The Christmas Party 29

I like to try and find quirky scenarios alongside some illicit situations. No sex in this one and it's pretty short, so be warned if that's not your thing. Also like some of my others a little tongue in cheek and a lighter view of things.

As far as parties go... this was the worst!

It started as our works Christmas party. My wife and I work at the same for electronics production firm but in very different roles. Jennifer is the Human Resources Director and on the Board, I'm Bill and work at a lower level leading the line maintenance teams. We met 17 years ago, it was Jennifer who told me about the vacancies where she worked. We have both been promoted in the intervening years but it is Jennifer who really excelled. She was bright worked hard and deserved it, I couldn't be prouder of her.

For the first time the works Christmas party was to be held at a local resort hotel. The board members had access to a number of suites and a communal lounge at the resort, so Jennifer had set off at midday to join her senior colleagues. I along with the rest of the workforce joined the main party at 7pm, we were all joking that the minions had been allowed in for a few hours even if we'd had to get dressed up in suits to do so.

It took a while before I finally spotted Jennifer and I have to say biased or not she looked absolutely stunning. I marvelled again at her beauty, just shy of her 38th birthday her long blonde hair had been curled into ringlets which framed bright blue eyes and ever smiling beautiful face. She must have bought a new dress and seemed to shimmer in a slim silvery elegance. I also noticed a new necklace it looked expensive; damn it, I needed to rethink the Christmas present I had bought that very morning. She was mingling with the senior team and before I had a chance to speak to her we were asked to take our seats for the formal dinner.

At a distance I could see her sitting next to the new Chief Executive Richard Jenkins, the previous owner having recently stepped down from that role into semi-retirement as Chairman. I had to admit he was a handsome guy and was little perturbed to see Jennifer constantly smiling and laughing.

I settled down for the meal with the other team leads; they were all good friends that I had worked with for years. Not to boast, but we knew our stuff and kept utilisation rates high despite ageing equipment which the company seemed reluctant to replace. The meal was lovely and the drinks helped everyone have a good time even though they were cripplingly expensive in the swanky venue. Once dinner was over I tried to catch up with Jennifer again but never seemed to manage.

When I finally tracked her down, she quickly moved off saying she had to mingle. Later I saw her dancing with the Chief Executive and it was really starting to piss me off. By the time she deigned to speak to me it was 10pm and I wasn't happy. My mood did not improve when she announced that the Execs were going back to their lounge so the workforce could party in peace without the managers watching.

I could tell she was uneasy, "Really, I've had to watch you fawn over another guy all night and now you're leaving! Who did you buy the dress for Jennifer? I've never seen much of it; very sexy I have to say. And the necklace is outstanding, it looks so expensive."

"I didn't buy..." she stopped realising her mistake. She bit her lip and continued speaking quietly, "It was gift."

"No need to ask who from, do you think your boss buying you an expensive necklace is appropriate?"

"He bought everyone gifts, he's very generous and thought it would be perfect for me, so said he had to buy it."

"Well he has good taste I'll give him that. Maybe I should ask him about his choice of gifts for my wife."

I could see her panicking slightly, "You can't, it's a private party and you're drunk; we can't have you causing trouble."

"I am not drunk and we are already in trouble. Just how private is the party Jennifer, is it all the Execs or just you and Jenkins?"

She blushed and flustered before recovering and going on the attack, "Fuck you, how dare you suggest something inappropriate between Richard and I."

I noticed she didn't fully deny it. I tried to calm down and find a gentler approach, "Listen Jen why don't we head off home together and sort this all out."

"I can't Bill, the whole management team are expected in the lounge. I think Richard has things planned for the team... awards and speeches.

"I bet he does have things planned and when will you be back?"

"I don't know, later probably or we all have use of the suites. If the after party goes on late I might stay over."

I lost it that point, "Oh might you now, you do that and we are finished!"

She got furious quickly, shouted something about not controlling her and stormed off. I saw her join a small gaggle of the managers and leave.

Devastated was an understatement, maybe I was a bit hasty but she was so out of order. I numbly returned to the party and slumped into my seat. Before I knew it, I was reciting my tale of woe to my best friend Dan and then the rest of the table soon got the potted version of events. They were all very supportive and decided the obvious answer to my dilemma was to get absolutely hammered.

A little while later and people from other tables started approaching offering me sympathy. I asked Dan what was going on; in response he showed me the works social media page on his phone. He had posted a photo of us knocking back beers with the caption:

"Shifted from a Christmas Party to a Commiseration Party # greatguy #wandering wife."

Clearly the post had prompted the comments, now definitely drunker my addled brain was thinking the post was a bad idea and we should delete it. Just then a gorgeous lady from payroll approached me, touched my arm gently and said something about the Chief Executive having form for it. This did not improve my mood.

My phone buzzed as a photo popped up on the media page showing Jennifer dancing really closely with Jenkins from earlier in the party. It had the tags #bosses #closenetworking.

