Stopping Her Affair

She was buttoning up her top. She reached for my computer, and began tapping keys. "There! My voice and the video is erased. I want no god damn record of my involvement in your asshole scheme.

If the cops ever find out what you did, they can't prove it was me that helped you. The deal with my husband is to fly under the radar or my marriage is dead.

Chris you're a nice man. I like you. Witty, articulate, decent looks, but you've got a screw loose. If you have any brains, you'll do two things. Get rid of the hard drive and anything else that points to what you were doing, and second, never call me again. I'm out of here. Sorry it ended this way."

Nothing much I could say. She was right. I wrapped up the operation over the next two days. I pulled the listening device from her car, and burned the spare DVD in the fireplace, and bought a new hard drive for my computer.

The next Wednesday, by chance, I saw Gorski driving down South Street. I circled around the block, and pulled out onto Main Street a few cars behind him. Son of a bitch, he was heading for Dawn's house. They were set to fuck again, but this time avoiding hotels. I hoped I was wrong, but no indeed, Michael pulled right into the damn driveway, parked in plain sight, and headed into the house. I could see Dawn come to the door, and she didn't look too pleased, but let him in. I waited a few minutes, and when nobody stirred, got out of my car, walked down the street, and with heart in my throat, went up on the porch, and looked in the front window.

I saw Michael's cloths strewn across the floor. I had my key, but the door was unlocked. I could hear them upstairs, having a gay old time. I patted Michael's pants, found his keys, and put them in my pocket. As a last bit of devilment I slid one of his shoes under the china cabinet, but behind the leg, so you really couldn't see it. I could just see it from the door as I quietly headed out to my car, and tossed his keys just under his car where one could imagine they fell. I wasn't far down the street when Dawn called:

"I hate to ask you again Pops, but could you pick up the Rug Rat at school?" Dawn didn't mention today was an early dismissal day! I could just about get there in time.

"Bring him over to the house if you would?"

" No problem, daughter in law. 'Tis my pleasure" I closed my phone and stepped on the gas. Bobby came running over to my truck as soon as I pulled into the lot. He was full of all the stuff a second grader is full of, when out of the mouth of the babe, came "Pepe, what's a pecker?" Hmmm, thinks I "Use it in a sentence, Lad" "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peckers" Ahh, "The word is pickled peppers" "Oh" and the chatter continued all the way home.

Michael's car was still in the driveway, and I pulled in behind it. The Rat blew in the door hollering Hi Mom, with me close behind, and I heard Dawn squawk, and just caught her caves and feet as she scrambled up the stairs dressed in a thin robe, and noting else. The Rat didn't even notice, and headed to the kitchen, where Michael was wandering around dressed, but for one shoe. He looked as though he was facing a firing squad, which I suppose he was.

I introduced myself, and as he walked into the living room, he referred to himself as a friend of Dawn's. I began asking him questions, "What sort of a friend are you?

"What do you mean?"

"Well, guys have activity friends, like golf friends, or work friends, or bar room friends...so like I said, what sort of friend are you? Are you an old friend? New friend?" It was obvious they didn't have a story set up, Michael stumbled about they were just friend friends.

"So, you plead none of the above. Do you just sit around all afternoon like Hey Diddle Dumpling, my son John, with a near naked Dawn?"

"What?... diddling dumplings...what are you talking about?"

"Ah confusion, yes indeed, diddling has a sexual connotation, doesn't it. I was referring instead to the nursery rhyme, let me recite it for you, You're old enough to have fathered children, I thought you'd have get the humor the first time. 'Hey diddle dumpling, my son John. Went to bed with his stockings on, one shoe off, and one shoe on, hey diddle dumpling, my son John.' Dawn's family coming in the door like this, probably made you forget you're standing here, fully dressed, but with only one shoe on. As to what sort of friend, (I looked to see where the Rat was) I rather think you're her fuck friend."

"You old bastard...I'm not standing here and listening to this"

"If you want to leave, I'll have to move my truck. Just remember, I'm an old man and have less to loose than you do."

