The Trade

"That's where Hank's going to help out. He assures me he can be very persuasive. He's a real people person," Aaron said. "I'm supposed to meet with Jack on Wednesday. Hank's going to go in my place."

Hank smiled and put his hand on Josie's arm.

"It's the least I can do for my woman," he said.

"And what if I say I don't want to swap anymore?" Josie asked.

"Well, I suppose you could stay in one of the kids' old rooms, but there's no way we'd be sleeping in the same room. Wouldn't you enjoy staying here more than being home right now facing all those questions from your friends and family?"

She had to admit that being out of the mainstream seemed to be a better option.

A couple of days later, Jack Long didn't look happy when a big, scruffy-looking man sat down across from him at the table he was sitting at for lunch, waiting on his co-worker Aaron Royce.

"Excuse me. I think you've got the wrong table," Jack said.

"Oh, no, no, no. I've definitely got the right table, Mr. Long," Hank smiled.

Aaron filed his application for Nathan's position at about the same time Hank was persuading Jack that posting Josie's photos on the Web would be a bad idea. Jack didn't go back to the office after his lunch. In fact, he called in sick the next day. When he returned to work three days later, he looked like he had gone a few rounds in an MMA octagon and was limping.

The board eventually chose Aaron for the position.

Although she was no longer afraid of her videos showing up on the Internet, Josie was having no success changing Aaron's mind on divorce. She had admitted to him that she was fully aware that Jack was trying to seduce her, but she was flattered to the point that she threw away her good sense. Having sex with a man her husband didn't like was part of the attraction, she said.

"What did I do that drove you into his arms... and bed?" Aaron asked during the phone conversation.

"It wasn't anything you did, babe. This is all on me. I got carried away and let lust rule the day. It was so... wrong, and that gave me a bigger thrill," Josie admitted.

"Can't we move past it? I love you. You love me. Isn't that enough to earn us a second chance?"

"You say you love me, but you certainly didn't respect me, having sex for months with a co-worker of mine, a man you knew I didn't like. I could never trust you again, Josie," Aaron said.

There was silence on the line for several seconds. Aaron thought she might have hung up, when he heard his wife sobbing softly.

"I want to come home, Aaron, talk to you in person," she said through sniffles.

"I don't want to talk to you, babe. Hank is a good man. You're enjoying your time with him. It looks like you're definitely enjoying being a biker chick," he said.

He couldn't see the grin, then guilty look on her face. She didn't know that Aaron had been keeping tabs on her through Norm, who often sent videos of Josie having sex with various club members, often several at a time. It looked like Hank wasn't as concerned with Josie's having sex with other men as he was.

"Hank's a real laid-back guy, Aaron," Zydeco said one time when she showed him a video of Josie having sex with two guys at the same time. "I suppose I could have screwed around, too, but I just never felt it would be right. Maybe I'm just old-fashioned."

"Hmm. I'm old-fashioned that way, too," Aaron said.

Aaron looked at Zydeco the way a starving man looked at a buffet. She grinned self-consciously. She had seen him looking at her this way several times over the last month. She knew what she hoped that look meant, but she didn't dare dream it could. She was a biker chick, almost a piece of property, and he was a handsome, decent man with a wife... for the moment, at least. They came from different worlds.

Aaron had been living with the young woman for a month. At first, she was a fun diversion from his crumbling personal life. Then he started to view her as a girlfriend. After living with her for a month, he started to view her... as his partner. He looked forward to going home to her each evening after work. He enjoyed sharing new experiences with her. He noted that she saw life through a different prism than he did, and he found joy in that. He enjoyed waking up with her each morning.

It wasn't the same as it was with Josie, when he sat down and examined it. Then again, he rarely found himself comparing Zydeco to his soon-to-be ex-wife. He almost felt guilty for being able to distance himself from Josie so quickly after 13 years of marriage. He came to the conclusion that maybe he wasn't distancing himself so much from Josie as closing in on a new reality.

"Zydeco, do you like it here... with me?" Aaron asked as the pair was sitting on the sofa, watching a series on Netflix. They were sitting sort of sideways, with her legs over his, and his hands rubbing along the inner thigh of her closer leg.

