Dancing Ch. 01

I watched them move around the floor, he held onto her as they moved together, swaying and their feet seemingly moving as one. It was seamless, effortless and they were obviously well suited as partners, the look on my wife's face showed she was loving it. The music filled the room as the members gathered around the room clapped and enjoyed the couple's efforts on the dance floor.

I had moved from my stool at the bar to look into the large function room where the dancing was taking place to see my wife dancing with her partner in her weekly dance practice. It was never my thing but Linda loved it and when we joined the club she was overjoyed when she was told they had a dance section. I sipped my drink as I watched Linda and her partner walk to the side of the room opposite me and while still holding hands were engrossed in conversation about their performance. I felt a twinge of jealousy as I looked on seeing their fingers intertwined as they chatted with another couple of the club's dancers.

I hadn't arranged to meet her this evening and dropped into the club on my way home after finishing a little early for a change, I was supposed to be finishing work at midnight tonight but we had a job that completed early so here I was with three hours in hand. So far she hadn't seen me arrive and was so engrossed in her dancing that nothing else mattered, she wasn't expecting me so she wasn't looking for me to be there. I saw her partner, George, he was a few years older than us both, in fact he had retired and was in his early 60s almost 20 years our senior. He was a self-made type, confident and something of a ladies man who had realised that the way to meet a variety of women was through being involved in the dance section of the club. The fact that he was a very good dancer also made him an attractive choice of partner to the women of the group. Linda had mentioned him to me several times and said he was a sought after partner by the ladies in the group as he was so good. I had zoned out after hearing how good he was over and over, maybe that was why I had turned up to check him out. I had told myself not to be stupid but nonetheless here I was watching and sizing him up anyway.

We had been married for twenty years, we had two teenage children Rachael who was just 18 and Ryan at 16. Both were very independent and starting to lead their own lives outside of the family nest. In fact both were enjoying a full social life at the present which left us as parents alone in the family home more often than not. Hence the decision we both agreed some years ago that we needed to broaden our social circle and joined our local social club which had a variety of events going on including the dancing as well as regular organised trips and fun days out. All in all we settled into a routine of getting involved both together and separately in various activities but the deal was that it was not to impinge on our time together. That agreement had worked fine until recently when Linda started to become more involved with her love of dancing. It slowly seemed to be the one singular thing she wanted to do and spend her time doing, apart from the fact that she did it alone, as I was no dancer.

So I was not included in this activity with my wife. It was OK at the start but of late it had been noticeable at home that the dance evenings and practices had increased from once a fortnight to weekly and then with the odd extra practice night thrown in for good measure too. It happened slowly over a period of a few months I suppose but here we are with me sitting at a table in the corner of the function room watching my wife holding hands with another man openly as I sip my JD. The group of about twenty people or so were totally oblivious of my presence in the corner of the room as they chatted excitedly together. I watched as she stood with her partner close behind her, his arm snaked round her waist holding her possessively, they looked so natural and casual together, it worried me. I could feel the rage brewing inside me as I looked as George held on to her, she made no attempt to move away or keep an appropriate distance between them, my blood was starting to boil. I put my drink down and braced myself to move, I was going to break up this little party when the group dispersed and the music started again. The couples milled around for a few seconds and then I saw my wife appeared from the bunch with a new partner. I sat back in my seat as I scanned the pairings.

Her new partner was another older guy, then I saw that all the men were in their 60s so I thought from their looks anyway and the majority of the women were much younger. No wonder they were smiling I thought to myself.

The pairs moved round the floor as I watched, the guy dancing with my wife held her tight against him and I noticed his hand was firmly lodged on her lower back, they were c hatting amiable as they danced in fact Linda looked a little flushed at one point. I decided I had enough of watching and slipped away back to the bar their session would be finished in a few minutes so I would wait in the bar for her and act casual.

I got another drink and sat beside one of the fruit machines, the bar was quite busy so I melted into the background I suppose again. I watched as the dancers exited the function room and milled around the bar area. I waited but Linda did not appear. After 5 minutes I squeezed through the crowd and peered into the function room to find it was empty! No one in sight! Perplexed I looked through the crowd of people again in case she was in the middle or something, no sign of her. Tellingly there was no sign of her partner George or the other guy either, strange.

I moved slowly though the bar towards the exit. Outside in the cool evening air I looked across the car park, nothing stirred, I couldn't see anyone just cars. I reasoned she must have gotten a lift home or something. That's what I tried to tell myself anyway but I was having a difficult time believing that somehow. There was just something not quite right. I started my mind down the pathway to suspicion, replaying the looks she exchanged with George and that other guy too, the way they held hands, his arm round her waist so openly too. Now slipping out like this, what was going on? I walked to my car as my mind filled with mistrust imagining allsorts but with nothing really to go on to substantiate it anyway, just a gut feeling that something was not right.

I started my car and pulled out of the car park. If she had got a lift home she should be there waiting for me. It was just after 9.30pm, Linda wasn't expecting me until after midnight so we would have time for some fun tonight which would be good I thought as I drove towards home. I hit the garage door remote and slid my car inside with no fuss as usual. We had a big double garage, Linda's car was parked in its usual spot. I slid my hand along the bonnet, cold, mmm. So maybe she got a lift to the club too then?

I exited the garage through the rear door and into our back yard before entering the house through the kitchen door. It was locked! I used my key to get in and felt the house was empty, that sort of hollow sensation of quiet emptiness echoed at me.

