Chapter 1

"Hey Dave, got a minute?"

Her sweet voice sliced through the cloud that surrounded me. I was trying to make sense out of a blueprint drawn by someone whom obviously didn't have a clue as to what was important in a design drawing and what was useless.

"Sure Lynn. What's up?"

Lynn was our firms youngest, brightest and also the newest engineer. She had graduated 'Magna Cum Laude' from MIT and our organization had recruited her. Of the engineers on staff, or in the 'pool' as it was referred to, she was the one I most often worked with now.

Blonde, blue eyed, and built to perfection, well, to what was my ideal of perfection in a woman anyway. She was the ultimate of what my 'Dream woman' would be. Even as young as she was I hold some very interesting fantasies about her and me in my mind. How could I refuse her anything?

There were only two real big things that kept me from trying to act on those fantasies. The first and most important one was that my loving wife would probably have my balls in her hand should I do something so stupid as try to cheat on her, and second, Lynn is around 26 years old. To a man that is almost fifty (in a few months as a matter of fact) that would literally be robbing the cradle.

I figured that even if I were single, she'd never go for me due to my age, so I was left with the 'fantasy' and that was the extent of my involvement with her in that way. I go happily home every night and love up my wife.

Speaking of wives, my wife and I have been married for 27 years now and while it hasn't always been a bed of roses, it has been a good marriage. I love Dawn and I know she loves me. The only real issue we've had over the years is our sex drive differences.

Dawn thinks that I have an 'over-active libido' while I think that she would prefer to be a nun. Early in our marriage this difference caused us to have to see a counselor and in the end I decided that I loved her more than a little and if that meant that our sex life wouldn't be as fulfilling as I would like, so be it.

Hence, over the years, I'd figured out ways to work around the sex issue, and for the most part we survived in spite of the differences. Dawn is my mate and my partner. She is also my best friend. I would be lost without her. I knew that once the counseling finally got through to us both.

Over the ensuing years we had three kids, and our oldest was Sarah, our daughter. Our two sons are now attending college and Sarah is married and her and her husband have given us two grandkids.

Over the years I'd have many, many temptations to cheat, but I managed to remain faithful to Dawn. Some of those temptations had been her friends at various times, who came on to me rather than the other way around That made me wonder at how Dawn chose her friends in the first place...

I have also fallen deeper into love with Dawn in those years together as well, and in spite of 'the difference' I have been happy in that love. Dawn has told me numerous times that she loves me and she has also demonstrated it daily (non-sexually)to me as well, so I guess you can say that we are a happily married couple.

Needless to say though, Lynn, and any other 'dream woman' was off limits to me, by me. Every once in a while Dawn would tell me; "You can look Dave, but no touching. Don't ever touch." She will tease me once in a while if she catches me looking, so I try not to be obvious when Dawn is around however, when I'm alone that courtesy goes by-by.

Lynn drew my attention back to her.

"I was wondering if you could help me with a few things tonight Dave?"

"Okay, what do you need me to do?"

"I have some furniture I want to move and I think it's too heavy and awkward for me to move alone."

"I'll be glad to help you move that stuff. What time do you need me at your place?"

"Well, could you come right over after work? Dawn is gone to Boston this week and you're all alone, so I'll make you supper as partial pay. Honestly, I could use some company too. It's been... lonely for me."

Lynn had broken up with her boyfriend of three years a few months ago. She'd been coming over to our place to 'girl talk' with Dawn and they had kicked me out of my home more than a few times while they 'fixed' things.

Dawn and Lynn had met at a Christmas party a year back, and for whatever reason, they really hit it off. I think that Dawn was looking for a 'replacement daughter' for Sarah who had married and moved away. I also think that Lynn was looking for a mother-type figure to bounce things off of too.

At any rate, they were fast friends now and I was used to seeing Lynn at our place or Dawn and Lynn going out shopping or 'Girls night out' every once in a while. Part of my issue with Lynn being a fantasy for me besides her age was of course, her being my wife's close friend.

"Well, you know I like to go home, shower and change clothes after work Lynn, so how about I do that and then stop on over at your place?"

"No problem. You'll take a shower at my place. I'll even wash your clothes for you while you're in the shower too... that way you don't have to make that long drive across town, then all the way back... twice in a night."

"Uh... I don't think that would be a good idea Lynn. Someone might see me at your place waiting for my clothes to dry and get the wrong idea."

I was uncomfortable about being alone at her place with her. Not that I didn't trust her... it was me that I had the trust issues with.

