I listened to the voice on the phone. It was a voice from the past. Ted Winslow and I had been room mates in college and now he wanted to come for a visit. Ted had just recently been divorced and he was in town applying for a job with a company he had a good chance with. They had set up a meeting on Thursday for him and he wanted to see his old college chum. He would be in town late Tuesday.
It had been years and Ted and I had lost touch when I went into the army and Ted had went to South America with a number one computer company. I guess Ted wanted to chase after the good money. I wanted to get my military time behind me and joined the military police. I had planned on going into security work.
Ted and I were as different as night and day. I was the more serious kind while Ted was the playboy. In college everyone thought that we needed other room mates but we decided not to rock the boat and stay like the administration set us up. Ted had been through two marriages while I had just the one. I had met the woman for me and saw no reason to experiment with others. That's how we were different.
" I guess we will have to make the best of it," Beth said. We had never had a house guest before and she was nervous about Ted's visit. I assured her that it would only be till Friday morning and Ted would be on his way. "In that case then I'll handle it," Beth said and kissed me. I told her that since he was coming the next day that we had better make up for it tonight. Beth grinned.
That night Beth and I had some of the best sex that we had in years. I guess the idea that we would be imposing a monks life on our marriage while Ted was here. Just before we fell asleep I looked at Beth and told her, " I think an enforced time out will be good for us." We had sex almost every night. If you could see Beth you would know why. Men that I knew accused me of keeping Beth a virtual prisoner at home. Truth was that except for outings that we went on and parties given by friends, Beth always said that she was content just staying at home. We had planned on having a baby and then two more next year. My income would be better then and we could afford the have a child.
Tuesday night finally came and at about nine. Beth was ready to go to bed at ten but she stayed up to entertain Ted with me. I still couldn't be up too late as I had some important meetings the next day. Finally at eleven I told them that I had better get some sleep. "Still the company man I see," Ted quipped, " You were always the buckle down, nose to the grind stone kind of a guy."
I couldn't resist a parting shot at him, "At least I still have a job and Beth and I have only been married to each other." That got him and I could swear that I saw him glare at me as I left him and Beth in the living room and went to bed. It was about two hours later that I felt Beth climb into bed with me. I glanced at the clock as i felt her. I turned over to cuddle her but she pulled away and moved to the other side of the bed. I wondered about that but was to sleepy. I wondered if she had been put off by my little snip at Ted. It was very unlike me.
She was still asleep the next morning when I went to work. About noon I stopped for lunch and decided to call Beth. Let me explain something. I was more than just a computer nerd with a software company. Our company was responsible for a lot of our nations security. To this end I had to have my home, which was really owned by the company, wired. The living room and all the public rooms were wired for sound and video. If any problem ever came up concerning my loyalties then the log of what went on in our living room would be reviewed. this had never been a problem and I was true blue and Beth was the perfect wife. I saw no reason to upset her by telling her about the wiring.
I put the phone down and rather than call her right away I turned on the computer first to check on whether or not I would intefer with her work. She edited copy for a Publisher and I had made the mistake recently of disturbing her at the wrong time. The house came into view, The living room was in the main window and other rooms were visible in smaller windows. I could click on one of the smaller windows and bring it into focus as the main window. there were three blacked out windows. These represented our two bedrooms and the bathroom. They were available to me if I typed in a password, but I never used it.
I couldn't see Beth or Ted in any of the main rooms. The living room, the kitchen and so forth. Feeling a little naughty I clicked on to the blacked out bedroom. I expected to see Beth sleeping late. She was up till late with Ted the night before. Beth wasn't there. The bed clothes were all rumpled and on the floor. I was floored. This wasn't like Beth. With more than a little anger I clicked on to the guest room. It was empty. The bed had been slept in but Ted wasn't there now.
I stared at the last blacked out frame, the bathroom. Then i relaxed some. Ted was probably taking a run somewhere and Beth was probably having a late shower. I would just take a quick peek. Beth was in the shower. I could see her through the steamy glass. She wasn't alone. Ted was not out taking a run. He was in the shower with my wife. I saw them hold each other close as they kissed hotly. I hung my head in shock. Then calmly I backed up the computer to where I was leaving the two of them alone.
