Pearl Wedding Anniversary

This is a move back to a more traditional 'loving wives' storyline and different from my recent 'Silver Anniversary' series of stories.

Hope you enjoy.

Best Regards XXX SD.

Laura:

This was one of the happiest nights of my life, our Pearl (30th) wedding anniversary and celebrating it with family and friends, many of whom had been at our wedding all of those years ago.

Col was looking particularly handsome, he was always fit and strong, the slight grey at his temples hinted at a future silver fox look but his piercing blue eyes never changed. I could only hope he looked at me the same way, I was 52 now, but still quite trim, weighing only 7 lbs. more than on our wedding day. I splurged out on an elegant evening dress and new heels for our party and had spent all day getting ready.

It was so lovely to greet old friends and our now adult kids, nieces and nephews; they had done most of the organising for the evening. We avoided speeches and just told everyone to have a great time. Later Col asked me to dance, everyone stopped to look at us, it was so reminiscent of our wedding night.

Col smiled at me, he looked a little rueful, "Thank you for 30 wonderful years of marriage."

I beamed in response, "Thank yourself, you are the perfect husband, I couldn't have been happier with our lives together."

"You have been a great wife."

I thought Col's response sounded slightly underwhelming and well a bit odd, we continued to dance before he spoke again.

"You have done well; I think I only saw you glance at him once all night."

"Sorry, what... who do you mean?"

"Don't start telling lies Laura, it's beneath you and after 30 years of devotion I think I deserve the truth."

Silence...

"Ok then if you going to play dumb and to prevent any question of doubt, I mean your boss and lover Charles Davenport. Unlike you, he can't keep his eyes off you."

I suddenly felt very sick and thought I might feint. My eyes welled up with tears; I hoped onlookers would think I was overcome with the emotion of our anniversary.

"Don't cry Laura, you caused this and keep dancing, unless you want everyone to know there is a problem."

I stopped myself denying anything or asking how he knew, he deserved better than that.

"I am sorry."

"No I don't think so, if you were sorry you wouldn't have kept going back. This is a planned, deliberate and repeated act."

"It's not that simple," my voice trailed off.

"It seems simple enough: an affair with your rich boss... how long has it been going on?"

"I don't know exactly, a few months I guess."

We continued to dance, all eyes including our children's focused on us. God if they knew what the conversation was about I'd be mortified.

"How often are you seeing him?"

"Work trips every few weeks, nothing inappropriate at the office. It's not what you are thinking, it isn't wild passionate sex, I have you for that."

"Then why, aren't these things usually about the woman needing more than the husband can offer?"

"No, never that! It was more a friendship and comfort than anything else after he lost Lucy. He was depressed I tried to help him recover."

Col laughed, "How...noble, I would imagine you parting your legs was quite the pick me up for him."

"Don't... it wasn't sordid like that, it was loving and caring."

"Is it... love I mean, do you love him Laura?"

"I have feelings for him, not like I do for you though, it's all so confusing now."

"It shouldn't be confusing if you love someone enough and you seem to love me in a manner that allows you to hurt me."

"I never meant to do that, I never thought about you finding out."

We continued to dance, a few other couples joining in along the edges, again just like on our wedding night.

"Come off it Laura, you knew the consequences. It's betrayal of us regardless of me finding out. Isn't this the bit where you swear undying love for me, say it was all a terrible mistake and that you will never see him again?"

"I'm not sure what he would do if I left him, he was really depressed before."

"Just unhappy or clinically depressed."

"Don't be so cruel, he wasn't well. I thought he might go as far as ending things."

The song wound up, "Well let's go and speak to the man in question."

"Oh my God, you're not going to cause a scene here are you?"

"Depends on what the fuckwit has to say!"

As we approached, Col looked down at Charles' outstretched hand with a look of distain and left it hanging there. Charles pulled his hand back with a confused expression.

"I'd like you to tell me about your relationship with my wife and just how you have the fucking nerve to turn up to our anniversary party."

Charles started to stammer a reply, "I don't know what you're talking..."

I interrupted, "He knows Charles, there is no point in denying it."

