Two days later, Franck was nervously looking over his shoulder, hoping that Mrs. Wharton, or Mavis, hadn't entered the fast food restaurant that morning.
"Why the fuck did I ever tell her I loved her?" He asked himself for the thousandth time, then gnashed his teeth and jumped to his second and primary concern – Argie and how to get back in her good graces.
Jenny sauntered by and bumped him with her hip, but he chose to ignore her. For the first time in memory, John wasn't horny and it made him edgy. He called Argie at home and was immeasurably relieved when she answered.
"Hello?"
"Hi Argie, how are things on the home front?"
"Things are fine," she responded. The puzzlement in her tone carried over to him and John quickly followed with, "Reason I'm calling and all is . . . um, I wondered, would you like to have lunch with me today?"
"Lunch?"
"Yeah, I thought we might go to Benny's Bistro. They got a nice patio. We could sit outside, it's not too hot and you like their shrimp and . . ."
"Yes, okay . . . what time?" This time he managed to detect a certain pleasurable note in her response and his hopes rose accordingly.
"Its 9:20 now . . . how's noon sound?"
"Noon is good for me. What's come over you? You never invite me to lunch."
"I'm trying to be a good husband, Argie."
"Hmmph," she sniffed, obviously not believing him.
"I know, I know," he protested, "All my fuckin' around hasn't been good for either of us. But we're growing apart and I don't want that. I don't think you do either," he added lamely, hoping desperately that she agreed.
"You made your bed!" Argie spat out as her anger returned.
"Argie, wait!" He wailed, thinking she was hanging up on him, but she did not.
"What?" She asked dully, worried that he might be about to sever their marital relationship.
"Are we still on?" He asked, his concern conveyed to Argie by the worried tone of his words.
"Yes, we're on," she responded as elation filled her chest. "I'll meet you at Benny's," she said waving her free hand in the air as a victory sign as she hung up.
*****
They maintained a fairly silent truce through lunch, then Argie said, "You know, John, our marriage isn't dead."
"I . . . love you Argie," he groaned.
She looked at him, found him as pathetic as a young pup and took pity on him. After all, she thought, 'I've been screwing my ass off and enjoying every minute of it.' An idea began to form in her mind – two cocks were better than one and perhaps she might enjoy Milo's and John's for a while.
"I . . . I realize I've got a problem and . . ."
"Shut up and listen to me for a change," Argie said.
"Okay."
"As I started to say, our marriage isn't over, but it has taken a very weird twist."
He nodded and she kept on talking, kneading her hands as she did. She tried to meet his eyes as she spoke, but quickly lowered them and stared at the glass in front of her.
"I've discovered that I like having sex with someone other than you. Not that you're bad you understand, quite the contrary. But I had to do something . . . after learning about all your other women . . . anyway, I met this guy . . .
I let him pick me up and we went to a motel. John . . . I loved the way he did me."
John put his head in his hands and thought the worst. Argie raised her eyes then, and said, "I hope you're listening to me, John. Our marriage isn't over. It has taken a new turn. I don't want you running around screwing anything you see."
He nodded his assent, but wasn't thinking clearly; wasn't really hearing what lay behind Argie's words.
"But I'm not saying you can't see anyone else either. I like having another guy in bed with me. I didn't think I would, but your actions forced me to find out if I was still attractive to other men."
He raised his face and met her eyes.
"I certainly am that. What's more, I liked getting laid by a virtual stranger. I'm going to do it again, too. Not tonight, or tomorrow.
But this guy I met . . . well, he's a terrific lay . . . but I'm telling you up front I will be seeing someone else eventually."
John was staring in disbelief at Argie.
"How many times can I say I'm sorry, Argie? I've been a fool. I've hurt you and made some terrible mistakes. I can't change any of that . . ."
"Shut up and listen to me!" she hissed without raising her voice.
"Huh?"
"Haven't you been listening to me?"
"Yeah, sure . . . what?" He was thoroughly disconcerted, but finally giving Argie his complete attention.
Slowly, as if speaking to a young child, Argie repeated most of what she had just said. A look of disbelief spread over John's face as the
understanding sank in.
"And you still want to fuck him?"
"Of course I do. And you too."
"At the same time? You want a double?"
"No, I do not want a double. One at a time is plenty for me. No, I mean you do it with . . . whoever and I'll do it with my . . . boyfriend of
the moment."
"Boyfriend of the moment . . ." He said, drawing the words out, almost tasting them. This meant there was hope. She was telling him he could keep screwing around and that she was going to do it too.
"Wait a minute," he said, "I don't like . . ."
"It's not a matter of your liking anything!" She said quickly, cutting him off. "You've made your bed, and this is about what I want, not you."
"You're serious?"
"Of course I am."
"You've thought it all through?"
"Some of it, yes. Not all of it. For example, we need to make a schedule so we don't step on one another's toes."
"Huh?"
"We will tell each other when we'll be dallying with someone else." For the first time in days, Argie smiled at him. John was hard in an instant.
He smiled back at her. "Want to jump my bones now?" He asked.
"That's the first sensible thing you've said this afternoon."
"I can call in, tell Charlie to take charge," he offered.
"Do it!" She said. Her eyes were smoldering with lust.
He waved for the check and said, "This is crazy."
"It is, kind of." Then with a deliberate cruelty she added, "I want to see how you stack up against my current lover."
Franck winced, then asked, "Who is it?"
"Nobody you know. At least I don't think so."
"What's his name?"
"What are their names? Argie shot back.
"Let's drop the subject and get our asses home," he said.
"Now that's the second sensible thing you've said." She stood up, "I'm going to the bathroom. Pay the bill and I'll meet you back at the house."
*****
As it turned out, Argie followed John all the way. Once inside, he began to shed his clothing, leaving a trail in his wake as he headed to their
master bedroom. Argie waited until they were in the bedroom before starting to strip.
"Sit down, John," she said, and then turning on a CD, she began a striptease that she had worked out in her mind on the way home.
Argie took a second to catch the beat. Then her hips began to move, dancing provocatively, lifting her skirt and flashing her tanned thighs
above her stocking tops – slowly running her hands over the contours of each breast in turn, and as the first number ended, began
unbuttoning her blouse.
John sat on the edge of the chair, almost toppling off, but not quite. His jaw hung open and Argie almost laughed at him on noting a
slight drool at the corner of his mouth. His erection was more than evident and she began to hurry along, wanting him inside her,
wanting him badly.
The next track kicked off with a throbbing deep bass, a slow, sensual number by Barry White. Argie was equal to it, slowly slipping her
blouse off her shoulders and then spinning away from him so that all he could see was her back and a slight curve of a breast. Slowly,
provocatively, Argie let the blouse fall from her arms and tossed it at him, turning her face to see if he caught it.
He did, and placed it carefully on the back of the chair he was sitting in.
Hiding the smug smile that lit up her face, Argie reached behind her and with tantalizing, gradual movements, pulled the zipper down, opened the front button and bent her knees as she wiggled her skirt down to her ankles.
With a graceful maneuver, she spun around to face him, legs apart, wearing only a half-bra, garter-belt, stockings, thong and high-heeled shoes.
Argie tried for eye contact, but found her husband staring at the point just below her garter-belt. She had a sudden exhilarating feeling then, as she realized the sexual power she still held over him and wondered fleetingly if she would perform this way for Milo in a few days.