30 Days: Nov. 11th (Patreon)

Saturday again, finally!

I felt as giddy as I did on our first date to spend some quality time with Sarah today.  After my lapse I was ‘back on that horse’ again so it meant we couldn’t spend THAT kind of quality time together, but I was just happy to be able to spend a day and a night with her again.  So much so that I forgo my usual nap and push through the day.

The day was a bit of weird one as when I got home my envelope was sitting on the dresser with Sarah still there making the bed.  As I went to ask about it she raised a finger and warned.  “Don’t.”  And so for the rest of the day I had to go along pretending that I hadn’t even seen it.

Though I was tired and my curiosity gnawed at me we still share an unremarkable but awesome day together.  After a somber start by attending a Veteran’s Day ceremony we go out and shop and have some lunch then come home to do some yard work together before settling in for an amazing home cooked supper and a cheesy romcom.  Normally I wasn’t a big fan of those movies but tonight it was just what we needed.  We laugh and cuddle and have the most wonderful time.  Though through it all I could hear that darned letter calling my name.

It wasn’t until we were turning in that Sarah, at last, gave me a window of time to read her message.  It was kind of adorable how she was not at all subtle about it, telling me bluntly that she was going downstairs to vacuum and that she would be a half an hour before coming to bed.  Having been awake for over 24 hours I had been nearly out on my feet but when she announced that, and I understood the meaning of it, I was wide awake once more.

The moment I heard the hum of the vacuum down the stairs I close the bedroom door and nearly skip across the room to the waiting envelope.

***

Dear David,

I was out with another man yesterday.  That was the ‘errand’ I popped out to do.  It wasn’t a date.  It wasn’t even breakfast.  It was just a friendly coffee.  Or more precisely a coffee and a pastry and a little bit of a chat.  That’s all.  But oh my God it was scary!

Before you got home from work yesterday I was an absolute nervous wreck.  I could barely keep my hand steady enough to put on my lipstick.  I nearly called it off a dozen times or more.  And when you were late getting home I became even more afraid.  When you walked through that door you were a ray of sunshine cutting through a troubled sky.  Once I saw you, heard you, felt you, all was right in my world again.  And when you told me that you would love me forever, well, you made me brave like I never knew I could be.  Without your strength I never could have done it.

Despite all my nerves there really isn’t that much to tell.  The man was Richard, the dad from the daycare that I told you about the other day, and we went to this really quaint little out of the way cafe on the East side.  It was very fancy.  Not at all the kind of place you and I would usually go.  The menu was all in French!  Richard laughed at me when I tried to order and messed up all of the pronunciations.  LOL  I’m not sure what they do different there but oh my goodness!  Everything was so good!

I was feeling really weirded out by the whole thing but the company was nice enough.  Richard made it easy on me by doing most of the talking and letting me do most of the listening.  He’s so funny!  He had me laughing so hard that I almost snorted out my fancy French coffee at one point.  And he’s actually a really interesting guy with so much going on in his life.  He owns his own company, he travels a lot, he has all these crazy interests, he’s an investor, and he’s got two different families that he is responsible for.  There’s the one with his current wife and boy then another whole family with his first wife where the kids are all grown up already.  I couldn’t believe it when he said that he’s going to be grandpa later this year!  I don’t know where the man finds time to pack so much life into so few hours.  Even our little coffee had to be sandwiched between a breakfast meeting with some investment partners and giving a presentation to some prospective clients.  Whew!  I was exhausted just listening to him.  It was all very impressive.

As he and I talked it really dawned on me that everything that I know about men I had learned from either you or my Dad.  And for things relating to the normal back and forth between man and woman from you alone.  That must make me so boring and predictable!  You’ve got a bit of experience to draw upon when we speak and what do I have?  Mom, Dad and the church.  BOOOORING!  This was exactly why I accepted his invitation.  Normally I never would have wanted to be alone with a man that wasn’t you or Dad and that’s not normal or healthy.  Men are half the population for goodness sake.  I need to be able to function out there without you sometimes.

He flirted with me of course, constantly!  I don’t think he can even help himself.  I’m not even sure if he realizes he’s doing it.  Ha ha ha!  He pulled my chair out for me and once or twice he accidentally brushed my finger with his but other than that he never even touched me.  It was just a nice morning chat between friends.  And that was enough for me!  Whew!  He insisted on paying then walked me out to my car and held the door like a perfect gentleman.  We said goodbye and that was it.  It was done.

