Contents: British English spelling and grammar.
This is a combination of two true stories. As always, it ends in the right place.
***
Misinformed
Mac and Erica didn't often go dancing. They enjoyed it, but didn't usually bother. But tonight it was Will and Tabby's turn to choose the venue for their monthly foursome, and the decision was made for them. Not a cinema or the theatre; this Friday they would go dancing.
There was a live band and a dancefloor at the George Hotel, and the evening was going well. Mac wore a long-sleeved blue-striped shirt, and Erica wore a short blue button-through dress. Will and Tabby were also casually dressed and they were all having fun.
"Your Mac's very flirtatious isn't he?" remarked Tabby.
Erica followed her gaze onto the dancefloor. Her husband was dancing with a younger woman that neither of them knew. She was also wearing a short dress; hers was pink. Mac had his hand resting on the top of one buttock.
"He's a good dancer Tabby, and lots of girls want to have a twirl with him. He tends to make them look better than they are. A little bum squeezing goes with the territory."
"As long as you're comfortable with it." she sniffed.
"Oh, come on! Are you telling me he's never squeezed your bum? All the times he's danced with you?"
"He has not!"
('You're a good friend Tabby, but he probably leaves you alone because you're a bit of a sourpuss!' she thought.)
"Oh. Perhaps he senses your disapproval. Anyway, he knows where to draw the line. He will not grab both her buttocks, or put his hands under her dress. I trust him."
Tabby watched a little longer and Mac returned.
Suddenly Erica's phone went. She spent a while listening before speaking. And then said: "Of course. I'll get there as soon as I can."
"Problem?" asked Mac.
"It's Emily. She's had another of her nightmares."
"Oh no, I thought she'd grown out of them."
"Me too. Luckily Sandra has dealt with them before; she copes well."
"But Emily still wants her mum, right?"
"Yes. I'd better get back."
"I'll come with you."
"No need. You stay with Tabby and Will, and have fun. We don't both need to go."
"What happened?" asked Will.
Mac explained Emily occasionally had awful nightmares.
"Sandra our babysitter, sorry - child minder now, knew what to do. She's calm, but still needs a hug from Erica before she'll go back to sleep."
Erica looked up from her phone.
"The taxi will be ten minutes. Sorry about this, but I won't come back. You stay here and have more drinks and dances."
"Are you sure?"
"Sure. I've just got time for a pee."
Sitting in a stall in the Ladies, two adjoining doors banged open. Erica heard two girls at the sinks; they sounded young.
"You going to dance again?"
"Too right! I want to try and wean that tall guy away from his old lady."
"The one in the blue striped shirt?"
"Yeah, him. He says if he can get away, he'll book a room. His erection pushing into my belly button has got me all wet. In fact he's the reason I needed the loo!"
"He probably says that to all the girls."
"Probably. Who cares? I'm only looking for a good fucking, not a life partner!"
They'd gone by the time Erica came out. Tabby came in as she was washing her hands.
"Will you be ok?"
"Fine. You guys make a night of it."
"OK."
"Look, how do you feel about doing something for me?"
"Sure, what?"
"Just keep an eye on Mac. Nothing heavy; I'm probably just imagining things. Just observe him, ok?"
"OK. no problem."
"I'll wait for the taxi outside."
Back at the table, Mac was explaining to Will.
"She stopped having them when she was about five."
"Are you talking about Emily's nightmares?" asked Tabby.
"Yes. She hasn't had one for about six years. But she's entering puberty soon. You know, closing her bedroom door and so on. Last time she and Erica were shopping, she got her first training bra. Girl stuff; she doesn't discuss such things with me of course."
"Bit of a mummy's girl is she?"
"Sure, but that's normal in a girl. She and Erica will end up as mates."
"It doesn't worry you?"
"No. Some daughters are daddy's girls, and some are not. My job is to help with homework assignments. And provide the finances for her to indulge in the latest craze. When I go shopping with her, I carrying the bags and flash my wallet!"
Half an hour later, the conversation had taken a lighter turn. Erica called Mac to say Emily was fine, and now asleep.
"Is Sandra still there? You could always come back for a couple of hours."
"No, I'm home now. I paid her and let her go."
More lager and wine was bought, and Will and Mac took it in turns to dance with Tabby.
Mac was holding her as a slow one started.
"Mind if I cut in?" asked Will. "This is our favourite song!"
Tabby beamed and melted into his arms. Mac grinned and stepped back with a slight bow, only to be grabbed by the blonde in the pink dress again.
