The first time I was unfaithful to my husband was after an enormous row. I had stormed out of the house and just drove for miles. The argument was so stupid over would you believe a tuna sandwich but it escalated into a full blown slanging match. It was horrible, he said such nasty things. I was not innocent I said some horrible stuff back at him but when he threw the remote control at me I decided to walk out for a bit.
We live in an up and coming town South West of London close to motorway links and I just headed down the A23. Before long I saw signposts for Brighton so that's where I headed. I decided to stay in a cheap hotel for the night to teach the bastard a lesson. I booked into a small B&B near the seafront. I had stormed out without anything but a bank card, just the clothes on my back but I was angry, so very angry.
It was 7pm and I was in my room looking at the ceiling thinking what an asshole he had been and how stupid I was to charge out of the house the way I did. Fuck it, I was trapped in a bloody dingey room 7pm on a Friday night in a town I didn't really know. I looked at my phone to see if he had called, nothing.
"You idiot Marie."
I decided to go for a stroll down the seafront to clear my thoughts and kill a bit of time. The noise and lights of the arcades and stores were a nice distraction and I took a walk up the pier. I didn't realise it is so big and I just hung around watching the punters on the machines. There was a horse racing game I was watching that looked fun so I withdrew a small amount of cash and gave it a spin. I won the first game, a big fluffy teddy bear not bad for ยฃ2.00p. I looked at my phone again, again nothing,
"Fuck him."
I turned it off and put it back into my purse.
"Nice teddy!" came a voice over my shoulder,
"You just win that here?"
I looked around to see a young couple with a child and who I presumed was grandad. The voice belonged to grandad, he was a kind looking man with a family in tow so I was in no danger of anything I smiled and replied,
"Yes, it was my first try too."
He turned to the small child saying,
"Jess, would you like me to try to get you a teddy like the lady won?"
The little girl who couldn't have been much older than four jumped for joy clapping her grandad on.
He asked me very graciously "Do you mind if I sit miss?"
"Not at all, please."
He sat on the stool beside me and we started to chat his name was Terry, he was here with his son and daughter in law. The adorable little girl was theirs, Jess.
We both put in the cash for the next game, I was on horse 4, Terry was on 7. I decided if I won another I would give Jess the prize. We both lost, she was heartbroken, she had expected her grandad to win, grandads always do what they say they would.
A few go's later still no win so I leaned over and whispered to him would he mind if I gave him the teddy pretending he had won it and give it to her. The joy on her face was wonderful, it had brightened my evening up so much to see that. My whole mood had changed I was enjoying my evening tremendously. Terry asked me if I had eaten as they were booked into their hotel restaurant at 9pm and would love it if I joined them.
"Dad I am sure the lady has other things to do, she doesn't want to hang with us?"
"Please lady, come with us please." Said little Jess pleading with her eyes clinging onto her new teddy, how could I refuse her.
I nodded yes to smiles from Terry and he held his hand to me to help me off my stool, I took it and he tucked my arm under his as we walked down the pier.
"Terry I don't want to give you the wrong impression, I am married you know."
"I thought you might be, for a woman as beautiful as you it would be very unusual if you were not."
He was a real charmer and good looking too, probably 20 years older than me at 60ish with greying hair at the temples, piercing blue eyes and dimples in his cheeks when he smiled.
"Marie, if its awkward I have no problem if you refuse our offer, I don't want to put you in a situation that could look bad."
"No, I would love dinner with you, after today it's exactly what I need right now."
We all walked along the front back past the arcades to a huge hotel, it looked really posh. Purple lighting illuminated the front with small waterfalls in the foyer. The doorman held the door and showed us the way in.
"Hello Mr Bellman, looks like you won!" as he pointed at the large teddy bear in Jess's arms.