We called it Clara, my wife' middle name, and it was a way to talk about sex in front of other people with out them knowing what we were talking about, although I am sure a few perceptive people caught on to our little game right away, but it was also a way to talk about her affair with a man named Ross, who she met at a business conference in Los Angeles and fucked for nearly two days straight. She said didn't actually go to many of the sessions at the conference, since she was busy with another matter.
We were at a dinner party at the home of her straight-laced boss Marianne and during dinner I asked my wife how Clara had said her night had been. I hadn't seen my wife since early the morning before because she was spending last night at a hotel with Ross. We met at Marianne's house that night, since she had come straight from the Marriott after staying over night with her new, very good friend Ross.
She looked up at me timidly, smiled, and told me Clara had said it had been a wonderful time. "I'm really glad," I said. "She really deserves a satisfying schedule." Ellen blushed and looked down at her plate. "It's so good to see someone enjoy what they're doing," I went on.
The people around us agreed and nodded, then kept eating. "Did she get a good workout?" I asked, pushing the envelope to ridiculous levels.
Ellen simply nodded and wiped her mouth with her napkin. "Does she get out often?" I asked, going even further with the witty comments. She said she seems to and I said, "Good. Exposure is important in her field."
"What does she do?" asked a elderly woman sitting next to Ellen.
"Same as Ellen," I said. "Real-estate." They nodded again as if they agreed that it was good to be in that field and knew what we were talking about. Ellen blushed and I knew she wanted me to end that bit of the conversation, so I smiled at her and put my hand over hers. "It's good she was able to get out," I added and started to eat again. Ellen stifled a laugh and took a bite.
I thought about how scandalized the people at the table would be if they knew I was talking about my wife being fucked giddy by a man she wasn't married to all night in a classy hotel in the next city and had my approval.
Marianne asked Ellen how the business conference had gone, the one where she met Ross. "It was very effective," she said, trying to be evasive. "Very, very well put together. Everything worked really well," she said, taking up my measure of irony. Marianne said she was glad to hear it and Ellen almost choked on her water.
After dinner Ellen and I met in the living room and I took her arm and said how lovely she looked. "I'll bet Clara really looked nice with her new hair cut," I said, referring to the pubic shave I had given her before she left to meet Ross. "How did he like it?" I asked.
Ellen blushed and said he did, that he really did think it was beautiful. "That's because it is very beautiful," I said. "It maybe one of the best cuts ever." We both grinned and she led me away to the garden.
"Talking about Clara is one thing, but bringing her up so often during dinner is not very wise. People are not quite that dumb," she said. I said no one here knows about Ross, so they couldn't possibly catch on to our little word game."
We walked through the garden and I asked how she liked her night. "I really, really did," she said with a wide and blushing smile. "It was a really nice night. We... they, had a great time together. He will be back in July," she said. "I can hardly wait a month."
"Well, you always have me," I said. "Not a handsome boyfriend, but I do my best."
"And your best is wonderful," she said. "I have never complained. When I told you about Ross, you encouraged me to meet with him, to 'broaden the relationship.'" I kissed her and said I know I did and did not regret it.
"It's so nice to see the red flush back in your cheeks," I said. "You look like a very satisfied woman these days after meeting Ross. I don't regret a thing." We had come in separate cars, so she followed me home and in the driveway I kissed her again and led her into the house. In our bedroom I began helping her out of her clothes and asked if she'd tell me all about her night at the Marriott.
"What do you want to know?" she asked, kissing me on the lips and folding her clothes and putting them on the settee.