Marissa still treated me well, however, and we continued to make love whenever we could.
Then, a month or so before the girls’ 18th birthday, Marissa approached me, a tear in one eye.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“It’s been agreed upon,” she said. “It’s your turn. You’ll be joining us for the next time-out. We leave tomorrow morning.”
“About time,” I said. “I’ve been wondering what the big secret is.” She smiled, but it wasn’t a happy smile. I thought I would be happy to finally be a part of something Marissa and the girls found so important, but I almost felt like I was at a wake — my wake.
“So, you’re finally joining us,” Lisa said with a wicked smirk. April laughed, but there was no mirth in it.
“That’s what your mother tells me,” I said. They looked at each other then back at me.
“Trust us, it’ll be like nothing you’ve ever experienced before,” April said. That sent both of them into a giggling fit.
The next morning, Addy and Greg stopped by the house. Marissa had decided we would all travel in their SUV, since it was big enough to accommodate all of us. I had a large suitcase packed up, but Marissa told me not to bother.
“You won’t need much,” she said.
“But we’ll be gone for three days,” I said in protest. “I need clean clothes.”
“I’ve got everything you need here,” she said, holding a small overnight bag. I looked at it, confused.
“What?” I asked. I tried to protest, but Marissa held me back.
“You won’t need much,” she said. “Everything else you’ll need will be provided.” I shook my head and went downstairs to meet Greg. He extended his hand and smiled.
“Well, I hear you’re the guest of honor,” he said.
“That’s what I’ve been told,” I said.
“It’ll be the experience of your life. Trust me, you’ll never forget it,” he said. We all piled into Greg’s SUV and headed out. I fell asleep shortly after we left and woke up when we reached our destination, which looked like an old barn in the woods. It was already dark and I had no idea how long we had been driving. A few other cars, including one belonging to Marissa’s parents, were already at the barn.
Marissa turned to me before I got out of the car. She took my face in her hands and kissed me lightly on the lips. I saw a tear in her eyes.
“Jim, I want you to know that you’ve been the best husband a girl could ever want, and you’ve been the best father any child could ever have,” she said.
“Thank you, Marissa,” I said. “I feel the same about you.” She smiled.
“It’s been a wonderful 20 years,” she said. “I just wanted you to know that, and I want you to know that I really do love you.”
“I love you, too,” I said. “What brought all this on?”
“You will see and hear things tonight that may shock you,” she said. “I just want you to know that no matter what happens, I’ll always love you.” I nodded my head, not sure of what she meant.
We got out of the SUV and made our way to the barn, where several others, including Marissa’s parents, were waiting. Marissa’s mother handed me a long robe and a pair of sandals. She pointed to an area that had been curtained off.
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