Author's Notes
I've been intrigued recently with stories about "Get Out Of Jail Free" passes. This is a pass given by one partner to the other allowing the other partner to have sex with someone else one time. In the stories similar to the one here the pass is given by a guy to his girlfriend in order to convince her to marry him because for some reason she feels she is not ready or doesn't have the experience to marry yet, and with the pass she feels comfortable that she could have a fling in the future and it will be okay.
I'd like to acknowledge Tx Tall Tales "That Damned Valentine's Day Card" and Andhym "The Weekend" for their related stories. I'd encourage you to read them as well.
For this story I'd like to make it more real and not drift too much into fantasy world. I'm going to split this story into two parts: Part 1 deals with (1) why would a man be compelled to offer the pass and (2) what happens at the point when the pass is cashed in. For Part 2 I will offer an ending dealing with (3) why would the woman in a happy marriage decide to cash in the pass and (4) the aftermath.
All characters in sexual situations are over 18 years old.
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Present
I take another drink from the bottle held in the brown paper bag in my hand, just another one of the lost souls wandering San Francisco and not much worth a second glance to passers by. The only clues that I don't belong are the fresh haircut and shave, clean clothes, and lack of a sack carrying my worldly possessions.
What had started as a fantastic and much needed vacation to celebrate my wife's birthday had gone to shit. The cheap booze is starting to have its way with me as I look around the park. I don't even know exactly where the hell I am. How did it come to this.
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Sixteen Years Ago
It had been good to get back to school, summer was great but I had spent most of it working to save money for college. My parents were middle class and with siblings we all knew there wouldn't be enough money, although strangely we never discussed the details. I had started working summers and as much as I could a couple years ago. So summer for me wasn't the long, easy break it was for most kids so I was happy to be starting my junior year in high school.
After seeing some friends and catching up I was heading toward my first class and running a little late, having talked too long. The halls were mostly empty when I saw a girl running toward me with an oversized backpack, carrying a large folder, and staring at a schedule sheet with a lost expression on her face. About ten feet from me she must have hit a wet spot on the floor because she stumbled and fell to her knees, the folder flying everywhere.
I ran to help her. "Are you okay?"
"Yes." She looked at the floor embarrassed.
"Let me help you." I had already started picking up her papers. Then I reached out a hand which she took.
As she stood up she looked into my face and my eyes locked with her emerald green ones. I saw a pretty freckled face with a tear running down her cheek. I couldn't help reaching up and brushing the tear away with my fingers.
After a few moments I realized I'd been staring a little too long. She must have sensed it too because her face turned even more red and she looked down, but she smiled revealing two cute dimples.
"My name is Ben." I offered.
"Hi. I'm Beth."
"Is this your first day?"
It was. She had just started as a freshmen, had been dropped off late, and was scrambling to find her first class. I told her where to go and said I would see her around.
Two years of age doesn't sound like much, but in high school the difference between a 16 year old junior and 14 year old freshman seems bigger. I made excuses to run into Beth whenever I could, I just felt drawn to her. Finally Beth and I got together when I asked if she'd go with me to a high school dance.
At the time I was a typical rebellious teen not really knowing where I fit in or what I was going to do. I am tall but not stocky and played basketball and ran track, but it wasn't my passion. I loved music and was in a 'band' with some friends where I played guitar. We weren't good but it was fun and Beth seemed to enjoy it.
I had gone through a couple relationships in high school, nothing very serious although I had gotten some physical experience. But with Beth it was different.
Her parents didn't like me at first. I was her first dating relationship, she was only 14, and they had hoped she would wait until at least 16 to start dating. But her father and mine both worked for the same company and he knew my dad and respected him. He was very clear that he would not only kick the shit out of me, but also have my dad do the same if I did anything to his daughter. But they let us date. During the entire time of our high school dating I never took it past third base.
I took it very slow. We spent much more time talking and hanging out than we did kissing. Our personalities meshed so well I just couldn't keep her at arms length. She was the first person I could completely open up to. She understood me completely. We liked the same music, the same food, the same books, had the same odd sense of humor. It was a rough time for her too as her parents were getting a divorce and it was pretty nasty. I was there for her. We fell in love.
Although that year and the next seemed to stretch in time, it eventually came to an end. I had gotten accepted at Ohio State University which was a four hour drive away. Although it was painfully difficult I didn't want to deprive Beth of her junior and senior years of high school or selfishly deprive myself of any new experiences I may have in college. I had seen my older friends try to carry high school relationships into college and it never seemed to work and usually ended badly. Breaking up with Beth was one of the hardest things I had ever done. I was physically sick and she was broken hearted, even though she said she understood and at least logically agreed with the reasons.
After I started college we lost touch. I had two semi-serious relationships along with several not-so-serious hookups. I never felt the kind of connection I had felt with Beth. Through friends I found out that Beth had started dating a guy named Jack from her same grade. I vaguely recalled him being a big kid and evidently he was a star football player and wrestler too. I felt jealous pangs when I heard but I had to acknowledge I was the one who let her go.
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Twelve Years Ago
I was about to start my Junior year at OSU having spent the past summer in Columbus working to save up some money for tuition when I found out from my mom that Beth was coming to OSU in a week as a freshman. I was both elated and afraid when she told me. Elated because part of me wanted to rekindle the past and afraid because she might still be with Jack or reject me.
It helped that mom told me she had heard that Jack was joining the military and that he and Beth had broken up. I was currently single, my last girlfriend having written me a "Dear John" letter over the summer. I had been pretty upset and pissed off about it but was starting to feel better knowing Beth was coming.
I asked around and found out what dorm she would be staying at and hung around on move-in day until I saw her Beth, her dad, her sister, and a woman I guessed was her stepmother pull up. I approached and said hello, that I was 'just in the area' and offered to help.
Beth seemed happy to see me, but also very guarded and more quiet than I remembered. It didn't take a genius to know she was still raw over her break up with Jack. Her sister and dad were glad I was there to help her out and watch out for her, and we had a good conversation.