“Has Dee ever told you what I do for a living?” He’s suddenly not in the mood to talk. I await his strike, but he stops at the last second, gathers himself.
“Yeah, you’re some kind of salesman.” The smirk is a tell-tale sign he’s proud of himself.
“A pharmaceutical salesman, Duke. Do you have any idea of the shit I can put in Dee’s food to fucking ruin your life, if you two become intimately involved? The kinds of disease that can’t be traced back to me. It will just be two whores’ words against mine. The things I can do to you could be picked up anywhere and transmitted.” Only part of that is true, but he won’t know it. Plus, it’s now or never. I won’t be back for a third talk.
“You’d never do something to Dee. You love her. Don’t bullshit me.” He seems unsure.
“Well, if she so much as kisses you, she’s dead to me. You know how guys are, Duke. You may see yourself as an alpha-male, but at the end of the day, I’ll teach you just how wrong that assumption is.”
I turn to walk away. This was the worst part. The threats bring it to a head. Showing him my back is the ultimate disrespect, so I prepare to feel him blindside me. To my surprise, he doesn’t pursue me. Oh well, it would have been…fun.
Dee walks in after work, and gets settled. We’re at the kitchen table once more. I pour her a glass of wine, and settle back in my chair.
“I don’t know what you did, but Duke told me today, we’re not having lunch anymore. He says I’m too much trouble.”
I chuckle, almost spitting out my beer in the process. “And, what did you say to that?”
“I told him to fuck off, of course. Something about how you talked to me…how you described things with him and I…well, that basically ruined it for me. You were right. About all of it. I let him in my head, but I wanted it. Some excitement. Something to break us…me, out of our slump. I won’t try to fool you by saying I wasn’t physically attracted to him, but with women, it’s almost always about the excitement, the newness, the conversation. Getting to know someone new. We…I certainly know what men want in return. That’s something we’ll have to discuss with the therapist in depth, because I almost talked myself into giving it.”
“Well, at least we won’t have to go to HR. That should make you happy.” I say it sarcastically, even though I didn’t mean to. She picks up on it.
“I know I have a lot to do…with us, Devon. I’m hoping I can start tonight. I’m not pushing for sex, but I would like to cuddle and maybe watch a movie like we used to do. I need it for me, but I also need to show you how much I love you, and how grateful I am that you didn’t kick me to the curb.”
Okay, now maybe we we’re going to be alright. Some closeness, some extra love and affection. Some ideas from the therapist. Like every arrogant, self-absorbed man, The Duke of Fucking Austin caved like a house of cards, when stood up to by an equal. He knows there’s plenty of fish in the sea. It’s like shooting fish in a barrel or easy pickins, so to speak. I need to focus on my wife, and she on me, if we we’re going to get past this.
The first time The Duke of Fucking Austin was beaten about the face and ball sack, I was at home. Fortunately for me, so were Dee and the next door neighbors, eating, drinking, and socializing. It had been relatively easy. The big box store in question, has many associates who love to gossip.
I found out about three, possibly four other women Duke had bedded. The first three were all that were needed. I put anonymous typed letters in their mailboxes. Laid it all out, and in all cases embellished a bit. I’m not sure which one went after Duke, but it doesn’t matter. He learned a valuable lesson, although Dee told me it cost him a testicle. Don’t fuck with another man’s wife, especially when she’s going through a funk or rough patch.