Goose and Gander

Many thanks to my Sweet, Sweet Inspiration, blackrandl1958 for her encouragement, well-deserved criticism, and of course her editing. Thanks to Todd172 for an early read.

Just a little flash story. Those who follow my comments will know where this is coming from!

*****

'What a miserable day,' I thought as I dragged myself in the front door after another shitty day at work.

As if my hot flashes weren't bad enough, I didn't get the promotion to Assistant Manager that I was expecting. They gave it to Betty Bowman, or Betty Boobs, as we called her. I swear if she had unbuttoned her blouses any further she would have been showing her navel.

I had five years' experience on her, and did my job better, but our manager, James Brooks, couldn't get his mind out of her cleavage long enough to form a coherent thought. I would have thought that our affair would have counted for something, but obviously not.

I still couldn't believe I got away with it. Poor Henry just wasn't holding up his end, and I simply needed more than he could give me, and I made sure that he never went without and was careful to never bring back any "surprises."

Henry was such a love, and never gave me any crap about my lowered libido. I tried my best to be there for him once a week, although even with a gallon of lube it was not very comfortable. I couldn't help but wonder if he noticed my lack of enthusiasm, but if he did, he hid it well.

I was shocked when I went into our house and saw Henry, freshly shaved, wearing his best suit, and I could smell the cologne I gave him for our anniversary.

"Henry, I didn't know we were going out tonight."

"We're not," he said.

"We're not? Then why are you dressed up?"

"WE'RE not going out," he said, "I'm going out."

"B... But how can you go out alone? Where are you going?"

"I never said that I was going out alone. I'm going out with my PA, Janet Carson, and we're going to the Starlight Club."

"The Starlight Club? That's the best restaurant and club in town. We've never even gone there. How can you take another woman there? We're married!"

"Well, that didn't seem to matter to you when you went there with James Brooks, ten years ago while you were having your affair."

I was momentarily stunned into silence.

"Wh... What are you saying? I never had an affair, with James or anyone else. How can you accuse me like that?"

"Do you take me for a complete fool, Miranda? That I didn't notice the whispered phone calls that ended as soon as I entered the room? That I couldn't see the smirk on James' face when we went to your office parties, the way he monopolized your time? It took all my self-control not to deck the asshole when he pulled you close during the slow dances, and you never moved his hand away when he grabbed your ass unless you saw me watching. You must have had a good laugh when you'd come back after the two of you disappeared and I could smell his cum on your breath. Didn't you wonder why I never kissed you on those nights until after you brushed your teeth?"

"Why didn't you ever say anything? Why didn't you stop me?"

"To what end? You would probably just deny it, or maybe just laugh in my face and dare me to do something about it."

"No, Henry, I would never laugh at you, it was just that..."

"It was just that I couldn't 'hold up my end.' Wasn't that what you said to your friend Sally Porter? Besides, what could I do to stop you if you wouldn't stop yourself? I couldn't watch you 24/7, and I was damned if I was going to be your jailer."

"Why didn't you divorce me?" My voice was barely above a whisper as my tears flowed openly.

"Divorce? And lose my house, our children and half of our assets? See our children every other weekend and a month in the summer?"

"Then, why now, Henry? Why rub it in my face?"

"Why, my Dear, it should be obvious. First, our children are out of the house, so if you should choose to divorce me, child support and the house are a non-issue. We can simply sell the house and divide the proceeds."

"Di.. Divorce?" I cried, "I don't want a divorce."

"Then don't. It doesn't really matter to me one way or the other.

"As to why rub it in your face? That is a good question, and my answer is simple: revenge. You cheated on me because, in your words, 'I couldn't hold up my end.' Of course, you never said anything to me, never gave me a chance to up my game.

"As I'm sure you've noticed, given the large quantities of lube you've been buying, that since you hit menopause you haven't exactly been holding up your end, as it were.

"I might have still been able to overlook your past indiscretions, leave them buried in the past, if you would have made more of an effort to compensate for your loss of your sex drive. Soaking your pussy with a gallon of lube and lying there like a dead fish, 'doing your duty' wasn't enough."

"It isn't like that," I insisted, "I love making love to you, I never saw it as just doing my duty."

"That's very easy for you to say now, after the shit has hit the fan, but that doesn't change the way it felt to me. We could have played some of those games that you and James had such fun with. Do you remember what you said when I suggested some of those same things to you?"

"I... I..." I stammered.

"Let me refresh your memory; you said, 'That's sick! What kind of a slut do you take me for?' I guess we both know the answer to that now, don't we? You could have given me more blow jobs, which even at the height of our love life were doled out like precious gems, but were handed out to James like so much Halloween candy to trick or treaters."

"No," I said, "It wasn't like that, it wasn't..."

"So now, I'm going to follow the example you set ten years ago, and satisfy my urges elsewhere. You may, as I said, take the option I refused, and seek a divorce. I will not fight you, as I don't believe it will be so burdensome on me as it would have been then.

"Now, if you will excuse me, Janet awaits, and I don't want to be late. Please don't wait up."

With that Henry picked up the flowers that I hadn't seen on the sideboard and went out the front door, closing it quietly behind him.

My legs finally gave out as I sank to the floor, wondering if he wasn't also closing the door on our marriage. As that thought ran through my mind, I realized that I had really done that the first time I turned to James instead of my husband.