Keisha sat before him, her dark blonde hair was in her familiar ponytail, tightly pulled back. It was the ultimate Keisha, gorgeous, but tightly pulled back, carefully and completely under control. Alan hardly recognized the rest of the woman before him. Even when they briefly dated, she was always under control, and had firmly and coldly rejected his advances. "I'm not that kind of girl," she had said. And she meant it. Even when she later married his good friend Tom, the coolness barely thawed. From what Tom said, things in the bedroom left much to be desired.
But today she sat in front of his desk, eyes red and swollen from crying, her hands clasping and unclasping, betraying her nervousness. Her make-up was perfect, but smeared around the eyes. What on earth could have caused such a change?
"I've done something terrible," she said, "And I don't know what to do or where to turn."
"What is it? he asked. "What could possibly be that bad?"
"I think Tom is cheating on me, and I tried to get proof." She replied.
Alan sat up, startled. It was true, of course. Tom had cheated on her, off and on for some years. "You can only take so much frustration, and so much sameness. I can never get to loosen up, or try new things. I love her, but sometimes I just want to scream." Tom had told him. But how long had Keisha suspected, and what did she mean by "try" and get proof?
"Keisha, I'm a computer programmer, and your husband's partner, not a marriage counselor, and certainly not a detective. Why are you telling me this? And how could I possibly help?"
"I know Tom is skilled with computers, and I guessed he would e-mail his slut, since I can't even turn a computer on. I guessed he would feel safe doing that. So I got some books on computers, and taught myself to turn the damn thing on, and find his e-mail. I was right. He had the computer store his password, so it automatically came up. That's when it happened."
A cold sweat broke out on Alan's forehead. He didn't like where this was going.
"What happened then?" he asked.
"I'm afraid I unleashed that Red Worm virus. I saw something come up about it, and I panicked and shut it off. But I can't tell Tom what I did. I never did get the proof, and if he finds out what I did, he'll just kill me."
Alan thought carefully. "What exactly did you do?" he asked.
"I don't remember, I was just in a blind panic then." She sobbed now, her control evaporating with her disclosures. "Can you help me? Can you fix it? I know you know computers, and I don't know anyone else who does who could look at it in the house before Tom gets home tomorrow."
"Jeez, I don't know Keisha. You're asking me to countenance your spying on Tom, and the damage you might have done could be irreparable. Fooling with Tom's computer is fooling with his livelihood. You could have compromised any number of client's projects. Their confidentiality could have been destroyed. How did you hear about this virus, anyway? You've never taken any interest in our work before?"
She sat there, small sobs coming out. "I heard it on the radio when I was coming home from shopping. I'm still not sure what it does, just that it's bad."
Alan sat there, thinking, thinking. "Tom, old buddy, you're going to owe me one. I can cover your ass on this affair, and keep her off your back for years." He thought. "And it could have a bonus for me as well."
"Keisha, if I help you with this, you will owe me big time, do you understand? For starters, there can be no more snooping on Tom. I'm not going to bail you out twice."
She nodded her head, not daring to look at him. But then she wrinkled her forehead, and asked, "What do you mean 'For starters'?"
"You tried to get into Tom's alleged sex life, and to repay me, you're going to let me into yours."
She turned white, and her hands pulled into knots. "What do you mean? Alan? What is it that you expect?"
"There are three trips for Tom this quarter, two after this one. You will be mine for those trips, starting tonight."
"What if you can't fix it? No, no this isn't right. I couldn't do it. It runs against everything I've been, everything I believe in. I wasn't raised to be some toy for someone, even someone as nice as you. I can't believe you would even ask."
"Tick tock, Keisha, tick tock. Tom comes home tomorrow. Do you really want to explain to his what you did, and why?"
"No. It would break his heart." She got up, and walked to the windows. "What would I have to do?" she asked.
He smiled." Everything."
He called her several hours later. "It's done. All fixed. Now it's your turn. Come over in one hour."
She hung up the phone without saying a word, swallowing dryly. Any relief she may have felt at getting out the computer mess was being eroded by the thought of what was to come. She dressed quickly, poured a tall drink, downed it just as quickly, and left, before she lost her nerve.