Neither of them was unhappy necessarily. They were just bored. Bored can be a lot more dangerous. In the past when one of them got fed up with the other they would say something. Communication wasn't easy for them but when push came to shove they would get up the courage to let it out. He had asked for a divorce once. On another occasion she had packed a bag and left for her mother's house. It happens over the course of 22 years. This was different though. At 48 she was not interested in starting over. She wasn't going to pack up and go home. He was 46 but his new job was exhausting and had him drained physically and mentally. Divorce wasn't even an option. He didn't have the time or the energy for that kind of nonsense.
Still, sex had become an afterthought for both of them. Mopping the kitchen floor was a higher priority.
She was at least still instigating it. Traditionally, all it had taken was to go to bed naked. That was what she preferred anyway. She didn't mind the extras and he was exceptional at going down on her but really, all she needed was a quick lay to get her through the week. She had to put more work into it now. She couldn't just climb into bed without her pajamas on. She had to roll over towards him. She had to touch him to even get him to pay attention to her. When she did pull him over on top of her he was disinterested and lately hadn't even been coming every time.
He just had no interest in a quickie. Maybe it was his age, maybe it was the stress, or maybe he just needed more than the same woman he had been fucking for twenty years laying on her back with her eyes closed.
The same Sunday night pushed both of them over the edge. She had tugged his cock half hard and rolled over. He had tried but he wasn't even hard enough to keep it in. When he rolled off of her she didn't like the idea that another man popped into her head but the thought was there. When he went back to watching the end of the Packers game he found himself thinking of the only packers fan he could think of, the frizzy haired blonde from the bar.
She didn't want to do it but maybe Phillip could stay hard enough to get the job done.
He didn't like that he was seriously contemplating another woman but necrophilia wasn't really his thing.
"One of the girls at work is leaving. They are having a happy hour Friday night. I have to go for a little while. Are you going to be mad if I miss Friday night happy hour at Mack's?" she asked him.
"Actually, USC plays on Friday for some reason. Brian and I were talking about getting together to watch the game."
She wasn't meeting the girls and Brian was out of town.
Tammy wore her black crisscross top to work on a Monday. She normally wore her "boob shirt" on Fridays for the all-sales meeting. Phillip would stare and then ask her to lunch. She went by his desk that morning. He was on the phone but waved at her to stay. When he got done with his call he asked if he had forgotten a lunch date and nodded towards her shirt or maybe the tits beneath it. She liked that he noticed.
"Actually," she said. "I wondered if you sales guys were doing happy hour on Friday night. I have the night free. I thought it would be fun to get out." She thought that was direct enough without being explicit. He said there was no Friday happy hour, it was the first week of the quarter, and most of the sales guys took the day off. He would be happy to buy her a drink if she wanted though. He suggested they might even get dinner. She said she wanted to check out the new fancy Mexican food place. He looked at her with intent. As she walked away from his desk she ran her fingers along his forearm.
She was rewarded with flirty texts the rest of the week.
Russ had no idea how to get a hold of Tammy's friend. Russ and Tammy typically spent Friday afternoons at the little sports bar by the house. There was a group of regulars they drank with. For years, the group had gathered around the tables outside. There was a fire pit for when it was cold and misters for when it was hot. Tuesday evening the bar was nearly deserted. He pulled up a stool and sat down. When the bartender came by he asked if he had left his credit card there. The bartender left to check. He had hoped someone from their little group would be there. Someone he could ask for Emma's phone number.
He was only there about fifteen minutes when she walked in. She was average height, and although she was a bit plump around the middle she had a flirtatious smile that lit up a room. She sat down right next to him. Her boys and their father were at Lacrosse practice at the park behind the alley. He bought her a beer.
They discussed the fact that he was only ever there on Fridays. She told him she was happy he was there. She said she never really got to talk to him like this and she placed her hand on his for a second. They talked about Friday. She and her husband were going to miss the gang. He said he and his wife weren't going to be around either.
"She's going out. I was looking for someone to go watch USC play Cal."
"I went to USC," she said.
"I know, so did I."
"Where are you planning to go? The boys are in San Diego this weekend for a tournament. I was planning a quiet night at home."
"I didn't really have much of a plan at all," he admitted, he was a little shocked by just how true his statement was.
"You said Tammy was busy?"
"Yeah."
"We shouldn't go anyplace too close." she said.
