New Horizons

I parked across the street from the house I formally called home. The exterior appeared unchanged after eleven months away. There was a time when I would pull up in this driveway and be filled with joy at the prospect of just being home with my family. Sometimes happiness is but an illusion, as I so painfully discovered.

As I sat there staring at 2200 Sycamore Drive, memories flooded my mind; memories I'd tried so hard to block out for nearly a year. When I had left, I was resolute that I would never return. However, I couldn't miss my son's college graduation. The old axiom "out of sight, out of mind" didn't come close to being true for me. All this time away did little to heal the pain in my heart.

At present, when I remember how it all started, it was almost a year ago on a Friday when it all began... the destruction of my marriage... all those lies and betrayals. Paula truly pulled the wool over my eyes. Thankfully, I was no longer blind.

-oOo-

One year ago...

Paula and I were about to celebrate our twenty-first wedding anniversary, and as usual I was perplexed as what to buy her. In the past, I would consider a trip, but she wasn't keen on trips any more. The vacations we'd taken didn't exactly work out for her. I wouldn't call her picky, just somewhat selective. The Alaska cruise had been crowded and too cold. The Yosemite trip was too hot and uncomfortable. Once, I rented a camper to see Yellowstone, but driving that monstrous vehicle had made Paula so nervous that she practically needed therapy by the time we returned home. Needless to say, a trip was out of the question. As far as gifts go, she didn't want me to buy jewelry without her choosing it. I learned early on in our marriage to never attempt to buy her clothing—or shoes; that's a story in its self.

Maybe it was because I was frugal, but I always made my own greeting cards, which I did on that occasion. I couldn't see paying five bucks for a nickel card. I had booked reservations for four at the Olive Garden, and I knew without asking that Scott and Susan would be joining us. They were more like family than friends. Paula and I had known them since college. In fact, Scott was best man at our wedding, as I was at theirs.

After all those years together, there wasn't much about any of us that was fresh or new. We were at a point in our friendship where we'd heard all the stories and jokes so many times that we knew them by heart. I can't say our life had become boring, just somewhat... familiar.

In my experience, I didn't believe people accidentally fell into a routine lifestyle, but constructed it one blasé block at a time, opting for the security of the familiar versus the chaos of the unknown. Quite honestly, over the years I had lost the imagination to think outside the box like I did when I was young. When I first met Paula in college, she was a spontaneous wild and crazy girl that surprised me constantly.

But I digress... I opted to take the safe route and bought Paula a gift certificate.

-oOo-

Scott and Susan had arrived on time with a card and bottle of wine. Scott was wearing a hound's tooth sport jacket with tie and charcoal slacks. Susan was adorned in a stunning new outfit that flattered her curvy frame. At the time, I couldn't remember her ever showing that much cleavage. I tried my hardest not to stare, but... I failed.

I shook Scott's hand and kissed Susan with a peck on the lips and said, "You look enchanting." As I held her hand high, she giggled and took a spin.

"Hey, what about me?" Scott said with a smirk.

"Well, you look mighty handsome, stud." I took his hand and raised it up. He also twirled around. We all laughed.

"So, Tony, where is your lovely bride?" Scott asked.

"Paula said she'd be right down. She bought a new outfit and wouldn't let me see it until she was ready. You guys want a drink? I seem to have a bottle of... Chardonnay," I offered, after reading the label.

"I'd be delighted!" Susan beamed. "But Mr. Handsome here needs to drive. Why not save it for after dinner?"

I was about to say something when Scott whistled. I turned in his direction and saw Paula coming down the stairs. She left me... speechless. I could not believe she was the same conservative woman I lived with all these years.

She wore a stunning lavender dress that enhanced her curvaceous body. It hung just above the knee and was cut low enough to display her bountiful assets to their fullest. I was a bit overwhelmed. I knew she was depressed about turning forty last month, but tonight she looked ten years younger. In all our time together, she had never appeared bolder or sexier. From the look on Scott's face, he wholeheartedly agreed.

"Oh my God!" I blurted out. "You're gorgeous!"

She smiled broadly, then proudly posed on the steps with a hand on her hip. I hadn't ever seen her sexier.

