Pictures of Adultery

Please do not expect a sequel to any of my stories. They are just moments in time; a few days, weeks, months or years in the lives of the protagonists.

As you read this narrative remember, it is just a story, just a figment of my imagination. None of the people in this story are real. Could you imagine anything like the events in this story actually happening. If you think they have, let me know, though I doubt if I would ever believe you.

My thanks to Darker Binding for his time and effort as my editor.

*****

Pictures of Adultery.

I arrived home from my week away on business, late on Friday afternoon. When I phoned my wife, Janet, to tell her I was home all I got was a brief response telling me she was working late and to order a Chinese takeaway for eight. This was no surprise as my lawyer wife now often worked late.

During the meal I tried to get a conversation started by asking how her conference address was going. I knew how important being asked to address the annual management conference, was to Janet. Her brief reply left me knowing little more about it. I mentioned that I'd had a busy week without any interest being shown. That was what it had been like between us for the past four months.

Saturday, I spent most of the day doing jobs around the house and garden, while Janet spent Saturday morning shopping to stock the fridge-freezer, then she spent most of the afternoon working on her conference address. Saturday evening, we went to a friend's B.B.Q and I got a bit drunk. I had hoped for some intimacy over the weekend but once again it was declined.

Sunday was a lovely day so I spent it lounging in the garden. I didn't see much of my wife during the morning but she came out and joined me for a glass of wine in the afternoon.

When I asked Janet if she had finished her address all I got was a mumbled response.

Monday morning the taxi arrived to take my wife to Luton airport for her flight to Manchester and her company's annual management conference. I expected her back on Friday. This was the third conference Janet had attended since joining her law firm five years ago.

Janet is thirty-five and two years ago had been made a junior partner after successfully defending her client in a high-profile and contentious divorce case. My wife was beautiful, ambitious, dedicated to her career, and respected by her peers. We were married nine years ago and I hoped she still loved me.

I was just a couple of years older, and kept myself fit and healthy but I was not as accomplished in my career. I sold things, ball bearings to be precise. Almost everything that rotates had a ball bearing somewhere. My company must have appreciated my efforts because I was now a regional manager. To be on Janet's level I would need to be a divisional manager, and that was some way off. Even then there would be some disparity between our incomes.

Both of us had to travel. I'm away from Monday till Friday the second week of every month. Once or twice a month Janet had to stay away for a day or two at the most. Usually when visiting a client in custody or prison. On the other hand, Janet often had to leave home early to meet clients, work late into the evening, and brought work home most weekends.

This had been going on almost since Janet became a junior partner. I was familiar with all of her reasons, but to me, it seemed that becoming a full partner had become more important to my wife than our marriage partnership. During the previous nine months I had become increasingly resentful of the imposition of her work load upon our time together, and in particular, Janet's refusal to discuss starting a family.

Monday was a very busy day for me. After every week spent visiting our other branches I spent the morning presenting my report to my manager and the afternoon catching up on office work. It wasn't until I was about to leave the building that Janet phoned me to confirm her safe arrival in Manchester.

'Stephen. I've just booked in and got to my room.' I was about to reply, but Janet quickly continued, 'I can't stay on the phone. I've got a meeting in fifteen minutes and need to freshen up. I'll call again later. Bye.'

That was the most abrupt greeting my wife had ever given me. No, 'I love you,' no kissy sounds. Also, why Stephen and not Steve or darling? By now I was caught up in the rush for the exit.

~~Margaret~~

The picture arrived in my inbox on Monday evening. The date imposed diagonally across it was five months ago. The woman in the picture was Margaret. I remember her well.

Who was Margaret, and why did I remember her? What was the significance of the date? Thursday 9th May? First, I have to tell you that I love my wife.

