Saving a Marriage for a Stranger

My cell vibrated and I looked down to see a call from my husband, Tim.

"Sorry Babe, We're going to be another 20-30 minutes."

"No problem, I am at the bar and just ordered a glass of wine, I'll sip it slowly."

"Oh shit, leaving you sitting at the bar could be dangerous!"

"Yeah, the bar tender just told me some guy at the other end of the bar paid for my wine. This could get interesting!"... I waved to the guy.

"Fuck me, I'll get there as quickly as I can. I got our reservation moved back, so we shouldn't have a wait when I get there. Now, you be a good girl!"

"Hey, I never start anything! I'm just sitting here quietly sipping my wine. Besides there are a couple of other women at the bar and a small group at a table right next to me."

"Sure, that's kinda like parking a Ferrari amongst a bunch of SUVs and expecting no one to notice it."

"Ah, you say the sweetest things. Now get to work so you can finish and join me."

"See you in a few, my love." Tim hung up chuckling.

As I sipped my wine, I eavesdropped on the young ladies at the table near me. A new person just joined them and she was not warmly welcomed. The first three had been talking animatedly, but they clammed up when the new gal arrived.

They called the new gal "Kelly" and once she pulled off her light raincoat, it was obvious why the other three had clammed up,... jealousy! Kelly was smoking hot! Long blonde hair, pretty face, big boobs, tiny waist line, long legs, the entire package!

Moments after she sat down the barmaid had her drink order and the girls began to chat. It wasn't long until Kelly turned on one of the gals.

"Okay Jill, cut the crap! Is it true you're sleeping with Collins?"

There was stunned silence for a few seconds before "Jill" answered.

"Where did you hear that?" she asked, angrily.

"Jimmy told me Collins was bragging about taking you to his cabin this weekend. Is that true? Are you going away with him this weekend?"

"Fuck you, Kelly, you dumped him! You have no say in who he sees!"

"Whoa Jill! I don't give a shit about Collins, that was over months ago. I just want to know if you're really seeing him, or if it's just his usual bullshit."

Jill seemed to compose herself while Kelly and the other two gals waited for her answer.

"Not that it's any of your business, we haven't done anything yet, but yes we're going to his lake cabin this weekend and I'm really looking forward to it."

Kelly's face burst into a wide smile. She pumped her fist in the air and said, "YES!"

The other ladies just stared at her. Kelly quickly dug into her purse and pulled out her cell phone. She pressed a few buttons and then turned to Jill.

"Okay, give me Brad's cell number."

"What! I'm not giving you my husbands cell number!"

"What the fuck, Jill? Now that you've opened your marriage, I want a shot at Brad. I know he must have told you I was flirting with him at the Team BBQ last month while you were busy hanging all over Collins. I've never seen a guy blush the way he does! God, I just want to eat him up!"

"You stay away from my fucking husband, you slut! He told me you gave him your number and asked him to call you. He's MY husband, He's not available!"

"Bullshit! That's what an open marriage is! You play away and he plays away. I think he's super cute and I want a shot at him."

"What's this open marriage, shit? We do not have an open marriage!" Jill shouted.

Kelly's mouth fell open. She looked at the other two gals, but they just studied their drinks. She looked back at Jill slowly shaking her beautiful blonde locks.

"He doesn't know? Are you fucking stupid? You're going to cheat on him? Oh my god Jill!"

"Kelly please, he's got a conference in Atlanta and will be gone over the weekend. I've never done anything like this, but I really like Collins and I want that promotion, so I'm going for it. Bard will never know and I will never do it again. Please Kelly, just stay away from him. We still want to have kids, please don't end my marriage."

Kelly sat back in her seat and just stared at Jill, while shaking her head. "You know he will find out sometime and when he does, he'll dump your ass. ... Okay Jill, I won't say anything to anybody, but when the shit hits the fan, I'll swoop in and snatch that boy away from you!"

Jill exhaled loudly, "Thanks Kelly, he will never find out."

Kelly stood and pulled on her coat. "Yeah, just keep telling yourself that." Shaking her head, she turned and walked out.

"Hello beautiful, sorry I kept you waiting." Tim leaned in and kissed me. "Our table should be ready, shall we go?"

I stood and took his arm. We took a couple of steps and then I stopped. "Tim honey, please go secure our table. I'll be there in just a minute."

I turned back to the table as Jill and her friends stood. "Excuse me, Jill could I speak to you for just a moment?"

Jill seemed a bit startled and asked, "Do I know you?"

"No, but in a way, I know you very well. ... Please just for a moment."

Jill turned to her friends, "you guys go ahead, I'll see you tomorrow."

We sat back down at the table and Jill looked at me expectantly.

I smiled, "Jill, I was sitting at the bar and overheard your conversation with Kelly. I have to warn you not to do what you're planning." Jill bristled, but I raised a hand and continued. "I did exactly what you're about to do and I regret it every day."

"So you cheated and got caught, well too bad, but I won't get caught."

"No, I DID NOT get caught. I had my fling, got promoted and my husband never found out."

"So, what's the problem?"

"The problem is the guilt! Your Brad sounds just like my husband, sweet, kind, considerate, hard working. He is the best man I've ever known and one hell of a great dad to our kids."

"Yes, that sounds like my Brad, I love him dearly, but this weekend has me sooo excited. It's my last chance to do something naughty and then I'll settle down and be a good wife and mother to our kids."

"That assumes this Collins guy accepts a one-and-done. What if he wants more? That's what happen with my guy. I had to give him blow jobs at the office for a full year until he got promoted and transferred."

"Oh shit! I didn't think about that. But he dates lots of girls, so he'll just move on."

"Trust me, men like him don't move on from guaranteed, no obligation, blow jobs on demand! Towards the end, I hated him, but I had no choice. I'd puke after every blow job and then have to go home and pretend everything was fine. Many nights the guilt was so bad, I cried myself to sleep. That was 15 years ago. I still feel the guilt and live in constant fear that some how, some way, the truth will come out."

I looked up at Jill as a few tears fell from my eyes.

"Fuck, I never considered any of that. Shit, what was I thinking?"

I touched her arm, "Jill, that's if you DON'T get caught. ... If he finds out, it's all over, you'll lose him and the family you want, because there is always a Kelly out there looking for a good man."

Jill jumped up and I rose to meet her. She hugged me fiercely and kissed my cheek. With tears in her eyes she held me at arms length.

"Thank you so much! You've saved me from myself and I don't even know your name!"

I smiled at her. "I need to go powder my nose then find my husband, good luck Jill."

****

As I stood in my bathroom that evening taking off my makeup, I couldn't help but think how lucky I was. Lucky because 15 years ago a coworker overheard me bragging about my planned fling. She sat me down and told me the story I had told Jill. She saved me from my own selfishness and I will never forget her. I send her a card of thanks every year on the anniversary of that fateful day.

I have no way of knowing if Jill stayed true to Brad, but I want to believe she did. As for me, I knew I had crossed too many lines and almost screwed up, but I was never physically unfaithful to Tim.

Was I ever tempted again? NO! While I get hit on by a lot of guys, some of whom are supposed to be Tim's friends, they all get rejected. I'll never let myself be the selfish, stupid slut I almost became 15 years ago. I work hard every day to be the type of wife and mother that Tim can be proud of. I plan to be married to that wonderful man until the day I die, so my work's not done.