Chapter 5

Ashley is still on Anders mind when he arrives home from work. He spent the day hoping that the woman would come back into his office and fuck him, but she never did. Anders thinks he can remember something from the past few weeks, but everything just seems more like a dream than anything else. With a sigh, he cuts the engine and gets out of the car. As his eyes fall to the door of the house, Anders’ heart feels a little heavier. Janelle knows of his relationship ad he feels partially guilty for it. Sure, the man enjoys a blowjob like any other man, and maybe even sex on the side and that is bad, but what really makes the situation worse is that he really can’t remember any of it happening.

“What the fuck does it matter?” he mumbles under his breath to himself.

When the man reaches the door, he stands in front of it for a moment, not sure if he really wants to face his wife right now. Maybe I can just go somewhere and relax. I need to get rid of this stress. And just when he makes up his mind to do just that and turn to leave, the door opens. Janelle is standing there, smiling brightly at him.

“Did you have a good day, hon?” she asks, throwing Anders off guard.

“Um ... yeah, it was ... okay,” he answers, looking for some sign of deceit.

“Well, that’s good,” Janelle says. “Are you coming in or what?”

“Yeah, I was just about to,” he says, putting up his guard before stepping in.

The first thing his wife does, and it is a totally unexpected thing because of their fight earlier that morning, is she kisses him. “Well, I’m glad you had a good day,” she says, stepping back. “Come in the living room, I would like to talk to you.”

“Um ... after this morning...” Anders starts to say hesitantly.

“After this morning I have had a lot of time to think,” Janelle interrupts, grabbing his hand and dragging him forward. “I was a fool. Please, sit.”

Anders sits and expects his wife to take the chair across from him, but instead she takes the sot right next to him. Her hand slips to his thigh and settles just above his knee. “You don’t seem as angry as this morning,” he says, still a little on guard.

“That’s because I’m not,” Janelle answers with a smile. “Like I said, I have had some time to think about things. I realize that I have been a little distant. And it isn’t because you’ve been fucking you co-worker, it’s because of the long hours you have been putting in.”

“I’m sorry about that,” he says, being vague because he isn’t fully sure that he is sorry for fucking Ashley. It is wrong to do so and he realizes it, but he isn’t sure he is sorry for it.

“Well, it is something you have done since we’ve been married,” Janelle continues, not showing any signs that his apology wasn’t clear. “I guess I just never said anything because you make good money and provide a nice life for us. But I guess deep down it was bothering me and it finally bubbled up to the surface.” She turns to face him. “I understand you needed some companionship. It was I that drove you into another woman’s arms, and I realize that now.”

“Janelle, I...” Anders tries to say, but his wife quickly puts a finger to his lips, shutting him down.

“I’m not going to let you take the blame,” she says quickly. “I knew what I was getting into when I married you. I’m just letting you know, so that you understand, why what has happened has happened. But that is all in the past.” She pulls her finger away, turning more of her body toward him. “From this point on I want to rekindle our marriage. I want us to get back to being us. I want to forget your co-worker and the things you two have done.”

“It’s done,” he says. “It’s already forgotten about.”

“I know you’ll still be working with her, and you can’t just fire her,” Janelle says, taking him at his word. “But I can accept that it was just a fling and you and I from this point on will rebuild us.”

“I’d like that,” Anders says with a genuine smile. “Where would you like to start?”

Janelle beams with excitement, her smile spread largely over her face. “A movie and dinner!” she says delightedly.

“The Rolling Turtle?” Anders offers.

“That will be perfect,” Janelle says. “I already have the movie picked out.”

“You have everything planned, don’t you?” Anders asks, still smiling.

“Of course,” she confirms. “I’m optimistic that we can make this work. I’m going to get ready. Why don’t you shower and get ready yourself?”

Anders nods, but says nothing more. He watches her get up and follows her, his eyes moving with the sway of her hips until she disappears into the bedroom. Already Ander has forgotten about what took place earlier in the day. Already the man has forgotten about Ashley. And most importantly, he has forgotten about Mela.

When all is said and done, Anders is wearing a simple pair of jeans and t-shirt. But compared to Janelle with her red, one shouldered spliced dress, he looks like a bum.

“You look absolutely stunning,” Anders says with a heavy breath.

Janelle smiles like a girl being told that she is beautiful for the first time by the most popular boy in school. “You’re just saying that because you’re married to me,” she counters.

“No, I really mean it,” Anders argues.

“Well you look nice too,” she says, keeping up the smile.

“No I don’t,” Anders says, smirking.

Janelle laughs. “No you don’t.”

Anders joins in the laughter for a moment. “Should I go put something nicer on?”

Janelle shakes her head. “No, you look good. You really do.”

“Not nearly as nice as you,” he says.

“That’s alright,” she says, grinning. “You’ll just make me look better.”

“You’re beautiful enough,” Anders says, stepping in close and wrapping his arms around her waist. “At this point, I don’t think anything can make you look better. You outshine anything.”

“That’s sweet,” she says, leaning in to kiss him. “Now let’s get going before we’re late for the movie.”

Ander and his wife get to the theaters with much time to spare before the movie. With the extra time, they play a few arcade games. It is the most fun that they have had in a long time. Anders realizes how he has missed doing simple things like this with Janelle. When it is time for the movie, they head in and watch all the previews, sharing with each other their thoughts on upcoming movies and expressing the want to see one or two of them together.

Anders finds the movie itself rather boring. He only puts up watching it because Janelle is interested in seeing it and it could be the difference in making their marriage work and get back on track or derailing it. But his boredom is soon relieved when he feels a hand pressing against his thigh. He doesn’t immediately look because he knows it belongs to his wife. Janelle for her part keeps her eyes forward as if she isn’t doing anything. Then her hand moves higher, searching. It freezes when her fingers brush against Anders’ half-hard member.

Janelle’s eyes immediately drop to his lap, the thick outline very obvious. She turns her head to face him and leans in slightly. “I know that you’re bored, and I really like how you put up with it just to spend time with me.”

A smile curls up on the man’s face. “It’s not my thing, but if it brings us together then I will do it,” Anders says, giving her a quick peck on her lips. “I do love you after all.”

Janelle returns the smile. “I know you do. And that’s why I am going to give you a special treat.” She then delicately drags a finger along the rise between her husband’s legs.