Daniel pounded the bag like those demons from the fires of hell he had tried to outrun. His body needed to release the frustrations and doubts that his mind refused to admit.
The past four days had been fucking amazing. After his little fight with Samuel on Monday and his surprising afternoon romp in bed with his wife, that word still stuck in his throat sometimes, all should be right with the world. Except...
"Give the damned thing a break man. What has it ever done to you?" asked the voice of his conscious and best friend.
Daniel stepped back from pounding the leather surface of the punching bag. Walking to the side of the gym, he picked up his towel and wiped sweat from his brow.
"Want to talk about it?"
"Gees, man, is that all you and that witch you married to ever do? Talk about us and our lives?" Daniel accused as he lifted the bottle of water and downed most of it in a single gulp. If only he could quench other thirsts as easily. But even after four days of the most spectacular sex of his life, he still could not let it go.
"I keep telling you, she's a white witch," Samuel said as he wiped his own forehead. "And she doesn't mean any harm, man."
Daniel sighed, "Is nothing sacred with that woman?"
Samuel laughed, "Not much, buddy. And we just want to help. Be there for you both."
Daniel shook his head at his friends words.
"Is it what we talked about the other day? I mean it's going to take some time and patience."
Daniel laughed this time. "Not as much as you think, old man."
Samuel arched his brow and waited as they picked up their gym bags and headed out out the door and across the parking lot.
Daniel toyed with things in his mind. True enough, Samuel and Simone had been his friends for almost fifteen years. They were among the few people, who knew the dirty details of his first marriage. Simone more even than his best friend. But somehow this felt different. Raw.
But the truth was if not for his conversation with Samuel on Monday, he might still be cooling his heels and stewing in his own insecurities instead of enjoying his wife's charms. Well, most of the time anyway.
"Things are good. I mean really good. Really," he finally said in a low voice.
Samuel wrinkled his forehead, "Then I'd hate to see that poor dead cow if they weren't."
"No, I mean the sex is great. More than great."
Samuel smiled, "For the rest of us too, thanks for the short days. But what's the problem?"
Daniel leaned against his Explorer. "She's still sleeping in the nursery with Britney and Ashley," he almost whispered.
Daniel just shook his head at the chuckle from his friend. "You have a really bad sense of humor, my friend. Unless you're looking to replace that bag, I'd recommend you stop laughing."
His friend rubbed the side of his head and smiled. "No, thanks. I'm still having headaches from the other day."
Daniel shook his head as he opened the back door and threw his bag onto the floor board.
"Have you tried talking to her about it? Asking her."
Daniel slammed the car door. "Fuck, man, you don't invite your wife to sleep in your bed."
"Maybe," Samuel paused, a knowing grin cut across his dark face. "But then again most marriages aren't arranged sight unseen on the Internet by meddling friends and mothers either."
Daniel fought the urge to knock that smile from his friend's face. But he grudgingly acknowledged that what he said made sense.
"I'm getting tired of asking this fucking question, but now what, smart ass?"
"Find a delicate way to bring the subject up with the missus. I don't know. Maybe ask how the babies are sleeping. See if perhaps she is worried about them. Hell, Jess has been begging and pleading for her own room so damned long. Why don't we all paint the basement for the kid? You could use the excuse that she needs the bed for her new room, maybe?"
Daniel frowned in thought. Samuel did have a point. Jess had been asking him to do just that for over two years. She hated pink and Barbie's almost as much as she disliked being forced to share her space with her younger sister. It had been another of Rachel's little points about why he should quit the Navy and go to work for the Dodd's. So they could afford a bigger house and give all the girls their own rooms.
"How about you bring the truck and meet me at the bus stop then? We can take the girls and make a quick run to the hardware store for drywall and some paint before dinner. Get started first thing tomorrow," he smiled.
"Sure you don't want to head there now," his friend teased.
Daniel laughed, "Hell, no. You ain't the only one whose sexy wife is waiting at home for a nooner."
Samuel slapped him on the back. "That's the way to think, my friend. See you after a bit of...sky rockets in flight...after noon delight," his deep baritone attempted a falsetto. The two parted laughing, smiling and humming the old hit.
***
Jill had just set the bowls of diced ham, cheese, carrots and cherrios in front of Brit and Ash when the door bell rung. Leaving the girls securely fastened in their high chairs she turned towards the living room and the front door. Singing out, "I'm coming."
When she opened the door, she was expecting to find Simone, Trisha or one of the other wives. But instead a tall and stocky blond man filled the door way. She was not certain what it was but something about the man threw her, made her decidedly uncomfortable. Her arms spread between the doorway, her body blocking his view of the house beyond.
