The Cucold Diet Challenge

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Chapter 7: Pressure

My continuation of the The Cuckold Diet Challenge by RazorLyt, (2/2/09)

In the last chapter, a surprise discussion with the kids emphasizes their concerns, and provides food for thought.

Danielle and Shelly make it home, dragging Tina with them. Rick sees the extent of his revenge, and has second thoughts as to whether the teasing Tina deserved as bad as she got, and he decides to try to soften the blow, after the fact.

An effort to resume relations with Danielle goes astray, and they discuss the ramifications of her actions. Rick's making an effort, but everything still drives him crazy. During dinner with the three women, his wife, Tina and Shelly, a stupid joke sets everything back. Rick blows up, and in the aftermath, he lets out his frustration.

Rick gives up. He realizes he's killing himself for no reason, and falls off the diet wagon.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Monday, I called Tom and told him to hire Gina. I sat her down, and explained that I wanted her to go into the office the next day. The interview process was a formality.

"Is this because, we...you and I..."

"No beautiful. It's time for me to take control of my life. I don't want you to get caught in the fallout. You're going to be an excellent attorney, and you'll make some lucky guy very, very happy."

"But that guy's not going to be you, is it?"

I shook my head. "I'm too old, too much baggage. I'm screwed up right now. I don't need any relationships in my life, I can't handle it. I wish it were otherwise."

She climbed in my lap, and kissed me softly. "Me too. If anything changes, keep me in mind, Ok? I...you're special to me."

I kissed her back, and promised I would.

~ * ~ * ~

I let Jenny put me through my paces, but I did a half-ass job of it. She nagged me, and on Tuesday I lost it. "I'm having a hard time, alright!" I snapped. "Get off my ass for once!"

She looked shocked. "Ricky, that's my job. I'm supposed to ride you hard. Drive you. Keep you motivated."

I sat down, frustrated. Not with her so much as with life. "I need a break, Jenny. I'm ready to snap. I can't take all of this any longer."

She was quiet, then sat on the edge of the desk beside me. "I understand. You could be right. You've driven yourself harder than anyone I've ever seen. Why don't you take a few days off? I've been meaning to go down and visit Mom. Maybe I'll make a long weekend of it."

"Take a vacation on me. You've more than earned it. I'm sorry if I sound ungrateful. You've done a wonderful job, and been a great friend and companion when I needed it most." I opened my checkbook, and wrote her a check for an extra two grand. "Enjoy yourself, Ok?"

She took the check, and I saw her hand shaking. "This is goodbye, isn't it?"

I pulled her in for a hug. "No. I hope not. I just need a break. Things are coming to a head. I'll call. I promise. It may not be this week, or even next week, but I'll call."

She packed her stuff, and when she was done, pulled me close and gave me a kiss. "Don't give up, Ricky. Don't give up on any of it. You...you're a hell of a man."

The tears in her eyes almost started a flood of my own. "I'll never forget you, Jenny. You may have saved my life. You were what I needed, when I needed it, during the worst days of my life."

She was crying openly. "Please. Don't say goodbye. Don't."

I wiped my eyes and hugged her. "This is not goodbye. It's until next time."

"Keep running, handsome. You're a natural. Do that much, for me?"

"I'll try."

I was feeling pretty shitty afterwards. I went for a run, almost two miles. I ran up to Waffle House, and had their All American breakfast with double waffles. I couldn't remember the last time I'd had a waffle.

~ * ~ * ~

Wednesday afternoon, I had a talk with Francine. "My calories are too restrictive. I'd like to eat normal. Not too fattening, but more like 2200 calories a day, instead of 1200."

"That's good. You need to change things up now and then. It makes it a little easier on me, anyway." She was always the quiet one, staying out of things. Observant but on the sidelines. "It's over, isn't it? You and the Mrs."

"Maybe. I'm not sure yet."

"And your playthings?"

Playthings. I guess that's how it may have looked from the outside. "Gina's got a real job now, at my old law firm. Jenny's taking a paid sabbatical until I figure things out."

"It was working you know," she said softly.

"What?"

"Her stupid plan. It was seriously fucked up, but you look so much better than you did. Healthier, better color, everything about you. Your hair looks better. You've done a good job of fixing your weight issue, now I think it's time to see if you can't do something about your home life."