Charles nodded recovering his business like demeanour quickly, "The truth is I love Laura! I am sorry it impacts you but I can't be sorry about my feelings for her. She saved me, if it wasn't for her... kindness, I am not sure if I would still be here. I wasn't trying to be clever about the party; I just thought it would look strange if I didn't show my face, everyone else from work is here."

"Really! using your deceased wife as an angle to seduce a married woman, that's pretty low even for you."

"Fuck you, that's not what I did; we just grew close through the grief, I was all over the place."

"What you lost your wife so took mine; and you were unwell so it's all ok! Is that the line you are trying to spin?"

I interrupted, "He hasn't taken me, I am still here and I am still your wife."

Col seethed, "We can fix that my dearest, but I am sure you will fall on your feet or on your back. Lover-boy here you can offer you all the money and trappings now that he had recovered his health."

I looked around, worried people were starting to focus on us.

"You had better leave now before I lose my temper, you little piece of shit!"

Col turned to me as Charles left quickly, "Keep you game face on for another 30 minutes, and then we will leave. That should be easy enough for you, you're used to lying. I'd rather the kids weren't exposed to this fucking travesty after all the effort they put in for us tonight."

I nodded stifling the sobs as my heart broke for him.

"Tonight's celebration of marriage seems a fitting end to things don't you think?"

I recovered finding some anger, "Don't be so ridiculous, we are not separating over this, we can fix it."

With that I walked briskly away, trying to make it to the toilets before I broke down.

***

I wasn't looking for an affair; I was happily married after all to a lovely guy.

My boss Charles had always flirted and I found myself liking it, although it was never going further than that. It all changed when his wife Lucy died, he was so sad, you could see the life blood literally draining away from him. The gregarious extrovert who had an endless stream of jokes and could make people feel good about themselves eroded away.

I tried to cheer him up, we all did, that led to spending some lunches together. It was on the business trips that we grew closer. I knew it was helping him through his grief and it felt so natural spending time together; the sex was secondary.

I thought about telling Col, there was no way he would accept it. Women who do that must be so naive, it's potentially worse than the affair itself, impacting a man's pride and ego, neither things to be taken lightly or dismissed. The truth was I thought I could get away with it without hurting him as he would never know.

Once Charles recovered, he swept me off my feet, he was so grateful. It was like I could do no wrong in his eyes and I was his saviour. I told myself we needed to stop now that the crisis was averted, but no sooner had I talked sense into myself then he had me laughing and feeling so good again.

Charles was more sophisticated than Col; he had an easy charm and confidence which I liked. He was decisive and in many ways the complete opposite to my calm and considered husband.

My worst case scenario was Col finding out. I thought it through and had my excuses ready; that I was mortified to have hurt him... 100% the truth by the way. That I loved him more than anything else in the world; I was less certain of that now, I had developed significant feelings for Charles. The truth was I wasn't sure any more; if pushed I would have said I was in love with both men.

I was absolutely certain Col would forgive me, he was so in love and devoted to me, I just couldn't ever see us apart no matter what I had done.

How on earth did he find out, we were so careful. He asked me outright on our anniversary, I hesitated, and then I couldn't maintain eye contact. I knew the denials and the anger at being accused were pointless.

***

I sat down with Col the following day, he looked drained as he turned to me, "You don't look too stressed about this, maybe you don't care."

"That's not true, I do love you, I care so much about you."

"And him! Don't forget you care about him, can't even give the fucker up for me."

I tried to explain again about Charles depression, the friendship and the growing feelings. Then Col surprised me by asking about the purpose of the upcoming business trip. My reply sounded weak even to me, nothing that couldn't be achieved on a Teams call.

"So it sounds like this is all very much planned and the business trip just another ruse to cover your continued affair."

I tried explaining it wasn't really an affair.

"Ok then, to cover you fucking another man."

Ouch, I walked straight into that one. I needed to try and manage more of the conversation, make Col understand not everything was bad, this was tiny part of our lives.

"Until you found out, how would you have described our marriage?"

"Happy, content... the perfect marriage everyone thinks we have."

