Thanks to Charlie for the editing, encouragement and advice.
*****
After listening to that I realized I couldn't compete with that. I stumbled back home dragging my tail between my legs. I felt completely worthless and impotent. I had just listened to another man fuck my wife in ways I could only dream about.
I paced around the house trying to figure out my next move. I was angry, angry at Miranda but more at myself for allowing this to happen. Not knowing what to do I climbed into bed and pulled the blankets up tight around my head.
About an hour later Miranda walked sheepishly in. I was lying under the covers. She snuck in and without speaking walked straight into the bathroom and climbed into the shower. The room filled with billowing steam as the scalding hot water poured over her.
As I listened I heard her crying, she was sobbing bawling her eyes out. I lifted my head and peeking out I could see she had slumped in a heap in the shower as she cried and cried.
When she climbed into bed she didn't snuggle up against me like she normally does. She laid on her back her voice barely a whisper. "Gordy don't pretend to be asleep honey I know you are awake, I need to hear your voice, I need to know you're OK love?"
I pushed her away, "leave me alone Miranda I don't want to touch you OK."
She rolled away and I heard the sobs return. It was a long night for both of us. I eventually drifted off to sleep and when I awoke she was cuddled up behind me.
The next day it was late in the afternoon before Miranda built the courage to talk to me. "Gordy love we need to talk, I need to know you are OK with what happened last night?"
I turned away, "No Miranda I am definitely not OK. I assume you fucked Brad last night?"
She grumbled, "Don't say it like that Gordon, there's no need to be crude."
"OK Miranda I assume you made love with Brad?"
She dropped her head, her head turned away unable to hold my gaze. "No Gordon we didn't, but we did have sex."
"Oh that's good, did he rock your world Miranda? Was it worth the destruction of our marriage?"
"Gordy don't say that love, please, it didn't mean anything."
"If it didn't mean anything then why did you spend an hour in the shower last night?"
"Gordy please, I was feeling terrible. I know I shouldn't have let it happen. It was wrong and I know that."
"You didn't answer my question Miranda was it good."
I think she was starting to comprehend the damage she caused. She stuttered her voice quivering uncontrollably, "Gordon can we just not talk about it? We could just put it behind us? Pretend it never happened."
"Can you Miranda? Can you put it behind you, or are you going to think about it every day for the rest of your life, like I am? What happens the next time he asks you out?"
"Gordon please it's over. It's finished, I want to put this behind us. I need to know we are going to be OK."
"Just tell me Miranda at least be honest with me. Did you enjoy it? Just tell me that."
She sighed deeply, "Yes Gordon I enjoyed my night out."
I turned and walked away leaving her standing her sobs wracking her body.
For the next couple of weeks we never even spoke, we were simply ships passing in the night. Brad at least stayed away, and I am sure that was Miranda's doing. Bridgette was crushed that Brad had stopped coming around. I heard her crying to her mother one night as she cried, "Why mum why doesn't he come here anymore?? I miss him mum doesn't he like me?"
Miranda calmed and soothed her by taking the blame maintaining they had an argument.
Our monthly community gathering came up on the weekend and as we always do the whole family went along. As we were walking up the drive way to the Jameson's with our arms full of food and booze I whispered to Manda, "I hope you have made sure Brad isn't coming today?"
She looked at me with a confused frown spreading across her face, "Why?"
I growled, "Don't be stupid Miranda, please tell me he won't be here."
She put her head down as we walked in without answering me.
The moment we walked in I noticed Miranda whipped out her phone. Throughout the party Manda kept pulling out her phone and was having a protracted conversation with someone. The party was bubbling along as it always does. The girls were running around with their friends but I couldn't get into it. I was nervous and twitchy, what if Brad does turn up? What should I do? I tried to talk to Manda several times during the party but she stayed away from me. We had been there about an hour when Brad turned up, he walked in as bold as brass. He didn't even acknowledge me but I noticed he did walk straight up to Miranda and try to kiss her. She pulled away from him quickly her eyes never left mine as she did. She was obviously now as anxious as I was.
The girls were happy and ran up to him and hugged and kissed him. They stayed close to him and like always he had his harem of little girls running after him.
Brad made himself at home as he always did and he talked to everyone ducking in and out of conversations all afternoon. He tried time and time again to get Miranda alone but she kept her distance and every time he approached her she would walk away her eyes always fixed on me.
For the first time ever I wanted to leave. I wasn't enjoying what is usually one of the highlights for us. All I wanted was to get home so I could lick my wounds. I walked away from the main group and stood by myself watching the clouds scud across the horizon.
Without me realizing it Brad came up behind me. As he put his hand on my shoulder I jumped with fright I was so deep in thought. As I turned and recognized who it was all of the anger and humiliation came flooding out. I turned quickly taking him by surprise and punched him in the mouth as hard as I could. He staggered back reeling from the punch. As he did he brought his hands up to his face for protection, which was my invitation to punch him in the guts. It was hard and I hit him again this time up under the ribcage taking away his breath. As he fell forwards I punched him again repeatedly slamming my fists into his face.
There was blood everywhere; his nose looked as if it was broken, his eye swollen and black.
People crowded around and a couple of friends pulled me away from him.
Brad was dragged away to the house to get cleaned up and a couple of guys tried to calm me down but I threw away their arms and stormed away. As I walked past the crowd I saw the girls, they looked horrified, shocked and maybe even embarrassed. I cursed and swore angrily as I walked back home alone.
I went straight up the back onto the lookout and plonked myself down on the seat. The sun was setting low on the horizon. I sat there focusing on the sinking sun and the changing colours of the sky and ocean when Miranda walked up and sat beside me. Nothing was said for a while. We just sat there watching the sun set over the ocean. After about an hour Miranda asked, "What was that about Gordy?"
"What the hell did you think it was about Miranda" Did you think I was just going to shake his hand and say thanks for fucking my wife Brad. I can't wait for you to do it again. She loves it so much!" I lost it completely and screamed at the top of my lungs, "What did you fucking expect?"
That started the waterworks; Miranda bawled her eyes out.
"Where are the girls Miranda?"
She sniveled, "I got mum to come and pick them up. Bridgette was a blithering mess."
"He got what he deserved Miranda; any man who would seduce another man's wife, especially after we accepted him into our home and made him welcome. Shit he was like part of the family. He deserved nothing more."
In between sniffles she murmured. "He didn't seduce me Gordy it was just a mutual attraction. I am sorry love I thought after we talked you would be OK with it."
"Miranda you heard what you wanted to hear. I told you I didn't want you to do it."
"Why didn't you say no if you felt so strongly Gordon, why?"
"Miranda you are an intelligent woman, you know right from wrong. You didn't need me to tell you it was wrong. I told you I didn't want you to go with him. I expected you to make the right decision without me dictating it to you."
She cried, "I am sorry Gordon I have made a real mess of this. I hoped we could behave like adults."
"Adults I screamed! How is fucking someone else adult! How would you feel if I went off with another woman? Would that be OK Miranda?"
"I don't know Gordon I never thought about it?"