"You are free to enjoy the evening without fear or guilt. I will love you just the same tomorrow. No matter what."
Those were the words spoken by Gary to his wife, Samantha, late Wednesday afternoon. Samantha had spent the better part of an hour preparing for a blind date with the mysterious and oddly-named Crue. They were to meet at a local Mexican restaurant at six o'clock. Samantha had been fidgeting all day. She didn't enjoy balancing out her own desires for the evening with the weight of her husband's feelings. She didn't really know what she wanted out of this encounter, but she felt too many extraneous things weighing on her - what the "right" thing to do might be, what might hurt her husband or even herself and where the encounter would lead in the ensuing days and weeks. It was very confusing.
Those words, memorized clumsily by her husband all day and spoken with sincerity as Samantha left for her date, calmed her down. Strangely, she felt a wave of love for her husband then - he understood and would not judge her. She was reminded of the couple they had talked to about open marriages. They made it work and they loved each other. Then again, most couples break up trying. This crazy 'experiment' might work or it might not, but no permanent damage would be done. She could focus now on the evening ahead and maybe even enjoy herself. Maybe.
Gary was more unsure than he let on, but he wanted to set the right tone. He struggled for days trying to figure out the right thing to say to comfort Samantha. Gary had been, in many ways, the instigator of the open marriage concept and felt responsible for getting their first experience off properly. Gary, however, was also nervous. He was already jealous that - somehow - Samantha was to have sex outside the marriage first.
Samantha hugged her husband tightly, kissed him on the cheek and turned to leave.
"I love you," Samantha whispered one last time. Gary returned the sentiment.
Samantha left for her date. The whole thing felt surreal.
- - - - - - - - -
"Can I ask why they call you Crue?"
Samantha asked the question after an awkward handshake in the restaurant lobby. They were told that there might be a twenty minute wait for a table, a small surprise for a Wednesday night. They stood and waited together, trying to make small talk and avoid other people entering the restaurant. Hopefully, the food would be worth the wait.
Crue looked down at Samantha - he was almost a foot taller - and smirked. "Not a fan of hard rock, are ya?"
"Oh, Crue's a nickname for a musical group? What was that group again? Def Crue?" Samantha smiled knowingly. She had no idea if he would get the joke.
"Motley Crue," he responded, showing off a tattoo on his right arm with the band's name. "Maybe the best band of all time. In my opinion."
"I know. I was teasing."
"Sassy. That's cool. I got the tattoo when I was nineteen. I got the nickname right after."
"Are you still a fan?"
"Oh yeah, but not obsessed like I was. I've thought of having it removed, but what the hell. It was an interesting part of my life."
Crue had dressed well for the occasion - short sleeve white button-up shirt, red tie with a subtle pattern in the background and navy slacks. She noted that Crue didn't appear comfortable - he was a tall, strong man who carried himself with confidence, but didn't seem like the shirt and tie kind of guy. The short sleeves showed off his build. He was obviously a man who enjoyed working out. She wondered if she could wrap both of her hands around his bicep and then thought maybe she would get the chance to find out. She bit her lip and smiled.
Samantha, on the other hand, wore a flowing blue summer dress. With her long blonde hair pulled back with clips and a flashy bracelet on her right wrist, she looked both innocent and feminine. A smooth layer of red lipstick completed the image.
"You're a very beautiful woman," Crue stated matter-of-factly. "This whole thing must be very strange for you."
"Thank you. Yeah. I admit...I'm nervous."
"No pressure at all. Let's just have fun." Crue was self-assured, but not arrogant. His charm was part animal magnetism and part friendly companion. Crue's method for seducing women boiled down to three basic tenets. Show genuine interest. Make her feel attractive. Above all else, make her feel safe. He understood that Samantha's situation was inherently stressful; he went the extra mile to show that she could take a risk tonight without fear.
Samantha thanked him for being understanding and the conversation continued. Samantha felt the urge to explain her marital situation, including details about their possible open marriage and how they had arrived at the date this evening, but Crue wasn't interested.
"I want to hear about you," Crue said, redirecting the conversation. "Tell me about yourself."
"Well, huh," she began quietly. "What do you want to know? I'm an elementary teacher, part time. I love reading. I love cats. I love hiking sometimes. I love travel."
"Oh, that's too bad. I hate all of those things."
Samantha laughed. Okay, this guy might be pretty cool, she thought.
Samantha relaxed. Crue was a very good listener. This was not an act on Crue's part. Yes, he knew how to make a woman feel at ease, but he also was genuinely interested in Samantha. She was a shy little creature who needed an opportunity to open up. He enjoyed the feeling - and even the power - of providing her the opportunity to do so.
Samantha knew she would spend the evening with him. If he wanted. It seemed that simple. No mind games. She became flirtatious, and they finally held hands from across the table. Crue invited Samantha back to his home. She said yes.
Crue liked Samantha a lot - but he knew that his efforts this evening, all geared toward pleasing Samantha, might be problematic for her in the near future. He almost felt sorry for her husband.
- - - - - - - - - - -
"Turn the TV on or something," Gary requested of his friend, Kent, who had ordered a large supreme pizza from a local delivery chain. "I need the distraction. I hate the anticipation and shit."
"Sure," Kent said. "Now, let's see, what exactly does a person watch while their wife is getting laid?"
"We don't know if that'll happen tonight or not."
"Uh huh. Here we go. Pro wrestling."
Gary hated pro wrestling, but he nodded anyway. He didn't care. His mind was elsewhere. The TV was just a distraction. He wondered what was happening with his wife. He told himself over and over that she should have fun. He wondered if this is always how it was with open marriages - one person out having fun, the other sits wondering. No, probably not, he decided. They must get used to it over time. It would be no big deal after awhile.
"You okay?" Kent asked.
"Yeah. I think so."
