Three Friends Sitting In A Bar

This is submitted for the

Literotica 750 Word Project 2021

.

When your spouse cheats on you, and once you get over the pain and shock, you begin to think you might be invisible. At least, you seem invisible to them. Everywhere around you life goes on, but not for you. There are stories here that will tell you the only way to get over it is to climb back on the horse, but the truth is what gets you through it is the love of friends and family. That's what makes you feel visible again.

A story about friends supporting one of their own in 750 words.

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It was a Saturday afternoon, and I was having the first of my three-beer limit.

Jeff sat down opposite me at the table. "What a week!" No sooner does he say it that he realizes the irony of it. "Sorry, man. I wasn't thinking."

I just smiled and waved it off. I'd known Jeff since we were kids in school, and he is as good hearted and as loyal as a friend can be.

"Have you heard from her?"

I shook my head. "Not directly."

"Any idea where she is?"

"No, but I could guess."

Jeff just dropped his eyes, exhaled a long breath, and nodded.

At about this same time, Henry sat down at the table. "How you doing?"

"I'm doin' okay."

"You want to talk about it?"

I shrugged and looked around. If I got into it, I didn't want anyone else to hear.

"I got home from work Monday and she was gone. Her closet was stripped, and her bureau drawers were empty."

"Are you going to be okay?" Both Jeff and Henry have always been compassionate friends. They were never the life of the party. Truth be told, we were all the type that tend to go unnoticed. But they were always there when I needed them, and the fair-weather friends had left.

"Yeah. You know me, fat, dumb and happy." I faked a grin.

I guess they could see I was nervous and every so often I would steal a glance across the deck and through the door to the bar.

"You waiting for someone?"

"No, just watchin' my back." I was, in fact, sitting with my back against the privacy fence. I wanted to see trouble if it was coming.

"You worried that Janet will show up?"

"No. She's at the house right now getting the rest of her shit. Her lawyer contacted me, and I sent her lawyer to my lawyer. They worked it out and I agreed to be gone for a few hours."

"How are you holding up?"

I just shrugged. The truth was I didn't know how I was holding up. How can anyone be okay when your wife of twelve years starts fucking some asshole behind your back, and then packs up and disappears?

"You get served, yet?"

"No, I'm getting served on Monday. No surprises. I know when it's coming."

"Maybe we should be there with you?"

How can a guy not smile with friends like that? "I'll buy the beer and order in a pizza."

"Make it two." Jeff was a big man, and he was smiling.

"Two large pizzas, Guinness and a good IPA, anything else?"

"That's enough for me. Hell, I may not ever leave!"

We all got a good chuckle from that.

"So why are you so nervous?"

"I didn't tell you how I informed my loving wife that I knew about her affair."

"Please God, tell me you didn't hit her?!"

"No, not her. I'm not as dumb as I look."

"Him?"

I grinned and shrugged. "It was a week before last Tuesday after work and the shithead was playing in a softball league across town. I went over and I watched them play a few innings. She was there but didn't see me. Hell, nobody saw me. I was just a face in the crowd, a lot like I'd been feeling at home lately. The game broke up and people were leaving. She headed for her car and he headed for the men's room. I decided I needed to take a leak, too. His bat bag was laid across the sinks. What an asshole! A bat handle was sticking out of the bag and it was just too tempting. I swung for the fence. He fell against the wall and never saw my face. I think he may have a broken shoulder blade. I've been expecting the cops to show up, but they haven't. Like I said, I was just a face in the crowd, and nobody noticed me."

We were quiet for a time.

"So, that was eleven days ago. She came home that night with puffy eyes and walking on eggshells. I caught her watching me when she thought I didn't see. She hardly spoke a word for the next few days and moved out last Monday while I was at work. The papers take a week."

"Anyone ever tell you that you have impulse control issues?"

We all laughed at that one.

"What can I say? I was provoked."

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I know, it's a dumb idea. There were too many people, it was broad daylight, and he left his fingerprints. In reality, he'd be behind bars. This is just one of those ideas that became an itch I needed to scratch.