Monday afternoon Tessa ran into Margie when picking up her son Win.
Tessa: "Forgive me asking, but what the hell happened with you and Vince the other night?"
Margie: "I'm still asking myself the same question, Tessa. I keep coming back to that damn swing."
Tessa: "What about the swing?"
Margie: "You know me and my Sybian... the swing offered so many different variations."
Tessa: "I can agree with you on that," she said, recalling the double penetration she'd experienced. "I remember thinking that you and Vince would have bought one by next week."
Both women laughed at that and Margie nodded, "It has come up already. Vince is researching them. It seems there are lots to choose from."
Then Margie grew serious. "Look the kids will be here in a minute or so, but Tess, my emotions are on a roller coaster right now. I mean like last night, one minute I loved Vince and the next I wanted to kill him. I realize now that my fury was out of proportion to what had just happened, but at that moment I had to get out of there or I'd have done something we'd all regret.
"Once we were in the car and moving, I felt more in control and immediately calmed down. Vince on the other hand got extremely pissed. My hissy fit had denied him a chance to screw several women while I on the other hand had gotten very well laid, thank you very much."
"Well," Tessa said, "I understand if a relationship is good it's worth fighting for... I mean, I thought men were more jealous than women, but I may be wrong."
"How are they more jealous?"
"Um, they have to know who their children are for one."
"Yeah, and wives tend to be considered personal property for another," Margie added.
"True," Tessa agreed. "In a woman's eyes, men have alternatives and mobility. I think women are inclined to wait for sex. Without a man, a woman is passive and paralyzed, unless she chooses another woman, but that takes us in another direction."
"Does it?"
"Yes, let's stay focused, Margie. Men are the less jealous because a woman is passive and paralyzed. However, they either keep a woman on a pedestal or in the gutter in order to diminish their power over men."
"You seem to know a great deal about the subject," Margie said caustically.
"Hey, I graduated college. I learned a few things," Tessa laughed. "Throughout history, the sexual infidelity of women has been punished far more harshly than that of men. A man is cuckolded; a woman is unfortunate. The wife's infidelity strikes at the husband's honor and humiliates him. His infidelities, however much it hurts the wife, need not humiliate or dishonor her; it reflects on him rather than her, whereas hers reflects on him.
"So a man has more to lose from his mate's infidelity than the woman does. And so, law and custom protect him more; i.e., the famous, double standard.
"Did you know that recent studies reveal that 54% of married women have committed adultery?"
"What, I can't believe the number is that high?"
Tessa laughed. "Believe it. Ever since the pill things have changed dramatically. I mean, besides the obvious, there's an article I read recently that said a conflict is brewing over the assumptions we make with regard to women's fidelity that will breed more jealousy than ever before. The um, presumption being that the act of adultery leaves women confused and guilty."
"What?" Margie blurted. "It's not jealousy... its envy."
"You make a valid point, Marge, we tend to think of jealousy in sexual terms... but others have compared envy and jealousy as: Envy being a two-party transaction; while jealousy entails three. For example: we envy a good another person has. While we are jealous of a rival who threatens to take away something we love."
"I don't know... I think you lost me there," Margie said, looking around to see if the kids were headed their way. They weren't, and she turned back to Tessa.
"So Marge, do you feel its okay to come onto a guy but get pissed when Vince looks at another woman?"
Margie's eyes teared up. "Oh for Christ's sake, here I go again. I tell you, Tessa, I've been feeling so insecure lately," Margie admitted. "I wanted to become the kind of woman he wanted, you know... so we swapped with you and Danny. That seemed okay, because you and me and how we... well, you know. I figured Vince was sure of himself, but he isn't. But by the time I discovered it, I was making myself something I wasn't. I was humiliated when he started in with those other women. My jealousy thermometer went ballistic."
Tabby and win came running out the school doors leading the pack, and ran straight to their mother's arms, thereby ending the conversation.
*****
"So what the fuck happened with you guys?" Danny asked the moment the opportunity presented itself.
"Beats the shit outta me," Vince responded. "I was sitting on the couch getting ready to bang Cynthia. You may have seen us, I don't know. I mean, you were banging Tessa... you and the other guy... she was riding the swing and all."
"I recall Margie was right there with you and Cynthia, but that's all. I had other things on my mind."
"Me too, that's why Margie caught me off-guard like she did. I mean, we were out of there half dressed. Hardly had a chance to tell anyone we were leaving."
"How is she now?" Danny asked hoping that the relationship between the two couples remained intact.
"Seems better, I mean, she's talking to me; but not about the party. I take it a day at a time, you know?"
"Yeah... well if I can help, or if maybe a call from Tessa might make things smoother, let either of us know. We love you guys and don't want to damage our relationship."
"Thanks, Danny. I'll be sure to pass it on to Margie."
*****
Two days later, Margie was at the tennis club, working on her serve when she was approached by Carol Lambert. Carol asked if she wanted to play a set, just for practice, nothing serious, and Margie agreed.
After the match, Carol suggested they go out to dinner that night. "Milford has a member ship at the Trinity Manor. We just joined; tonight will be our first time dining there. We'd love it if you and Vince could join us; our treat, of course."