Lying for Peace

Since most of the stories here are written by men for men, I thought I'd try a story from a man's point of view. It is not particularly sexy but some of you may enjoy it.

*

"Darling, I want you to know: I've decided to stop seeing George."

George was, or least had been, my wife's lover. She'd seen him most Wednesday evening's for the last year or so.

At 38 Mavis still attractive and she's kept herself in good shape. I'm happy to be seen with her. But Mavis does have her downside.

It was because of that downside that I felt dismayed by her news. Our marriage had been much better since George came into her life. George kept her well satisfied and gave her something to think about. Prior to that she was always moaning, always wanting me to do some pointless chore, more for the sake of appeasing her than for any benefit conferred.

I'd resented George when I first found out about her affair. If it hadn't been for our two kids I'd have divorced her on the spot but as time went by I came to appreciate the benefits: I had a contented well service wife who conscientiously looked after her husband and her household. The whole vibe in our house was better, all thanks to George's genital and whatever it was he'd been doing to Mavis with it. And Mavis had never denied me my conjugal rights. She usually seemed to enjoy me exercising them too.

"How come?" I asked her, hoping I wasn't betraying my true feelings.

"For the children. Amy's coming up to fifteen and has started to know about these things. Cedric is young for his age and innocent. I want to keep him like that for as long as I can."

I nodded. "Makes sense."

"Also Ted, I owe you. You've been so sweet and tolerant all this time and I realised I've been so thoughtless and neglectful towards you. I want you to know I love you and that you are the only man I ever want in my life. I'm so sorry that I've hurt you."

I wasn't happy with this development but I tried not to show it. She was aiming to build her life around me again with all the irritations that entailed. It'd be Ted this and Ted that. All the verbalisation of her silly female thoughts and preoccupations: yak bloody yak. And 'Oh what fun to do things together.' The end of a peaceful life. "What does George say about it?"

"He was disappointed but he understood. He thanked me for all the good times we'd had."

I could see that George had had enough of her too. And he'd only had her one evening a week. "Well, thank you Mavis. That is good news."

She frowned. "You don't seem as happy about it as I'd expected."

Ye gods! She was starting already. I was supposed to jump up and down with joy that she'd stopped being an adulteress. "Of course I'm pleased, dear. We can carry on as we were before."

"But what?" Obviously my voice hadn't carried the conviction to match my words.

But what indeed? This could easily become one of those stupid fights she used to indulge in with hostile 'I'm not speaking to you' silences. There'd been none of that when she was seeing George.

She was giving me that look. Oh hell! My subconscious controlled my voice before I even thought of a response. "Mavis, I have a confession to make to you."

The temperature in the room seemed to drop by several degrees.

"You've been seeing someone." It was an accusation, not a question. Mavis in her outrage had forgotten her own peccadillo.

"Not exactly, no."

"Then what?"

This time my conscious mind was back in control and I forced my voice to match my words. "It is rather embarrassing darling."

Outrage became curiosity. "What have you been up to, Ed?"

"Nothing. I haven't been up to anything."

"So what's this confession then?"

I affected acute embarrassment. "This isn't easy to say Mavis."

Mavis rolled up her eye-balls in a 'God give me strength with this idiot' expression. "Just say it."

"You going with George..." That put Mavis back on the defensive. She remembered her own guilt.

"Yes?"

"Well, for me there was something.... once I got over the shock..." I had Mavis's complete attention at that point. I could see she was impatient for me to say whatever it was that I was trying to say. "Well, Mavis, I could see that the arrangement was actually good for you."

"Oh!" she said. "So you weren't all that angry with me?"

I just shook my head.

"You mean you put me through all that guilt for nothing? Why didn't you say so?"

"I didn't put you through that guilt sweetheart. You did that all by yourself. I have wanted to discuss it but every time I brought it up you avoided it." That was true. Mavis had always assumed I would get on at her about her affair and so avoided the topic. Mavis knew full well she had avoided talking about it.

"Well, it's all over now darling. We can have fun doing things together."

My heart sank. I visualised myself traipsing up and down supermarket aisles, or watching her try on clothes.

"And what do you mean 'good for me'?"

"I could see that you were a happier person in yourself. More settled somehow. I think you are the sort of person who needs an arrangement like that. It was good for you and that made you a better wife for me. Once I saw that I stopped resenting it."

Mavis was taken by surprise. Her eyes widened. Her jaw dropped. "You did? Ted there are occasions when you astonish me. This is one of them."

"How do you mean, Mave?"

"Such insightfulness. That's exactly how I saw it. Except I didn't think you would. I worried all the time about you."

"Worried about me?"

"I worried that you wouldn't understand. That you'd be hurt or jealous or angry."

"I was at first. I felt threatened. But as I saw you weren't going to run off with him or anything and the household kept going... Well, I relaxed about it."

"Ted, you are so sweet. I love you so much." She gave me a hug and a kiss.

After that Mavis was more congenial for a while. Of course she couldn't leave it alone. It was one evening a few weeks later. "Ted, you say you didn't really mind that I was seeing George?"

"Not once I saw that it was meeting some kind of need for you, no."

"George rang me today. He's asked me out again."

"And?"

"How would you feel if I went out with him?"

"More important is how would you feel? Bearing in mind that you stopped seeing him. Were you fed up with him? Did he no longer meet the need? Would it be the same as before? As far as I'm concerned Mave, I want what's best for you. Whatever you want is okay with me." I thought that was the most politically correct answer to a question like that.

It wasn't a bad answer judging by the effect it had on my wife. Mavis got all loving again. Then she got upset. With herself. How women can be so stupid beats me and Mavis was classic. She burst into tears.

"Oh God! What's wrong with me? I have the most lovely husband. I do love him but I still want another man. Am I a slut, Ted?"

That's exactly what she was. "Good Lord no. Of course not. I think you are a normal healthy woman and as such you have certain needs. Remember you are in your prime for that sort of thing. Your needs are stronger than ever. My needs in that area are fading. It's just the way men and women are made. You don't have to feel guilty about it."

I could see that Mavis was having doubts.

"Besides, it's not only that, Mave. You need something to look forward to, something to get dressed up for, something exciting to think about. And however much you may love him, I for one acknowledge that your husband is a bit of a stick in the mud."

Phew! That was me telling Mavis to go get it and enjoy it with a clear conscience.

She was looking at me with a kind of anguish in her eyes. "Ted darling. I love you so much."

"I love you too Mave. I want us to stay together for ever. Just be discreet for the sake of the children."

She nodded. "Of course."

The stupid cow was all lovey dovey after that because she had my blessing to commit adultery again. Well we were married, I'd taken her on and we had two kids between us. In my book the welfare of the kids was paramount. I had to put up with Mavis's nonsense for their sakes.

Things settled down comfortably once Mavis started seeing George again. Long may it last. Perhaps with a bit of luck in a few years time, once the kids are out of the house, Mavis will run off with him. She is stupid enough to do that.