My little heart was beating like a bongo all the way home again I was so flustered.  That’s why I forgot to pick up your energy bars.  (Sorry!)  I know this challenge wasn’t naughty but it was really hard for me so I’m going to count it.  One of the toughest parts was coming home and acting like everything was normal.  Ha!  But it was SO nice being back with my man again.  And I hate to say it, but it was kind of fun keeping the secret.  He he he!  I was feeling so keyed up that after you dozed off I snuck into the room to grab Mr. Purple and get loosey-goosey again.  I did it in the bathtub.  So naughty!

And remember, the word is Platypus.  Use it if you need it.  I’ll be listening.  Make sure you are as well.

I’m writing this just before you get home and I’m not sure when you’ll be reading this but I sure am looking forward to spending some time together at last.  Those shorter weeks you keep promising can’t come soon enough for me.  And maybe, eventually, day shifts?  I know, I know.  I expect too much.  I just miss you so much!

Your excited spouse,

Sarah

***

For five minutes I just stare at the letter, not even reading the words but just staring at it.  This whole day that we’d spent together this had been looming in the background.  At first I was numb.  I wasn’t sure how to react.

Viewed from one side it was an innocent coffee.  Just a pair of happily married adults sharing pastries and stories in a safely public place.  But viewed from the other…Richard was putting the moves on Sarah!?  What the fuck!?  He was putting the moves on her and I wasn’t even sure if she fully realized it was happening.

In a bout of deja vu the questions all come swirling back as I feel that annoying stir down below.  What was this guy playing at?  Could Sarah really be that oblivious?  Is this what she wanted?  When we were out for lunch today was she quietly comparing it to yesterday?  The food, the atmosphere, the company?  Did she laugh as loud at my jokes as his?  Were my stories as interesting?  How was I supposed to compete with a successful millionaire?  Why hadn’t I held her chair out?  Or opened her door?  Why hadn’t I taken her to a classier place?  And most importantly of all, was this thing with Richard actually heading anywhere?  I just couldn’t believe that it was.  Not Sarah.  I know I gave her the green light and I told her that there were no rules but…she wouldn’t ACTUALLY cheat on me…would she?  She couldn’t possibly go that far, could she?  No way.

From these more serious questions I swing to the frivolous.  Mr. Purple?  She had a name for it now?  Thoughts of her dildo brought back memories of reading her letter yesterday and how she had twice used the word ‘little’, both times referring to the breaking of my challenge.  My ‘little indulgence’.  My ‘little accident’.  Was I imagining it or was she sending a subtle message?  Perhaps even a subconscious one?  And what about that masseuse I barely heard about?  She hadn’t said anything about her or…him?  How did he touch her?  Where did he touch her?  What did he look like?  GAH!

Then comes the most disturbing questions of all.  Why wasn’t I stopping this?  Why wasn’t I angrier?  Why wasn’t I furious?  Why was I so God damned horny?  Was I enjoying this in some twisted way!?  This wasn’t some smutty fiction, this was real!  Why wasn’t I doing anything?  And, finally, in the way she reminded me of our safe word, was she waiting for me to use it first?  Did she want me to use it?  Was she expecting me to take the lead?

I was a mess.

Like a zombie I shuffle to the office and shred her latest letter and envelope, as per our arrangement.  As I watch the paper disappear through the slot I whisper to myself.  “Soon.  Soon.  This ends soon.”

I thought hard about pulling the plug tonight but something stops me.  I desperately wanted to see where the next letter took us and to learn just how far my wife was willing to go before reaching her limit.  I knew that I still had some time.  She wasn’t going to jump straight from a casual coffee straight to into the sack with a man she barely knew.  I had time.  If the letters ever got to the point where that looked like the next logical leap, then I would step in and call it quits.  I was all for her exploring her sensual side, but she was MY wife.  And that was that.

When she comes up half an hour later I am sitting in our bed, happy for the blankets to be covering my shameful erection.  At the door she pauses and looks at me a moment before asking.  “Everything okay, baby?”

The silence is deafening as I gaze back into her eyes.  In the back of my mind there screams a voice, ‘PLATYPUS!  PLATYPUS!  PLATYPUS!’, but from my mouth comes a low.  “Mm hm.  Just tired.”

She smiles that pretty smile of hers.  “You must be so tuckered out after your long day.”  She hurries to my side and leans in for a kiss.  A soft, lingering, lover’s kiss.  “Thank you for staying up, David.  Today was…”  She sighs.  “…almost perfect.”

Nov. 12th