Dawn came down the stairs, interrupting what ever was about to happen, glared at Michael, took me by the arm, and said "Lets go outside, Pops" She had thrown on a house dress, and we were on the lawn when she said

"I won't lie, it was what it looks like, but the bastard is history. Why I let myself get involved with such a hard luck looser asshole is beyond me. He's out of here. I was stupid to risk loosing Robert. Let me handle the asshole, OK? I don't want the police to come."

"Of course. You have nothing to fear from me. Let's have lunch tomorrow, and talk about it."

"Pops, you can't tell Robert any of this."

"Of course not. This joins a number of things I, and you, will take to the grave. I'll see you tomorrow about noon time."

I backed out of the driveway.

Robert Jr. wouldn't be home for at least another hour. Plenty of time for Michael to have his car towed away if he can't find his keys. Michael Gorski, I feel a little sorry for you, but I want her to stay really pissed at you.

I wasn't about to have Taco Hell shit. Dawn supplied the beer, I made some corned beef sandwiches with hot mustard and sauerkraut. Dawn and I munched away. "Pops, do you mind me talking about this? My Mom would have hysterics, but your pretty level headed."

"No, it's fine with me. I've lived a long life, seen a lot of stuff happen, and I certainly have the same goals as you in this. It's important to talk over stuff with people who have the same goal as you."

I don't know why I ever did it, Pops. I really do love Robert. Michael was nothing special, but he was willing to do anything! It was fun, but I was scared shitless the whole time, you know? And I had this feeling I don't know, my Guardian Angle was trying to knock some sense into me. Everything kept going wrong. The first time was an impulsive fling. I was surprised. He and I were coming out of the elementary school at noon time, and started talking. We had lunch at the diner, and so help me, like erotic wires crossed, we went to the motel, and did it. I got home, the world had a golden glow, colors were brighter, birds singing louder, and...nobody else felt it. It was down hill from there. Next time the tires went flat, then...my car disappeared, only to reappear half an hour later when the police came cause I reported it stolen. The cop told me my actions had consequences, for god's sake.

Such odd ball, stupid stuff. I mean Fate trying to tell me to stop it. The police think I am nuts, but really, my, Michael and mine dopple gangers were in the room next door. The woman's husband came along and broke in and shot the two of them. I know it's supernatural, because the police found nothing! Like it didn't happen! Like the car disappearing. But we heard it all, felt the vibrations on the wall. They were doing pretty much, ah you know, just what we were doing, at the same time we were doing it? Like the four of us were in syncopation!

Pops, we were visited from...out there! They were trying to tell me that if I kept it up, people were going to die! Michael of course did not see it. No, not a bit! She was sobbing and just blurting out the words,

"Michael didn't see what they were telling us. To him it was, you know, whatever! That was it! I told him to fuck off. Don't come near me. Don't call me. Don't talk to me. Right was right and wrong was wrong. Then the other day, he showed up at the house, and forced me...threatened to tell Robert. Thank god you came by. Now he can't blackmail me because he knows you know. He was afraid of you, said you had less to lose than him.

Oh god, such a mess. How I long for boring sex. We can't tell anyone. They wouldn't believe us. And, and what would Robert do? Pops, did you ever stray from the yellow brick road?"

"That's a fantastic story. I don't see any explanation in this world, really. I'm not much of a believer in supernatural stuff, but when there is no other explanation... What's left? Nothing even comes close to explaining it.

As to straying, no I never did, and as far as I know, neither did my wife. I thought about it seriously, at one point. My wife was a lovely woman, but not particularly interested in sex. Prissy isn't the right word, serious? Solemn? Overly dignified? Maybe staid is the word. Robert takes after her, in that regard. Anyway, she had a lot of 'don't do' rules in the bedroom. I tried to loosen her up, and she did eventually increase her repertory somewhat. It hurt her feelings to try to get her to do anything different in the bedroom, she took it to mean she was inadequate.

