by Sean Geist
I pressed the icon on my smartphone that dialed my wife's number, I knew I had. The picture on my phone was her bright smiling face, a twinkle in her hazel eyes. That's why I was shocked when Scott answered the phone.
“Hey, Peter,” he said. “What's up?”
“What the hell are you doing with Robin's phone?”
“Come on, Peter. Calm down. I didn't want her to miss an important call.”
“Where is she?”
“In the shower.”
“Why are you there?”
There was a pause on the line. “Do you want to know?”
No. I didn't want to know, but I already did. “Did you spend the night?”
“Yes, Peter. Something wrong with that?”
God he was being a dick. Rubbing my nose in it. I wanted to say yes, but it wasn't my decision to make, and Scott knew that. I thought Robin had taken a break from screwing him, from screwing me, too.
I guess Scott beat me to her.
“You're pretty quiet, Peter. Everything okay?”
I wasn't going to give the asshole the satisfaction of knowing how mad he made me.
“It's fine, Scott.” I guess I could have waited for Robin to finish her shower. I could have called back. I kept imagining her, naked in front of him, water dripping off her pale pink skin, her breasts exposed to his gaze, maybe his touch.
I was getting annoyed and aroused. “Tell her, I'll call her back later,” I lied.
“Sure thing, Petey.”
“Fuck you, Scott,” I said just before hanging up.
I was really lost in a whirlwind of my emotions, buffeted about like a kitten's plaything. I thought Robin and I were on a path to reconciliation, I really did. She invited me up for her 'soft open.' I had hoped it would be me and her, getting reacquainted after so many weeks and miles apart.
Guess I assumed too much. She didn't even have the courtesy of telling me Scott was going to be there, too. I was hurt and confused and about to call my lawyer, when I realized I didn't have a lawyer. It was time I looked into getting one.
I was scheduled to work today, but I told Brian I was taking the day off to compensate for the work I did at the cat ranch. I jumped into the shower with the full intention of researching divorce lawyers when I was done. I scrubbed away the grime and debris and odor of yesterday and decided today was the first day of the post-Robin era.
And I was happy.
I thought about all the things I could do without worrying about what Robin wanted. I could date whomever I wanted. Go to a strip club, even. As I thought about it more, I realized there wasn't all that much I could do with Robin out of my life that I couldn't do with her in it. My life wasn't going to be that much different. I just wouldn't have anyone to share it with, now.
At one time, that might have deterred me, but now I knew better. Sure, I'd be alone for a while, but was that a bad thing? And if I wanted to date, then I would. There are plenty of women interested in a smart, nice man like myself. It was a matter of going out and finding them.
First, I had to end my marriage. If Robin wasn't willing to make that decision, I guessed it would be up to me.
I went to my closet in the master bedroom and pulled down our box of important documents: deed to the house, birth certificates and of course our marriage certificate. I was pulling it down, confident I was making the right move, when I glimpsed it, tucked in the back corner of the closet, forgotten in the dry desert clime.
The little yellow umbrella.
And a flood of emotions were unleashed all because of that fucking umbrella.
I started to cry, imaging life without Robin. Sure I'd be able to date again, but I really didn't want to live with anyone else. I wanted Robin.
That silly little yellow thing was the first move in our personal relationship. Robin had left it at the clinic, fully aware I would see it and contact her. Now it was my turn. I had to call her and let her know I did love her and I did want her to be my wife. If that meant swallowing my pride and making the first move, then so be it.
I hadn't planned on calling Robin back, but I did it anyway.
“Peter?” She answered on the first ring. Her voice was soft and sweet. “I'm glad you called back. Where were you, yesterday?”
“It's a long story,” I said. “One I'd love to tell you over a cup of coffee, or glass of wine.”
“I was waiting for you, all day.”
We talked for half an hour. Her telling me about the spa, me apologizing for missing her big day, but not telling her what kept me away; the story was too graphic to describe over the phone.
I didn't want to talk about Scott and ruin the moment we were sharing, but I had to.
“Scott still there?” I asked.
“No.” Robin's voice was decisive and a bit harsh. “He's gone back to L.A.”
“Did you know he was going to show up?” I had to know.
“No,” she said. And I believed her. “I thought he might be. He is the owner and it's not like I could tell him to stay away.” I didn't ask her if she would have asked him to stay away if she could. “I was really looking forward to seeing you.”
That felt nice to hear. It gave me the confidence to ask the next question.
“Did you sleep with him?”
I knew she did, or strongly felt it. I wanted to know if she was woman enough to tell the truth.
Robin paused. I could imagine her face, twisting with indecision, sure she'd feel guilty but would she be willing to face the consequences of her actions?
“Yes,” my wife said.
“Do you still...”
“I'm not done answering,” she said, cutting me off. “Yes, I slept with him. You didn't come, like you said you would. And, you didn't call.”
“I told you...”
“Let me finish, Peter. You didn't call. I was upset. I was vulnerable. And Scott was here and you weren't. If it makes you feel any better, I thought of you several times last night.”
It didn't make me feel any better – maybe a little. God, was I fucked up.
“Okay,” I said. “I'll forgive you.”