"What? NO way. I trust you and you should trust me by now. I know that Dawn trusts me and she's my best friend. Besides, you live clear across town and that is a long assed drive. I was hoping to move the furniture and then feed you before midnight."

I folded.

I know, wimp assed thing for me to do, but knowing Lynn as I did I couldn't find a flaw in her logic. The only thing that gave me pause was the fact that if she knew what my fantasies were, she'd never have been quite so trusting of me. I wasn't too trusting of me. Of all the women over the years that had tried, I knew deep inside that Lynn could be the one woman that could have a chance of causing me to stray.

I knew that I had to be on guard, always, when around Lynn. Not that she'd do anything with me of course, but that I might try to do something really stupid and regret it afterwards, whether it led to anything or not. Lynn wasn't just a co-worker, she was my wife's best friend and as such, my friend too. Off limits.

Yet, in the back of my mind little warning bells were dinging and ringing louder and louder. Lynn was acting a bit different with this request to begin with. It was more in the inflection of her talk than anything else, but I sensed an undercurrent that I'd never felt before. I'll admit I was curious as to why I felt it.

The rest of the day smoothed up and went right for a change and by quitting time I was pretty relaxed and even laid back to a degree. My job at the firm was to run the shop. I'd been told it was my shop to run and I took that to heart, as did the six managing partners that actually owned the firm. I had about thirty people working in 'my' shop and out of them all, I was the oldest by ten years.

My second in command was Bill, and he was the one ten years younger than me. Capable and having a sharp mind, he had helped me over the years to build this shop up into a world class machine-weld shop. We had made millions for the firm bailing out other companies that were up to their necks in doo-doo.

Most of the projects we took on were ones that other firms refused to even as much as look at. 'My' shop was the difference in most jobs that made the firm noteworthy in our line of work. I hold no degree other than that of the 'school of hard knocks'. Yet, all the partners treat me as an equal.

We work with the 'pool' and together we have managed to build, rebuild or actually create some rather significant things over the years. Everyone that works at the firm is on a bonus plan and since I am a 'manager' I get a rather huge bonus most quarters. Dawn and I are not hurting for money.

Dawn, by the way, is a very good and very busy corporate lawyer. She is a partner in a firm that does work nation-wide and sometimes internationally as well. She travels often, but usually she's home more then not. We almost have what one could call a normal life.

As I left that day I remembered my office locker. I keep a change of clothes in there for emergencies. I lucked out and found all that I needed ready and waiting. At Lynn's I was greeted with a huge smile and then a disconcerted look as she glanced at the clothes I was carrying.

"You drove all the way home?"

"No. I remembered that I had these in the office locker for emergencies, and grabbed them. Now I can borrow your shower and not have to wait for my other clothes to dry. Besides, I should wash them at home anyway."

"Oh."

That 'Oh' spoke volumes. Her manner was off hand but again, the inflection in her voice and her body language shouted 'Disappointed'. With the capital 'D'.

The hairs on the back of my neck began to rise. Matter of fact, I almost turned and left.

Almost.

"Lynn, is there something going on between us that I'm missing or maybe not seeing quite the same as you are?"

"What? Oh no. Really. I just need your assistance and I am grateful that you came to help me. Honest."

What had been hairs rising was now that famous robot from the sci-fi TV show of the sixties... "Danger! Danger Will Robinson! Danger!" Lynn was talking too fast to be honest with what she was really thinking.

There was one other thing too. Lynn had just lied to me for the first time since I'd known her. I knew her well enough to know that something was up, but she wasn't ready or possibly didn't want to tell me what that 'something' was. I was sorry I'd told her I'd help her now. I was worried that I was headed into a place I didn't want to go to.

"So I guess I'll go shower up? Or would you rather move the furniture first?"

"Oh, uh... probably go shower up first, then we can move the junk and then I'll feed you. Sound good?"

"Oh yeah."

She was up to something and the look in her eyes was one that made me wish Dawn was here to referee this whole thing now. To say I was nervous was putting it mildly. In the bathroom the first thing I did was lock the door.

I showered and then dressed. Feeling somewhat better I opened the door and almost stumbled over Lynn, who was standing right next to it in the hallway.

"Oops! Are you okay? I didn't expect you to be standing here."

"I'm okay. It's my fault. I was waiting for you to come out so I could grab your clothes and get them in the washing machine."

"Oh, not to worry, I'll take them home and do them there."

