Her Rationalization (750 Words)

"Babe, I want to go on dates," she whispered, staring into her glass.

"What?"

"I want to go on dates. You know, dates."

"We are on a date."

"Yes, but I want to go on dates with other guys."

"Seriously?"

"Yes, I always loved to go on dates, and I want to have some fun outside our marriage, just like you do."

"Oh, really? Is this a joke? If it is, I don't find it funny."

"No joke. I am serious. I want to date guys."

"Have you forgotten our marriage vows?"

"No, I haven't. I don't want to sleep with anyone, only go on dates."

"Okay. So, we are divorcing?"

"No, definitely not!" She said, looking him in the eyes.

"Then what?"

"I love you. I can only see my life with you. But..."

"But what? Do you want to open up our marriage?"

"No, no, that is not what I want."

"You make no sense, and what do you mean by 'like I do'?"

"Let me explain," she murmured, her eyes returning to her glass.

"I am all ears."

"Well, you play soccer on Saturday mornings, train on Tuesday nights, and have drinks with your friends at the footy club on some nights. That is your thing; you spend your time away from me, away from our marriage, doing what you love, and I fully support you. It is your thing, and it makes you happy. On the other hand, I don't do any of those activities, but I like to go to the movies, eat out, dance, and before you say anything, I know we do those things from time to time. However, I want to do them on dates. Footy is your thing whilst going out on dates would be mine."

"You have certainly thought this through, haven't you?"

"Yes, we both should have our interests and follow them."

"Why don't you organise time outs with your girlfriends, join the gym, a class, or something that passes the husband test?"

"They are all married and have kids. It is practically impossible to organise anything with them and go through with it. I always loved to go on dates, which had been my thing before we married. It's all about the preparation, the excitement of dressing up for the guy, hoping he will appreciate my efforts."

"I have to think about this, but I tell you right now, I am uncomfortable with you going out with a guy on a date."

"It will be just like you saying that I am off to training, except I would say that I am off on a date."

"And that should make me feel good about it? That isn't the same."

"Yes, it is. You go out to do your things and come home a few hours later, and so will I."

"Do you remember what happens on dates? The touches, the kisses, the make outs, then one day the sex?"

"Yes, I do."

"Is that what you expect to happen on your dates because that is what your date will expect?"

"Don't be daft. No, not at all. I just want the excitement of going on a date."

"Have you got someone on your mind already?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do."

"Of course you do. Who is he?"

"Don't be like that. Jeromy from work asked me out for a drink. I like the guy, although I haven't said yes to him yet, I want to."

"If you want to go on a date so much, then why haven't you said yes yet?"

"I did not want to do anything behind your back. Honesty is important to me in our marriage."

"But going on a date is fine, cheating is fine?"

"It's just going on a date with a friend. No cheating."

"I guess I won't be able to convince you about how flowed your thinking is."

"Thanks for that, and no, you will not."

"Shit!" he said, picked up their glasses, and walked to the bar.

Looking back over his shoulder, he glanced at his beautiful wife of 5 years, staring at her hands, lost in her thoughts as she pondered on how to convince her husband what she wanted to do was fair while he wondered if he could stop the destruction of their marriage. The one thing he knew for sure was that he loved her more than anything else in life but would never be her cuck, no matter what she said.