It suddenly occurred to me that they were all overdressed for the Olive Garden. Before I could say anything, Paula said, "I know what you're thinking. I canceled your reservations and made some at Conroy's for dining and dancing. When's the last time we all danced? At Josh's wedding?"

"How did you know I made reservations at the Olive Garden?" I asked. "It was supposed to be a secret."

"Because, my dear, you did that last year... and the year before."

"Wait a minute," I said. "You all knew about this change in venue? Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

Susan answered, "Paula and I went shopping last week for these dresses and planned out this whole evening in advance. It was supposed to be a surprise for you, Tony. Surprise! Happy anniversary!"

"Thanks... I guess. Let me go swap out this sweater for a jacket and tie." I stopped on the stairs to kiss my beautiful wife, but she playfully pushed me away, saying I'd mess up her makeup.

-oOo-

We took separate cars because neither of our hybrid vehicles had adequate leg room in the back seat. During the drive over, I continued to gush over how gorgeous Paula looked. She seemed pleased by the attention. I knew she had put a lot of time into her appearance. However, I couldn't resist asking her, "Are you going without a bra tonight?" I tried to sneak a feel, but she knocked my hand away.

"What do you think?"

"I think you're all natural this evening. Am I right?"

"Well, that's for me to know and for you to find out," she responded with a giggle. "Just try to be the first."

"What is that supposed to mean?" I raised an eyebrow.

She gave me a coy look and grinned. Her whole change in demeanor had all taken me by surprise. I was seeing a playful side of my wife I hadn't seen for many years. Suddenly, I felt off balance and didn't know what to expect. But for some unexplained reason... I liked this bold side of her.

After we parked, I rushed around the car to help Paula out. Her shapely leg emerged first and the hem of her dress rode up to the top edge of her stockings. She seldom wore garters, though whenever she did, it was always incredibly sexy—especially when she'd do it just for me.

That night Paula seemed so much more self-assured. When she stood in heels, her five-seven height seemed closer to my six-foot frame. She looked like a tall leggy model as she strode confidently toward the entrance.

We met Scott and Susan at the host desk. Our table was ready with no waiting. The dining room was elegant with white table cloths and real China and silver service. Scott seated Paula while I seated Susan. I couldn't resist peeking down at Susan's ample bosom as she sat. I had seen her in a bikini dozens of times, but somehow, she seemed sexier. Both Susan and Paula never looked more alluring.

The menu was extensive. At least it was in English, unlike that French restaurant we'd tried a few months ago. After studying our options, we all ended up ordering the special, which was a prime rib dinner with all the fixings.

The girls were busy chatting away when Scott asked me, "So, what do you think?"

"About what?"

"About our ladies—about this evening."

"Well, our wives have never looked better, though I'm a bit nervous about what the plans are for the rest of the evening. Especially after what Paula told me in the car."

"What did she say?" Scott said, moving closer to hear my reply.

Before I could respond, the waiter brought a large Magnum bottle of champagne and popped the cork with a bang. Two other waiters joined him as they sang an off-key version of "happy birthday," inserting the word "anniversary" in place of "birthday." The restaurant patrons joined in by clapping. I felt flushed with embarrassment.

During dinner, I could have sworn Susan had deliberately rubbed her ankle on mine. When I looked at her she gave no reaction other than a subtle smile. No matter how attractive I found Susan, she was off limits. For God's sake, she was my best friend's wife! I figured this was just some harmless flirting.

The conversation was light and the dinner was delicious. We talked about old times and we all laughed at our stupid jokes. I think that was because of the champagne, rather than our great sense of humor. I handed Paula the Hallmark card I made and she used a table knife to open it. After reading the sentiment, she saw the gift card.

"How sweet... a day at the spa for two. I didn't even know you went to spas, Tony." She giggled.

"Don't be silly. I knew you wouldn't want to go alone, so I bought a spa day for two for you and Susan."

Paula stood and leaned across the table to kiss me. Her plunging neckline was open enough for anyone to view her full cleavage. Her kiss was lingering and fiercely provocative with a promise of more to come. I smiled and sat down, thinking about how I was going to have a great anniversary night ahead of me when we got home.

"I believe I need to thank you, also," Susan said as she surprised me with an unexpected kiss. It was certainly more than a friendly peck.

"Holy shit! What would you have given me if I'd bought something really expensive?" I exclaimed, trying to keep it light. Everyone laughed. I thought the champagne was indeed starting to have an effect.

