Truth or Dare

"Just another typical party," Karl replied.

"This is typical?" and I showed him one of Anderson's pictures.

"Hey man, what were we to do, the girls took their clothes off, it didn't mean anything."

"OK, I get it no big deal. Oh by the way what do you think your boss would say about this not meaning everything." I knew his boss was very religious and Karl really was hoping for a promotion.

He stood up and I stood up, he shoved me threateningly.

. . . . I remember about 5 years ago playing softball in an organized league. In softball unless you hit the ball square you either hit a towering fly ball or a grounder. In this game I turned on the ball and hit it square. The left fielder didn't even turn around it was that far over the fence. It was perfect.

When I turned and hit Karl it was like the softball hit, it was perfect. He dropped immediately. No fight left in him. I've always noticed that the minute you stand up to a bully they become a coward. Karl was done.

I helped him back up. Everything happened so fast no one else in the bar even noticed. Or if they did they didn't care.

He began apologizing and blaming the others. I told him to shut up and listen I had some questions. I also told him that unless he didn't want his boss getting the photos he had to tell me the truth on all my questions and not to let Anna, Sally or anyone else know that I knew what went on.

He agreed, he seemed desperate to keep the photos from his boss.

We sat for over an hour and I learned a lot about Anna. Everything he said was believable and made a twisted type of sense.

Anna, Sally and Karl had all gone to high school together. It was one of those socio economic cross sections of kids. There were wealthy, middle class and lower middle class. The group Anna and Sally were in were the poorer kids.

About the time they the girls hit puberty they also became aware of the difference in their clothes, their homes and their parents cars. They were made fun of by the more wealthy kids for their out of style clothes and the old cars their families had.

The great equalizer for the girls were their bodies. Anna was gorgeous and though Sally was a little heavy, she had those big boobs. The girls became popular.

Karl was pretty sure they both lost their virginity by the time they were 15. Later in high school after a long line of short term boyfriends he remembered a conversation Sally told him that she and Anna had.

It went something like this: Anna told Sally all she wanted was to have nice clothes, nice cars and a nice house. She liked sex so she didn't mind trading sex for material goods. She said she was going to find a man that could provide it. The wealthier the better.

He also told me at the time Anna and I started dating she had a boyfriend. She told Sally that she thought my prospects were better. After she started dating me she continued to see him for nearly 3 months before they broke up.

"You mean she was sleeping with me and the old boyfriend for 3 months!?" I asked.

"Shit" he said, " since you two have been married I know at least 2 other guys she's fucked." "And that doesn't include Trent and me."

"Who". I demanded I was getting pissed.

"I don't get all the details but I know one was some good looking dude named McCallum or something. She said you knew him."

Had to be that prick McCallister we saw at that party before we were married.

I just sat there fuming. Didn't seem to bother Karl, he just kept drinking beer. There was no question I couldn't stay married to her. I needed a plan.

"So you're saying if someone came along with more money, a nicer car and a nicer house Anna would jump to him," I asked.

"I'm sure she would" he said.

After several minutes of sitting and thinking I asked him about Saturday night. What had happened to Jackie, was she in on it? I hadn't seen her in any photos.

Turns out her sister's boyfriend was an asshole and left. Jackie's sister was upset and Jackie took her home and stayed with her at her place. This opened up the festivities for the others.

"So Jackie doesn't know what happened?" I asked.

"No and don't tell her," he replied.

After a moment I asked him " don't you care that your wife is fucking other guys?"

"Wife? We're not married. She always called me her husband . We've been together for a long time. No, when I get married it's not going to be someone like Sally. She's a great gal, and I kind of love her, but marriage not with her. That's why we don't have kids."

It was time to go, I had a lot of thinking to do. Here were the key facts: 1). Anna was more than promiscuous. 2). The main reason she was with me was financial security and she would leave if a better prospect came along. 3). No one but Karl knew I knew, and it was going to stay that way for now. 4). Even an idiot like Karl was smarter than me when it came to women.

I got back to Julian's and I told him everything I had heard from Karl. I was sad but sadness was giving way to anger. I was also embarrassed. I wonder how many had laughed at me behind my back. I had to make her and maybe a few others pay.

