The Weekend Pt. 01

"Brutal, but again correct." I said, careful to enunciate each word as I filled my glass from the half-empty bottle on the table. "But that's not everything. I guess what hurts the most is that for the first time in our lives she won't discuss the situation with me. We have no secrets or at least until today I didn't think we had any."

"And your response to this was to walk away and drown your sorrows,"

"As I'm sitting here I think we can both agree that a yes." I gestured towards my again nearly empty glass.

He sighed, "Not that I'm an expert in this field, but I'm afraid that wasn't your best decision on the night."

Another sip and I continued, "Again an astute comment. What I don't understand is where she met the bloody guy. My best guess has to be the sales conference in Chicago but there was no indication that anything had changed when she got back. Suddenly, this evening over a bowl of pasta she tells me she wants ... No, that she needs to go away this weekend, and insinuates by giving me the locket, that she won't be faithful to me."

I thought about her words, "Oddly though," I said, "She didn't actually say she was going to fuck him. Just that it would 'stretch the boundaries of our fidelity' whatever the fuck that means?"

George considered my words, "Have you asked her?"

"I tried but she wouldn't discuss it, and I don't really have the right to force her. When I gave her the free pass, I said no questions and no recriminations so basically I've fucked myself."

"I think you need to ask her again, after ten years of marriage I think you have the right to get answers. And for Christ sake, will you either answer your damn phone, or switch it off. The buzzing every five minutes is pissing me off."

"Sorry," and I finally pulled it out of my shirt pocket and checked it. Multiple missed calls and then I guess after she'd filled the voice mail, numerous texts.

I tried to focus on the last few texts.

Please come home you are the only one I love and we need to talk.

Neil, where are you?

Neil, please come home and I'll explain everything.

I clumsily typed in, thankful for corrective text.

Not sure where the hell I am, but far too pissed to drive. I'll be safely back tomorrow luv me :).

And pressed send then switched it off.

I looked at the now almost empty bottle and decided that the siren call of a bed was too loud to ignore. With George's help I made it up the stairs and he showed me my room.

The bedside clock said one-thirty the first time and then nine-o-five when I managed to prize my eyes open the next morning. Considering the amount of alcohol imbibed last night I felt a lot better than I expected, or deserved.

Thirty minutes later, after a refreshing shower spoilt by the fact I had to dress in yesterday's clothes, I made my way down stairs. I followed the aroma of frying bacon to its source. George and a woman who he introduced as his long suffering girlfriend Milly, greeted me with a plate of bacon and eggs, toast and marmalade washed down with the perfect cup of tea.

As I mopped up the last of the egg yolk with a piece of toast, Milly said, "George was telling me about your situation. I admire the strength of your love that you comfortable to give your wife one chance to let her hair down."

I shook my head. "Honestly, I'm not sure I am that strong. I was a lot younger and stronger when I made the offer than I am now. I love her and it came as a bit of a shock that after ten years she felt the need to roam." I put my hand up to forestall the question on her lips.

"I thought she'd forgotten all about my offer; I know I almost had. So when she let me know last night that she wanted to go away this weekend. I don't think my initial reaction was the one she expected, and I'm not proud of my behaviour."

Have you spoken to her?"

Again I shook my head, and replied. "Not since I sent her the text last night,"

Milly looked pointedly at the phone in my shirt pocket. "So call her."

I suppose now is as good a time as ever, I thought and switched my phone back on. The welcome message had barely appeared before it buzzed in my hand.

I accepted the call and put the phone to my ear, moving away from the table as I did.

There was a long pause before I heard a timid voice say, "Neil is that you?" And then another long pause. "Please speak to me Neil," she sobbed down the phone.

"Hi love."

"Neeeil, please don't leave me." And I heard her crying uncontrollably.

"Karen, I'm not going to leave you. I'll be home in a couple of hours."

"Good," said a strange woman's voice, "because I won't let you hurt her anymore. Not when it's my fault!" The phone disconnected.

I looked blankly at the phone in my hand. Who the fuck was that? Somewhere in the back of my mind her voice sounded vaguely familiar.

Milly and George looked at me as I returned to the table. "All sorted?" Milly asked.

"Damned if I know?" I replied. "There was someone with her. A woman who said it's all her fault. I think I getter go."

I paid my bill and George gave me back my car keys and a travel mug of strong coffee. I made a quick call to the department secretary and let her know that I wouldn't be coming into the department that day. I had a feeling the discussions when I got home were liable to extend deep into the night.

The sign at the side of the road as I left the village said.