Well, in some regards we all are. It was painful to introduce her to even fairly mundane changes. In retrospect, I probably made a mistake in not forcing her. Oops, wrong word, not insisting early on that she try stuff that I found erotic, and to tell me what she found erotic. We didn't have much communication there. So I thought about the pleasures of the flesh with others, but in the end accepted that life would be great, I would enjoy it, but the sex would be, just tender and dull.

So why do think you were so temped to have an affair. I suppose it means you need to work on getting what you need out of life."

"I'll tell you what's wrong. My life! It's a cliché. My life's a cliché. I'm a desperate housewife, or something. I'm bored at work, bored in bed, I'm bored in my daily life. It's dull. It's just too quiet. I'm 34, and I would like to go out clubbing once in a while. Spend a weekend in New York, Jump out of a plane with a parachute. You like to quote lines from songs. Here's mine Peggy Lee's 'Is that all there is?' I love my child, and my husband, I enjoy his company and all that, but this life I'm living, it doesn't really make me happy."

"Well life really is what you make it. Remember that line in the constitution, the pursuit of happiness? Everybody has to pursue happiness for themselves. You, and you alone have to figure out what will make you happy, and it is your job to tell Robert, and his job to assist you in reaching the goal. You want to go clubbing. How could you get Robert to come along?"

"Geze, Pops. He doesn't take a hint, they go right over his head. I could tell him outright, I want to go to some of the clubs in Phily this Saturday night. If we were to go with Craig and Linda, set up a double date with another couple, he'd go along. He is biddable."

"Go for it. You did get something from Michael that you're not getting from Robert. I think that's another thing to work on."

"Emhh. Having affairs is like Russian roulette. Sooner or later, you're found out, and it's pain and mayhem for everyone. I probably need sit down with Robert, and tell him what's missing, that love making is great, but a good dirty weekend is nice too."

"Well, buy one of those woman's magazines that has articles like fifteen new ways to drive you husband wild. Ask him which he likes, which he's just OK with, and which are an acquired taste? It's a chance to discuss sex without it seeming like criticism. Would that work?"

"Well, it's worth a shot. Worst case, I can buy it without guilt. Pops, I made a big mistake when I took up with that idiot; but, this last time was damn close to rape, and believe me, it's not going to happen again. I never want to see or hear from that fool again, or anyone else for that matter."

It really did look like she was mostly unwilling. Dawn's not dumb enough to bring a lover into her house and risk the neighbor's notice.

"Look, Dawn, some other advice. If it's too difficult to be honest with Robert, maybe get some counseling. It's a lot easier to say things one on one to a counselor, and they can say things to you, and it's coming from them, not Robert. It worked for my wife and me once upon a time. If you're still unhappy after making a good effort in marriage, and divorce is the solution, go for it, with my blessing, not that you need it. I'll stand by you and my grandson. It will be a painful thing for everybody, but eventually we'll all get over the pain, and divorce is much easier without the betrayal and all."

"You aren't mad at me?"

"Of course I'm not mad at you. A bit disappointed, maybe, but no, I love you like a daughter. We are all sinners on this earth. Children imagine the world is perfect, safe, and just. Adults know better. We all do things we regret, we all carry guilt, and, in the end, if we repent, and resolve to sin no more? God will forgive us, and our fellow men should do no less. In time memories fade, and the load lessens. Eventually it will have happened a long time ago, in a place far, far away."

She gave me a kiss and a very long hug. I wiped a tear or two off her face, and told her I loved her, and Robert, and Bobbie, and went home to find a message on the machine from Joan..

Epilogue

Ten years later, I have three grand children, each one better than the others, and Dawn and Robert are still married. Oh, and six months ago, while fixing the faucets in their hall bath, I had to go into the master bedroom closet to shut off the water. Tucked away on a shelf I had to take down, I found a box of photos, one with Dawn tied up on their bed, and no doubt about it, it was Robert's cock she was sucking, and a bunch more of the two of them in various acts of sex play. They were fucking in the new bed I built for them, so all was well in the post Gorski world. Looked like my son had loosened up, and they were having fun. Jeanie and I, as the kids say, we're still occasional fuck friends, who share and laugh our way through bad porno films and eat Chinese take-out in front of the fireplace, buck naked.