"Give them to me. It's no problem and I WILL wash them for you. No argument from you either." Lynn was speaking firmly, almost demandingly.

I handed her my clothes, wishing that this was all some kind of weird dream. It wasn't though, and I felt that I had a whole evening of 'weird' to get through. Her 'demand' kind of shook me up a little too. Lynn had never 'ordered' me to do anything before. Not like this. She grabbed my clothes and took them with her.

Once my clothes were in her washing machine she led me to her living room. Looking around she pointed to a light looking and not very big chair.

"We can start with this one I guess. I'd like it over there, then the couch over here, then that table moved over to that wall, and then we can take a break and I'll see if I like that arrangement or not."

Business... all business like. No joking around, no comments that normally would have been peppered through the conversation. Matter of fact, I just realized that there had been no 'conversation' only her directing. This was a Lynn I had never seen before.

I moved over to the chair and as I picked it up I glanced over at Lynn. I was looking for eye contact, but what I saw was that she had turned her head and was staring off into space. I moved the chair over towards the area she'd pointed to and sat it down.

"This about where you wanted it Lynn?"

She didn't answer me. Still staring off and away from me she just stood there like she was in a trance or something.

"Lynn? Lynn, are you all right?"

"What? Oh... yeah, that's perfect. Lets get the couch next okay Dave?"

She was blushing, her face flame red as she moved to one end of the couch. We moved that and then the table. It took all of five minutes, including her staring off as she had been doing. I sat on the couch and waited to hear what was on her mind for the next furniture to be moved.

Silence.

Lynn had sat in the chair and was again staring off into space. I was not sure what was going on anymore and it was very obvious that this whole 'help her move the furniture' thing was some kind of ruse to get me to her place. I decided that I would wait out the silence.

More silence.

This was getting ridiculous now. We sat there for ten minutes with no talk. I had made up my mind that I was going to out wait her so I started to work on some things in my head that were from work. Normally I didn't think about work while at home or away from work, but this was an unusual situation, and I certainly didn't feel 'right' about thinking about my fantasies.

Finally I had to break the silence. Otherwise I'd fall asleep. I already nodded off once waiting, and it was obvious to me that I would be taking a nap real soon if I didn't get up and do something.

"So... do you have more furniture to move around Lynn?"

"Oh... I'm sorry. I was thinking and lost track of time."

"I saw that. What's going on Lynn? You've been acting weird all day and now you really are acting strange. You've something on your mind that you need to tell me?"

"Actually I do have something to tell you. It's just that I'm not sure how to start, or what to say... exactly. You and Dawn have been like second parents to me over the last year and since I've come to work at the firm you Dave, have been super great to work with. I guess that I love you guys and this whole thing has my head messed up."

"Is your ex boyfriend giving you grief again Lynn? If he is, say the word and I can mention something to Billie Joe and Red. They'd love to help you out with something like that. They were pretty upset when you went through all those problems a few months ago and let me know that they could lean on him a bit if you wanted. They're some good guys and they care for you. I'm not sure what their wives would think about the offers they made to help you, but I know that their hearts are in the right place."

"Oh, it's not him. He's history and has been. I haven't talked to him in months. No, this is closer to home. I... I wish I didn't care for Dawn and you as much as I do. This is going to be a difficult thing to get past and I hate to see either one of you hurt, especially you Dave. You're a good man, and you're also a damn good manager. I'm not sure how things will go once I tell you what I have to tell you though."

"Okay Lynn, you have to know that you've gone too far now. You have to tell me whatever it is that is bothering you. Come on, out with it."

I wasn't sure what the hell was going on in her mind, but I knew that she was reluctant to tell me whatever it was. That she mentioned that she wished she didn't care for us as much as she did worried me. My first thought was that she may have fallen for me and wanted to go somewhere that we'd both regret later. I was wrong about that. Way wrong.

"Okay. There's no good way to tell you this Dave, but I love and respect you too much to let it go on with you in the dark. Dawn and I have gotten close. Too close. She has confided in me things that have shocked me. I've been fighting deep inside for a few weeks now, trying to figure out the right thing to do. Oh God... this kills me to have to tell you this... Dawn has a lover in Boston. They've been intimate for over a year. Every time she goes to Boston she's seeing him. Every quarterly meeting."

Towards the end of her confession her words ran over each other. She was blurting it all out, as if it were a dirty secret that she was ashamed of even knowing about.

I sat there for a moment too stunned to understand her. Then it started to settle into my mind in a way that I understood what she was telling me but I couldn't believe it. DAWN? MY Dawn was having an affair? The same Dawn that thought sex was too troublesome to bother with more than once or twice a month?