You are leaving

UPTON

Thank you for driving carefully

So that's where I was; I'd never asked. The Sat-Nav said I was an hour and a half away from my destination. I headed down the windy road to my date with destiny, Christ even in my head that sounded pretentious.

The main thought that did rattle around my head was who was this woman, and why is this her fault. Was she to one that had convinced my wife that it was ok to betray her marriage vows. Fuck had she introduced Karen to the man.

~~~~~~~~~<>~~~~~~~~

The clock in the church tower was striking noon as I pulled up outside our cottage. My old Golf looked shabby compared to Karen's X5 and a new top of the range Porsche Cayman parked in the drive.

Shit, whoever it was, they had a lot of money. I parked in the lane. Seeing the Porsche parked in my spot felt like a statement and unconsciously I was preparing myself for a quick surrender and retreat. I wondered if Karen's infidelity and stretching of boundaries had already happened.

I almost rang the doorbell but controlled myself. I walked around the side of the cottage and let myself in silently through the back door. I paused in the utility room and heard low voices through the partially open door to the kitchen. Although I'd showered at the pub I was still wearing yesterday's clothes. I didn't feel like facing Karen wearing creased slept in clothes so I snuck out the door into the hall and crept up the stairs. A quick change and wash and I made my way down stairs. Rather than surprise them I opened the front door and closed it loudly.

Karen ran into the hall. Her eyes were red from all the tears. She hesitated until I held out my arms to her. With a sob, she threw herself into my arms pushing me back up against the wall.

She buried her head into my neck, her lips desperately seeking mine as she constantly repeated, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

I stroked her hair and replied. "Why are you sorry? It's all my fault. I shouldn't have reacted the way I did. You had every expectation that I'd agree to your Free Pass, although I was surprised I do admit to being surprised that you'd decided to use it." I placed my finger on the locket that was once again nestled between her breasts.

She shook her head and kept whispering, "I'm sorry."

I had a thought, "Whose car is that, and who was the woman I spoke to earlier?"

"It's mine and that would be me," came the voice from the phone. I looked in the direction of the voice. Standing in the door to the kitchen stood a very recognisable raven haired beauty. Her face graced the covers of countless magazines and had stared down at me from posters and cinema screens. She was the sex fantasy of almost every man including me and more than a few women I knew. Her name was Gillian Faith and from the look on her face she wasn't pleased with me.

"This is the second time you've fucked up my life," she said bitterly.

"Jilly, you can't blame him. It was my decision both times."

I looked from Karen to Gillian. Several emotions struck me. The first was that my wife knew Gillian Faith, and it seemed to be much more than a passing acquaintanceship. Secondly what the hell had I done to piss her off and come to think about it, what the fuck was a movie star doing in our home?

Karen could feel me tensing and stepped back slightly, although she didn't let go. "Neil, this is Jilly Rodgers, she's a very old and dear friend of mine. We went to school and uni together."

"Rodgers," I said with a hint of disbelief in my voice.

"He's not an idiot; he knows who I am. Rodgers is my real name, my agent decided it wasn't suitable and picked Faith as my stage name."

We moved into the kitchen, the evidence of a long occupation was spread across the surfaces. I looked at Gillian and asked, "I'm not sure where you fit into all of this? Nor why a major film star is in my home, but the fact is I want to talk to my wife about her lover and I'd rather do it in private. You picked a rather bad day to visit, I'm afraid."

"No, she needs to be here," insisted Karen as she continued to clutch my arm to her breast.

"No, she doesn't. I've made some mistakes and I'd prefer not to have to air my dirty laundry in front of someone I don't know and doesn't seem to like me. Sorry no insult meant," I said as I sat down looked at Gillian sat across from me.

She started to rise but Karen stepped behind her and placed her hands on her shoulders holding her in place.

"No, you need to be here. I have to break my promise to you and tell Neil the truth. You need to be here so you know exactly what I tell him."

Gillian twisted in her seat to look Karen in the eye. "You promised," she pleaded."

Several emotions flitted across Gillian's face: fear, terror, and underlying it all love. Shit she was in love with my wife, and from the casual but tender way Karen's hands rested on Gillian's shoulders. The way the tip of a finger caressed the side of her face. She too, had feelings for this celebrity.

A light bulb exploded behind my eyes. My shoulders slumped and I whispered, "Oh fuck! She wasn't going away with a man, it was you. You're her lover!"

~~~~~~~~~<>~~~~~~~~

To be continued - part 2 will be submitted tomorrow

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Andyhm