"I've been trying, Francine. I'm not sure it's possible. Too much happened."

She shrugged. "That's too bad. I think deep down you're both good people. Great kids. Not a bad life. I never figured you for a quitter, Mr. Anderson."

"I'm not. I tried for almost 7 weeks now. It was just too much."

"Whatever you say. It's none of my business anyway. Try not to hurt the kids too much. That would be a sin."

~ * ~ * ~

Friday the house was a morgue. Kids off to school, Danielle working long hours, up to 12 a day, I was on my own. I made a half-hearted attempt to walk a couple of miles outdoors. I tried a new route. It took me past Donatello's Pizza. I hadn't had pizza in forever, it was always a family staple.

I sat around the house, trying to decide what to do. My wife was almost invisible, walking on eggshells when I was around. I hadn't said two words to her, hiding out in my study or the basement.

Gina called, gushing over work. I congratulated her, telling her I'd been hearing good things about her. She was so excited, it almost got me up to do something. Almost.

I gave Jean Morelli a call, checking on the status of Tina's marriage. She was cautiously optimistic. "I don't think he meant to hurt her. He'd never done anything similar. He pushed her out the door. That was wrong, but almost understandable. She fell, and hurt herself. He's miserable, groveling, confessing all his past sins, which weren't as bad as Tina had thought, but weren't trivial either. They're talking, the papers are on hold, and they're seeing a counselor."

"That's great news. You're a miracle worker, aren't you?"

She laughed. "Let's just say I'm as good at my job as you are at yours."

I was starting to like Jean. She'd be a good friend to have.

~ * ~ * ~

I was dreading the weekend, and having to be around my wife. So I didn't. I packed an overnight bag, and took off for the weekend. I left a note saying I'd be back on Monday.

Las Vegas, that's where I went. I had always wanted to go. I caught a few shows, gambled a little. Gorged myself at the buffets. I hit a couple of strip clubs. It was a nice break from the reality of my life. But by Monday, I was ready to head back home.

I got in late, and the kids were already in bed. I waited for the confrontation, but it didn't happen. Danielle just looked at me, sadness in her eyes. "Your phone was off. Tom's been calling."

I nodded. That was it. The totality of our conversation. She turned and went to the bedroom. I retired to the guestroom.

The following morning I woke late. I found the extra meals that Francine had made, before she knew I would be out. I ate a couple and called Tom.

It was more Weston. It hadn't been as easy to straighten out as I thought. I dressed in one of my suits, which was way too big on me, and headed into the office. I requested Gina to work with, and spent the better part of three days resolving the issues. It was good to see Gina again, and she behaved very professionally except for one stray hug, when we first got back together in my office. "I'll never be able to thank you enough for this," she told me.

"Me either, beautiful. Just continue doing the great job you do, and we'll all be happy."

I managed to plug all the holes in the mess, and a five-star dinner with Weston sealed the deal on Thursday. It wasn't my first dinner meeting with him, but it was the best. He opened up to me, about the issues with his construction company, the problems the unions were giving him, the way the stress was leaking over into his life.

Maybe it was the booze, maybe the easy camaraderie with another man at the top of the food chain. I mentioned issues at home as well. I didn't go into all the details, but explained that my wife had been unfaithful to me, rubbing my face in it, and that we were on the verge of divorce. My weight was one issue, an indiscretion another. Her payback was more than I could handle.

He gave me a lop-sided grin. "I wasn't going to say anything, but that explains the misfit suit. You're looking better than you have for a while, but your wardrobe could use an upgrade."

"Yeah, the weight issue is the only thing that seems likely to go away."

He confessed he was on this second marriage, the stress of building a multi-million dollar company from scratch was too much for his first wife. He shrugged. "It happens. Not a lot you can do about it. I was lucky that it was early enough in my career it didn't cripple the business. I miss seeing the kids as much as I'd like. Darla's been a great thing for me, and I'd hate for the work to cause another disaster for me."

We talked. We didn't solve any issues for either of us, but it was good to talk about it to somebody outside of our inner circle. I knew a lot about him, as his corporate and personal lawyer. I think he enjoyed getting to know a little more about me.

I was in a good mood when I got home. I even had a few minutes with the kids, before I had to put them to bed. Danielle was waiting for me in the living room. She looked frazzled.

"Got a minute?" she asked.

