. Barbara held out her hand and gave Jerry the keys. She said, "A month ago the senior partners said they wanted to do something to thank me for all that I do for the firm. They offered me a brand new Mercedes S-Class, but I said I was happy with my Ford. Then they said, `That's part of what we like about you. You're always so practical with two feet on the ground. Okay, then, what can we get your husband to thank him for all the late nights you've had to work?' I knew you've been admiring the Teslas with their advanced technology, so I asked them to get you a Tesla. It's actually cheaper than the Mercedes, so they were more than happy with the choice. Merry Christmas, my love!"

Jerry stood frozen in place. He looked at the keys and then to his wife. She was smiling at him with those hazel eyes he'd fallen in love with when they were still in school. A grown man isn't supposed to cry, but Jerry felt like such a fool. He thought, "I let my imagination run away with me. Barbara has never given me any reason to mistrust her, and her words to me that other night were just a wife teasing her husband. My insecurities took control of an evil fantasy that I fabricated in my own mind. I must be a horrible disappointment to her."

"I thought you were cheating on me."

"What? Are you kidding me?"

"No. Ever since you made that remark about Anita needing a little excitement I've been wondering if you needed something I wasn't providing."

She was shaking her head. "Men are so stupid! You foolish, foolish boy! I wept the day I married you because I knew you were better than I ever imagined I'd find. No other man could make me happy and I swore an oath that no other would ever be allowed to try. I've never changed my mind in the past seven years and I won't in the next seventy. You're my husband, my one and only love. And I have half a mind to smack you, you jackass!"

"And I deserve it."

"Yes, you do." She smiled. "Now, you want to take your new car for a spin?"

"We will in a minute. First, I have some people to thank."

Barbara put her arm in Jerry's and they walked back into the party together. He thanked the senior partners who were all too happy to return their thanks for all the long hours Barbara had spent during the difficult weeks of the past year. It had not been a particularly good year for the firm; but with hard work and Barbara's level head and calming influence, they had emerged stronger. The partners were in Barbara's debt and their wives knew that Jerry's wife was an asset to the firm.

After a few minutes of thanks and congratulations, Jerry and Barbara left the party to take a spin in Jerry's new car. He was happy not so much for the car he had just received, but for the love he was given seven years before. Jerry's mind was clear now and the doubts of recent weeks were behind him. He'd been a fool to let his imagination run wild and it had led him to question his wife's fidelity. He was going to be called upon to do some penance in the coming weeks with some serious ass-kissing for doubting her (and maybe more than a few verbal ass-kickings). Jerry accepted that as a well-deserved reminder from a loving wife. And she was a loving wife who loved only him.

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Dear Reader, I know you probably thought this was a Loving Wives story after you read that first conversation, but I meant it when I submitted it as a Romance. I hope you didn't mind the happy ending. Too many stories of betrayal can poison the mind; so I took a little time to remind myself that wives may sometimes be diabolical, but that doesn't mean they are dishonest.