Ron cursed his luck. He and his wife Cindy had been planning on going to her boss' Halloween party for a couple of weeks and had even purchased matching costumes. He was going as an airline pilot while she was going as a stewardess. Only two hours before he was leaving though, he got called into work because Rachel Young, the bitch, called in "sick". Despite his better judgment, he didn't want to leave the floor short-staffed on what would be a, no doubt, busy night. The life of a young doctor.
Cindy wasn't necessarily broken-hearted. Despite the beauty that he and just about everyone touted, she was self-conscious. Her 5'2", 110 pound frame was a petite, yet proportionate pedestal for her gorgeous head topped with shoulder-length dirty blond hair. Up to the minute he was called in, he had to encourage her to wear the rather sexy costume that included a very high skirt. It also highlighted her healthy breasts by framing them in a ruffled shirt and a tight vest. She hated the attention it would throw on her. So when he said he couldn't go, she resigned herself to a night at home.
He was a little relieved. He kind of liked watching the guys stare a bit too long when she walked past them. The strange mix of jealousy and pride that came with it all made him feel good he guessed. He even hid a small fantasy of watching her with another man, though he was sure he couldn't stand it if it happened for real. He knew that her costume and his absence though would be all the office pussy-hounds would need to chase her. Cindy wasn't exactly a party animal, but she was no prude either. For the most part, he was happy she was staying home.
It was for that reason he was a little miffed when she called and said she was going to the party. Her friend Greta called her and begged her to go. "She's alone and she really likes a guy we work with," Cindy reasoned with him. In an effort to sound nonchalant, he lied and said it was great she wasn't staying in and she should go while inside, he imagined the joint legal/accounting/human resource company party at Sid Brauer's house being a wild orgy of skirt chasing with Cindy in the proverbial skirt.
Ron put on his meanest face and scolded Doctor Reynolds, the superior that called him into work. He was met in the hospital locker room and was told that through a fluke he'd only have to pull three hours of his twelve hour shift. He almost hugged the man but just smiled and thanked him. He'd be going to the party after all, though in his scrubs. Well, at least he'd show up he thought.
He grabbed a cap and a surgical mask and took it with him as he left just under three hours later. When he walked into the house where the party was being held, he was impressed at the lengths they had gone to in order to have a dance floor and a couple of bars set up. Music was pumping and there were people dancing together. He peered over the top of his mask looking for Cindy with no initial luck. After he pulled down the mask a bit to take a drink of his rum and coke, he caught the milky white skin of her thighs swaying in front of a dude dressed as a Scottish piper like in Braveheart. It wasn't until he recognized that it was Scott Simpson that he shuddered.
Scott was Cindy's ex-boyfriend. Though they broke up about three years before Cindy and Ron's wedding, Scott would occasionally hit on Cindy. She would always tell Ron about it, which he silently appreciated, but it hardly made it easier. Interestingly enough, she never really spoke much about the prior relationship to Ron, except to remind him it was long over. Ron knew they had dated in college for about six months and then a year or so off and on after she came to work at Yang Corporation. Watching them dance was disconcerting. Ron walked out to his car to calm his nerves.
He sat for about an hour taking sips of the longneck bottle he'd taken from the party. That's when his phone rang. He looked to see that it was Cindy calling. She explained that she was only going to spend another hour or so there before leaving. He acknowledged her and then told her he had to go take care of an emergency.
He didn't know why he didn't just tell her he was at the party, but something encouraged him to keep it to himself. He wanted to watch his wife of eight months and check her integrity. Or maybe he wanted to...he didn't really know, but something was motivating the nervous energy bubbling in his stomach. He took the last few swigs of his beer as he watched more and more people leaving the party. He estimated that Sid was down to about ten guests, two of which were Cindy and Scott. Ron got out of his car and began walking around the side of the house to enter through the back. As he did, more people flowed out.
Ron slid the glass door aside and entered the living room area which was relatively quiet. He heard Sid's wife Lena speaking down the steps to their large furnished basement. "Well, most everyone's gone, but you guys stay as long as you want. We've got Lupe coming tomorrow to clean up so I'm going to go upstairs to Sid. He drank himself to sleep about two hours ago, still in his gorilla costume! Just shut the door as you leave; it'll lock behind you." Lena laughed and Ron heard her coming up the stairs. He acted on impulse and jumped behind a large potted plant to hide. Lena yawned as she walked past him, oblivious to his presence.
Ron walked quietly to the top of the stairs and stared down into the dimly lit basement. From his vantage point, he clearly saw Scott sitting in the center of a leather couch and Cindy on the end. Scott had his beer propped up on his knee, covered by the hem of his kilt.
Scott said, "That was a great party."
Cindy answered rather uncomfortably, "Yeah, it was." She began to stand up and said, "I gotta get going."
Scott said, "Wait, wait. What's the hurry? We never get a chance to talk anymore."
"Yeah, well, we have no reason to talk Scott," Cindy answered. Ron was happy with her annoyed answer.
Scott looked hurt. "Alright, I shouldn't have grabbed your ass," he said and it caused Ron to wince at the image.
Cindy answered, "You're goddamned right Scott. It's embarrassing. I shouldn't have to remind you that I'm married."
Scott whispered back, "I'm sorry." After a pause, he asked, "You really like him, huh?"
Cindy said, "Yeah, of course I love him. He's my husband you doofus."
Scott said, "I know, I know. Just good to see you happy. I have to admit to being a little jealous though. He's a doctor huh? That must be nice."
"Yeah," was all she said, but wrinkled her nose a bit with her response.
"What?" he inquired.
"Oh, nothing," she said trying to disguise the weird face she had just made.
"C'mon; it was something," he dug.
"It's really nothing," she paused and then said, "It's just nights and events like this make me wish he wasn't so busy. You see all the other couples and it's just tough."
"Lonely," Scott said. "Trust me, I know."