There went my good mood. I grabbed a beer, and sat beside her. "Shoot."

"Is this how it's going to be now? Strangers sharing a house? No communication whatsoever? Trips alone?"

"What do you want, Danielle?"

"I want you to try. How can I earn your trust if you won't even speak to me?"

"Honestly? I don't think you can."

She shrugged. "I'm willing to try. If you're not, I guess there's not much we can do about it, is there?"

"No, I guess not."

"So is it a divorce?"

I sighed. "Not by me. I haven't totally given up, I just don't see any way of things getting better. I want to stay with my kids. If that means staying around you, so be it."

"What if I want a divorce?"

"Then you'll get one. I will fight you over the kids."

"You wouldn't stand a chance, you know."

"Reynolds thinks otherwise. I have a lot of very incriminating video and audio evidence. Eyewitnesses who could be brought in. I could probably keep you from ever working in the legal field again."

She stared at me in disbelief. "You'd do that? To me?"

"If you tried to take the kids I would."

"Without a job, you'd never get them."

"By the time it came up, trust me, I'd have a far better paying job than you. At least double what you're making."

"The evidence wouldn't hold up. I could get the videos suppressed," she continued to argue.

"Reynolds doesn't think so. Maybe the third one. The other two you made knowingly, and gave them to me. Do you honestly think you could beat Reynolds and me in court? And if you did, do you really think they'd remain secret?"

"You would never use them. It would humiliate you." I think she was grasping at straws at that point.

"That's what you wanted all along, wasn't it, Dear? So you get your way, happy? I suffer a little humiliation. I get the kids, and leave you working at McDonald's. Works for me."

I saw the anger fade to sorrow. Tears in her eyes. "Do you hate me that much, now?"

"I don't hate you. I hate what you did, and I'm having a difficult time with it. You're the one talking about divorce. Don't push it, Danielle. You won't like the results."

She got up and left to sulk in her bedroom.

I had another beer.

~ * ~ * ~

Friday was time for bills. I paid what needed paying, almost emptying our joint account. I left her bills on the table. When she got home, tired and grouchy, she microwaved her dinner from Francine, a sin if you asked me, and looked over what I'd left her.

A few minutes later she was standing in front of me, blocking the TV. "I can't pay these!"

"I told you to tighten the purse strings."

"I had to get some outfits for my new job. A few last lunches with my old friends. I told you I can't afford the car payment. Not yet. It'll be two more weeks before I get my first paycheck."

"Most of the bills will wait. Pay 'em when you can."

"You need to help me with these, at least the car payment. It's already overdue."

"Over three thousand dollars in clothing expenses, Danielle. That's what you spent, even after I warned you. You shouldn't need a whole new wardrobe!"

"Damn it, Rick! I'm trying. I'm working my ass off. You have no idea how difficult this is!"

I just stared at her. Eventually it sank in. I knew

exactly

how hard it was, and then some. She'd done it for a couple of weeks. I'd suffered 20 years of it.

She looked down. "I'm sorry. I guess you do. Can you please help me?"

"Shall I cash another CD? I thought you were so damned worried about spending our savings."

"Just for a few weeks. I'll be getting two paychecks, and I can catch up. The CDs are both of ours."

"You've never contributed one red cent to our savings."

"Please, Rick?"

I took the bills from her. "This is the last time. I appreciate that you finally got a real job, but you're going to have to pay your share around here. Contribute a little."

I knew it embarrassed her to ask for help. Miss independent super-attorney. Win at all costs. I expected to hear some pushback, some fight, but she walked away, leaving me to finish paying off her bills, for the final time.

~ * ~ * ~

I didn't feel like weighing myself, but the kids cajoled me into it. I was surprised to see my weight had bounced back up to 216 lbs. Two weeks off the diet, with minimal exercise had accomplished that.

The yard needed some work, and it gave me an excuse to avoid my wife. I took my time, enjoying a couple of beers while I was at it. When I was done, the house was empty. She must have taken the kids somewhere, maybe a game I'd forgotten about. It would have been nice if she'd told me, or at least left a note.

After cleaning up, I hit the local cigar bar. I'd given up that little vice a couple of years earlier, after Danielle nagged me out of it. Now the fact that she had, pissed me off. Since I'd been out of touch for a while, I let the owner advise me on some new smokes. I sampled a highly rated Oliva on the premises, enjoying passing the time with strangers, watching the big screen, and talking about what had happened in the cigar world over the last few years.

