In Her Eye's Only
I'm Just A Relic
It was a shocking moment to all who knew us as a couple to hear the words Adera, my wife of over sixteen years was saying in front of our family and friends who had thrown her a surprise party to celebrate some of her achievements. The indirect looks I was catching was amazing as most were wondering how I would react to what Adera was saying.
It was not to me; because of what I had just recently learned. I had figured with the changes she had made in her life that did not include me that it was just a matter of when or where she would publicly announce the end of our marriage.
Even though I had not seen her in over six months in the flesh, Adera looked good. After having missed her birthday because of the virus's lockdowns it was clear that she had slimmed down and lost about twenty pounds. I wondered if it was a result of the elitists' favorite drug known as cocaine.
At thirty-six Adera still had a five-foot-eight-inch frame that made many a man take a second look. The way her blonde hair was now styled to frame and slenderize her face made her dominant facial feature to come to the fore naturally. An added plus for her tonight was that she was in two-inch heels which helped to tighten her bottom half up making her appear even more slender.
Between the two physical changes, she looked younger and more vibrate than she had when she had left for her latest overseas trip. The places where she had lost the most only enhanced the strength of her body's natural curves. Everyone was impressed by her looks.
The expensive sleek Paris styled outfit was over the top for here but what she was wearing accented her newfound sensuality in a brilliant and classy way. This was an Adera that we were not used to seeing. We all knew that she was making it clear to all present that she had made changes to her approach to life since we had last seen her.
Her image was one that was advertising the fact that she was a hottie who now saw herself as being back in the market and looking forward to being chased by eligible men even though she was married. It was as if she was telling the world she had found a new sense of freedom from the conformities of society while telling me I had no choice but to suck it up and accept it.
She was promoting the fact that she was available to the right person for a sexual adventure. To some, it was implying that we had an open marriage. From others, the looks I was getting from friends and family went from sadness to pathetic. If she was trying to publicly humiliate me, she was doing a great job.
Tara her long-term best female friend and soon to be her latest enemy walked over to where I was sitting. To most attending it had been quite noticeable that my wife and I had not spoken to each other since her arrival. Every time I had approached my wife, she had deliberately turned her back to me and walked away.
Even the quests because of the very public display was keeping their distance from me. I was now an untouchable whom no one was to speak to. She had in her own way sent a message to all and they were catching it. Yet Tara walked over with her daughter and embraced me with a natural friendly gesture.
"Who is this woman we are seeing, Ray?" Tara asked with a knowing smile while making sure that those nearby heard her.
"The newly reinvented trendsetter in the globe trotters world, who has no clue to what's going on back here in reality," I said. "Adera believes she is in complete control but has no clue about anything."
"I should be thanking you for this," Tara said quietly. "Now that we see the whole picture through different eyes, we understand how she has used her ways to play her games. I am going to enjoy giving her, her ultimate reward. We got a lot of things to make up for. I thought you would be smiling because of what's going to happen. I know I am."
"Tara, I promise you I will be at the appropriate time," I said. "The appearance that I am clueless must be kept up for just a little while. I want to keep what's going to happen a complete surprise. By the end of the night, all will know that I am not the hapless husband she is making me out to be. Just remember that for the next few days I am going to be busy dealing with the aftermath of tonight's events."
"I guess I am just eager to get it done, and that explains why you look like you're trying to figure it all out," Tara said. "If we had only known before what we do now things would be a lot different."
Tara was right in more ways than one. The problem is that sometimes for knowledge to come we must wait on time. Tonight, for good one way or another the relationship between Adera, Tara, and I would be changed forever.
"Ray, I told Tina during a long talk before we got here who you are, and why things were the way they were," Tara said with a smile. "I got it set up so that you two can sit together for the dinner. With what's about to happen we will be free from the bonds of the past.
I had caught glimpse of Tina throughout the years when we got together. Looking at her anew I could not have helped having a sense of pride. Tina was a stunningly beautiful lady just like her mother. We got into a discussion about what she planned to do with her life after high school and I learned she was majoring in drafting and design which thrilled me to death.
Over the dinner, Tina tactfully asked the questions I had fully expected her to. By the time dinner was over we were both finding out that the other was acceptable of our changing relationship going forward. Having been raised as an only child she was about to have a whole bunch of family coming into her world once things settle down after the events of this evening.
I could not help but wonder how Adera's and my three would accept learning that they had a half-sister they did not know about. Funny that this truth would not have come out if Adera had not done what she had done.
********
I had been surprised when her father informed that Adera, his pride, and joy had finally been cleared by the government officials in Australia to fly home after the six-month quarantine was lifted. Once she landed in New York she had to be tested and quarantined again for two weeks until she was given a clean bill of health. The state and the City could not seem to get their shit together and ended up complicating the simple.
This Friday afternoon she took a small private plane to make the final journey to our regional airport. Jesse her right-hand man had come with her. For most of the last four years, they had worked together. They had arrived just in time for the official dinner and dance.
With both of us having busy careers no one had an idea what was going on behind closed doors and that was how we had wanted it. Then four years our world took a drastic change.
Her father having stepped up to the board of directors had turned the everyday operation to its new CEO and President his eldest daughter who was my wife. So far, the rewards as far as he was concerned had been top-notch. Under her direction, it had taken off. The conglomerate had not had this good of a bottom-line performance in years. Since she had taken over the growth had been amazing. Their greatest competition had been hit hard by the new programs she had put in.
Our three children with the help of my wife's parents had rented the medium-sized conference room at our favorite club in which we all held memberships. They had used the club's restaurant staff to prepare and serve the dinner. It also had an open bar as all costs were being written off as a business expense. Since there were no virus restrictions in the area everybody invited attended.
We had about fifty to sixty people besides family who were all consider to be elites in the business world attending the private event. Everything was a celebration because it combined a welcome home bash, belated birthday party, and a celebration for how well the conglomerate had done.
The private limo had bought Adera and Jesse directly to this location as soon as she cleared the airport from the last leg home on her latest business trip. We had rented it for the evening so I knew the luggage she brought with her would be available to her when she left.
When they had cornered me with the idea, I had been all for it but none of them could understand why. For me to agree to it without having to be convinced was puzzling to them because it contradicted everything I had ever done.
After all, everybody knew I was the one member of the family that did not like big events and had often refused to attend most of them because I had never felt that I could fit in. In the last ten years, all could count the number I had attended on one hand.
My problems along this line had developed because of the insecurities I carried with me since childhood. To those who knew my walk in life, they could see how they affected everything. As a result, even until this day I never felt comfortable being around those with power, influence, and money.
Yet here I was walking among the elite of the elite in our society mingling with them as if I belonged. Most of them had felt I had married above my class and that Adera had married down.
Our next-door neighbors, Jesse and Janice Yelland were in attendance. Both came from a family who had old money and they protected their image to the max. Like all who came from old money, they conducted themselves in ways that showed that they had power and influence yet only used it when forced into it. Everything they did publicly was done with grace and class.