As the manager of the couple’s finances, Nick knew Aubrie’s sales numbers and income better than his wife did. He knew her last two books hadn’t generated the same sales and income, but he was realistic enough to know that not every book was going to be a New York Times bestseller. He was surprised then at his wife’s reaction.
“Kathleen Woodiwiss and Judith McNaught aren’t having slumps,” she railed when she and Wanda were talking numbers one day. “What am I doing wrong, Wanda?”
Wanda knew Aubrie used the couple’s sex life as the model for the sex in many of her books. She thought the couple was way mismatched as Aubrie was a stone MILF but her husband was more than a few notches beneath that.
“You know your books would be hotter if you could imagine yourself having sex with a hunk of manflesh instead of your husband,” Wanda said, not for the first time.
“We’ve talked about this a few times through the years, Wanda. You know I could never cheat on Nick,” Aubrie whined.
“Yeah, but I keep telling you it wouldn’t be cheating if you told him about what you were going to do and were open about it. It would be even better if he would love you enough to give this to you… especially since you are far and away the breadwinner in the family,” Wanda explained.
“Wow. So you’re telling me to just hammer him, crush his ego, leave him bleeding in the dirt. Perhaps that explains why you’ve been married and divorced twice so far, Wanda. I’d like to remain married… if possible,” Aubrie said.
Wanda was a trained communicator. She accurately heard the last two words of Aubrie’s answer. Without saying the words, Aubrie told the other woman she was perhaps open to her suggestion.
“Maybe now is the time to broach this to hubby, while you’re still on top of the pile,” Wanda said. “Tell him the truth. This isn’t about sex, it’s about your brand. If he loves you and respects your work, he’ll get it, especially if he likes all the fun things those big dollars can buy.”
Aubrie’s brow furrowed markedly. If she was being honest with herself, her thoughts weren’t all about her brand.
******
“It’s not all on Wanda, babe. I think she’s right. I need to shake things up. New experiences will give my writing a freshness, a joie de vivre,” Aubrie said as the two sat down at their kitchen table with a bottle of wine and two glasses.
Nick couldn’t look his wife in her eyes as he was afraid of crying in front of her. She smirked as he fidgeted noticeably.
“We made vows to each other, Aubrie. We’ve always agreed that marital fidelity is important to both of us,” Nick said.
“I agree, but this wouldn’t be cheating if I told you what was happening and you let me do it,” Aubrie said. “We made those vows, and upon agreement, we can change them.”
“I suppose they are our vows to do with as we want, but that’s just it. Wouldn’t we have to agree upon changing them, sort of like congress has to vote on amendments to the Constitution. What if I don’t want to change our vows? I like them just as they are,” Nick said.
“Nick, we are soul-mates. Nothing could ever break us apart,” Aubrie said.
“You’re wrong, babe. This could break us apart,” he said. “Soul mates or not, I won’t have somebody sleeping with my wife. I’m not put together like that.”
“What about if I’m very discreet… so discreet that you would never who, when or where? You know, the old ‘what you don’t know can’t hurt you,'” she said.
“That’s incredibly trite… and naïve of you,” Nick sneered. “Since I would know you’d be cheating on me sometimes, I would assume you would be cheating on me all the time. In fact, even if you were to tell me now you wouldn’t do it, I wouldn’t believe you. Trust is a funny thing, babe. It’s like virginity. Once it’s gone, you can’t ever get it back.”
Aubrie shook her head as if she had just taken a punch to the face. She started to speak once, twice, three times before taking a long gulp of her wine.
Nick watched her carefully. He believed he had just given her a definitive no.
“Couldn’t you just give this to me for Skye—for my career as Skye. She’s put a lot of money into our pockets, given us a pretty nice life,” Aubrie pleaded.
“I can’t, Aubrie. I’m sorry. I love you too much to share you,” Nick answered.
“Why don’t you just let it go? We don’t need you to ever write another book. We’ve got more than enough for the rest of our lives.”
“I’m not ready to give it up just yet, Nick. I’m only 48. Please,” she begged.
Nick loved his wife with everything in his heart and soul. His heart was breaking to think his wife of 24 years was putting her career ahead of their marriage.
“I’ll think about it hard, as you should, too,” Nick said slowly and clearly, “but I can’t guarantee that I’ll agree to this, or be able to accept it even if I do.”
Nick got up from the table and went into the family room to watch a baseball game. He didn’t see the smirk on his wife’s face when he left the room.
Aubrie knew to give her husband space for several days. She made sure the two shared an enjoyable weekend together, spending a significant amount of time in their bed and less than subtly showing her husband how much she cared for him.
“He’s close to being my bitch,” Aubrie bragged to Wanda on the phone Monday morning. “I fucked him into the mattress this past weekend. I own him.”
No one was more surprised than Aubrie when Nick told her two days later that he couldn’t and wouldn’t abide by her plan to have sex with other men.
“I don’t think I’ll be able to handle that, babe. Why don’t we just call it a day now and leave on a good note? You can then do what you want to and I won’t have to eat any more pain than just that of a divorce,” Nick said.
“Don’t do this, Nick. I don’t want a divorce. I love you. I just need… a little freedom to get things going again with my writing. It won’t be long. I promise,” she said.
“But you already made me a promise… 24 years ago. Remember that? If you can’t keep that promise, I’m not sure you can keep a new promise either,” Nick asserted.
“I can, Nick. Give me that chance. Give us that chance,” she said.
Nick hadn’t slept much in the two weeks since the last time the two had any meaningful conversation. He had loved this woman for so long that divorce seemed completely incomprehensible, but so did allowing her to have sex with other men so her writing career could continue to flourish… assuming that was truly the reason for her outlandish request. Several weeks ago, Nick would have taken everything his wife said at face value… now, not so much.
Where Nick’s old routine arriving home from work would have included a kiss with his wife, his new routine had been to put his keys and wallet down, grab a beer from the refrigerator and sit at the kitchen table until the beer was done. Aubrie would go about her business getting dinner ready, and few words, if any, would pass between them. On this day, though, Aubrie had decided to break the stalemate that had become heir married lives.
“Man up, Nicky. I can’t take this silent treatment anymore,” she said. “You’re not going to hold our marriage hostage. I will be going out with Mimi on Friday night. We’re going to a club and we’re going to dance and flirt and… whatever else happens from there.