The next morning was the one day of the week when we both had the kids out of the house and typically spent the day together. Before Ray had come over, I had been looking forward to this morning with lustful thoughts of further exploring Traci. That morning she called saying she'd be over as soon as she the kids were off. Instead of being totally horny, I was consumed with guilt over the events of the previous afternoon.
Traci walked in the house. She looked absolutely stunning. I knew I had completely ruined everything. Here she was, my friend, my lover, standing beautiful before me, and I had betrayed her. If Ray could have only controlled himself; stayed away, waited until the next time the four of us were together. If I could have taken control of the afternoon; if I could have controlled myself... I didn't know where to start but I had to tell her.
She looked at me. Something was wrong. She wasn't her usual self, and I wondered if she knew. Or perhaps she had been having second thoughts about Sunday and what had transpired. She couldn't keep my eye, looking away as I approached her. I reached for her, just to hug and say hello but she was withdrawn.
"We need to talk." I told her. "Let me get you a cup of coffee."
"Yes we do" she answered and looked away again.
In silence, I poured her coffee and sat on the couch. I patted the seat next to me.
"Please, sit down. We can get through this, maybe start over, but let's at least talk it out. Get everything out in the open and hopefully at least restore our relationship." I pleaded.
She looked at me, her soft brown eyes troubled. She trembled and then spoke.
"Then you know. Terri, I am so sorry, I can't explain it, but it just happened, and I, I'm so, so sorry. Can you please forgive me?"
Now I was confused. What on earth could she be apologizing TO ME about? She was nearly in tears. I took her coffee and set it on the table. She looked up at me. I held her for a moment, gently caressing her cheek and neck. I lightly kissed her cheek.
I still wasn't sure what she was apologizing for, but I knew that I certainly owed her one.
"You have nothing to be sorry about. It was my fault. I should be apologizing to you, not you to me. Can you forgive me?"
She looked back at me. "You're my best friend, and yesterday... I don't see how you can say it was your fault, but thank you for understanding. I love you so much, and yesterday..."
Now I was really confused. I was sure that neither of us was talking about the same yesterday. I gently lifted her chin until I held her eye. I knew it was time for me to confess. Whatever it was that she was sorry about couldn't be nearly as bad as what I was about to tell her.
"Traci honey, I don't think that we're talking about the same thing. I did something yesterday that was totally out of line. I betrayed you, betrayed your trust, and I need to tell you how sorry I am."
"I don't understand" she replied, "I was the one who did the betraying."
Now I was really confused, and certain that she didn't know about Ray's surprise visit.
"Yesterday afternoon" she continued, "Yesterday when Bill came over to my house, while the kids were asleep, and he... I mean we... Oh Terri, I am so sorry!"
She fell into my arms sobbing, begging me for forgiveness when it hit me. That bastard husband of mine gave Ray the afternoon off, knowing he'd come straight here! Then he probably waited a few minutes and came home, seeing Ray's car, headed straight to Traci's house. Either that or the two of them planned the whole thing.
I lifted her up and looked into her eyes. I lightly kissed her lips, not as a lover, but as a friend.
"Traci, there's more to yesterday than that. While Bill was at your house, Ray came over here. I don't know if the two of them were working in concert, or if that rotten husband of mine schemed up the whole thing, but if what happened at your house is what I'm thinking happened, then you and I have nothing to apologize to each other for because the same thing happened here."