Margaret and I met that evening in the bar of the hotel where I was staying. I think she was younger than me, and lonely. We chatted, she enjoyed the chardonnay I bought her and I enjoyed my whisky. She told me how her boyfriend had found a new girlfriend. I told her that my wife spent all her time working and had no time for me and refused to discuss starting a family. We agreed to spend the night together in my hotel room.

~~~~

I didn't get a phone call from my wife on Monday evening, just a text. *Too busy to talk, perhaps tomorrow.*

Crossly, I texted back, *Why are you too busy to talk to me?* I didn't get a reply. Half an hour later I phoned her and it went to voicemail.

Tuesday was another busy day. I had a good sales team but there were sometimes personal problems with at least one of them that affected their performance and it was my job to sort it out. Tuesday was one of those days.

~~Olivia~~

Another picture arrived on my computer at seven that evening. It was dated the same diagonal way. Wednesday 12th June. This time the woman in the picture was Olivia.

Ah, yes, Olivia. I met Olivia in the bar of the hotel I was staying in, but not the same hotel where I met Margaret. She was the same age as me, divorced a year previously, and enjoying her freedom. The fact that I was married, I hadn't given a thought about my wedding ring, didn't appear to concern her. Olivia wanted sex and I had been chosen. She got it from me on both Wednesday and Thursday nights together with a very nice dinner on Thursday evening.

The picture of Olivia smiling at me from my computer brought it all back to me. Wonderful Olivia.

~~~~

At seven-thirty I had a text message from my wife. *Text me if you're free, I've got a few minutes before I go out to dinner with one of the delegates.*

After nine-year married to my wife I thought I had some idea of how her mind worked. Like all lawyers, it could be very devious and this message showed that. I'd had dinner with Olivia, and now my wife was telling me she was going out for dinner with someone. Oh yes! I knew she had sent the pictures of Margaret and Olivia. What did concern me was that she had known about them for six months. So why choose this way to tell me, and why now? Was it because being in Manchester she was only contactable by phone, and then only when she wanted to be.

I considered my text before replying. *Who are you having dinner with?*

After a minute Janet replied. *A man.*

Was there anything she didn't know, I wondered. What I didn't like were my feelings about her having dinner with another man, knowing she knew about my dinner with Olivia. Before the pictures, I wouldn't have been concerned, but now I was. How hypocritical can that thought be, I admitted to myself.

Was she planning to divorce me; that was an even more worrying thought. If she knew about Margaret and Olivia then it was certain she knew about all the others. What chance did I have to make a case against her legal skills? I could use my negotiating skills but they would only be useful if she wanted to negotiate.

Wednesday I was tired, having slept restlessly all night as three imponderables battled in my head. Was it just a partnership my wife wanted? Now Janet knows, will she divorce me? Can I convince her to forgive me? there were other, but these were the big ones.

~~Susan~~

The third picture arrived on my computer at seven on Wednesday evening. Like the others, it was dated. Wednesday, July 11th. That was the day I met Susan. That evening, when I looked in the hotel bar it was both empty and very unappealing, so I went to a bar in another hotel. That's where I met Susan. She was the only woman there and we soon started drinking together. She was only staying for the night, the hotel being halfway home from visiting her sister. Susan was an older widow, and an exceptionally striking woman. In her hotel room I soon found out that Susan had enjoyed a very active sex life and had no intention of stopping.

~~~~

This time I texted Janet, hoping she would read between the lines. *I'm missing you more than any of them. Call me when you can.*

All I got was a text back. *Can't talk tonight, too much happening.* Too much what? Dinner and whatever with another man, more than likely the same one. I spent the evening torturing myself with my imagination until I realized this was how Janet would have been thinking every time I had been away.

~~Beryl~~

Thursday the picture on my laptop was Beryl, dated Thursday 8th August. Beryl was on the road like me, only she travelled every week. This week was the furthest she had to go. When I asked what her husband thought about her being away so much she told me he was working in the states for a year. Beryl was twenty-eight and was more than willing to share my bed. I thought I knew a few ways to enjoy sex, but Beryl was an encyclopaedia. I was still learning when we spent our last hour in bed on Friday morning. The picture had caught her cheeky grin perfectly.

~~~~

I tried to phone my wife three times on Friday. Every time it went to voice-mail. I texted but there were no replies. All I could think about all day were ways I could justify my behaviour when she came home in the evening. Knowing how her legal mind worked, none of them stood much chance.

