The Twenty Year Fucking Lie

First off, a big thank you to Randi. Her assistance, guidance, and last but not least. Her talented editing skills are amazing. I've said it before, and say so again. It's nice to have good people in your corner.

*****

"What the hell do you mean you can't go Nina?"

She looked shocked at my snarky response. "Ross, I am already committed. The company is involved in one of the largest acquisitions in it's history, and Laurence has requested that I travel with the team to Sydney as well. I am sorry Ross, but I cannot go."

"For gods sake, Nina. It's our twenty year anniversary. I've already paid for the flights and the accommodation. It's non bloody refundable."

She looked grim but determined. "I am sorry Ross, but if you had simply bothered to talk to me about it first. I would have explained."

"It was a bloody surprise for gods sake. I didn't think I had to schedule something as important as our wedding anniversary."

She sucked in a deep breath and reached for my hands. The determination had faded, now replaced by something else, concern... "Ross, calm down." Her eyes though, regathered some of her earlier conviction, her brows hooded. "This acquisition is important, everybody has a lot to lose in this deal. People are depending on us." Her hands squeezed so tight, they were white.

There was a long drawn out pause before she added fiercely defiant. "Good lord Ross. How many times have I said to you, that we need to communicate better over these things?"

"It's ten thousand dollars Nina. We're not talking chicken feed here. God almighty, you're only his flaming PA, you're not an attorney, a manager, or an accountant. I'm sure he can get through one bloody meeting without your presence."

She gave me a dark shocked glower. "I beg your pardon... What did you just say... Only his PA...only?" Her glare only intensified. "I suppose that's what I should have expected really. You have never respected my role."

I snorted derisively. "Nina, in the past I have let this stuff ride, but not this time. I'm not throwing away ten grand, because your boss needs you to tie his bloody shoe laces. He's a grown man, I'm sure he can find somebody within the company to make coffee, and run a photocopier."

She shook her head venomously. "I cannot believe you just said that." her piercing angry stare cut like a knife. "I think you can sleep in the guest room tonight."

She might have been angry, but I was furious. "The fuck I will. I've done nothing wrong. I'm sleeping in my own bed. If you don't like it, then you can sleep on the bloody sofa."

As I turned to walk away, she must have realised how angry I was, She called out in a softer, soothing voice. "Ross, please calm down. This has got completely out of hand. I will talk to Laurence and explain the situation to him, and see what we can do."

That stopped me in my tracks... I had to shake my head to clear my mind. Turning back to her, I said gratefully. "Thank you Nina. I'm sure once he realises it's our wedding anniversary. He will organise somebody else to take your place."

Her expression soured upon receipt of my words. Like I had slapped her face. "Oh come on Nina. I know you have an important job, and Laurence does hold you in very high esteem, but you aren't irreplaceable."

We might have slept in the same bed, but there was no intimacy, no cuddling even. She hugged the edge of her side of the bed, and I mine.

The next morning, the chill factor still hovered somewhere around the negative ten region. As always, Nina was up early rushing around preparing school lunches for the kids who were all massed at the table eating breakfast when I walked in.

The three of them looked up warmly. "Hey Dad." At least they spoke to me.

"What have you guys got on today?" I asked.

Alison, replied. "Yucky maths test." I grinned and shook my head in wonder. She was an A student, and was in the top ten percent for grades in the whole country.

Nial, said. "We have auditions for the orchestra.

Lionel, added. "Debating."

The three of them were all excellent students. No wonder really. They had all inherited their mothers work ethic. They were all going to be just like her, workaholics.

That might not be a bad thing, I suppose. She'd certainly put the effort in when they were younger. She used to spend hours teaching them the basics, reading, and English. Every night she worked with them making sure their homework was perfect.

Add that to the small fortune we paid for extra tuition and I guess it was going to pay dividends.

Nina interrupted my thoughts. "Ross, can you drop the children at school this morning please. I have an early meeting."

I could have, but her performance last night still hurt. "No, unfortunately I have an early project meeting with the team on the Ringwald place job." Checking my watch, I added. "Shit, I'm already late. Sorry dear, it will have to be you today."

