Two hours later when they were going to bed Barbara said "I was only kidding you know."
Jerry nodded, but said nothing. She was accustomed to his moods and decided to let him have his space. She just snuggled behind him quietly and they fell to sleep.
Jerry was a lot like David: he was kind, trusting, and devoted. He thought that he could drop his wife off in a locker room full of naked Olympic athletes and all she'd get would be a great story to tell her girlfriends.
Her comment kept turning over in his mind. It troubled him and he could not let it go. It wasn't like her, but she had said it anyway. Where could that have come from?
Five days each week Barbara would go off to work. She was the office manager in a major law firm in town. She made good money, had some small amount of authority, kept the office running smoothly and the drama to a minimum, and she hobnobbed with the rich and powerful men of the city. For the first time in his marriage, Jerry was nervous. He wondered if Barbara was still the same faithful, loving girl he married. He had no real reason to think otherwise; but he kept thinking of Barbara's words, "Maybe she just needed a little excitement..." After seven years, did Barbara need a little excitement? Is that what she was saying? Did she have the seven year itch?
Jerry kept wondering about his wife. There had been so many late nights at the office this past year. David never knew until that fateful night at his home. He'd been a clueless bastard until he forgot his wallet. Could Jerry be the same? Could he have grown too complacent, too trusting, too oblivious to what was going on in his own marriage?
Jerry would have to put these thoughts out of his mind. These thoughts were mind killers; they would kill his soul and kill his marriage. They would breed mistrust and suspicion. They would eat away at him. He was being paranoid and insecure. It was time to man-up. Barbara would never cheat. The Christmas season was coming. He'd bury this nonsense in the holiday preparations and forget about it. At least, he would try.
Three weeks later Barbara's firm had their annual Christmas party. Their parties were legendary and it was not unusual to find yourself rubbing elbows with the mayor or a senator. The food was always top notch, the music was live, and the liquor was free. They dressed for the night and Barbara was a vision. Jerry liked to tell her "You clean up good, girl!" It was an understated compliment and she always appreciated it. She knew how he felt about her.
They arrived at the party. Jerry was again introduced to her coworkers and the firm's big guns. Everyone paid attention to Barbara and complimented her on her dress. Some of the men watched her a bit too closely, but it had never worried Jerry before. Jerry danced with his wife and, as usual, Barbara was asked to dance by the other men. Jerry danced with the wives when there were wives, or sat one out when the men were single.
One of the recently promoted partners, a fellow named George Collins, seemed to dance with Barbara longer and more often than the others. He and Barbara were enjoying each other's company more than Jerry remembered. George was recently divorced and Jerry's mood was growing dark.
Jerry got caught up in social conversations and small talk with some of the men of the office, exchanged pleasantries with some of the wives, and when he turned around to find his wife she was gone. He searched everywhere; but she wasn't on the dance floor, she wasn't at the tables, and she wasn't in the hallway. Jerry's mind ran back to that night and her words about Anita, "Maybe she just needed a little excitement..." He could feel the anger growing inside him. This was a hotel, damn it, and they had 200 bedrooms to choose from! He'd never find her.
Jerry sat in the corner with a drink and he stewed. She wouldn't get away with this! Damn her, he will not be cuckold! He may be just an engineer and his friends are not among the high and mighty, but he will damn well not be cuckold!
As he sat there, stewing over his situation, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up and saw Barbara's face looking in his eyes. She was always so proud of him. It wasn't like him to sit alone like this. "I have a surprise for you."
"I bet you do."
