Divorce means more than breaking apart a household. Property settlements don't address friendships.
Frank and Peggy were Lorraine's neighbors and friends long before I married her and I expected their neighborhood ties would stay long after I had moved away.
I was wrong.
A few months after I moved away I got a Christmas card from Peggy, asking that I stay in touch. It was a comfort and a surprise. I lived a moderate distance away β about 50 miles β but responded to their suggestion that we have a holiday drink together. It was convenient for me to visit them the following Friday evening, and they made it clear I'd be welcome.
It was an odd feeling pulling into their driveway and noticing β how could I not? β a strange car in my former wife's driveway.
After a long "How are you doing?", "Want another drink?" and general catching up conversation I mentioned the car in Lorraine's driveway. "That's not the only one that's been there," Frank told me. "She was having all night visitors the week after you left, that doesn't surprise you, does it?" He and Peggy went on to say they knew Lorraine, who worked in real estate, had several affairs during our five year marriage. I was surprised. "And you didn't tell me? Wouldn't either of you have wanted to know, if I found out the other was cheating?"
"Lorraine said you guys had an understanding," was the excuse offered. "Since you were away so often, she said you agreed, so long as she kept it quiet, she didn't have to spend her nights alone."
"No way!"
"Well, that's what she told us," Peggy said. "In fact, a couple of times when you were gone she asked me to go out with her at night, that the change of pace and partners would be fun."
I looked questioningly at Frank: "Do you two have an 'understanding' too?"
"No," Frank said. "But I did tell Peggy she could go if she took plenty of pictures."
"Did you go, Peggy?"
"No, I didn't. Too bad, we could have used the pictures."
"Yeah," I said, "pictures of your wife screwing around are great, especially in a divorce court."
"Well," Frank said, "I thought they'd be fun in the bedroom, not in court. It would have had more of a personal touch than the store-bought stuff we used to watch."
"You watch porn together?"
"Sure," Frank said, "doesn't everyone? It makes bedtime a lot more fun."
"It does, at least for us," Peggy agreed. "Didn't you guys watch it?"
"I suggested it, but Lorraine kept saying we didn't need anything like that," I said, getting a little uncomfortable with the conversation. "Are you sorry you didn't go with Lorraine?" I wanted to know. This was not the Peggy and Frank I thought I knew.
"No, not at the time at least." She sighed again, and then with a sad smile said "Maybe I am now, though."
"Huh?"
Frank took a deep breath. "Ah, shit. You know about all of the erectile dysfunction stuff you see on TV? That's me, in the flesh. I had a prostate problem six months ago, way too early β that's for when you're a lot older. Anyway, I had a bit of surgery to fix it. The doctors tell me the plumbing is all OK, that it's all in my head, but damn it, things don't work very well."
"Frank, you didn't have to tell Joe that, and besides, I love you anyway."
She turned to me. "Frank is a great guy, and about the plumbing not working? It doesn't matter; he pleases me in lots of other ways. This just isn't a problem."
I did a quick calculation, and concluded we each had about 4 cocktails in two and a half hours. I'm a pretty big guy, but Frank and Peggy were not. I guess they had one or two over the amount it takes to turn off social inhibitions. Well, at least they wouldn't be driving tonight. I smiled a bit. They may not be driving cars, but E.D. or not, I had a strong suspicion there might be some long haul trucking going on in their bedroom soon after I left.
"I think it's time for me to start back, guys. Peggy, will you turn me from a sleepy drunk into a wide awake one? Can I have a cup of coffee before I go?"
Frank answered for her. "Hey, I know this conversation went places it shouldn't. We didn't want to make you uncomfortable. We sure don't want you driving if you've been drinking. Why don't you stay, have another drink or two and then just stretch out on the sofa? It opens into a bed. We'll get you a blanket and pillow, you'll be comfortable and you can drive home sober tomorrow. Besides, won't it be neat if that ex slut wife of yours saw your car in our driveway in the morning? She always checks when we have company, so I'm sure she knows you're here now, and she'll wonder what we've been up to. And we'd let her wonder too, wouldn't we, Peggy?"
Peggy had a smile on her face. "You bet."
"I don't like playing games like that," I told them.
"It's not a game. You had a couple of drinks, you probably shouldn't drive. Crash out here. That other stuff is just a bonus."
It did make sense. "That sounds good, thanks. Peggy, hold the coffee. Another one of those Bombay martinis would make a great substitute."
I went to the bar to make another round of drinks. Frank excused himself, going toward the bathroom, and Peggy came by help. She speared olives. "Want more than one?" she asked, holding one towards me. I opened my mouth to take it in, and she, instead of being a good hostess, ate it herself. "Get your own."
"Tease," I replied, reaching for a toothpick, when she got in the way.
"That wasn't teasing," she said. She stepped closer, wrapped her arms around me, and I tasted olive flavored lips. "That was teasing." Olive flavored lips were a new treat and I liked it.
Peggy and Frank were always playful around me, so when he returned I said something about coming back too soon. "I guess so," he said with a grin. "If Peggy is putting the make on you I should get the cam corder, huh?"
It was Peggy who answered, still playfully. "Who knows, you may need it."
"You're all talk, woman," he said, and I agreed: "Yeah, Peggy. I don't think filming you kissing me is what he had in mind."
By then I had returned to the sofa and was enjoying quite a nice drink, grateful there wasn't a long drive waiting for me tonight. Peggy and Frank were by the bar with their drinks and having a quiet conversation. Then she put her glass down and left the room.
"She wants to get the stuff for the sofa for you before we forget," Frank said as he sat next to the fireplace. "So, you really didn't know about Lorraine screwing around, Joe?"
"I did not. I guess I trusted her more than I should have."
"Are you doing OK? Any girl friends, things like that?"