"That's great, I feel the exactly the same. I have my reasons but I know what I am doing is wrong. Regardless I have always tried to be the best possible wife to you and we have a perfect life together."

"Yeah apart from you fucking another guy and basing that perfect marriage on a facade of infidelity and lies."

"It doesn't have to affect that happiness, we have been good especially recently, I feel like I have become a better person in some ways, more considerate of others."

"Yeah, you do seem pretty pleased with yourself."

I winced at that, "Damn it Col, the smart arse comments aren't helping... how did you find out anyway?"

"So we're teetering on the brink of divorce and your only concern is how I found out. Is that just so you can cover your tracks better next time? You have said sorry, but you haven't suggested that you will stop seeing him."

"It's not that simple... I am not sure if he would be ok without me, I think he would slip into another depression."

"Wow, I guess that lets me know where I stand, your priority is his welfare. What happens when I get depressed because I have a cheating slut of a wife? Do I get you back then?

I had never seen my kind and gentle husband so angry and certainly never toward me, it scared and saddened me to see him like that.

"I want you to leave!"

"It's my house as much...."

"Leave now; just get the fuck out Laura before I do something I regret."

***

I decided to drive to my best friend's house. Then it dawned on me: Wendy my closest friend was the only one I confided in; that must be how Col had found out. She had threatened to tell him, she must have decided to follow through on that threat. By the time I got there I could hardly contain myself.

I launched into Wendy verbally, "Col has thrown me out, the only way he could have found out is if you told him."

"I haven't said a word Laura."

She didn't seem to deny it strongly, "How could you...how could my best friend betray my confidence and ruin my marriage."

Her reply took me by shock, "You know what Laura, fuck you! I am Col's friend as well as yours; I have known him for over 30 years. I told you this was all madness and he didn't deserve any of it, but you have never listened and I never said a single word to him. I have spent the last 3 months avoiding him so I could keep your tawdry little secret. It's pathetic acting like a love struck teenager; the only person I have betrayed is him. Now get out of my house."

Shit; getting thrown out was becoming a habit. Where the hell could I go, going to mum's would be like the Spanish inquisition, going to Charles would surely end my marriage. In the end it had to be my mum's and making up a story about a small argument to deflect most of her questions.

***

Wendy:

I realised I had to do something important, really important even it came at a cost. Twenty minutes later I was knocking on Col and Laura's front door.

Col answered, he looked terrible. "Please tell me you're not here to plead her case."

"No, I am here to plead mine and apologise."

Col looked bemused, "You had better come in then."

I blurted it all out, "I am sorry Col, I knew she was seeing him. I have been pleading with her to see sense and make her understand what she is risking. I am really sorry for not saying anything, she is my oldest friend, but you're my friend as well, I should have said something."

Col seemed deep in thought, the silence dragged on, finally he spoke, "I can see how she put you in an awkward situation, damned if you do and damned if you don't."

I smiled, typical Col: calm, considered, kind.

"Why do you think she did it Wendy."

"I think she thought she was saving him, a friendship initially but then blurring into more. Are you sure throwing her out is a good move, doesn't that give him more opportunity."

Col nodded, "Talking wasn't working, she is lost in a 'Mills and Boon' romantic love story. I agree with you, she sees herself as the heroine who saved a good man. So I thought throwing her out might shock her into at least some realisation. I have no idea if she wants me or him."

"She might not realise at the moment Col, but it's you she needs. You've always been her strength and support."

***

Laura:

I knew it was dangerous but I needed help, Charles would know what to do, he was the brightest person I knew. I called; he was delighted to hear from me and suggested we meet.

As usual we agreed to meet outside of work at an upscale restaurant and I made an effort to get dressed up. I wanted to stay married to Col, but needed to keep Charles' interest in case the worst came to pass. If Col wouldn't take me back then Charles would be my fall back plan, he had told me he loved me often enough after all.

We had just been seated when Col walked in with Wendy. That fucking bitch, I stormed up to them just as they were sitting.

"What the fuck are you doing with my husband?"

