Chapter 6: ‘The’ Conversation

I awoke in Ally’s bed about one o’clock after four hours of sleep. I felt groggy, but still roused myself, especially to be civil with her parents. Ally had brought in my bag from my car and left me a clean towel. I washed up, changed clothes, and went downstairs in the small house.

I found Ally, her father and mother in the living room. Peggy was in her pajamas and wrapped in a blanket, and obviously in a recuperative state. I greeted her and we talked about her health. She seemed to be feeling better than I was – at least on the inside.

Ally produced a PB sandwich and glass of milk for me, and that pepped me up more. I apologized for my sudden and unexpected arrival. Tom said that Ally had explained ‘all about’ our tiff and then her ghosting me for hours, and then some miscommunication that led to my overnight drive. That was the end of that. Details had not been communicated. I simply nodded agreement with the story.

I called and changed some appointments. I had missed one Geek Patrol call, so I did a mea culpa with that customer, and then spent an hour with them on the phone as I logged into their computer with my laptop, and then debugged their problem. In the end, they were happy and I didn’t charge them for my time.

I spent the rest of the afternoon being sociable with Ally, Tom, and Peggy. Tom went off for a bit and did some calls relating to his work. We did an NA cocktail hour, and then Ally and I went and picked up a take-out dinner at a local Chinese restaurant – the choice was Peggy’s. She was feeling quite perky given the major surgery only hours earlier.

After dinner, still in my sleep-deprived state, Ally and I headed to bed. We quietly made love and then I was again out like a light with my wife in my arms and my spirit restored. I slept non-stop for twelve hours.

The next day, I helped Tom with some home projects and did some work tweaking and updating his home computer and media systems. Peggy had been having problems with her cellphone and I was able to fix that, too. She was feeling much better, her stitches, and she suggested that Ally and I head home earlier than planned. She didn’t want to be a burden.

Ally and I talked over Peggy’s care and condition, and then talked with her husband. Peggy was already moving around her house and itchy to get going with her life. The stitches were healing well, and she had taught herself how to give herself the antibiotic injections.

Ally and I stayed until Friday morning. I had worked on my own stuff for an hour or two, and did some telephone or remote servicing when I could. Ally did a little work, but mostly she spent time with her parents. Tom went to work on Wednesday afternoon and Thursday, since his wife seemed to be healing so fast and was fortunately without pain or discomfort. We had to hold her down from overdoing it.

We left early in the morning at seven a.m. Mostly, in that part of Interstate 75 we were going in the opposite direction to much of the traffic. I did not try for a speed run the way I had on Monday night into Tuesday morning. We cruised along at the speed limit all the way home.

Ally and I talked. I’d framed a few questions based on what I’d seen, heard from her, or felt, that I wanted some closure on. I was still framing them, right up to when we left the Carson’s driveway.

Once we cruising along, Ally said in an upbeat tone, “Alright, let’s start our deep conversation. What are your questions for me? I could guess a few, but you tell me. I want to be open and honest about this.”

I hoped her ‘open and honest’ remark was accurate. I’d had the feeling that she was holding back some of her thoughts from me, particularly about KC.

My questions and how to ask them of Ally had occupied my thinking over and over for the past few days. I knew we’d have this time to talk as we drove home and I wanted to be sure our conversation touched on the issues vexing me. I hoped for closure, but had resigned myself that it might not be there to be had.

“Ally, I think there are four or five question areas, and these have arisen since we moved into the new house and met KC.

“As you know, about two months ago, I saw you and KC having a sexual and romantic moment sitting on the edge of the pool. I know that I should have raised this earlier, but I wanted to give you a chance to say something more than we did first. You didn’t bring it up, nor did I, and then many other things came along in our lives or diverted my attention.

“I watched you fingering her sex, tasting your fingers, she did that to you, and the two of you kissed each other tenderly and lovingly. In hindsight, I don’t think that was the first time you shared an intimate moment with KC. Am I right? Has it happened since? How did you think I’d feel about that and how should I feel in your opinion? I can tell you in a few moments after you address what’s going on.”

Ally started to speak, but I held my hand up as the car hummed along the Interstate. She hesitated, so I went on.

“Perhaps related – you tell me – you have barely reacted since the start when KC kissed me passionately and blatantly propositioned me for sex, even with you being right there. Why weren’t you angry at her – or me? You didn’t seem especially mad at her for what she pulled on Monday night. Further, she seemed assured that you’d not only approve but might want to watch us have sex.