The Teacher -- 750 Words

This story was written for the

750 Word Project 2024

, below this line are exactly 750 words:

*

"Do you still love him?" I asked my young friend and neighbor, Dedra, as we sat drinking coffee at her kitchen table in the afternoon.

"I don't know, Jan." she replied with a hint of anger. "Maybe. I was so mad when I found out what the bastard's been up to for the past few months, I could have killed him! Yesterday, I was going to confront him when he came home, but our youngest chose that moment to run up and hug him. So, I have to spend more time thinking."

"Are you thinking of divorcing him?"

"I'd love to take him to court and take everything from him," she said assertively with a hint of evil. "I have enough pictures of his cellphone text messages to her, and one picture of them going into a sex club. The divorce lawyer I talked to this morning thinks I'll get everything! Then I'd want a photographer on-hand to catch the look on that bitch's face when she realizes he'll be living in an efficiency apartment, eating Raman noodles!"

"It would serve him right and be justice after you caught him cheating on you," I agreed.

"I gave him the best years of my life!" she exclaimed and went on commiserating. "And two kids! I'm not twenty-five or thirty anymore."

"But are you ready for divorce?" I asked.

"The attorney said he can be served with the petition for divorce within a week," she said. "What else do you think I should do?"

"Well, I've never been through it myself. But I've heard some horror stories. Lisa's husband cancelled all of her credit cards and emptied their bank accounts right after he was served. Do you have any personal credit cards or savings in your own name?"

"No," she admitted reluctantly. "We've been together since high school, and I trusted him. He always applied for the cards and bank accounts.... Was I really that naïve?"

"So, you might want to take some more time to set up your own bank account and transfer some money to last you and the kids for at least three to six months."

"That's a lot of money," she complained. "I doubt I could do it without him finding out."

"Do you know what his plans are with her?" I asked. "Is he planning to file for divorce?"

"I don't know.... No....I think he's satisfied with sex occasionally. I didn't see anything in the messages that the slut's pushing him for any more than that. They only seem to hook up about once each month. But I think it's only a matter of time."

"So, you've got time," I reassured her. "Take your time and think it through. But how do you know they're having sex?"

"I had an investigator follow them and got a picture of the two of them going into a sex club," and she scrolled through some messages on her cellphone, then showed me the picture.

Taking her cellphone, I zoomed in, recognizing the club's name. "Well,..." I said a little hesitantly, "That's a swinger's club just outside Baltimore. They mostly only accept couples there, and very few single men, usually only ones who've previously been vetted there with another couple."

"You know the place?" Dedra asked, looking shocked. "You... and Ted are?..." and she paused.

I'm not shy, but this was a part of our lives my husband and I keep separate from our vanilla friends and family. With Dedra's problems now, I decided to open up to her.

"We only went there once, with another couple," I admitted.

"But you're having sex with other men. Why?" she asked somewhat quietly, and I realized she's never discussed their sex life with me.

"If you don't mind me asking, how often do you two have sex together?" I asked.

Dedra looked down shyly avoiding my eyes before saying "We're not trying to have any more kids. So, only when he insists."

"Don't you have fun with it?" I asked, now surprised and beginning to see a problem.

"It's just for him. How am I supposed to have fun with it?" she asked.

"Don't you get off with toys?'

"I could never..." she shyly started, then stopped, hearing the front door open and her kids coming in from school.

I finished my coffee, then stood to leave, saying "We'll talk again tomorrow. I'll bring wine and toys.... If your husband wants more sex, he should be careful what he wishes for!"