After some more light conversation, Paula abruptly stood and said, "Come on, let's move this party to the lounge! Tony, you take care of the bill."

"Geez, what ever happened to the tradition of fighting over the check?" I asked as they turned to leave.

"What's the point?" Scott replied. "You always win." He ismiled as he led the girls away with one on each arm.

I gave my credit card to the waiter and told him to add thirty percent for himself and ten dollars for the maître d'. As I sat there and waited, I poured the last glass of bubbly and thought about how strange this night seemed. I felt like the clueless guy at a party that didn't understand the joke everyone else was laughing at. There was something about this evening that I just couldn't put my finger on.

Oh, well. It's probably just the wine and my imagination, I thought.

-oOo-

When I finally entered the lounge, I saw Scott as he waved me over. The place was packed. He was standing in a booth at the far end of the dance floor. I maneuvered my way through the crowd toward him. Suddenly, I felt a pinch on my butt and jerked around to find my wife dancing very close with a young stranger who had his hand resting below her waist.

She smiled and said, "Tony, I would like you to meet my good friend... um..."

"Jason," the young man said.

I reached out and gave him a firm hand shake. "Glad to meet you, son. I'm her husband!" Then in an act of possession, I took Paula's hand and led her toward our table. She resisted a bit as I tugged her along.

"What the hell are you doing?" I asked. "What's gotten into you? That kid—Jason—had his hands all over you. He's young enough to be your son."

"It's called dancing, dear," she casually sighed. "You should try it sometime. You're no fun." Clearly she was unfazed by my reaction.

As we headed toward the booth, the music changed to a Billy Joel song. I stopped and spun Paula around as we started to dance. Dancing was one of the things I did well, and there was something to prove. My wife and I were practiced partners. We moved in unison around the floor, swaying to the music. The lyrics to the song were perfect for the moment. I whispered in her ear, "Don't go changing. I love you just the way you are."

"You're in rare form tonight, hun," Paula replied.

I dipped her and said, "I was showing that kid there was more to dancing than shuffling around and grabbing at your ass."

"You say that like it's a bad thing." She giggled.

"You're incorrigible."

She paused, held my face in her hands and said, "Tony, I love you completely. You know that?"

As we continued to dance, she laid her head on my shoulder and sighed. I took the opportunity to slide my hand under her breast. "Yep. Just as I thought. No bra... and I was first to find out." I chuckled.

"Second, actually. Jason already beat you to it." She looked up into my shocked face and laughed. "Just joking, dear. I love making you jealous."

I wasn't sure if she was joking.

After the music changed to an up-tempo song, I decided we'd sit a few out and headed back to the booth where Scott had bought us drinks. It looked like he ordered four strawberry margaritas. Those tasty little treats can really kick your butt, especially if you've already polished off a magnum bottle of champagne.

"Where's Susan?" I asked.

"She went to the ladies' room. She'll be right back."

Paula reached out and pulled Scott to his feet. "Come on, Scotty, lets boogie! Ol' stick in the mud wants to sit."

They went out on the crowded floor and Paula seemed to be having the time of her life. I enjoyed seeing her have fun, even though she was being seductively flirtatious, swinging her hips and bumping with strangers. I couldn't help but smile at her enjoying herself.

Shortly after, I noticed Susan returning from the ladies' room and could tell by the jiggle of her bosom that she was now without a bra, also.

"Welcome back." I stood up and took her hand.

"Thank you." She smiled. "I was feeling confined. You don't mind me shedding some hardware, do you?"

"Of course not. I've always been a huge proponent of freedom." I laughed.

"Talking about freedom... it looks like your wife is having a blast with my husband."

I looked at the crowded dance floor and found them. I couldn't believe Paula was suggestively wiggling her butt against Scott's crotch . I started to get up and intercede, but Susan grabbed my wrist and said, "Let them be. They're just having some fun."

"Doesn't this bother you?" I asked, looking for a reaction.

"Not at all. Since I don't dance, how about you and I go for a walk in the courtyard gardens? I really could use some air. We can take our drinks with us."

Reluctantly, I followed Susan while still straining to watch Paula and Scott.

"Let it go, Tony. It will be fine," she reassured me.