Another pause.
“I didn't apologize. Why should I apologize? We've both been fucking other people. I thought we agreed on an open arrangement?”
She was technically right, we had. I thought that was on hold while our marriage was in doubt.
“Peter?”
“Yes, you're right. You're always right.”
“Don't be a dick, Peter. Be a man.”
“Would a man let another man fuck his wife?”
“I'm not your possession, Peter.”
“We made a vow.”
“You fucked other women.”
“But, only after you fucked Scott.”
This conversation was getting out of control. We were both getting mad and emotional and I was sure we'd soon be saying things we didn't mean and would both soon regret.
“Do you want a divorce, Peter?” Robin's voice was calm, but I knew her heart was trembling. I knew, for sure, she still loved me.
“Do you still love Scott, Robin?”
These questions would end up killing us, killing our marriage. Neither of us spoke, right away.
“I really want to see you, Peter.” Robin was the first to break the silence. “I want to hug you, kiss you, feel you, inside me.” It was as if she was reading my mind. “Come up here, on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. It's our grand opening.”
That was a wonderful idea, but, “Will Scott be there?” I didn't really care, I was going to go either way. I just wanted to be prepared.
“No, Peter. Only you and me and about a hundred patrons and employees.”
“Sounds like a date,” I said. “And I do expect a free massage. You do owe me that.”
Robin laughed. “Sure thing, Peter.”
“And I want it from the manager, not the hired help.”
“And you'll want a happy ending, I'm sure.”
“
Yep. For both of us.” I hung up the phone before our conversation got any dirtier and I'd have to take another shower, a cold one.
Chapter 7
Peter
A little over two weeks later, I was driving north to Sedona. While most people were crowding the malls and department stores, trying to find super deals for themselves or someone on their Christmas list, I was on the road. Once I passed the Mogollon Rim, the beige desert landscape gave way to wintery white and green. The ponderosa pines of the Cocconino National Forest were dusted with snowflakes from an overnight flurry. The roads were clear and I rolled down the windows so I could breath in the cool crisp air.
I was happy.
The drive through the canyons leading into Sedona was especially breathtaking, the red and yellow rock formations blanketed with snow, with scattered green and blue pines poking through. As I got closer to the spa, traffic started to accumulate. Even in this out of the way location, deep in the national forest, people were drawn to the shops and restaurants.
I pulled into the Sedona Spirit Rejuvenation Spa and Fitness Center around two in the afternoon. There were no open parking spaces, so I had to pull up to the valet stand. I traded my keys and a ten dollar bill for a green ticket stub. The nice young woman in the red blazer smiled as I handed them over.
“Enjoy yourself,” she said as she got into my car and drove away.
“Hope to,” I said to no one.
I walked into the spa and was overwhelmed. Immediately to the left of the entrance was a reception desk where two cheerful young women, one Korean and one who looked either Hispanic or Native American, were busy trying to take care of a line of people, most of whom looked like they needed more than a little exercise.
I moved further inside. The lobby opened up into a large gym area with treadmills, stationary bikes and various weight machines. On the far side, I saw a doorway covered with a privacy curtain. A sign above it indicated the massage and aromatherapy rooms lay beyond. The entrance to the changing rooms were on the wall to the left, next to a glass double door that lead to the pool, saunas and hot tubs.
The atmosphere was festive. Holiday music played over the sound system, although it was barely audible over the grunts of patrons and the clanks of weights. Occasionally the sounds of splashing could be heard when someone opened the door to the pool area.
Looking around, I estimated that about half the equipment was in use. If the spa could keep even half this initial business it would thrive. I was really impressed with what Robin had accomplished. It wasn't that I didn't think she could do it – one of Robin's finest qualities is her ability to start a project and see it to completion – I was surprised she had the desire. I was sure Scott had no small part to play in that.
I started to head over to the massage area, intending to explore and try to find Robin, when I was stopped by a tall young man, maybe twenty-five, with deep brown skin, wearing black sweatpants and a lavender polo shirt with the spa's logo on it. His name tag identified him as Bradley, a fitness trainer. His shirt fit like a second skin, his muscles barely contained by the cotton material.
“Can I help you, sir?” he said, his voice stern, yet polite.
“I'm just looking,” I said. I wanted to surprise Robin so I was avoiding identifying myself.
“You should check in first.”
I turned to the desk. The line was three deep and didn't seem to be moving very fast. I'd have to give up my anonymity if I wanted to get in before dinner time.
“Actually, I'm looking for my wife,” I said, scanning the room.
“Is she working out?” Bradley asked. “Or getting a massage?”
“Oh, she's not a customer. She's the manager.”
Bradley's eyes grew big, the white glowing in contrast to his dark skin. “You're Ms. Wilkenson's husband.” he said. I didn't like the Ms., but at least he wasn't surprised to learn she was married.
“Yes. I'm Peter.”
“I'm Brad.” The well-muscled employee extended his hand out. We shook. “Nice to meet you. Heard a lot about you.” He spoke fast, like he was a little nervous about meeting the boss's mate.
“Only good things, I hope.” I smiled, trying to soothe his anxiousness. I prayed he didn't know his boss had a lover on the side.
