Carl

**********

2022

"You want to do what?"

"It's nothing that will affect you and me. It's just a date. That's all."

**********

My wife clearly lost her mind somewhere in the last few hours. I was flabbergasted with her suggestion. "So, let me get this sorted out in my feeble little brain. (She grimaced at that comment). You want to go out on a date with a man who is not your husband?"

She was starting to look displeased with my tone and the suggestion that what she was proposing was somehow...inappropriate.

"It's just a evening with a friend. A meal in a restaurant and maybe dancing after. That's all."

"So, this 'friend' can't get a date with a woman that isn't married?"

"It's not like that, Carl."

"So tell me just exactly what it is like." I wanted to know just what the hell my lovely wife of three years was talking about.

"He moved here a few months ago and hasn't met many people outside work and he's lonely and wants to get out and do something with somebody else. It's just that."

What the hell! "Oh, well, if it's only that why not just invite him over here for our next neighbourhood get-together?"

"Well, I think he's a bit shy..."

"...not shy enough to not invite a married woman to go out with him..."

"He's a very nice man and I think he just needs to spend some time with another person in a social setting. And I need to get out sometimes too, since it seems all you do is work."

"You do know that all the work that I've been doing has been to build up our savings so that we can start that family we talked about?"

"Of course I know. It's just that you're away so much and when you are here it's nothing but meetings and then even when you are at home you spend a lot of time working on your laptop. Why can't you spend time with me?"

Clearly this had been a problem brewing in my wife for some time and it was boiling over with this 'date' with her new friend. I got up and went to the kitchen and got a beer from the refrigerator. After I poured my IPA into one of my favourite glasses and sat down. In a very quiet voice I said, "why haven't you told me this before?"

"You're never here to tell anything to."

"What the....that's your defence? I'm away too much? Why am I away?"

"Well, it seems like you're never home. You're away almost every week for days at a time. We never talk. We never spend time together and do things together. I get lonely sometimes." Her voice got very quiet at the end of her last statement. Loneliness was the real reason why my wife was looking to date other men. I had failed in my relationship with her, but she similarly had failed as well. The solution to our problems was not through finding solace in the company of other men on dates with them.

"So, because you're lonely, you want to date other men? Have I got that straight?"

"Don't make it sound so...sordid. It's just a meal and maybe some dancing."

"And a few drinks and maybe other things that go from there."

She answered very quietly, "I suppose."

"Yeah, that's how dates work."

**********

My brain was churning over at a million miles a minute and I was trying to formulate a plan to deal with my wife and her plan to cure her loneliness through dating other men. This would not end well. I needed a plan and fast. I took a big drink of my beer and in a flash my plan started to take shape.

"Paula, when are you planning to go on your date with your new boyfriend?"

"Thursday, when you're at your mountain bike night. And he's not my boyfriend. He's just a friend, that's all'"

Thursday nights were when I went mountain biking with the club that I belonged to. I could see that she was thinking that if I was occupied doing something else it would matter less to me. Yeah, right.

I got up and walked away from my wife and went to get a shower. Suddenly I felt soiled by the whole discussion.

**********

That next Thursday I talked to Paula one last time and tried to convince her that going on a date with another man was not a good thing for our marriage. I tried to tell her that it would not end well. She dismissed my feelings and stuck to her line that it was 'just dinner and maybe some dancing' and that I was making a big deal out of nothing.

She left for her date. I left for my biking meet-up and tried to forget about it. That didn't work at all. I was distracted and finished last place that night. But I did add a bit more to my plan to deal with Paula's dating plans.

What was good for her could also be good for me. That old goose-gander idea.

**********

Two weeks later, at breakfast as I was getting a bagel and some coffee, I mentioned to Paula that I was going to be out on Tuesday night. I didn't say why or where I was going to be out, or any other details. Finally, Paula's curiosity got the better of her and she asked what I was going to be doing. I didn't answer her as I put my dirty dishes in the dishwasher and went to brush my teeth before leaving for work.

I hustled out the door and headed off to work.

**********

Things at home had been a bit tense since Paula started dating her new boyfriend. We communicated less and there was nothing close to sex. I barely touched her.

Tuesday, after I got home I went to the bedroom and changed into some casual clothes. I spent a few minutes on my laptop and sent a couple of text messages and then grabbed my keys to head out the door. Paula was staring at me with her mouth slightly open. She asked, "What time will you be home?"

"Probably late so don't wait up.". I headed out the door.

I had fun that night. I was out with a woman from my mountain biking club. I had known her for about two years and knew that she was single but had a couple of different boyfriends. I asked her out and amazingly, she said yes. I knew that the little issue of my being married might come up in our conversation and I decided to be up front and brutally honest in my answers. Sure enough, after the pleasantries were out of the way, Diane asked the key question: what's going on with your wife?

I gave her the mid-length version of events and told her that since Paula was out there seeing what she was missing, I felt it only fair that I get to do the same. Diane actually laughed and I told her if my situation was too awkward for her I would understand. She asked if Paula knew I was out on a date and my answer was that I hadn't specifically told her that I was but she would either be glad so that she could step up her dating schedule or upset and realize what she was doing to our relationship and marriage. Either way, my plan was to push things along and see what transpires.

We had a nice time. Mini-golf and Italian food are always fun and delicious. At the end of the night I got a kiss and told that if I wanted another date to call her.

**********

Two nights later I was at my mountain biking club event and Paula was on another date with her boyfriend. She got home about 3 AM. I was in bed asleep when I heard the front door open and shut. Paula quietly crept in, went to the shower and then slipped into bed. I rolled over and put my back to her.

The next morning we didn't speak before we left for work. I knew then that the end was near.