Julian asked a few questions, then plugged in to his headphones and starting working on his laptop. I sat drinking a bottle of red wine and getting angrier and angrier.

Julian unplugged and asked, "she's never met John-Paul, has she?"

"No, I haven't even seen him since we were at college. Why" I asked.

He just shook his head and plugged back in.

"Can you get your hands on around $30,000 fairly quickly?" He asked.

"Yes, but why,". I asked.

"Also I need you to lease a BMW for 6 months, if this all works."

He kept typing away, a sly smile on his face.

Finally he said he had a plan. It was going to cost me at least the $30,000 and the BMW lease. He told me to head home to Anna tomorrow and put on the best acting job of my life. I had to pretend all was OK. I was to come back to Julian's Thursday after work. John-Paul would be here then.

The next day I called Anna and said I would be home tonight. I did everything I could to act normal. Anytime she asked if something was wrong, I just told her I was worried about my Dad. Fortunately either I was a better actor than I give myself credit for, or more likely, she just didn't pay that much attention to me.

Thursday night I met Julian and John-Paul at Julian's condo. After the pleasantries Julian laid out the plan. John-Paul was going to seduce Anna while posing as a New York investment banker. He was going to reluctantly reveal how wealthy he was supposed to be and then have her fall in love with him.

John-Paul was in a play that started in about 5 months, so he was going to have to pull this off in that period of time.

John-Paul was two years younger than Julian and was an attractive guy. Longish hair, a lean build and a natural magnetic smile. She was going to love him.

"One thing I need to ask you man" he said " you OK if I sleep with her?" " I mean she is your wife."

I told him I did not care and there was no way after 5 months they wouldn't be having sex, more like 5 days.

I gave them her work schedule at Luca's and I told them it would be best if we only checked in weekly. I didn't want to get caught and not only was John-Paul playing a role, I also had to act like a devoted ignorant husband.

The week went by without any incidents or mistakes on my end. I kept trying to observe any change in Anna. Yes, we had sex. Living with Anna, sex was just a normal part of our lives. The good news is that making love to Anna was not a slow romantic act. It was almost a physical competition. Fulfilling certainly but exhausting too.

On Thursday night we met at Julian's condo. I was interested to hear the report. My overwhelming desire was to have her fall for John-Paul, but a small part of me was hoping she wouldn't.

Apparently John-Paul had been to Luca's 3 times. Time 1 - he just wanted to be noticed by her. Time 2 - light conversation and jokes. Time 3 - names were exchanged.

"She told me she works 11-3 tomorrow. I'm going to show up at 2 for a late lunch and get coffee with her. I had to buy a $1200 suit. I need to play the part." John-Paul reported.

The next week went on. Work, home, I couldn't help but wonder what was going on with Anna and John-Paul. I did notice she was home late one afternoon, I wonder what that was all about? It was kind of like waiting to see the next episode of your favorite weekly TV show. I couldn't wait to hear the latest report on Thursday night.

Here's what John-Paul reported: they had coffee on Friday. Anna admitted she was married but implied there may be problems and seemed available. She said that she was not working Tuesday and she accepted a lunch date with him. John-Paul alluded to being wealthy but let small clues out slowly.

Life with Anna went on, but I did start to notice a coolness coming from her. Good.

On that Tuesday of the lunch date I got home a little after 5 and Anna was not home. I went for a run and when I got back, no Anna.

As I was making a salad for dinner she arrived home.

"Hi Honey, how was your day?" I called out to her. This will be interesting I thought.

"Oh, yeah, I ended up working late" she replied.

I knew she hadn't worked but this was good. "Were you busy?" I asked.

And then she went on about some made up story about her work.

I was sensing us drifting apart. The sex was still good. In retrospect sex for us was mostly physical not a lot of emotion involved so it was not hard to fake it.

I was going to make it easy for her. I told her Dad needed some help and I had to leave Friday afternoon. She made a half-hearted attempt to ask if she should go too. I told her that was OK, I was going to just help out a little and then stay over through the next week and meet with clients.