This seemed to prompt a mini avalanche of other images being posted. The first showing them close together talking with Jennifer staring up with a slightly besotted look. Another with her touching his arm and another with his hand on her lower (very) back. The final one looked like they were about to kiss. I was gutted; I hadn't seen those things before our conversation. If there was any doubt about her intentions still lingering in my mind, they evaporated.

The tags adjoining the images were becoming increasingly blunt: #unfaithful #cheats #sleazy #onworktime #dumpher.

I was doing my best to blot out my feelings with alcohol. At one point I threw my wedding ring in the urinal and me and Dan pissed on it. We laughed managing to take short video of it without showing our cocks. That post got 400 likes, pretty good as the firm only has 300 employees. I realised that we might get into trouble, but I really was beyond caring.

It was then I received the biggest surprise of the night, Jennifer came back into the room. She actually got 'booed' by those still at the party. She was clearly furious and stomped up to me. I remember thinking her face didn't match the lovely dress. She screamed at me asking what the fuck I was doing.

"Partying" was my brilliantly enlightened response. She demanded I stop posting things about her.

"Ok, are you going to tell everyone else to stop as well?"

Jennifer looked around shocked to see all eyes on her, but determined to push through, "This stops now, external clients can see those posts and it's now a disciplinary issue."

Dan my trusty wingman piped up, "What are you going to do, sack the whole production team, we're the only ones who make anything. Anyway won't you be busy with the Chief Philandering Officer? Where is he by the way? If it's that important shouldn't he be here demonstrating his outstanding leadership qualities?"

I didn't think it was possible for Jennifer to turn and redder but I was proved wrong... puce maybe or perhaps a shade or burgundy. For once she looked lost for words, so it seemed an opportune moment for me to share:

"Tell you what Jennifer don't come in and apologise or say it's all a huge mistake or beg forgiveness. Just come in and threaten my friends. Since we last spoke I've seen those photographs, I had no idea I was married to such a cheap slut, so why don't you just fuck off back to lover boy. Tell him if he wants to sack me I'd be delighted to discuss the issue outside."

The crowd actually cheered and I received a round of applause, my first ever.

This had to excruciating for Jennifer, her professional image meant so much to her. I could see the tears forming but hats off to her she managed a stoic recovery:

"I haven't done anything and have nothing to apologise for." She picked her head up and strode off, damn it if she still didn't manage to look elegant doing it.

I got home at very late o'clock surprised to see Jennifer in our marital bed. I had enough sense to find my way to the spare room before collapsing.

The hangover on the next day was prestigious, thankfully Jennifer was long gone. Tea, tablets and water had me feeling only marginally better.

Despite it being Saturday, I received a message from the company secretary to attend work at 1pm prompt. I expected it would be the Jenkins and maybe Jennifer waiting to dismiss me. I decided to go, hoping that I might avoid repercussion for my friends. To my surprise it was the company owner and now chairman Alan Roberts who met me, I wasn't sure if that was better or worse, he was tough no nonsense type of guy.

He explained that both CEO and Jennifer had appraised him of the situation and that the media page had been taken down. He went on to say it was a very serious situation and the firm had been brought into disrepute.

He gave me a steely glare, "Everyone who posted something inappropriate will be disciplined."

I started to object but he held his hand up to silence me, explaining, "It will be a verbal warning."

I tried to weigh it up quickly; realising verbal warnings were nothing really. I uttered my thanks saying they were just supporting me... really good friends actually. I waited in trepidation expecting him to dismiss me.

"So consider this your verbal warning."

"Err mm ok," I responded brilliantly, "Nothing else" I asked tentatively.

He smiled, it was unsettling, "There are a few other things."

Damn, I knew it was too good to be true. Before I could guess what they might be, he went on, "The CEO has been dismissed, for gross misconduct and bringing the firm into disrepute."

I was staggered, "Aren't I the one who caused everyone to know about it, including clients."

"Yes you are, but I see it as ample provocation. Anyway it won't bother the clients, they are driven by price not some tittle tattler on social media. No the misconduct was his and yours wife's I'm afraid. I have never tolerated that type of behaviour in my company. You should know it's more than the photographs; the other Execs have been uncomfortable about how close they were becoming. Anyway I don't like the guy and made a huge mistake hiring him. I mean the Execs get a separate party and rub in 'being special', what a load of crap. And that's before I get to his less than impressive business decisions and the fact he spent company money on personal gifts."

He went on, "More importantly, have you spoken to her."

I shook my head.

"I did this morning and think it's just dawning on her how wrong her actions were. It is up to you but you should probably speak to her. She is suspended and there is a chance she may be dismissed. I need to do some more digging first; she might make some form of counter claim and blame it all on Jenkins."

Jennifer was in the lobby as I was leaving, I sat next to her on one of the reception couches.