“Oh, yes, sir. Only good things.” I didn't want to take up any more of Bradley's time. I looked around and saw plenty of plump sweaty bodies that needed his attention. Luckily, one of those bodies, a short stout man in his late forties walked by. He had a membership badge clipped to his gym shorts and he looked lost.
Brad pointed further off into the spa and said Robin was back in the pool area, then he excused himself and went to help the man.
The doors to the pool area were frosted glass and slick with condensation. When I opened them a wave of humidity spilled out and almost took my breath away. The smell of chlorine stung my nose as I entered. I looked around and didn't immediately spot my wife.
I did see a modest sized pool in the far corner of the room with about half a dozen people taking a water aerobics class. A couple of jacuzzis sat along the far wall; one was occupied. The wall to my left had four doors leading to private saunas. The lockers and changing rooms were off to my right. They could be accessed from both the gym and pool areas. Overall, I was impressed with the layout. Functional and compact.
As I looked closer I saw that Robin was leading the water exercises. Her hair was tucked into a pink cap and she wore a modest lavender one-piece swimsuit. I sat down on a bench and watched her work. She exuded confidence. We liked swimming, but I never figured her for an instructor. I could only imagine the stress she must be under. Juggling a start-up business while sleeping with the owner and having a husband. Somehow she managed. Leading an aqua-aerobics class was probably the easiest thing she did all day.
None of the stress showed. Her focus was on the six people in front of her. She demonstrated what she wanted them to do then encouraged them as they tried to copy the moves they had been shown and corrected them when necessary.
I was in love with this woman. I always knew she was smart and beautiful, but I was seeing a side of her I never knew existed. She displayed a competence and confidence that had been buried. She had blossomed over the past few months, and I had missed most of it. I always felt lucky to be her husband, I was just blind to what she was capable of.
I started wondering if I had been smothering her all this time, keeping her from achieving her full potential. I really didn't like Scott and thought he was an asshole, but he did seem to bring out the best in her. He sparked her sexuality, got her to explore new experiences, like threesomes and swallowing, not to mention affairs, but he also trusted her enough to build this business with little interference.
For a second, I thought about leaving. I thought about giving up, letting Robin continue with her love affair. She seemed to have achieved a level of satisfaction that I couldn't give her. For a brief moment all the angst and sorrow I had pushed aside after discovering the affair came crashing over me. I was buried in doubt and self-loathing.
Robin turned to me and smiled and washed all that hate away. I saw joy in Robin's face and that made all the trials we had undergone worth it. Her eyes sparkled, her voice sang as she called my name. “Peter.”
My heart leapt.
“You're here.”
“I told you I would be,” I said. Robin didn't bring up what happened the last time I promised that.
She turned to the group. “Class, this is my husband, Peter.”
The group of middle aged women smiled at me, some mumbled a hello.
“I hope you don't mind if we end a little early today,” Robin said to the group. “I haven't seen him in over two months.”
No one objected.
I watched in fascination as my wife climbed out of the pool. She looked perfect, beads of water sliding down her pink skin, her nipples clearly visible, pushing hard against the neoprene fabric of her suit. She removed her cap and s
hook out her hair. It was growing out quite well and she had even added a few red highlights to her chocolate brown.
“Mind handing me that towel?” she said, breaking the spell I was under.
I handed her the towel that was laying on the bench next to where I was sitting. She quickly dried herself off and wrapped the towel around her waist like a skirt.
“Want a quick tour?” she asked.
“Maybe later,” I said. “There are lots of things I'd like to do first.” Oh, boy, were there. “How about dinner?”
“Sounds good. There's a fancy pizza place on the main strip in town. I know the manager, he'll get us seated quick.”
“He will, will he? And what does one have to do to get that kind of service here?”
“Normally, nothing.” Robin paused and gave me a smile, one eyebrow raised. “For you, we'll have to think of something.”
She let that comment sit for a few seconds before saying she was going to get dressed and asked me to wait out front.
“But what if I want to watch you change?”
“Funny, Peter. I'm at work. No messing around.”
“What if I want to take you in the jacuzzi?” I whispered into her ear, ignoring what happened the last time we fooled around in a hot tub.
“Maybe sometime, after we close,” she said. “For now, let me change.”
I sat near the front desk and waited. It was the happiest I'd felt in a long time. Sure, Robin hadn't dumped Scott, yet, but I was sure she would make the right decision in the end. If not, then at least I should enjoy the time I had left with her.
I stood up when I saw her exit the changing room and head my way. She was wearing a pair of form fitting black jeans, sexy and casual, and a lavender polo shirt that was one size too big for her. She was the boss and she looked it, crossing the room towards me, her arms swinging, her back straight. She was in control. She answered a few staff questions as she made her way over, pointing out an issue with one of the TVs mounted over the exercise equipment. It was showing an infomercial, instead of sports or news.
When she got to me, Robin leaned up and gave me a kiss on the lips, discrete – no tongue. It was a nice kiss, a firm kiss and it reminded me of our first kiss, the night of our first date. The kiss that convinced me, she was the woman I was going to marry.