Anna and Joel - the Fox

This story and all characters are fictional.

My sincere thanks to my editor findingmyvoice. Without her encouragement and editing, this story would have never been completed.

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Today is the 28th of July 2004, a date Joel Masterson will never forget. It's winter in Adelaide, South Australia. It is cold, windy and raining. He is sitting in a cheap, hard, cold plastic chair under the veranda of an old converted house at 10 Greenfield Place, North Adelaide. Today is a miserable day for Joel. Over the last nine months, Joel has sat in this chair many times, this time is no better or worse that any of the times before. He cannot help but think how many husbands have sat in this chair before him, waiting for the Silver Fox to finish with their wives.

He is waiting for his wife Anna. The word 'wife' doesn't start to sum up what Anna means to Joel. She is his lighthouse guiding him through life, his safe place when things are tough, his best friend and lover. But today, as so often before, she is inside the house with her Silver Fox.

Nine months ago, almost to the day, Anna had told him that she had chosen the Silver Fox. They had researched together to find a suitable person to fill Anna's needs and Anna had chosen the Fox. His real name is Mr. Gould, Anna named him the Silver Fox due to his mane of silver grey hair and his charm with the ladies. She makes a sport of teasing Joel about the Fox's charms.

Joel knows him as only the "arrogant bastard." He has only ever spoken to the Fox once, the first time Anna had visited the house. Joel had offered his hand as a goodwill gesture, but the Fox had rejected it, and had then gone into a well-practiced rant.

"Joel you may bring you wife to me, but you cannot stay for our sessions. You will wait on the veranda. Do not bring drinks or food and if you bring a magazine, to pass the time, make sure you take it with you when you leave. I know you do not like me, none of the husband do, but I don't care what you think. I am here only for the wives. Now, leave and close the door behind you as you go."

On the way home, after the first visit, Joel had questioned Anna's choice, but she had defended the Fox. "He is gentle and kind with me Joel, you just don't like him because he won't allow you to be in the house with us."

The word "us" cut Joel to the core, he knew Anna had a crush on the Fox. Joel also acknowledged he could not give his wife what she needed. But he loved Anna more than life itself and would do anything to keep her. She needed the Fox and Joel could not deny her anything she needed.

Joel had been sitting in the chair for what seemed an eternity, when the rain stopped and a small hole appeared in the clouds. He could see the vibrant yellow, indigo, and violet, the beginning of a rainbow forming on the horizon. This marvel lifted Joel's spirits and gave him hope that he and Anna could get through this crisis. At that moment, the front door opened and Anna stood, arms open, waiting for him.

Joel left his chair and rushed to his wife. Wrapping his arms around her, he holds her, every fibre of his being wants to make them right, take them back to the life they had known before the Fox. He sees the Fox over her shoulder and they make eye contact. The Fox dismissively waves Joel away, telling him without words to close the door and leave. Joel closes the door and looks into his wife's eyes, questioning, searching, pleading.

"I'm clear, it's all gone," Anna tells him, sobbing.

Joel pulls her to him, his own tears now flowing. Anna's battle is won. They walk away from the oncology clinic, hand in hand, a team ready to tackle any challenge, ready to raise their two girls, ready to be grandparents when the time comes, ready to love and live.

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