Just past 5:15 and Phillip would be arriving. He was punctual, never early or late. Always right on time. He always came in, stopped in the kitchen to say something sweet and give me a kiss on the top of my head, then moved past to change into his casual clothes and then back to the living room and the paper. I stopped what I was doing, and moved to the doorway, seeing him in his favorite recliner, the paper open to the business section and him mumbling over the stock reports or the latest mergers. I smiled at the familiar sight and thought how lucky I was to have this. I truly had everything: a beautiful home, a man who loved me, two successful children on their own and making it in the world.
Dinner was always a discussion of the events of the day. We began with a rundown of my exciting adventures in the world of fashion, his latest problem-solving foray into the requests for more money from the local contractor remodeling the local restaurant, and finally to the world events and the failure of our government to fix the little things that bothered the average guy. This later really bothered Phil. He always took it personally when he saw the constant arguing of the politicians. But, not too personally. Just mildly pissed.
After dinner, I would wash, he would dry and we would decide what we were going to watch that evening on TV, or if we were going to go out the next night for dinner, or in general, our plans for the next few days. Phil was organized and I didn't mind. It was a pleasant time together.
We would finish up and then Phil would go to the den to finish his work while I made plans for grocery shopping, do some laundry and in general, organize my day. I worked four days a week, one of those on the weekend, so I had time to do those things. I remembered that I had to pick up some of Phil's suits from the laundry. Tomorrow, I'd do that. I also remembered that he wanted me to pick up a new battery for the camcorder at the Radio Shack in the mall. I wasn't in a hurry to do that since I never learned how to use it.
The evening passed with all new episodes of our favorite shows and I just enjoyed the mindless noise. I was tired tonight. I really just wanted to go to bed and try to catch up on my sleep. I had been restless the past several weeks, waking up often before turning over to try to go back to sleep. I knew what was bothering me but I didn't know how to fix it. I had made a mistake. A very bad mistake. As I started thinking of it again, it all came crashing back on me.
It was our twenty-fourth anniversary, and we had planned to go out to dinner, and then to a movie we both wanted to see. I had a new dress for the occasion, a neat little black thing that showed too much of me for comfort. But Phil loved me in it and I agreed to wear it for him. He was to pick me up at 7:15, in time for our reservations at Michael's. I expected a wonderful evening with a nice ending in bed with the man I loved.
At 7:10, Phil called to say he was going to be late. It seemed a client of the bank had just arrived in town and the President wanted Phil to take him to dinner. When I complained, Phil told me that this client was very important and his assets were vital to the bank. He had no choice. I was not convinced and I was furious with him. This was our anniversary. He pleaded with me for understanding but I was too angry to listen. He suggested we plan to do our dinner the following night but I wouldn't listen. As he attempted to placate me, all I responded with was my silence. We hung up, me angry at him still.
As I sat there fuming, I decided to ask Karen Hall to go with me to make use of the reservations and charge the evening to Phillip. Karen and Charles were our next-door neighbors and Karen was my best friend. When I called, I got Charles, Karen's husband. It seems that Karen was at her mother's house in nearby Silverton. I knew her mother had been ill but Karen didn't mention being there tonight. I told Charles that I wanted her to go with me to dinner but not to worry now. Charles wanted to know if I wanted him to go with me but I declined. Actually, Charles gave me the creeps sometimes. He seemed to always be trying to get a glimpse down my top or watching my ass as I walked by. Karen never commented on it so I let it go.
I hung up the phone and decided this night was going to be a bust. I poured myself a glass of champagne from the bottle I had chilling which was going to be for a toast before our evening began. I was about to raise my glass in sarcasm when Charles knocked on the back door. I let him in without thinking about it and offered him a glass of the champagne. He helped himself and we sat down at the kitchen table and toasted each other.
I was enjoying the champagne and the company and I began to feel a little warm. The glow from the champagne was pleasant and Charles was being pleasant and I let my guard down and told him about my aborted evening. I told him how I was hurt, how Phillip had let me down, how he had ruined my evening, and I mentioned with a leer that he wouldn't be receiving my charms that night in bed. We were laughing and drinking the champagne and I was feeling better. Charles was actually being good company. We continued to talk as we finished the bottle of champagne. I didn't notice that I drank most of it while Charles made sure my glass was never empty.
The bottle was now empty and it was getting late so I suggested it was time to call it a night. I was feeling tired from the champagne and the depression from the whole evening contributed to an overall lethargic feeling. I just wanted to go to bed and forget it for now. Maybe things would be better tomorrow. Charles rose to leave and I started to walk him to the door. I staggered a little and Charles put his arm around me to help me keep my balance. As I straightened up, he pulled me tight against him and kissed me hard on the mouth. I was so surprised that I think I responded without thought. His kiss was not all that unpleasant but I was not thinking too clearly. He dropped his hand down my back and pulled me against his body.
Before I knew it, we were upstairs and Charles was pushing me back against the bed. As the edge of the mattress hit my legs, I fell back and ended up sitting on the edge of the bed. I was still trying to understand what was happening when Charles unbuckled his belt and let his pants drop to the floor. For a second I just stared at the bulge in his boxer shorts. The whole thing happened in a fog but it was beginning to clear. I think my panic and my fear of what was going to happen burned away the fog of alcohol, and that was enough to shock me back into reality. I was about to push him away when I heard a roar.
"What the hell is going on here?" Get the hell away from my wife!"
Phil was standing in the doorway, having just come home. Not finding me, he had come upstairs looking for me. The face I now saw was a picture of fury.