~~Jennifer & Michelle~~

Friday evening there were two pictures. The first was dated Tuesday 10th September. My wife knew about last week as well. It was of a happily smiling Jenifer. At twenty-four she was just gorgeous. It was the second time she had travelled for her father's company and was still very nervous about making a good job of it to please her Dad.

I must have been successful in assuring her how well she done the job, because my reward was an invitation to spend the night in the bed of a beautiful, almost sexually insatiable, young woman.

The other picture was of Michelle leaving my room early Friday morning. I knew it was my room because you could see the number. She left at four because she had to drive to Heathrow in time for her early morning Air France flight to Paris.

Michell introduced herself as I sat alone in the hotel bar. Her English was perfect but everything else about Michelle was pure French, especially her perfume. Two hours after meeting Michelle I found out that her underwear was also exquisitely French. I never did find out why she was in England.

~~~~

After waiting all Friday evening for a call or text message from Janet, by eleven I realized my wife wasn't coming home. Would she ever be coming home again? The conference must have ended hours ago, and I had no idea where she was. I had no means of contacting her because her phone was switched off.

Saturday was a horrible day spent waiting for Janet to contact me. When the Email arrived at seven on Saturday evening I didn't know what to expect. I hoped she didn't know about Deborah or Patsy as I met them before Margaret.

~~Janet~~

I was surprised to see a picture of Janet sitting in the lounge of a hotel. Attached to it was a video. I hadn't seen her wearing the dress she had on but it made her look absolutely fabulous. For a few moments I gazed at it in admiration of her beauty, before starting the video and hearing my wife's voice.

'Hello, Stephen. I've had a wonderful week here in London. The gentlemen who have kept me company have been amazing. I've been to concerts, art galleries, museums, the theatre and had a wonderful river trip to Greenwich to see the Cutty Sark and the Observatory. Every evening my escorts have taken me for wonderful meals at some of the finest restaurants in London. Every evening has ended either at an exclusive nightclub, dancing or listening to music in an intimate Jazz club.

I saw her pause for a moment and glanced to her left. 'Now I'm waiting for my escort for this evening. I've no idea where he is taking me but I hope the evening doesn't end too soon.'

I saw Janet glance to the left again before continuing. 'As the conference starts on Monday I will be flying up to Manchester on Sunday. I'll be home next Friday.'

This time she turned to her left, then back at me. 'Sorry, I can't talk any more till then, my escort has just arrived.' The video ended before I saw who her escort was.

I played it a second time just to convince myself of what she had told me. At least I now knew where she was. We only lived twenty-five miles south of London. Who were these escorts, these men she'd spent the her days and evenings with? Had she also spent the night with each of them?

My head was in turmoil, even anger that she had deceived me about her whereabouts. Then to real concern, was this her way of telling me our marriage was over?

Suddenly, I saw a very bleak future ahead of me unless I could do or say something to convince her otherwise. She knew I had disrespected our marriage with my adultery. Had she also committed adultery? I just didn't know what to think. While I was terrified of the possible outcome and desperately needed to talk to her, I knew she didn't want any contact with me until Friday.

I think I have just spent the worst weekend of my life. Sunday, when I eventually had the courage to phone her, I was told the number was no longer in service. I even resorted to sending an apologetic Email; which was bounced back to me. When I thought of contacting her on the hotel phone I realized I didn't even know which hotel she was staying at or where the conference was being held. I had the horrible thought that the conference might not even be in Manchester.

When Janet texted that she would see me on Friday and couldn't talk until then, she really had meant it. She had done everything to stop me from contacting her, so going through her office seemed pointless. The whole scenario showed that my wife could be far more devious than I'd ever imagined.

Why did I think she would never find out; however much I'd convinced myself I had some justification? Now though, I knew there was really no excuse for what I had done. I could recite from the cheater's handbook but knew how contemptible that would make me.

What did surprise me was my total lack of anger toward Janet for spending a week in London with her escorts. In my heart, I knew she was fully justified, even if I thought it was a bit extreme. It hurt me to think of the pain her discovery of my infidelity must have caused her. A pain which she had kept to herself for nearly six months

