The next day was Friday and I went shopping for some groceries and beer. When I returned, I found that Beth wasn’t home, so I opened a beer and cooled off. Then I got a call from Beth’s phone; it was Kim.
She said, “Beth said you were working in the evenings and, as a result, you two are not going out together regularly. She would like to come to a party with me and Gayle, are you okay with that?”
I said, “It’s her decision, and I likely will be working in the evening. She can have all the fun she wants, but it’s her choice.” I said it without thinking, probably because of the effect off the beers I’d had.
I heard Kim say to Beth, “What did I tell you? He seems to be totally okay with it,” and then she hung up the phone. A few minutes later, Beth stopped at home, dressed casually in jeans and shirt, kissed me on the cheek and said, “Are you sure you’re okay with me going out with Kim and Gayle?”
Trying to remember what was going on beyond our home, I said, “You can have all the fun you want. Just remember, you’re my wife.”
“What does that mean?” Beth asked.
“It means you’re my wife, first. In the same way, I’m your husband first.”
She looked perplexed, then said, “Okay. Love you,” And she left. I didn’t understand her apparent confusion; I expected that, whatever she did would pass the husband test. I would always behave in a way to pass the wife test.
At 11 pm she came back. I could barely believe it. She looked very hot in a one-piece party dress. Her perfect body shape was entirely showcased for anyone to see.
“What happened to you?”
“I am very tired, I danced a lot and I am really dragging, so can we talk about it in the morning? Goodnight, honey.” She gave me a passionate kiss on the lips.
In the morning I looked at her questioningly. She shyly smiled and I asked about the evening.
“When I came back from giving my afternoon lecture, you weren’t home, and Kim called me to come over. She said it was important. I went to her home and I saw Gayle and his friend. Kim introduced the friend as Fernando. Kim had called me to ask for a favor. Fernando is divorced and they were all going to a party. Fernando’s ex would be there on a date with some other man. He wanted to show his ex that he was with someone hotter than her. Fernando asked me, would I do him the favor of going with him.
I said I am a married woman and I can’t date him.”
“Is he black?”
“Yes, he is. Kim insisted that Fernando is a good friend, and I don’t have to actually date him, just pretend.”
I said, “You didn’t like the idea?”
“She asked me to call you and ask. After I dialed, she took the phone from me. I didn’t hear what she said to you, but she said you agreed.”
“What? I didn’t say that! She said you wanted to go out with her and Gayle. She didn’t mention Fernando – or anything about you going as his date for the evening!”
Beth looked shocked. She tried to cover, “I … I … I was uh, uh, just pretending!” She could see I wasn’t at all happy about this.
She was very moody and in a sad voice said, “I thought you would let me have a date … pretending!” She went quiet for a bit. Eventually, she looked at me and saw I was truly angry about what had happened. I asked her to tell me about what went on during this pretend date.
Wringing her hands, Beth said, “I thought I had no reason not to go along with Kimberly’s idea, because you had already given permission – at least, that’s what I thought.”