"What now" I said with rapier like intelligence. I heard some response but couldn't make what she said.

Another muffle and then almost a whisper, "I'm sorry."

"What for Jennifer? Sorry for your behaviour, sorry for having an affair, what exactly?"

She turned eyes red covered in tears, "I haven't slept with him there was no affair. It wasn't until I saw those photos sober that I realised how bad everything looked. And then when I saw what you did with your wedding ring I was mortified."

"Let's see; you spent all day with him. He felt he could buy you an expensive necklace. You ignored me, danced, touched and left with him. And you planned on spending the night, but you expect me to believe it was all innocent. You really must think I am a moron."

"No it wasn't like that."

"You planned to do it though didn't you?"

"No, yes, I... I don't know. I guess I was thinking about it, drinking in the afternoon didn't help. I was attracted to him but tried to resist, he has a charm about him and everything just seemed natural. It wasn't a conscious decision to do anything, things just happened."

"So was it the media posts that stopped you. Did they get you out of his bed?"

"What... no! We weren't in bed we were still in the lounge. The others had gone but then the manager who was monitoring the media to make sure nothing too outrageous from the party was posted called us. We saw the posts but expected it to stop, but it just kept getting worse. We were starting to panic then I saw your ring video, that's when I came back."

"Fuck me, saved by Facebook in the nick of time, there's a first. What were you doing alone with him at the time?"

"Talking mostly, some touching maybe, we had kissed but that was all I promise." She said it like it was a winning statement.

"If that's what you are admitting, I'll wager it was more and I doubt that night was the first time you two got close, little comments, flirting, lunches for weeks probably."

She shrugged in reply, "I know it was so stupid I just got swept up in the whole thing."

"The thing is Jennifer in all your explanations you have never mentioned me, just you and him. It's like I was totally forgotten and pushed aside. It looks to me like you are trying to trade up. Maybe you think you are better than me now you are a Director, if that's the case you should have talked to me, we could have moved on amicably."

"But I don't want to move, it's not about being better or about you. It's just a stupid mistake."

I looked at her and remembered the box in my pocket, took it out, opened it and handed the necklace to Jennifer. "I was going to give you this at the party but I never got the chance and you had already accepted a shinier more expensive one."

She burst into tears but I pushed on, "You might be telling the truth or maybe not. Maybe you have been fucking him for months. I will never know and that's because I can't trust you. You can't stay married without trust.

"What, that can't be right; I didn't even sleep with him."

"Yeah, but not for want of trying Jen, certainly not for want of trying."

"Please Bill this is all a terrible mistake, I might lose my job and I've never felt as embarrassed as I did at the party."

"Yeah I feel the same; I've never been so embarrassed of my wife. I thought I might be losing my job and I'm certain you are a terrible mistake."

There really wasn't much more to say, I got up and left her crying on the couch. The feeling of dread as I left was overwhelming, where do you go from here? The Christmas music didn't help as I left the building, the season of fucking joy. Just then I got a message from Dan saying he had some tickets for a New Year's Eve party and I was going... no excuses. I managed a half smile, I really did have some good friends and life would go on. I just needed a plan to drink less at the party, but as they say no plan survives the first encounter with the enemy.

12 months later

I had dreaded this moment; it was works Christmas party and 12 months since the worst night of my life. At least if felt different, it was held at a local bar, no need for suits, free drinks and everyone mixed in together including Alan Roberts who had never looking happier since returning as Chief Exec after last year's debacle.

It was then I saw her, she looking stunning in an electric blue satin evening dress and strappy heels. I managed to catch her eye and received a beaming smile in return; she moved toward me and we kissed briefly in greeting. We ended the kiss with the jeering of erstwhile colleagues echoing in ours ears, as ever led by Dan as the chief protagonist.

I laughed whilst breaking the kiss, "Well, who would have thought accountants could scrub up so well."

She returned the barb, "Same for you production guys, surprised you got all the grease and dirt off your hands, I guess you will have to do."

The accountant in question was Diane the pretty redhead from payroll I had met at the previous Christmas party; we had been dating for 4 months. It's funny how life can turn around if you can cope with the hard times. I was now 'Head of Production' and on the board. This had come after we had a difficult year coping with breakdowns and the previous lack of replacement and maintenance investment. The guys had worked really hard and we managed to fulfil the order books; to be fair we were in our element responding effectively to each crisis. Alan Roberts was in right in amongst it as well, negotiating around what we could deliver.

Alas I wasn't joining Jennifer on the board; she suffered the ignominy of being demoted to HR advisor before leaving the firm a couple of months later. We divorced six months ago, at first she couldn't believe I wouldn't forgive her but once she realised I wasn't going to change my mind it was fairly amicable. Amazingly you can divorce online these days.

Anyway enough of that it was history, it's important to learn for history and move on... so back to making this the best Christmas party ever.