Francis woke before dawn on Monday morning. Patrick was still sound asleep by her side. She was careful not to wake him as she got ready for her day. She had been putting in long hours ever since she got promoted at MUFF. Patrick would not be surprised at all to find her gone by the time he gets up. Francis called her employer from her mobile phone. "Hi. It's Francis. I need to take a sick day today. I'm interviewing a sperm donor. Yes, that's right. We decided to go with a donor. Don't worry. I'll be in tomorrow. We can talk about maternity leave then." Patrick was still dreaming sweetly when she pulled down the driveway.
The sun rose to Francis's left while she drove down highway 15. Her mind was on automatic. Francis was set on her plan the night before, but her resolve started to fade the closer she got to the border. Nervousness ate at her stomach. A line of cars waited at the border crossing. Francis took her place at the end of the line. The wait was much longer than it used to be a decade ago. Security was up for all international traveling. Francis missed the old days.
Finally, it was her turn at the security booth. The border agent asked her routine questions. "Name please," he asked.
"Francis O'Connell."
"How long will you be in America."
"Just for today."
"What is the purpose of your visit?"
Francis paused. She couldn't think of a polite way to explain that she wanted her womb packed with virile Yankee sperm. She gave a less descript answer instead. "I'm traveling for pleasure."
The border agent noticed her hesitation. He also cued in on her anxiety. "Please open the trunk, Madam."
Francis froze. The lawyer in her wanted to ask what probable cause he had to search her car. The pragmatist in her realized that she would have a difficult time explaining to Patrick from a police station why she went to America instead of to work that day. She pressed the button to open her car trunk. The border agent looked through the travel bag that Francis had placed in the trunk the night before. He emptied the contents onto the hood of the car. A red negligee, a black silk robe, lubricant, a feather duster, each item made Francis's cheeks turn a bit redder.
The border agent turned to Francis. "This all looks legal so far. Do you have any drugs or weapons?"
"No, Sir."
"Alright," he said as he repacked the bag and returned it to the trunk. "Have fun in America."
Surviving the ordeal at the border crossing gave Francis new courage. Driving along Interstate-87, she started rationalizing her reservations away.
Artificial insemination was Patrick's idea. It's not as if he's getting cuckolded. Besides, Patrick was the first to wander. If he goes after a strange man's cock, why can't I? What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.
Francis arrived at Albany Yacht Club at around 10 am. She had 6 hours to kill before meeting her husband's lover. Her first move was to tour the club. She wanted to know the territory before confronting her adversaries. Then she went to the lady's room to replace her bra and panties with the red negligee. She put the lube in her purse, but kept the robe and feather duster in the car. With the preliminary preparations out to the way, Francis sat down for lunch in the club's restaurant. A muscular Black man and a plump White woman sat at a table near her.
"Great news," the woman told her companion. "Kristin Davis will be at the dinner."
"Who is she?" the man asked.