It was good to be around men again, after spending the last 2 months always surrounded by women and the kids. A poker game was starting up in the back room, the stakes a little higher than I would normally play for. I was offered a seat at the table by the owner, and a few of the men had some decent bottles of booze with them. I bought in for a grand.

We were in the private VIP room of the cigar bar, a nice quiet place, well appointed. There was a table of 6, my presence taking the place of a last minute cancellation. The room was closed for the evening, as a select Member event. It cost $100 for a seat at the table, which I thought was a little pricey. When I offered to pay for the dinner, I was laughed off, and the reason for the $100 buy-in was made clear.

Two young ladies appeared, very scantily clad. Very, as in heels, thong and pasties. They were quite attractive, and they started setting up a bar. They had brought everything but the alcohol, which the players provided. I looked up into a very nice set of artificially enhanced D-cups and placed my order for a Tanqueray and tonic.

"Would you like anything at your break?" she asked, and seemed to be enjoying my distraction.

The man next to me spoke up. "It's Mr. Anderson's first time, Candy. We haven't filled him in on all the amenities yet, darlin'."

She flashed him a big smile and closed the gap between us, her big tits near enough to poke an eye out. "I hope you enjoy the game, Mr. Anderson. Sin and I are here to make sure you have a great time."

That brought a chuckle from the surrounding players. She gave them a flirtatious wink as she continued to take orders.

The game was very casual. There were 7 men present, the six playing poker, and another sitting on one of the couches. Bets were small with a $50 limit. The game was 7 card stud, with the deal rotating. I hadn't played stud in a while, and was rusty, quickly losing a couple of hundred dollars. Hidden trips, on a hand where not much was showing, got me back almost to even.

One of the players at my table got up for a break, and the seated guy took his place. I was surprised when Sin knelt in front of the guy who'd just sat down on the couch and started blowing him.

"$50 for a blowjob," the guy next to me said. "Handjob'll run you $20. No fucking 'til after the game, and then $200 buys you as many turns as you wanna take, whichever hole you want. There's usually a line for Candy's ass. Just drop the chip in the tip bar, and the girls share it at the end of the evening. Don't give it to them directly."

I was shocked by his matter-of-fact way of explaining things. I was even more surprised when he grabbed a strange gold chip, and flipped it my way. Instead of a number, it had a pair of lips on it. "First one's on me," he said, grinning.

I noticed he had a few of them. It looked like he expected to make a night of it. I imagine they were going to be busy girls. "Is this a regular game?" I asked.

"First and third Saturdays. We have a waiting list, but we can get you on it," he said, peeking at the cards he'd just been dealt. I did the same, and couldn't hide my disgust at the crap I'd been dealt.

He was a big guy, and stuck his meaty hand out for a shake. I accepted it. "Bob Danvers," he said. "You don't remember me, do you?"

I shook my head. "I'm sorry, but I can't say I do."

"It was a long time ago. You were part of a team that represented my company in a bogus lawsuit. Saved me a boatload of money."

I thought about it for a while. "Building supplies. You provided exactly what the customer specified. They weren't happy that it didn't suit their needs, but instead of going after the architect, they went after you."

Bob grinned. "Right the first time. Architect was a lowball bid, and had nothing to go after. You know how lawyers are, they go after the deep pockets first."

"You're not a client of ours anymore. How come?"

"Family. My wife's brother. Incompetent boob, but we do what we have to, to keep the peace."

That sure struck home. "If you ever need a second opinion, look me up."

"You still working at the same firm?"

I laughed. "Yeah. I'm the senior partner now. I'm on sabbatical, but in a few weeks I'll be back at the helm." I glanced at the chip he'd passed me. "I don't mind the poker, but I'm not so sure about taking advantage of the amenities. I'm married."

"Don't blame you. Skip the fuckin'. Stick to the blowjobs. That's what I do. You've gotta give Sin a spin, at least. The girl's oral talents are legendary."

His matter-of-fact attitude about getting blowjobs from the girls, when he was married, struck me as wrong. I looked around the table, and noticed that half the men wore wedding rings. Was this usual? How come I'd never had an inkling of stuff like this happening in my backyard? Maybe I'm a prude, but the bold-faced adultery shocked me.