I got married just after I turned nineteen. Alfred, my husband was a year older than me and I'd known him all my life. We were quite happy together. Money was a little tight at times but we managed. We were both studying, doing online courses, to get ourselves some proper qualifications so we could move up to better paying jobs.
We had no intention of having children for a while, but did intend to have some when we were a little better established. I had rather pointedly told Alfred that we'd better be a little better established by the time I turned twenty five because I getting pregnant on my twenty fifth birthday.
Sex between us was okay, I guess. I quite enjoyed it but I have to admit that I had nothing to compare it against. Alfred was my one and only. Still, I did my duty by him and had fun doing so.
After a couple of years things were going fine. We had some money in the bank and were saving for a deposit on a house of our own. Both our study courses were going well and in another couple of years we'd both have degrees. Usable ones, too. Not airy-fairy ones that you get from some places.
Then came the night of the party. Some friends of ours were going to a party and invited us along. You know how it is. Someone decides to have a party and invites people who invite other people. Apparently this party started on a Friday night and was scheduled to wind up on Saturday night. We were invited along at the tale-end of it, arriving Saturday evening and fitting in without any problem.
I was driving so I wasn't having anything to drink but that didn't worry me. I like to socialise and talk, drinking being secondary to the talking. Alfred was going to have a few but that didn't worry me either because when he said he'd have just a couple he would mean precisely that, two drinks. He liked to think he was in control at all times.
It was approaching midnight when Jan, our host, and who the hell names a boy Jan, anyway, looked out the window and swore.
"Okay, people," he yelled very loudly. "The party is over, effective immediately, and I mean now. My father just got home and he's not going to be happy about this."
"Why not?" someone yelled.
"Probably because he told me I couldn't have a party while he was away. I'd intended to get things cleared away before he got home tomorrow but it looks like he's home early. I suggest you all pack up and depart, post haste. Mike, I'll be staying with you tonight. Let's go."
"Fucking idiot," I thought, and went looking for Alfred.
I couldn't find him. He seemed to have just vanished. He wouldn't have gone and left me because he takes his responsibilities seriously, so he had to be somewhere around. I was still looking when I felt this presence behind me. I turned around and looked.
I could see the resemblance to Jan. The man was about forty and very distinguished looking. Quite handsome and I had to admit he had a fine figure for an older man, fit and muscular. If he'd been dressed roughly I'd have been scared of him, but in the suit he was wearing he just looked, well, distinguished.
He was looking disdainfully around him, then he zeroed in on me.
"Well?" he said.
I shrugged. "I don't know," I told him. "Jan was holding a party and we were at it. Then he suddenly yelled out that the party was over and everyone left. I couldn't leave because I can't find Alfred. There's no way he'd have gone and left me here. He's just not like that."
"Really? Maybe if he had a few too many he forgot about you, although," I could practically feel his eyes running over me, "I can see where you'd be rather hard to forget."
"Alfred doesn't drink much. He doesn't particularly like it. Says it makes him feel fuzzy, so he just doesn't bother. A couple of beers would be it. He's got to be here some place."
"Stay there while I take a quick look around."
I stayed where I was and he strolled out the door, presumably to give the house the once over. He came back after a couple of minutes and indicated that I should go with him. He opened a door and there was Alfred, out cold on a bed.
"What the hell?" I gasped. "What happened to him?"
"Drunk, of course. What did you expect at a party?" he said scornfully.
"That he is not!" I snapped. "No way, no how. He obviously got knocked out somehow. He needs a doctor."
The rotten man cast his eyes upwards in a god-help-me look and sighed. He crossed over to Alfred and lifted his eyelids and then lifted his wrist and took his pulse.
"You're right," he said in a surprised voice. "He's been doped. Rohypnol would be my guess. Only a light dosage from what I can tell so he should sleep it off without any problems."
"What? Why would anyone drug Alfred? It doesn't make sense."
"Two reasons that I can think of," he said. "Did you give him any of his drinks?"
"The first one," I said, while nodding.
"Then the person with the deft hand probably slipped the dope into that glass, thinking it was for you, letting him get to you later when you were out cold. Alternatively, it could have been a deliberate decision to get the boyfriend out of the way so they could come onto you without competition. They were probably waiting somewhere, ready to give you a drink as well."
"I was driving so I wasn't drinking," I mumbled. "Who would do this?"
"Anyone who saw you would be my opinion. Well, you'd better stay overnight and wake up your boyfriend in the morning."
"Husband," I muttered, feeling a little sorry for myself.
"Excuse me?"
"I said he's my husband, not my boyfriend," I groused. I sighed. "If I'm staying over-night I'd better give you a hand with the cleaning up," I added, staring around me distastefully.
"No need. Just leave it. Jan will front up bright and early tomorrow, hoping to get the mess cleared up before I grind him into paste and use him as fertilizer. Come along and I'll show you where you can sleep."
"I can just stay with Alfred," I said.