Eventually, it was Monday, and work imposed itself. Then it was Tuesday, then Wednesday, and eventually Thursday. It had been a very eventful week, even traumatic at times.

Now I at least had something to offer my wife other than worthless excuses and promises. I'd decided to act as I usually did when she returned from one of her business trips, but without any overt show of affection. In other words, just play it by ear.

Eventually, it was Friday and because I expected my wife to be coming home sometime late afternoon, I had taken the day off.

I'd Hoovered, cleaned, and polished the whole house and then dressed myself up a bit for her. I'd also booked a table at her favourite restaurant. Now I just hoped she would text me as she usually did when the taxi picked her up at Gatwick. All I could do was wait.

Eventually, at three my phone pinged with a message. It took me a moment of hesitation before I opened it.

*Home in an hour.* That's all the message read.

I stared at that text for several minutes wondering if I should reply, without knowing what to say if I did. Then I replied, simply, *Thank you.*

An hour later the front door opened and Janet was home. I already had the coffee percolating and a bottle of chardonnay ready for pouring, hoping either would be acceptable. God, was I scared. Was she home to tell me I was done for and she was moving on?

Like always when Janet returned home, I was in the kitchen. Then, there she was, Janet, my wife, the woman I loved, and we made eye contact. Hesitantly, I asked her if she would like coffee or a glass of wine.

'Coffee, thank you,' she said, without moving from the doorway.

I turned to the coffee machine but not without noticing how nice she looked in a plain, light blue jumper and dark blue skirt. So simple but so incredibly elegant with just the diamond ear studs I had bought her some time ago.

Without turning to her I spoke first, 'Was it a good conference?'

'Yes,' she admitted.

I didn't know what else to ask and wished she would say something, anything to ease the tension.

I finished pouring her coffee, then handed one to her. 'I've made a mess of things, haven't I?' I admitted, looking her in the eyes.

She held my gaze. 'Yes,' she answered, 'you have,' she added before sitting down.

'I've booked a table at Le Ronde,' I told her. 'I hope we ...'

'The usual time?' she interrupted.

'Yes.' I found I couldn't look into her eyes any longer. I hated what I had done to us. At the same time, I remembered the video she had sent me. Suddenly, I don't know which hurt the most.

She put the coffee cup down. 'I need to get my cases.' She turned to the garage door.

'I'll get them,' I told her. 'I'll bring them up for you.'

When she tossed her keys to me I realized she hadn't smiled once. 'Lock my car,' I was told, as she brushed past me. There were three cases. two more than after her usual time away.

When I reached it, our bedroom door was closed. I knocked, something I had never done before, and was told to leave them outside. I wanted to ask if I could come in but thought better of it. I hoped she would appreciate the way I'd prepared our bedroom for her return. The last thing I'd done was light the scented candles I knew she liked when having a bath.

All I could do now was wait for my wife to come down. I was all ready to go to the restaurant and wondered how Janet would dress for what I knew would be a very difficult evening for both of us.

Over an hour later I was still sitting in my recliner considering how to discuss our future, when I heard Janet came down the stairs. She had timed it exactly for when we needed to leave for the restaurant. It was obvious she intended to dazzle me by wearing her blue, silk dress with a straight neckline, off-the-shoulder short sleeves, and knee-length flared skirt. The diamond choker I bought her last Christmas sparkled around her neck. She smiled briefly when she saw my reaction.

Normally I would have told her how beautiful she looked and kissed her on the cheek with a gentle hug. Now I restrained myself, fearful of being rebuffed.

We had about a twenty-minute drive to the restaurant and during it I kept glancing at my wife and wondering if this would be our last meal together. I glanced at her again. 'Nearly there,' I told her, knowing she already knew.

She didn't turn, but there was a slight smile. 'It's been a long time since you brought me here,' she replied.

Why did the thought that someone else had brought her here since then, cross my mind? That's when I knew that both of us now had trust issues.

Soon we were seated at the secluded table I had asked for. The wine I pre-ordered arrived and both of us hid behind the large menu for far longer than was necessary. Eventually, the menus were returned and we were left waiting for the starter to arrive.