I looked at the clock, it was 9.55pm, and there was no way if she had left to come home before me that I had passed her was there? I went upstairs and stripped out of my clothes and got in the shower. The hot jets of water bored into my head and face as my mind raced trying to make sense of what was happening, if indeed anything was happening that is. Wide awake and refreshed I towelled myself down and slipped into some fresh clothes. It was 10.30pm.

Where the fuck is she? I asked myself and who is she with? I could feel my anger bubbling under the surface and threatening to burst out, but who at? I was alone. I needed answers and quickly or I would go nuts.

By 11.05 I was pacing the floor, worried, concerned, angry, livid, and totally fucked off. Something was going on for sure this was not like her, or was it?

I worked late shifts every three weeks at the local print factory. I was a supervisor so not a minion who got really dirty, more a sort of lower management lackey. Still a good job but the shifts were a pain. In that respect I suppose there were opportunities for her to step out on me during the third week of the rotation, every night from Monday to Friday if she wanted to. There had been no tell-tale dropping off of the sex between us although when I did the late shift that was a week of no sex until the weekend usually but that was OK really and we had gotten into that routine.

I sat thinking what to do. Do I confront here tonight? What did I actually know? Not very much really only my suspicions and gut feeling. I knew I needed more, I needed to know exactly what the fuck was going on. I looked at the clock, it was 11.27pm.

Linda would not be expecting me home for at least an hour so maybe if she was up to something then she would want to be home before too long now. I ran back upstairs and cleaned the shower quickly, and grabbed my dirty clothes before hustling back down the stairs. I slipped out the back door locking it behind me and into the garage.

11.38 Do I get out of there in my car or hide in the garage? She won't need to come in here as her car is already here so I reasoned she would go through the front door. I sat in my car and waited. I disabled the garage door just in case, I didn't want to get caught hiding now did I?

I sat in the dark, the silence was deafening.

11.58pm I heard the car ease to a stop outside my house. I heard the engine ticking over quietly as my heart pounded in my chest. My ears filled with the sound of my blood pumping round my body. 12.03 I heard a car door close and the slow increase in the engine as it pulled quietly away. The next sound was my front door opening and closing. I breathed a sigh of relief, why relief I don't know but my body relaxed for a few seconds. Then I felt the tangible tightening of my muscles as the rage started deep inside again. I forced myself to sit waiting until 12.18am, I took a few deep breaths and exited the garage. I opened the back door, it was unlocked this time, she must have done that, and curious I thought.

I stepped into the kitchen and called out.

"It's only me!"

I heard a voice in answer from upstairs.

"Hi love, you OK? I drying my hair."

I dumped my dirty washing in the washing machine and noticed there were a few items there already. Curiosity got the better of me and I fished out what turned out to be Linda's underwear. Bra and panties, that nice purple set she bought just recently. I had to look so I felt her panties, they were soaked, lifting them to my nose I could smell her scent, and the very strong scent of something else. I tossed them back in the machine and walked to the stairs.

The evidence was stacking up, it was enough to cause one almighty row for sure but I needed irrefutable proof, I wanted to show it was undeniable, I wanted the moral high ground and the evidence to back it up, for now. Retribution would come later but I wanted there to be no doubt that when I lit the fire it could not be put out.

I suddenly thought about the kids, where were they? I hadn't given either of them much thought before and they definitely were not home. It was Wednesday, think, think. Neither of them had college this week so they were probably staying over at friends, yes that must be it.

I trudged up the stairs towards our bedroom, my heart heavy but pounding like a steam hammer in my chest. I was walking into the unknown or maybe just an uncertain future. There would have to be a confrontation but I needed to know what the fuck was going on first.

I saw Linda sat in front of her dressing table drying her hair, she turned smiling at me.

"How was your evening?" I asked her.

"Oh was OK, I went to dance as usual, Brian picked me up, have you met him at the club?" She smiled again.

"No, I don't think I have had the pleasure, does he dance then too?"

"Yes he does, he brings his wife along too. He gave me a lift tonight too." She looked at me as if gauging my reaction to this snippet of information.

"Have you just had a shower love?" I asked her seeing she was wrapped in a towel.

Her eyes narrowed a little as she realised her situation.

"Yes, I showered a while ago, just haven't got into my night things yet and decided to wash my hair too, I know it's late but it felt a little clammy and you know I can't bear that." Her face flushed a little as she turned away fussing with her hair.

I bit my lip, I knew she was lying but I had to be patient. I leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.

"Well I am bushed, I need to catch up on some sleep." I stepped round the bed pulling my fresh clothes off quickly and jumping into bed. I lay back watching her in the mirror as she fussed her hair dry, she saw me watching her and smiled but I could tell there was unease in her smile this time.

"You OK love? You seem different or something." She said looking at my reflection in her mirror.

"I am fine sweetheart, as long as you are of course. I hope the dance session went well tonight I know you love it. I was thinking maybe I should make an effort and start coming with you. Would be nice to meet some of the others or even take a few lessons too."

"That would be nice love, they are talking about a special trip to Blackpool sometime soon too, not sure when but could be a weekend away."

I watched her as she looked at me in the mirror, she was trying to be cool and there it was the first mention of something out of the ordinary. Were they planning a weekend away together, just the two of them? No it couldn't be, they would never get away with that, too many people would find out.

Unless. . . . . .