Back at the table, after 'their song', Will went to the toilets. Mac was now dancing another slow one with Miss Pink. His hand was in place on the top of her buttock. Pretending to be checking text messages, Tabby took a couple of photos of them. Will returned from the Gents' and pushed a white wine in front of her.
"Get that down you and I'll get another round in."
Tabby knocked it back and then looked at the glass.
"Oh, that wasn't mine. Wrong colour lipstick."
"Erica probably left it then. Don't worry, you won't catch anything! Here's yours behind the table lamp."
Tabby drank that too, and her head started to spin slightly. She noticed the blonde in pink again and reached for her mobile. This time she zoomed in. The hand, resting on one buttock, now slid downwards. A moment later, it was squeezing her bottom tightly enough to lift the hem of her dress six inches. They turned, with the girl's back towards Tabby, who took more close ups. So, Erica was right to be suspicious; the dress was showing her panties now and Mac's hands delved under them. The girl's hand had left his shoulder and was out of sight between them. It could only be fondling his penis. Tabby put her phone camera away and got drunk.
Next morning she sent the photos to Erica's phone, attaching a quick text detailing what she'd witnessed. Erica was making coffee and Mac was still in bed. There was a flurry of texts confirming that Mac had come home in the same taxi as Tabby and Will, and had not gone out again. Erica had gone to bed early. No, Tabby did not think Mac could have slipped away long enough for sex with the blonde.
Erica was now recalling exactly what the girl in the toilets had said. The dishy tall guy might book a room to have sex with her, if he could get away from his wife. But of course he could always do that on a different night. It was unrealistic to imagine Mac would sneak off during a foursome night out; he'd do it later. Last night had just been groping and making arrangements. Erica felt stupid now. She'd been so dismissive with Tabby; her smug comment came back to haunt her. 'I trust him.' Tabby had always been a bit of a goody two shoes, and now she would be gloating.
She sat down with a coffee and wondered what she should do. Usually she'd have taken one up to Mac by now, but he could damn well come and get his own. She went out onto the rear decking and sat in a lawn chair. Had he cheated on her already? Maybe this had been going on for years. Or was this his first time? Was there a way to stop him straying? And was there any way she could find out if he had? Erica couldn't think of one. And if it had been going on for ages, how could she prove it? That in turn got her to thinking about how to go about getting a divorce.
She and Mac were well off. A straighforward fifty / fifty split seemed fair. She didn't care which one of them kept the house. Could she begin a new life on her own? Definitely. Her slight concern was custody. Mac earned more than her, but Emily was a mummy's girl, so Erica would almost certainly get custody of her. Girls usually stayed with their mums, and she was the wronged party after all. And manage on her own? Yes, she was still an attractive woman. 'There's life in the old dog yet!' she muttered under her breath.
There was Patrick, for a start, who made no attempt to hide the fact he fancied her. He worked in the same office as her at Branston's. OK, he must be fifteen years younger than her, and they had never done anything. Well, except for a grope and a passionate kiss under the mistletoe, at the last Christmas party. His flirting, and constant asking her out to lunch was all very light-hearted.
But she wasn't stupid. Beneath the joke flirting, Patrick was serious. Now she started wondering what it would be like to have sex with a younger, stronger man. Probably very vigorous. And exciting. She found she was squirming in her chair, and went in for another coffee. Mac was downstairs now, and pouring one himself.
"Well, that was fun last night. Pity you got called away. Is Emily up yet?"
"No, she usually sleeps like a dead thing after one of her dreams. Good job there's no school today. So, what did you get up to?"
"Oh, the usual you know. Took a young blonde out the back for a knee trembler. Only had time for a quick blowjob with the two darker girls. Tabby Toogood was watching most of the time!"
'And that must be how it's done.' thought Erica. 'Mix up the truth, lies, and fantasy. Make a joke of it and throw me off the scent, would you?'
"Score any cocaine?"
She might as well continue in the same vein.
"Not at the George dear. I usually go to the The Fountain for that!"
The rest of Saturday progressed normally. The three of them went shopping and had lunch at Pizza Hut. In the afternoon Mac mowed the front lawn and then had a short nap. He couldn't deal with hangovers as quickly as he had in his youth. Erica baked some bread, mostly as a distraction; plenty of time to think, while waiting for it to rise.. Emily spent a couple of hours on the phone to various friends, telling them what she'd bought in town. Mac and Erica settled in front of the tv for the evening movie.
"You ok?" he asked. "You seem quiet."