Suddenly I remembered the guys talking about some pranks they'd pulled on people in the past. I guessed that I was being the recipient of a prank right now.

"I get it... you're joking right? What, is this that new show on TV... what is it called? Oh yeah, have I just been PUNKED?"

I was looking around the room for the cameras.

Lynn burst into tears.

"I knew you'd be like this. It's not a joke Dave. She told me his name and everything. At first I thought she was kidding around so I just smiled and nodded my head at her talk... then I realized she was serious. She is having an affair with this clown and you didn't know. She must have changed somehow in the last year and you have to have seen that change. Right? You had an idea of something being wrong, didn't you Dave?"

"Not a clue. My God... Dawn is cheating on me? I just can't believe it."

"I asked her how she could do this to you and she just shrugged and said this thing with Steve just happened. The first time she said she felt extremely guilty, but then they did it again and she said that she couldn't keep from doing it with him. It was different and exciting for her. She'd never done some things with you that she's done with Steve and I guess she loves the rush she gets from doing it behind your back. She also said that she had a 'bible' that helped her to hide it all from everybody. It's in her office in the locked bookcase."

"Oh... God. I think I'm going to be..."

I got up and ran for the bathroom. I barely made it. As I calmed down and cleaned up from the release of tension, I started to think.

'What do I do now? What should I do now? Does she love this Steve guy? Why would she do this and how did it all start anyway? What happened to us?'

All the questions hit me at once and I was actually dizzy for a moment as I tried to settle back down. Lynn knocked on the door and asked me if I was okay.

"Dave, are you all right? Dave? Please, talk to me."

"I'm okay. I'll be out in a minute Lynn."

I sat there for a bit more, and then once I felt strong enough, I came out.

"So, she told you about her lover?"

"Yes. Like I said, at first I thought she was kidding. Once I knew she was serious I started to dig at her trying to get her to see the danger and pain she was tempting fate with. She said that the affair would soon be over and that you'd never know about it. She also said that she loves you too much to lose you, so as long as you weren't aware there'd be no problem. She said that she just needed to let loose once in her life and this Steve guy allowed her that out."

"I don't get it. Dawn has always had a low sex drive, how could she even think about cheating on me?"

"I know about that Dave, and that's something that bothered me too. She told me about your problems early on in your marriage over the sex drive differences. She told me she didn't know why now, suddenly her drive was going up, but her bible made it plain as day that she'd have to keep things normal between you. Just like they've always been."

"Her bible huh? She has a book that advises her on how to cheat on me?"

"She said it's in her locked book cabinet in her office."

I was finally getting pissed off. Real pissed off. Dawn was cheating on me and had been for a year now... and it had all been kept from me. She even confided in Lynn, who had been torn over doing the right thing and how to do it. Lynn, who was like our second daughter had been drug into a fine mess that should never have involved her.

"She wanted me to find out. That's why she told you about it."

"What? You know, I think you're right Dave. I think she knew that I'd spill the beans to you eventually. But... why?"

"Probably because she wants out of our joke of a marriage and didn't know how else to do it."

"No... that's not right Dave. She told me she loves you too much too..."

"Bullshit. Lynn, she's playing you and me for fools. If she loved me so God-damned much she'd never have cheated on me to begin with. No, she knew that if she told you that you'd have to tell me eventually because you care for me and you respect me too."

"Oh Dave, I 'm so sorry to be the one bringing you all this pain."

"It's not you Lynn, it's Dawn that brought it on. I need to go. Can I take a rain check on that dinner with you?"

"No... don't go Dave. Please. I don't want you to be alone right now. That's why I asked you to come here in the first place. I thought I needed a good excuse to get you here and then I found that what I had to tell you was so hard to say that I just couldn't come right out and say it. You can't be alone right now though. I know what it's like to be in your situation and believe me you need someone to be with you."

I could see that Lynn was remembering her ex-boyfriend and the hard time she'd had just a few months ago. We'd helped her as much as we could then, and I know that Dawn had really gone out of her way to talk and be with Lynn too.

"Lynn, thank you for the offer of a shoulder to lean on I may take you up on it later, but for right now I have some things I need to do."

I drove home and on the way I just thought about our years together and wondered where it had gone wrong. I couldn't think of anything directly, so I figured it must have been a combination of things that finally added up to Dawn going where she'd gone. Now I had a mess to clean up and didn't really know where to start.