The Anniversary Gift

In the six years since their marriage, Eva had come to know her husband, Charles, as a very kind, considerate, loving man. He also had a healthy, very lusty sexual appetite. But he had never been demanding - not once. If she was tired or just not in the mood, Charles had simply smiled and found something else to do.

So as the day of their sixth anniversary approached, Eva tried to think of the perfect gift for the perfect husband. She thought she had a good idea and raised the subject with him across the breakfast table.

"Charles, darling," Eva began, "you know our anniversary is coming soon." Charles politely glanced at her, then went back to reading the paper.

"Charles, I've had some thoughts about a celebration of our marriage." Eva spoke while Charles remained intent on reading the news.

"I thought about how you cared for my mother in her dying days, how you helped my brother when he hit bankruptcy, and how you've supported me every hour of every day that I've spent away from you building my law practice. I'm very grateful for what you've done. So I thought perhaps that this year we should focus on what you want. I wondered if perhaps a trip designed to fulfill your sexual fantasies might not be fun?" Eva suddenly had Charles' undivided attention as he put down the paper.

"What do you think, my love?" Eva asked.

Charles hesitated for a moment, then responded, "Sounds very interesting - but can I take some time to think about it?"

"Of course, dear," Eva smiled.

Two weeks went by and Charles said nothing. Eva was quite surprised at her husband's lack of response. With just five days left before the anniversary day, she wondered if she should make alternate arrangements. Perhaps just the standard dinner and a movie would be acceptable.

Then, while Eva sat wondering at her desk in her spacious law office, the phone startled her when it rang. It was Charles. "Hello, darling. Listen, I'm sorry I haven't got back to you before now but I've been busy finishing up on a proposal I have for you regarding your thoughts about our anniversary. I wonder, could you come by the office after work, say 6:00 PM?"

A workaholic, Eva had appointments scheduled until 9:00 PM. But Charles had aroused her curiosity, so she cancelled her appointments and agreed to meet him at his office at 6:00.

Charles had established a successful brokerage firm years before he'd met Eva. His firm was housed in a three-story building on the other side of the city, so Eva took a cab.

Now semi-retired, Charles still came into the office twice a week to service some old clients and to "keep up my skills" - skills that had earned him an income of well over $1 million a year. As the boss' wife, Eva got first class treatment from security when she arrived at the brokerage firm's front door. A very large male security guard personally escorted her to Charles' office in time for their meeting.

Charles arose from his desk to greet her. "Good evening, my dear." He turned to the security guard. "Thank you, Morrison. That will be all. Please close the door when you leave. And have a good evening." Morrison smiled, glanced at Eva, then quickly turned and walked out the door, closing it behind him.

"Coffee, tea, anything to drink, my dear?" Charles inquired. "No, Charles," answered Eva somewhat impatiently. "Now what is it? You said you were finishing up some proposal to me regarding our anniversary. Well, what is it? I've cancelled three client appointments to be here this evening, so let's please get down to business and forget the amenities."

Charles smiled. "OK, Eva, if that's the way you want it." Without another word, he handed Eva a six page document, two pages descriptive narrative, the other four pages a proposed legal contract.

The proposal narrative was simple and straight-forward: it requested that, for a period of two weeks (at a location to be named by Charles) Eva agreed to do whatever Charles told her to do. She would wear whatever he told her to wear and fuck whomever he told her to fuck.

Eva read the proposal, threw it on Charles' desk and laughed. "Surely, you must be joking. I will of course not do anything of the sort. I envisioned a romantic weekend get-a-way for just the two of us. This trash is way out of line, Charles. Don't even think about it. I will do nothing of the sort."

Charles paused, smiled, then handed her a plain brown legal size envelope. "Oh, my dear, I think you will do everything of the sort. Read the contents."

Annoyed, and growing angry, Eva opened the envelope. It contained a photocopy of a letter she had once written to a judge, proposing a meeting. "This is your evidence, Charles?" Eva said scornfully. "It's nothing."

"Oh, but it's everything, my dear," Charles replied as he clicked on the VCR remote and a video began to play.

The video showed Eva handing a bribe to the judge, who agreed on the audio to alter his decision to help Eva win the case. Clearly, if this video ever got into the hands of the District Attorney, both Eva and the judge would wind up in prison.

Eva was stunned. "How did you...?" She was unable to speak.

"I have some very good security people, Eva," Charles replied. "Morrison may look like a big dumb security guard but he is one of the brightest investigators under the sun." Now Eva understood why Morrison glanced at her, smiling, before he left the office. Morrison knew what was going to happen here tonight. She shivered.

Charles spoke to Eva quietly. "I'm prepared to release the tape, if you fail to comply with my wishes. I'm advised that once you are indicted, I can sue for divorce with a reasonable expectation of keeping everything. In fact, my attorney's believe that, as a felon, you actually might be forced to pay me damages for the grief, anguish and embarrassment you caused my good name due to your actions. At least, that's the motion we would file."

"On the other hand, you could simply put up with my proposal for two weeks each year, then maintain your assets and your career as is," Charles reminded her.

Eva spit out her words. "Wait a minute, Charles. You want to do this every year?"

"That's right, Eva. Read the contract."

Eva reviewed the four-page legal document. The contract did require her to explicitly follow Charles' orders for a two-week period each year. It guaranteed that, should Eva give Charles any dissatisfaction during the two weeks, Charles would send the tape to the District Attorney. Further, if Charles met an untimely death under questionable circumstances, his lawyers were authorized to release the tape.

But if she complied with Charles during the two weeks, Eva was given written, binding guarantees that she could pursue her own interests 50 weeks of the year. Charles even posted a $500,000 bond which he would to forfeit for violations.

Eva was beaten and she knew it. "I'll sign it, you bastard. But it's not legal unless its witnessed."

"Oh, don't worry about that," Charles assured her. He pushed the intercom button on his office phone and spoke into it. "Morrison, would you come here please?"

To Be Continued...