Great Therapy Session

Hi All. I have read many 750-word short stories and thought I would have a go. I have to admit it's much harder than it looks. This is also my first venture into the loving wives category.

I won't babble on, but leave a comment and don't forget to score.

Enjoy

******

My eyes scan her incredible body as she walks in with a suit, maybe ten years her senior. She's five-eight and has curves in all the right places. Her C-cup braless chest moves as she walks in confidently, knowing every eye is on her.

"Had a good look?" My pregnant wife and soul mate of seven years asks.

"Yep," I uncharacteristically reply without batting an eyelid.

"She's very attractive; I guess I don't blame you. Makes me feel a little inadequate in my condition."

"Hundred-year egg."

"Pardon?"

"A hundred-year egg. Fine outside, inside stinks."

"Oh," Ashley stifles a laugh and, for once, has no comeback. For a high-end therapist, this is rare. There's a pause, but I wait. "Okay, I give," she finally says.

"That's Michelle," is all I need to say.

"What, the Michelle? Your childhood sweetheart Michelle. The Michelle you lost..."

"Yes," I say before she hyperventilates.

"I think you understated her beauty.....I wondered if we would ever bump into her on our trips to your parents."

"Nah, it's a small town, and I upgraded."

"Flatterer. Who's she with?"

"Not sure. Could be husband number three, four, or five."

"You're bad." Ashley laughs.

"Hopefully, the waiter will hurry bef...."

"Big mouth, you spoke too soon; she's coming over."

"Looking good, Kyle," Michelle says as she sits down without being asked.

"Hello, Michelle, how have you been?"

Her eyes momentarily flit over Ashley, but the table where we are sitting hides her bulging stomach. Michelle lays her hand on mine. "Kyle, we've never talked."

"Then talk," I say.

"Ummm," Michelle says, looking uncomfortable.

"You haven't seen me for eleven years, and 'Ummm' is it? I must say I thought it would be more than that." I glance at my wife. She's got a confident smile on her face, knowing the full story.

"Yeah, but... " Michelle's eyes are on my wife.

"Sorry, Michelle. This is my wife, Ashley. Ashley, this is Michelle. It's okay; Ashley knows the full story. In fact, she's the one that put me back together."

"Oh, so what happened to you? You just disappeared that Monday, and I never saw you again."

"You don't know?" Ashley asks, surprised.

"It doesn't seem so," I say. "It took until Monday to realise I had gone. So what do you think happened?"

"Look, I'm sorry I forgot about your stupid dinner reservation. I mean, who books a table for one in the afternoon?"

"You supposedly had to work in the evening," I returned.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot, but it wasn't any reason to leave me. We only had that weekend left and..."

"And you couldn't even give me that dinner," I say with venom.

"She has no idea what she missed, does she?" Ashley says. "You really messed up. Let me guess: Your marriages have all failed because they weren't Kyle?"

"How.... "

"Because I'm the one who gets to benefit from your mistake, and there's only one Kyle."

"Yeah, but we were going to different Universities," Michelle says, trying to justify her actions.

"Oh? What University did we graduate from, Ash?"

"NYU, my love," she replies. The moment the letters leave her lips, Michelle gasps.

"So that so-called 'Stupid Dinner' was to tell you I had transferred to NYU. I also had my gran's engagement ring." Asley shows her fourth finger. "When you didn't turn up, I paid the bill and then found myself in the cinema, where two teens were making kissy face, with each other. One of them was my supposed girlfriend." Michelle has her hands over her mouth, tears filling her eyes, knowing that one decision changed her life forever. "When they left, I followed. You didn't even get halfway down the stairs before Mitch Bruster pinned you against the wall and asked. Has Kyle gone? Your answer. Kyle, who? You didn't even see me."

"That did not happen," Michelle protests.

"Oh, it did, sweetie; I've seen the video of it," Ashley says.

"But..."

"Why didn't I say anything? Would it have changed anything?"

"I guess. I didn't see you at NYU?"

"You were only there for just over a year, and we were doing different majors. I did see you once at a party, off your face being spit-roasted by two jocks."

I help my wife stand. Michelle's tear-filled eyes go straight to my wife's belly. "Goodbye, Michelle. I hope 'two-minute Mitch' was worth it," I say, taking Ashley's arm.

"Number three," Ashley says proudly, patting her stomach. "Great therapy session," she whispers.

*******

I think it works. I'd love to see your thoughts. Keep and eye open in the future, there will be more one offs.