**********

A few months later (Early 2023)

Work had me on the road a lot lately. I spent several weeks mostly away doing audits and consultancy work with several clients. When I got home I often came home to an empty house. Paula was frequently out. My own social life was sporadic because of work travel and so I made a couple of decisions.

When I did see Paula (it was two days after I got home) I knew that she had been spending a lot of time with what's-his-name. I wasn't surprised. It was time for Phase 2 of my plan.

**********

Phase 2 of my grand plan was simple - move out. I started by cleaning out my closet and donating some of my things that I hadn't used in a long time. Several black garbage bags of things went in the back of my SUV to Goodwill. I packed a few plastic bins of things that I wanted to keep and took them to the garage. I made note of a few pieces of furniture that I wanted (my roll top desk that I bought at an antique store) and got them moved to the garage. There were a couple of bigger pieces that I would leave in place until the move day.

When Paula did turn up we did talk for a few minutes. She asked how long I was home for until I was leaving next. I answered that I wasn't sure. She nodded and turned away. Neither asked the other anything personal. It was as if we were strangers in the same house.

The next day I went apartment hunting and found a very nice one-bedroom unit in a newer building with big floor to ceiling windows, a nice balcony and a great view. The building has a gymnasium, an indoor pool and underground parking. It would be prefect for me in the short term. I signed a one year lease. The next day I got the keys and began moving my things in. I enlisted the help of a couple of friends, one of whom has a Silverado truck and my roll-top desk and a few other things got moved.

**********

Paula

When I got home I noticed that Carl's Subaru Outback wasn't in the garage. I knew he was away but thought he might be back by now. I went to the bedroom to get changed from work. I expected Carl would be home; I needed to talk to him about a few things. This dating others business had gotten complicated and I needed to talk about it. I wasn't sure that the benefits were worth what I had to pay. I've barely seen Carl in the last few months and when he was home he was out most of the time. He hasn't so much as said more than a few words to me let alone touch me. Being with Dave hasn't been all that I'd hoped it would be. After the first couple of dates all he really wanted to do was have sex. The excitement that comes with dating was pretty much gone. We don't go out at all and all he wants is for me to get naked, suck his cock and then get on my back and spread my legs so he can get in my pussy. He won't suck my clit any more; I really like having my clit played with.

I started to make something to eat and I noticed a large brown envelope on the counter with my name on it. It was from a law office. I stopped what I was doing and opened it. There were a several pages stapled together with a small blue cardboard triangle at the top left, paper clipped to the top of the papers was a white envelope with my name on it, hand written and I was certain it was in Carl's handwriting. I opened it first and took out the single sheet of paper. It was a handwritten letter,

Paula,

So, just in case you didn't understand my concerns about you dating other men, I want to let you know that I've moved out and the papers in the big envelope are divorce papers. You made it very clear to me that I was not the guy that you want to be married to. And I have to tell you that you're not the woman that I want to be married to.

When you first told me that you wanted to date other men, I thought it was a joke, but you quickly made it clear that you were very serious about it. I know now that my job and the amount of time that it took me away from home was likely the chief factor that led you to decide to seek companionship and sex elsewhere. For that, I apologize. I thought that all the work I was putting in was to benefit you and I and build up our savings so that our plan to have a family wouldn't mean us having to scrimp and save later on. I assumed incorrectly.

One of the things that you taught me was that if dating was good for you, it could also be good for me. Thank you for that important lesson. I knew that I needed to keep my social life seperate from you and so that meant that you and I were destined to not stay married. We haven't been intimate with each other in several months and I have gotten checked to make sure that I haven't gotten any 'surprises' from you the last two times we did have sex. You'll be pleased to know my doctor's report came back negative.

So, I've taken everything I wanted, you can do whatever you like with everything else. Please sign the divorce documents and return them to my lawyers office. You can have your own lawyer look at them; your decision on that.

I let the company that we're renting the house from know that I'm not there anymore so you can stay or move, again your choice. Please don't bother calling me or texting or emailing. I'm not really interested in rehashing events, you poisoned that waterhole, time to call it a day on this marriage and move on.

Good luck with your boyfriend (I found out his name is Dave something or other). I hope you have found happiness with him.

Carl

Fuck! I had planned to stop seeing Dave and make it up to Carl. I pulled the remaining papers out of the envelope and saw that Carl's wedding ring was also in the envelope. Fuck.

**********

Carl

I didn't say it in the letter but I found the white plastic pregnancy test thing wrapped in some toilet paper in the bathroom garbage can. It was positive. Boyfriend Dave was going to be a father. Good for him.

**********

Several months later

"I'll get it," Diane said in response to the phone chime that announced someone was at the lobby and wanted to come up.

After she hung up she turned to me and said "that's someone that wants to see you."

"Who"

"I'm not sure you want to see them."

I stopped what I was doing and put down the wood spoon that I was using to stir the spaghetti sauce. 'Why now' was the thought that I immediately had. "I suppose that eventually this was gonna happen, let her in."

When Diane opened the door she was taken a bit back by the sight that was in the doorway.

I wiped my hands on the tea towel and went round the corner to the vestibule. Standing there was a very pregnant Paula. She was staring at a very pregnant Diane.

**********

Now time for a joke:

A 40ish year old woman was naked and jumping up and down on her bed, laughing and singing.

Her husband walks into the bedroom and sees her. He watches her for a while and says:

"You look ridiculous! What on earth are you doing?"

"I just had my checkup and the doctor says I have the breasts of an 18 year old."

She starts laughing and jumping again.

"Yeah, right and what did he say about your 41 year old ass?"

Your name never came up," she replied.