Trina Walsh was feeling exceptionally good about herself. She had an amazing husband, Chance, who was currently at home with their three wonderful children. Her work was fulfilling and although she had misrepresented it to Chance she was getting promoted. Life was good by any metric and most people were envious of her and Chance's "perfect life." Yet Trina was discontented. She had a sheltered upbringing and had married her first boyfriend. Not that she regretted any of that, but she did feel like she was missing something, and it gnawed at her like a thorn in her flesh.
Her best friend Amber had told her many stories of her adventures in dating and that just made Trina jealous because her and Chance were pretty vanilla in the bedroom. Amber had told him to talk to Chance about it, but Trina was reluctant. She wanted too but just couldn't bring herself to talk about "slutty" things with Chance. Trina was even quite sure that Chance would like to spice it up in the bedroom he had occasionally hinted at it. Yet Trina had decided that the best thing to do is try it out with someone else and then she would be content.
Trina had the perfect plan. Her plan was foolproof. She had a work conference two and a half hours away by car. There was a meet and greet on Friday followed by the conference on Saturday. She was planning to return home after that. She had told Chance that she had to go to the conference because of her pending promotion but there were a few details she left out. One was that the promotion was already in the bag, she really didn't have to go to the conference. Secondly when she left from work Friday, she was driving 1 hour to a small town on the way to the conference to hook up with a guy she had met on the internet. She would have dinner and then go back to his room in the nice little inn next to the restaurant. After finding out what she was missing she would drive to her conference.
Trina
I can't believe that this is really going to happen! I am actually going to find out what it's like to have another man. Also, I am going to try all those things I've heard about but not done. I know that Chance would probably be game for them, but I don't want him thinking I'm a slut or something. This way is better, I will try them with "Roger" and then if I like it, I will work on it with Chance. He is such a great guy; I can't get over how lucky I am to have married him. I wish I wasn't so discontent but those stories Amber and my romance novels spin, they just have me in knots. I must find out what another guy is like, I must try some new things. It will just be this once, I've been good for 10 years of marriage, just this once. Of course, what Chance doesn't know can't hurt him.
There is the restaurant. I better put the rose in my hair. I told "Roger" (I wonder what his real name is?) I would be wearing a rose in my hair because my name is "Rose" so he could identify me. One last look in the vanity mirror, oh I think I'm looking good for a mom of three! Business casual dress with an extra button undone on my blouse. Dress pants tight enough to show off my best ass-et. A little touch up on the make up and off I go.
This is a lovely place, the sign says seat yourself, I'll go find as private a table as I can for me and "Roger."
"Trina, what a surprise to see you! What a coincidence we both stopped at the same place for dinner while travelling, please join us."
Wow! That would be my mother-in-law Susan, always so bubbly. What are my in-laws doing here? I must stop and sit with them, this is not good, what if "Roger" shows up before I can get away from them?
"Trina, you look so nice that rose really looks good on you."
My mother-in-law is always so nice.
"Looks like you are going on a date not a work conference."
My father-in-law has a serious scowl on his face. I've never seen a scowl on his face. He is such a teddy bear always smiling and letting the kids climb all over him. I wish I was not wearing this tiny thong because he is seriously scaring me with that look, and they won't hold much back if I pee my pants.
So, I sat down and took the rose out of my hair and put it on the table. I then asked my in-laws what they were up to.
"Oh, Chance told us you had to go to this work conference so we thought we would surprise him with a visit, three kids under seven is a lot to look after by yourself for the weekend."
My mother-in-law is so nice and definitely loves her son Chance. She loves her other four children too, but Chance seems to be the favorite.
"We might be helping him a lot more in the future too."
My father in law's scowl deepened and my bladder almost let go.
Then my father in law's scowl turned into what I can only call righteous fury. I prayed that "Roger" had stood me up and his arrival is not what had my father-in-law so wound up.
Moments later to my everlasting shame I heard the words, "are you Rose?"