On Thursday night I found out that John-Paul had progressed. The Tuesday lunch turned in to a smooch session. He called her Wednesday (after she knew I was going to be out of town) and they made plans for Friday night.

I felt like a puppeteer, pulling strings behind the scenes to get the puppets moving in the direction I wanted. It was working.

The weeks went on and their relationship progressed. Sex between Anna and John-Paul happened that weekend I was at my folks, no surprise there. Our relationship at home was changing, she was pulling away. It was a little bittersweet. Every so often I would see flashes of the free spirited woman I had once loved and it was sad.

About 3 months in John-Paul began pledging his love to Anna and asking her for a commitment. By this time Anna believed that John-Paul was a wealthy New York investment banker with an expensive apartment in Manhattan.

When he would ask her about her husband Anna wouldn't say much. She said the relationship was over and that she was moving on. She just hadn't had that conversation with me yet.

A few weeks later Anna told me that she and Sally were going on a spa weekend in California and was that okay? I knew full well John-Paul had asked her to go to Sun Valley for the weekend.

"Sure, you guys enjoy," I told her.

I was rewarded with great sex that night.

I knew that John-Paul was going to propose at the resort in Idaho. The cubic zirconium engagement ring cost almost $500. They say cubic zirconium is almost indistinguishable from natural diamond. Furthermore believing John-Paul was wealthy there was no reason to be suspicious.

The following Thursday night I got the report on the romantic trip to Sun Valley. He proposed and she accepted. She told John-Paul that she had to end things with her husband. He wanted to get married soon. He told her he had to get back to New York in two months, which was true, and he needed her with him. That part wasn't true.

Anna told John-Paul she would speak to her husband (me) this week and let him (me) know that she was leaving him (me).

My plan was to fight her on it and act like I didn't want her to leave. The plan would be to end up negotiating. I would keep all my assets and she would get an immediate divorce.

Everything worked to perfection. When Anna told me she was leaving I acted shocked and saddened. Then I became angry.

"We are married, I will not let you leave. I will not let you have your divorce. I will demand months of counseling, we will work this out" I proclaimed. I was really getting good at acting.

When she met with John-Paul, in the luxury condo he was renting month to month with my money, she told him that I would not let her go easily.

"Anna my love" John-Paul said, "I have all the money we will ever need. I have my apartment in the city and I am looking at a beach house on Long Island, all I need to make my life perfect is you as my wife."

You can imagine the dollar signs rolling around in her brain.

"This is what we will propose, to your husband " he went on, " I will have my lawyer create a document in which he keeps all his assets. In return he will agree to an immediate divorce."

She was all for that.

When she returned home I alternated between being angry with her and pleading with her to stay with me. I kept telling her I would demand months of counseling before she left. I knew she wanted out quickly to be with who she believed John-Paul to be.

On Friday night she came home with the divorce document. It granted her an immediate divorce and she gave up any right to my assets, our home, my vehicle and all my investments.

I gave the performance of my life. I yelled, screamed told her I would never let her go. I then told her I needed to be alone in the basement. While she thought I was sad and depressed I watched a baseball game.

Finally, with tear streaked eyes (I had stashed some Visine), I emerged resignedly with the document signed. She had the decency not to celebrate in front of me. As she was leaving I couldn't help but notice a bounce in her step.

It was mid September at this point. We would become officially divorced October 5th. She resigned any interests in my assets and as far as she knew she would be moving to New York and they would be married by the end of October.

We met that Thursday at Julian's. We had to plan the final act. This is how the plan laid out. Anna would stay at the rented condo for the next two weeks. On the Friday they were leaving she would return to our (my) house and retrieve her clothes and furnishings. John-Paul told Anna he would meet her at the house at noon with a moving truck. They would then take her stuff to a freight company and ship it to his place in New York.

Of course by the time Anna was waiting with her stuff John-Paul would be gone. John-Paul had told her his last name was Taylor. She would have a difficult time ever tracking him down. It would be expensive too. She was on the verge of being broke.

"This is pretty cruel man" John-Paul told me.

