Introduction
Mike and Anne had been married twenty five years and according to Mike their marriage had been rather disappointing. It never fulfilled Mike's sexual expectations which seemed so promising during their courtship. Although they lived in the same house and slept in the same bed, they had not made love for the past ten years, both having gone their separate ways. Mike didn't think that Anne had dated or had affairs with any other men; however, Mike did have several encounters with various ladies.
Mike's Story
Although Anne had been pregnant a couple of times we had no children and both of us worked, with me owning a photographic business and working from home. Each Saturday at midday I would go to the village pub for lunch, then after, in the winter would go to a local football match and in the summer a local cricket match. I always kept a camera with me and any good shots would be offered to the local newspaper; sometimes they accepted them sometimes they didn't. Even when I didn't have a standard camera with me, I always kept a small digital camera in my pocket, which with the latest computer software could result in good spontaneous photographs.
One Saturday afternoon last summer I decided instead of going to my usual pub, then on to a cricket match, I would go for a drive and find an out-of-the-way pub and have a relaxing afternoon. I drove for about an hour before finding a secluded pub lying back off the road next to a wood, with a stream running through its garden.
I decided to eat inside, because all the outside tables were occupied with people sitting under umbrellas. Inside the place was nearly empty, with just a few customers scattered around. The barman took my order, pulled me a pint, and asked if I was sitting inside or out. I pointed to the table pushed against the wall, my ploughman's, he informed me would be brought to the table, then disappeared into the kitchen to prepare my lunch. Looking around there was a guy sitting at the bar drinking and smoking, an elderly couple sat at the table in a bay window. On a raised section incorporating several tables, a couple was sitting in a darkish corner, kissing and cuddling. The guy had his arm around the woman's shoulder, and from my vantage point, I could see under their table where he had his hand up the women's skirt. I couldn't see exactly where his hand was resting, but her skirt was well above her knees. I thought the girl looked familiar as I watched them while sipping my beer, but for the life of me I couldn't place her.
Taking a small camera from my pocket, placed it discretely on the table ensuring it could not be seen, took their photograph, but only when I was sure they were otherwise occupied. When they broke their embrace the girl turned and looked in my direction. I chuckled to myself, no wonder she looked familiar, it was Brenda my next door neighbour, and the guy wasn't her husband. Suddenly she recognised me, went very red and whispered something to her companion. Although they were both sitting there looking in my direction, I gambled and took another photograph. Several minutes passed before he got up and walked outside, followed by Brenda who stood up, and somewhat sheepishly walked over to my table.
"Hello Mike fancy meeting you here."
"Hi Brenda, yes I bet it was a bit of a shock."
She sat down, I offered her a drink, she asked for a "gin and tonic."
"Is your friend waiting for you?"
She told me that he had gone home, I asked her if Brian knew about her little affair, she said it wasn't an affair. At my suggestion she looked across to the table where the guy had his hand up her skirt and realized what I had seen. She went red again and said Brian didn't know.
"How did you persuade Brian to let you go out by yourself on a Saturday afternoon?"
She told me that Brian was at work and wasn't aware that she went out. I asked if Brian knew this guy, she said they worked together, she met him at the firms Christmas dinner and dance and they had several dances together, because Brian doesn't dance. She explained that there were four of them, each works one Saturday in four and sometimes she meets this guy Ken when Brian is working his Saturday.
Brenda finished her drink, said "thanks," and got up to go.
"Where do you think you are going?" "Home," she replied, I suggested that she sit down again unless she wanted Brian to find out about her Saturday afternoon assignations.
"What do you want?" She asked in her overbearing tone of voice.
"We should go for a walk in the woods," I replied. She laughed.
"You have got to be kidding."
"Perhaps Brian will find it funny."
She sat there until I finished my lunch, then we got up and left. She followed me as I walked towards the trees, however, as I entered the woods she refused to go any further. I told her it was OK and hoped Brian understood about her infidelity when he read my note. "I'm sure it won't take Brian long to work out who this guy Ken is, knowing that he works with him and that you met him at the firms Christmas dinner." I just kept on walking. Brenda must have thought twice about it because she ran and caught me up. We kept walking for about five minutes until we were deep in the wood.
I stopped, lent up against a tree, told her to come close. She hesitated, asked why she should come over, and I told her it was because she was going to kiss me.
"I'm not."
"Then why did you follow me into the woods? You must have suspected that something would happen"
"Mike, why don't you just let me go home?"
"Because, I want you to kiss me."