"I would imagine the same as you are with Charles, I did tell you numerous times I thought Col was a great catch, and if you are stupid enough to throw that away... well."

I turned to Col, "You can't do this, we're married."

"A fact you are more than willing to ignore", he looked across at Charles.

"It's just dinner with a friend, nothing more."

"Really, nice outfit by the way, unless I am mistaken they are your seamed stockings and come fuck me heels, I guess tonight is his lucky night, or should I say another lucky night."

I felt my face flush, shit! It wasn't supposed to be like this, it should have been a romantic interlude, now I was standing in a restaurant and my husband had just announced to everyone in earshot, that I was wearing stockings in preparation for sleeping with another man.

Wendy looked down at my legs, "Seamed black stockings... a bit obvious and tarty, maybe you should try a sexy nurse's uniform, after all you are supposedly looking after his health."

Wendy went on as she turned to Col and smiled, "Personally I find nude hold ups far more subtle."

I saw Col raise his eyebrows at her, Jesus she was flirting with him right in front of me.

"That bitch told you everything to split us up!"

"She did no such thing; she tried to be a friend to you at my expense actually. I hadn't seen her until you accused her the other day, after that she came over and apologised. She explained you were her oldest friend and that she had tried repeatedly to convince you to see some sense. I've got to say her apology was more convincing than yours."

I didn't know what to say, it was just so... just so frustrating!

"Go back to your boyfriend Laura? We're done."

I burst into tears and rushed out of the restaurant. Shit I was losing him, even if we managed to stay married; I could see that it would never be the same. I went from feeling loved to the point of being on a pedestal, to someone he was struggling to tolerate.

I couldn't understand how they knew we would be at the restaurant, it couldn't have been a coincidence, and they were obviously prepared for seeing me with Charles.

***

It was Charles who offered to help again, saying he could explain and smooth things over if we prepared and met Col together. It sounded like an implausible offer but I was at the point of trying anything. Col was always quicker than me in a discussion or argument but I knew Charles could match him.

Col was shocked when I walked back into my old home with Charles. He stood up; I thought he was going to attack Charles.

"You have to be fucking joking!"

"This affects us all, and Charles is here to help explain things properly."

It was my turn to be surprised as Col calmly sat back down, "Well it's nice there are three of us in this relationship, I can't wait to hear this."

I ignored his barb and started, "Firstly I want apologise to you. It was never my intention to develop a relationship with Charles and I never meant to hurt you. I know this is hard to believe but I really do love you.

Charles spoke up, "I wish to apologise as well, if I had been in my right mind I never would have crossed that line, I was ill. I can honestly say without Laura I would have taken my own life... she saved me!"

"You look well enough, is she still saving you or is it just fucking now? You don't get to claim my wife because you were ill; it's still cheating and a complete betrayal."

Col turned and looked at me with those steely blue eyes of his, "You chose him over me."

"I never did, but I couldn't abandon a friend in those circumstances."

"You could have been a friend without spreading your legs."

I ignored the crude remark and started the speech I had prepared with Charles.

"This wasn't planned we just grew close in difficult circumstances and we have feelings for each other. I am sorry for hurting you; you don't deserve any of this. As I see it we have a few options."

"Oh is that right, then please do enlighten me."

"Well, you could divorce me. It's the last thing I want but I won't try to fight it if that's what YOU want. The kids are adults now, but they still need you... need both of us. I'd split the money any way you wanted and trust you to be fair. But that option would destroy all the plans we have for our wonderful life together. I still want to share all of those things with you if you will let me."

"And if we divorce, you move in with him?"

"We haven't discussed that but yes; I think that would be inevitable, if you chose to abandon me."

"You are not the abandoned one in this shit show."

"I haven't abandoned you, you threw me out. The second option is I could stop seeing Charles and you forgive me somehow. I am really not sure that is possible. It will eat away at you, and you wouldn't trust me. I couldn't abandon someone I have feelings for in his time of need; I'd never forgive myself."

Col laughed at that, "Time of need really! He is the least depressed guy I have ever seen. He looks like the cat that got the cream, can't you see he is getting off on this."