"I don't disagree," I said, "but not nearly as cruel as I have been treated."

"I get it". He said. "I hope you don't mind me saying this, but, I will really miss that piece of ass. She was as good as it gets."

"Yeah, I will miss it too," I sighed.

My interactions with Anna were polite. I had to fake remorse a few times. I never asked her to reconsider and stay with me. I was afraid she might say yes.

That Friday I met her at the house as she got her stuff together. I almost considered trying to get one last fuck in, but I was done.

She was all dressed up as if she was going to some place special. She thought she was.

By 12:30 she made her first phone call to John-Paul. The number had been discontinued. She asked if she could use my phone. Same result.

She called the luxury condominium and they said he was paid up through Saturday, and after that it was for rent again.

She asked me if I could keep her stuff while she drove back to the condo and see what was taking John-Paul so long.

I did not here from her the rest of the weekend.

Phase 2 of the plan kicked in to gear now. I sent out three packets with the a collection of photos from the sex party they had while I was with my Dad. In all the photos Trent, Sally, Karl and Anna's faces (and bodies for that matter) were easily identified.

Packet 1 went to Karl's deeply religious boss. With the photos was a note that said "I believe a man's moral character is reflected in the quality of the work they do. Do you?"

Packet 2 went to Trent's ex wife. The note attached to this photo said, "look at what your ex is up to. Thank goodness the children are with you."

Packet 3 went to Jackie. The note said, "I guess you and I missed the "funnest" part yet. Sorry to bring you this news, but you deserve to know."

I also said to Jackie, "once things calm down, would you like to get a drink?"

I signed all the notes with my name and phone number.

I had one more bit of unfinished business and that was McCallister. Maybe I'll ask Julian to think up something for him too.

——————————

EPILOGUE

Of course Anna tried to rekindle our relationship. Not a chance in hell of that happening. She showed up that following Monday night as if she were just getting home from work.

"Hi Honey, sorry about our little misunderstanding, I'm home for good". She exclaimed.

I just stared at her.

"Anna, you destroyed my life" I cried, "this is not your home you are running off with someone to New York."

"No, I've changed my mind, it"s you I want." She stated.

No more acting. "Forget it, get the fuck out of here and never come back," coldly I stated.

At this point she was up to her old tricks and already had her top off and was unfastening her bra. I'd fallen for this tactic too many times to cave in now.

As I was shutting the door in her face i said. "Say hi to John-Paul for me".

I peeked out the window and their she stood, beautiful tits hanging out for anyone to see with a blank look on her face, her brow knit, trying to piece together the meaning of my reference to John-Paul. In all our discussions, his name had always been kept secret.

Of course as I gave one last look Henry Anderson was hanging over the fence and got an eyeful.

Last I heard she was living with Sally. I'm sure she will be auditioning for the next guy who was not thinking with the proper body part.

Karl not only didn't get the promotion, I heard he was fired. I also heard he left town leaving Sally.

Trent was another matter altogether. When he went for the custody hearing he was soundly and firmly denied and in fact they increased his child support and decreased his visitation rights. Apparently the photos played a large part in that decision.

One Saturday night I got a frantic call from Jackie that Trent was coming to my house. He was drunk and had a gun. Obviously he had found where the messages had come from.

I quickly snuck out to the backyard, grabbed some blankets and pillows and created a fake body beneath the blankets as if I was reading outside on the chaise lounge. I left a small light on to attract him. I hid in the thick bushes on the other side of the privacy screen. I was armed with a baseball bat.

Even if Jackie hadn't called I would have heard him coming. He beat on the front door and when I did not answer he came through the gate into the back yard. He immediately noticed the lounge chair set up. He crept over and fired twice into the blankets.

The first swing must have broken his arm. I wanted to neutralize the weapon first. The next 2 were at his crotch. I wanted to neutralize this particular weapon too. Then I called the police.

With the weapon and the shots fired there was not much investigation needed. I was protecting myself and Trent was facing attempted murder charges.

I called and thanked Jackie for the heads up.

"You are welcome," she said. " now about that drink you offered."