The look of complete disbelief on her face was a beautiful sight. Usually, I did the school run. I liked spending the time with the kids. Today was a little tit for tat. Yeah, petty I know, but to hell with it. She pissed me off.

As I drove off, headed for Ringwald place, I recalled our conversation, if you could call it that from the previous evening. Jesus, it was like she thought they couldn't get through anything without her. She might be the CEO's PA, but she was hardly indispensable for a meeting.

Still, I only had myself to blame. I knew what she was like when I married her. She had always been a workaholic. I remembered the evening she received her twenty five year service award. She was held in high regard amongst the company hierarchy. Shit her award was worth five grand.

Thinking about that, not many people work for one company for twenty five years, but Nina had been Laurence's PA, the whole time. Never moved out of that office. She was well paid. I don't know that many PA's who received one hundred thousand dollars as a salary, plus shares and stock options.

The team arrived at site, and I got them all organised. They didn't need me hanging around. I did have a couple of other projects that needed attention, so I jumped back in my pickup, and headed to tackle their issues. Driving towards Panmure, I decided. If Nina didn't want to tackle Laurence, maybe it was time I did it myself.

I pulled over, grabbed my mobile, and dialled his number.

"Hello, Ross. Nice to hear from you. How can I help?"

"Laurence, next week is Nina and my twenty year wedding anniversary, and I purchased tickets to Fiji, for a ten day holiday. It was a surprise for Nina. She told me last night she wouldn't be able to go because she had to go to some meeting you've got in Sydney?"

There was a brief pause, always that bloody pause. I got the feeling he was choosing his words. "Oh dear... I am sorry Ross, but yes, we do have a rather important meeting in Sydney. I was rather hoping Nina could attend."

"Look mate, without putting too finer point on it. The tickets cost me ten grand. It is our bloody twenty year wedding anniversary for gods sake. Surely you can get somebody to cover her for one meeting?"

His voice went up an octave, he clearly didn't like to be questioned by the likes of me. "Ross, it might not seem important to you, but this is very important for the company. It is more than just one meeting. It is several meetings, spread over several days."

"Laurence, I don't like to interfere with your business. I know she holds an important position, but come on mate. She is your PA, not your attorney. Have a little pity will you. I wanted to make this special for us."

"Yes, I understand Ross." He said sighing deeply, although I detected his dissatisfaction at being pushed. "I will do what I can to help. Leave it with me."

With that he was gone, and I was left holding a beeping phone. "Charming." I grumbled to myself, as I pulled back into the morning traffic.

I had always had a good relationship with Laurence. We weren't mates or anything, but he had been a very generous employer for Nina. He gave our kids birthday and Christmas presents every year, he even attended their birthday parties. He had pulled strings to get the kids into the best schools. Even though we lived outside the boundaries.

He was more like a family member than a boss, and normally, I acquiesced when Nina's work schedule conflicted with my needs. In years gone by it wasn't such a big deal, but the last two years, Nina was expected to travel at least once a week, and usually she was away for two nights.

The Fiji trip was more than just something special for our anniversary. I wanted it as an opportunity for us to reconnect. Spend some quality time together alone. I figured we needed it more than ever. The last six months we had drifted. She was still a wonderfully loving and caring wife, but there was something missing. Now we were in our forties, I figured it was just familiarity, but thinking about it. There was more too it. We needed that damn holiday.

My own company had undergone a growth spurt itself. Yeah, it wasn't big, just a small carpentry, construction business. It now had sixteen employees though, and if these current projects went well, I would be taking on more.

That night, I got home late. Dinner was already on the table, and the kids were all chattering away, talking about how their day went. They all greeted me with warmth, and I joined their conversation. Nina, though was very icy. She didn't even acknowledge my presence.

If the house had been cold this morning, it was now ten degrees lower, and her stare was unwavering. It was hard to watch, with the kids she was her same old motherly self. Talking and joking with them, but for me. All I got was that icy glare.

After dinner, the kids did all the tidying up, and then went off to their bedrooms to do homework.

I had barely settled in my chair, when Nina appeared before me. She held out her hand, which held something. "What's that?" I asked.