It dawned on him that they often sat together, actually in contact with each other. They often held hands, and the younger woman was indeed very "touchy feely."

"Truth? I love it here... with you. I'll stay here are long as you let me, A," she said.

"So you're not bored with my staid life? You don't miss travelling around on the back of Hank's Hog? The biker life? Hank? 'Cause I'd sure like it if you stuck around for a while longer... maybe the next 50 years or so. How about if we made this swap permanent?" he said.

Zydeco looked at him with wide eyes that started to glisten with tears.

"Oh. My. God," she whispered, her voice unable to produce volume.

They moved their faces together and locked lips for what seemed like hours, but in reality, was only about 30 seconds.

"I need to talk with Hank," Aaron said quietly.

Aaron was surprised when Hank was immediately agreeable to the permanent swap of women.

"Josie's a goddamn gymnast in bed and truly embraces this lifestyle," Hank said. "I love Zydeco to death. She's a wonderful girl. She deserves to have the brass ring, which you are. She'd stay with me forever if I asked because I helped her once and she's incredibly loyal, but I know she deserves more."

Aaron had a sad smile on his face as Hank spoke.

"Once upon a time I would have told you that Josie is a wonderful girl, and is incredibly loyal. I know better now."

Epilogue:

It took Hank a minute to recognize the two people standing in front of him. After all, it had been 20 years since he last saw them.

Aaron and Zydeco were in the Harley showroom to purchase a touring Hog. With both of their children now away at college, the pair were empty-nesters and had time on their hands. They decided to make touring the country by motorcycle their next big adventure. They went to an old friend to purchase the bike.

When Hank's face finally flashed recognition, Zydeco stepped forward and gave the big man a gentle kiss on the cheek. When she stepped back, Aaron stepped forward with an extended hand, and the two men shook. Hank invited the pair into his palatial office so they could catch up in private.

"You look terrific, Zydeco, and you don't look so bad either for an old man, Aaron," Hank gushed. "What brings you here today?"

At 43, Zydeco was still within 10 pounds of the weight she was the last time Hank had seen her. It was obvious to Hank she had spent plenty of hours in a gym. Her husband, 15 years her senior, looked to be fit as well for a man approaching 60, Hank thought.

Aaron appraised Hank as the latter did the two people sitting in front of him. He noted that Hank had gained about 20 pounds in the last 20 years, most of that apparently in the gut hanging over what looked like an expensive leather belt. Aaron and Zydeco both noted that the dealership appeared to have done very well these last two decades.

Aaron smiled to himself. He genuinely liked Hank, and was glad the man appeared to have done as well financially as he had the past 20 years.

Zydeco soon had her phone out, showing Hank photos of both of the couple's sons. Both parents were very proud of their boys.

"Looks like the dealership has done well," Aaron said.

Hank took a few minutes to expound on his good business fortune as his friends listened attentively.

"What about your personal life, Hank? Kids? A woman?" Zydeco asked.

The trio exchanged meaningful glances. Hank looked at the wedding ring on his finger and chuckled.

"If you're asking about Josie... no, I'm not with her. I fell in love with a good Catholic girl, and while she was okay with living with me, she told me we couldn't have children unless we were married. So...

"Got three of my own. We've been married for 14 years now. She's a super woman."

Hank reached for his own phone and started showing the pair photos of his family. He smiled broadly.

"As for Josie, she stayed with me for about five years. When I found Katelynn, I gave Josie to Steve, and she became his woman. She always had a thing for Steve, so she was more than okay with that.

"Like I told you all those years ago, Aaron, she seemed to really like being a biker chick. For a while, I think she liked it a bit too much: got herself a small coke habit, fucked virtually every guy in the gang and a few others as well. Got knocked up by accident once, had an abortion. You left her in pretty good shape after the divorce money-wise, but she blew through that pretty quickly with that habit. Still, she did the rehab and got straightened up, and she and Steve are still together.

"I still see her occasionally when the gang gets together for family-type events. She still looks pretty good for her age... but you know there's a reason most people think of biker chicks as young and hot. When was the last time you saw a baby pigeon... that was probably the last time you saw an old biker chick, too."

Aaron and Zydeco both shook their heads in understanding.