-oOo-

The evening was a typical warm California night, and the gardens were beautifully lighted with colored flood-lights. There was a three-tiered fountain in the center of a pond filled with Lily pads.

Susan took my hand and we walked down the garden path, passing under a rose trellis arch. She stumbled a couple times when her heels caught in the irregular flagstone walkway.

"Why don't we sit while we finish our drinks?" I suggested.

She sat on the slatted bench and replied, "Great idea. Let's sit before I break my damn neck. I'm not used to these heels." She put her drink down and took off her shoes, placing her feet in my lap. "Would you rub my feet? Paula says you have amazing hands."

"Oh, Paula talks about my hands, does she? What else does she tell you?" I dug my thumbs into the ball of her foot and ran them down the arch. I squeezed her toes as she moaned in pleasure.

"Pretty much everything," Susan answered. "We've been best friends for twenty-two years, Tony. Girls talk... Oh my God, that feels so good! She's right. Your hands are magic."

I separated her toes as best I could through her nylons and squeezed them. She continued to purr her approval of the foot massage.

"When you say you discuss everything, exactly what does that entail? Intimate stuff?"

"Mostly the intimate stuff, silly. The other things are not worth talking about."

"Scott and I never talk about private things like that," I said.

"Of course not, you're guys. Guys talk sports and politics. Girls talk relationships." She laughed.

"Well, thanks for the education—I think."

"You know I love you and Paula, don't you?"

"Of course. And I love you, too—and Scott."

"Tell me honestly, Tony. Do you think I'm pretty?"

It wasn't like Susan to fish for compliments.

"Susie, you are my best friend's wife. I won't go there."

"Forget all that. Speak as a man, not as a friend. Do you think I'm sexy?"

"Speaking as a man, I think you're pretty... and... sexy, too. That must mean you're pretty sexy." I laughed at the cleverness of my statement.

"What if I wanted you to kiss me again like you did at dinner?"

"You mean like you kissed me? As much as I would love to... I can't. You know that."

"Because we're friends?"

"Yeah. That's part of it."

"After all these years, don't you ever think about me?"

"Of course I think about you. You're a beautiful woman. But I know nothing can ever come of it. I think we should discuss something else."

"I sense that you want to caress more than my feet."

"We can't go there."

I was taken back by her bold statement. The more we talked, the more attractive she became. There was an epic battle going on within me. I couldn't put my marriage and friendship in jeopardy. I was paralyzed— unable to move because I knew if I let myself, I'd regret it.

For God's sake, I'm a man not a saint.

"Okay, Tony." Susan sighed. "I accept why we shouldn't, and I apologize for making you uncomfortable. I was just curious about how you felt about me."

"It's complicated. I love Paula," I replied, trying to gain control over myself.

"Thanks for your honesty. Let's go back inside." Susan stood with her shoes in hand and hugged me.

She caught me off guard when she raised herself on her toes and tilted her chin up. I could feel her hot breath on mine. My will power fell away like autumn leaves. Her scent was intoxicating and my mind was spinning. A switch was flipped in a second as our lips met spontaneously. My pent-up desires gushed forth while my hands found a life of their own and roamed freely over her succulent body. Our passion seemed out of control.

-oOo-

We sat in the booth, waiting for Paula and Scott to return from the dance floor. I tried to maintain a minimum respectable distance but Susan scooted closer. Paula and Scott were both laughing as they walked back to our booth. When they sat down, Scott put his arm around my wife and gave her a squeeze.

She casually gave him a quick peck on the lips and said, "Thank you, Scotty for some great dancing. I had fun."

A knot formed in my stomach while watching the casual intimacy between them.

Paula sensed my discomfort and asked me, "Come on, my handsome husband! It's your turn to dance."

I took her hand and we danced a rumba to a Latin tune. Much to my luck, a slow song gave us an opportunity to talk.

"Paula, I know you love dancing, but could you tone it down a notch or two?"

"Why?" She frowned. "I'm not doing anything different than anyone else. Please control your jealousy, Tony. It really doesn't suit you."

Here we go again...

"You know I love dancing," she added. "And we hardly ever do it anymore. When we were first married, we went to clubs almost every week. But after Bradly was born, I became nothing more than a maid and a soccer mom. You're aware I love to flirt after a few drinks. It's harmless."