"It's a cheque for ten thousand dollars. Laurence decided it wasn't fair that you be left out of pocket. He decided that he would pay you the money for the unused air fares."

She waved it in front of my face until I snatched it from her hand. I sat there staring at the cheque, and she leaned down, her face darkening as the anger bristled."By the way Ross. If you ever interfere with my work again. You and I will be having a very serious disagreement. I was so embarrassed when Laurence said you rang him and whined about our personal affairs. I told you, I would talk to him, and deal with it, but no. You had to get involved. I cannot believe you carried on like some crazy jealous idiot."

With her stare darkening, she rasped. "You knew when we married how much my job meant to me. Calling Laurence and laying that guilt trip on him was completely unfair."

"Unfair my arse. I thought, no hoped he would understand. It appears I judged him poorly. The blokes a fucking arsehole. Jesus Nina, any boss who can't see how important an anniversary is, has no heart."

She moved over and sat on the arm of my chair. Her tone softened, her eyes showed love as they glistened in the light. "My love, this is silly. We can go when I get back from Sydney. We are adults, the actual date is not important. What is important is we celebrate it, and give it the recognition it deserves." A warm smile spread across her face.

She slipped off the arm of the chair into my lap. Her arms quickly circled my neck and we kissed.

"Please Ross, don't get angry. I will make it up to you, I promise." Her mouth attacked mine again in a rapacious urgent assault. The passion growing quickly, into something way more fierce. Nina had often resorted to sex when she wanted to win an argument, or get me to concede defeat.

She won again, as if it was ever in doubt. She had always had that ability, to get the result she wanted, and I guess I was easily led. Her sexual appetite always astounded me. She never tired of it, never refused me anything. Our marriage had been very fulfilling, and that include the sexual element.

I guess over the years, we had tried everything a man and woman could do together sexually.

Later, in bed, she asked coquettishly. "Am I forgiven?"

Thinking about it, I whispered."No, not this time Nina. I'm more than disappointed. I have become really worried about where our marriage is going. The last couple of years, we seem to have grown very distant."

She gripped me tightly, her arms that tight around my neck, I wondered how I would breathe. "I know work has taken up a bigger part of my life Ross, and you're right. We should make more of an effort together. I'm sorry you feel that way."

"Don't you feel the same Nina?"

With a deep scowl she replied easily. "No, not at all... Ross, we've been married for twenty years, perhaps things have become a little mundane, routine. I think that's just life. Maybe, we take each other for granted occasionally. When I get back from Sydney, let's take that Fiji trip. You were right, we do need it."

There was no winning with Nina, she should have been a barrister.

The day she was scheduled to leave for Sydney, we made love that morning, and like always, it was full of passion and wonder. We had breakfast with the kids, and she hugged them all. I got lumbered with the school run.

We kissed at the door, as I shooed the kids into the car. "See you in four days my love." She said, her body melding with mine.

I dropped the kids off at school, and headed for work. Maybe I had been a bit hard nosed, and I should have understood. On a whim, I drove out to the airport, hopefully I would catch her before departure.

I dialled her number, as I raced through the roundabout on my way to short term parking.

"Hello, Ross. Is everything all right?" She said, sounding uncertain.

"Yes, every things fine. Where are you. I want to give you your anniversary gift. You can't open it till tomorrow, but I wanted you to have it to take with you. Have you checked in yet?"

"Ahhhhhhh, no. Not yet." She responded guardedly.

"Sweet, where are you?"

"We are over in the domestic terminal. We had to give some documents to one of the account managers, heading for Christchurch."

That seemed weird. In this day and age of couriers and email. It didn't sound plausible, but who was I to argue. "Okay, you'll have to hurry if you're going to catch your flight to Sydney. I'll meet you by the doors. I love you."

"I love you too." She replied with far less enthusiasm.

I met her at the doors, Laurence, gave me a perfunctory wave, as he hung around just inside the large glass doors. He looked far from happy.

Nina slid into my outstretched arms for a hug. "What is all this about Ross?"