There stood this very nice-looking man about my age. He must have seen the rose on the table and with no one else in the restaurant wearing a rose took a chance I was her. I replied that no I was Trina and wished him good luck finding Rose. It was awkward now at our table and it didn't get any better when my phone went off that I had a message. I quickly turned my phone off. If it was possible my father in-law's demeanor had become even darker, it was as though storm clouds were forming in the restaurant over our table. Thoughts swirled in my head, this whole thing was not working out as planned, this really was turning into a disaster. Then I heard Susan's voice.
"Trina, do you know how Chance got his name? Probably not because it is a bit of a family secret."
"Family nightmare." My father-in-law mumbled just loud enough for me to hear.
Susan
So, I made this huge mistake back when your father-in-law Sidney and I were married about 11 years. I had it made really, great husband, four great kids and a fulfilling job. Yet I had this nagging feeling that I had missed out on something or was missing something in my life. You see my parents were extremely strict and I had a sheltered upbringing. Then I met Sid, we fell in love, got married and then I started having these "what if" thoughts. I knew at the time I should banish those thoughts from my head, that they would only lead to trouble but I too my perpetual grief I didn't. Eventually I started to flirt with a guy named Bevin who worked in another branch of the company we worked for. It was all over the phone, we had no internet back then. I didn't even know what he looked like. I thought it was harmless, the office was 5 hours away and I would never meet him.
It made me feel sexy and wanted by someone other than Sid and for about a year that was enough to keep me happy. Then I found out that they were going to send me to a company conference and Bevin would also be attending. Things ramped up from there as you can imagine, it took on a life of its own. This is a little embarrassing, this whole story really, but this part especially. You see Sid and I were what you would call very conservative in the bedroom. Sid tried to get me to try new things, but I just couldn't get over my upbringing, no matter how much I wanted to.
Bevin sometimes would get graphic on the phone and talk about things that Sid and I never did. It would get me pretty wound up and of course I couldn't do anything about it. I never initiated anything with Sid, which wouldn't be proper, so I was pretty frustrated. When the trip to the conference came up, Bevin started to suggest that we meet up and explore things together.
"You mean fuck." my husband growled under his breath, but we could all hear it.
Ah yes, um where was I. So, I bought some lingerie at Bevin's suggestion, a first for me. My plan was foolproof. The only possible problem was that Alice Higgins from my office was also going to the conference. She was a gossip and a slut. I wasn't too worried because I was sure she would meet someone and once she was gone with them, I could sneak off with Bevin.
Sid and the kids dropped me off at the bus station and kissed me goodbye. I was so giddy with excitement I didn't even consider the consequences if my loving husband found out. My seat on the bus was next to an older lady. I had thought I would catch up on some rest on the bus, but I was too excited, and the lady was so interesting we had an enjoyable conversation. We talked about all kinds of things and eventually I asked her if she was married. The answer was a revelation. She had been married to a wonderful man. She had three beautiful children but had had an "itch." She couldn't explain it, she had this perfect life, but she thought she was missing something. So, she had been incredibly careful and had found another guy to scratch that itch.
That was when her happy world imploded. Her husband found out about her transgression and those being different times divorced her and got everything. She had been shunned by all her friends and family. Her children soon had a new mom, and she was left penniless and depressed. It had been a long road back for her. She was on the bus to visit one of her children and grand children. After many years of trying her daughter had finally agreed to meet her. Her other children still refused. It had been forty long, horrible years and she finally was healing from the massive self-inflicted wound.
I was speechless. It seemed like this woman had been put on that bus to knock some sense into me. If I had any doubts what she said next really was an epiphany. She said that I looked too excited to be just going to a work conference. There must be more to it and from what she had heard me say I had a great family but there was a "problem." She knew I was going to cheat on my husband at that conference and without accusing me gave me some advice.
She said that instead of what I was planning to do at the conference I should get on the phone with my husband as soon as the work activities were over. I should make sure I called him as soon as the kids went to bed. When I called him, I should be wearing that outfit that I had bought for the conference. How did she know about the outfit?? Then I should have phone sex with my husband! I should be as descriptive and enthusiastic as possible. Sid was shocked with my call, and it made me so excited describing my lingerie and what we should do when I get home that I did something I had never done before.
"She had to take things in hand, she means, I already had things in hand at this point." I could not believe my husband had said that but given what I had been saying it wasn't that unexpected.