I pulled out the tiny gift wrapped box and handed it to her. "Things have been tense between us, and I don't like that. I wanted you to at least have something to open on our anniversary. It's not much, more a metaphor really. I should have given it to you this morning, but. I was still angry."

She kissed me, and held nothing back. "Thank you my darling man. I have to apologise, I have nothing to give you. My gift is sitting on my office desk. I forgot to pick it up with everything that's been going on, I simply forgot."

"No apologies required Bub. Have a good trip, get some nice photos from Sydney for me."

Just then my phone rang. Checking the ID, I apologised. "Sorry, I have to get this." I kissed her one last time, and wandered off heading for the car.

I turned to see her wander back inside to Laurence. What surprised me was. They didn't seem in a rush. Checking the time on my phone, I noticed they had less than an hour before their departure time.

It didn't make sense...I circled around on the foot path, loitering outside the departures window... My team from Ringwald, wanted some advice. As we chatted, I glanced through the huge glass doors on the terminal. Laurence, and Nina were just walking into the cafeteria in the domestic terminal, by the departure gates...

What the fuck was going on? She definitely said, their flight to Sydney left at ten. Confused, I walked back into the terminal and grabbed a coffee at one of the bars, staying out of view.

The domestic and international terminals are nearly two kilometres apart in Auckland. They are completely separate buildings. Checking my phone, it was now nearly ten. Checking the domestic departures board, the only local flight was a regional one to Coromandel.

As the intercom announced the last boarding calls for the Coromandel flight. Laurence and Nina quickly finished their Latte's and walked quickly headed for gate nine.

Without them seeing me, I watched as they walked out across the tarmac and boarded the plane with the other eight passengers.

After it took off, I walked back to my pickup, scratching my head. What in gods name was going on? There was no flight to Sydney, she'd lied to me. The whole fucking story had been a lie.

Nothing I thought made sense. Why would she lie to me? Work was a waste of time... I decided I needed to find out what was going on. What did Coromandel have to do with Laurence's company?

I picked the kids up from school. I had already arranged for them to stay with my parents, as we were supposed to be going to Fiji. Thankfully, they agreed to take them. Dad did seem a little perplexed, when I dropped them off, but he didn't complain. They loved the kids, and took every chance they could to spend time with them.

I grabbed a couple of changes of clothes, and started the drive to Coromandel. It was going to take four hours, but I would get there before dark.

Coromandel was a small town, a tourist destination. My big worry was how the hell would I find them? Knowing Laurence, he wouldn't be staying anywhere less than four stars, so that narrowed it down...

As I drove up the Thames coast, I got a flash of inspiration. I knew Nina took her I pad everywhere, especially when travelling. When I brought it for her, I installed the find it ap.

Maybe I could track her down using that? As the Kilometres drifted past, my anxiety levels increased monumentally. I might not have known what was going on. What I did know, was this wasn't right. In fact it was very very wrong.

As the Kilometres drifted past. I wondered if this is what a heart attack felt like, my heart pounded, my head throbbed. My vision blurred, I felt terrible, and it was getting worse the closer I got to Corromandel.

It had been a long time between drinks, since I had last driven into Coromandel. It was not long after Nina and I got married. I was trying to raise capital to start my own business. Laurence, organised for me to get the contract to build a friend of his a holiday house, right there in town.

Yeah, what a job that was. My very first project. It worked though. The money I made from that build allowed me to kickstart my construction business. I earned such a good reputation from that place, that I built several others there as well.

Driving around Coromandel, brought back fond memories, but it didn't help me find Nina. I found a coffee shop, and brought some afternoon tea.

I googled how to use the find device ap. Following instructions I suddenly got a blip. It gave me some co-ordinates. Jumping in the car, I sped off from the curb like an angry sheep shearers dog. I followed the blip and flashing dot on my phone.

As I neared the flash, my anxiety changed from high to extreme... I pulled up outside the house that I built eighteen years ago... It was a big property, set on about an acre and a half, with huge lawned areas, and lots of gardens.

The house was set well back from the road, and was surrounded by other similar properties. I parked a hundred metres up the road.

As I walked past the gates, I noticed a guy mowing lawns, and trimming hedges. There was no activity at the house, so I strolled over to speak to him.