Inspired in an old vignette.

Everything had started two weeks ago. He had gone to the doctor because of some rash in his intimate parts, but his customary doctor had a back pain -doctors and golf- so he was seen by his replacement.

“Mr. Prescott, your symptoms are consistent with an STI. I need to make a few tests, but right now I’d like to ask you how many sex partners have you had in the last month.”

Jake was speechless. He was the archetypal house husband, whose high-powered executive wife was the main breadwinner.

“I’ve been only with my wife,” he said. The doctor checked his file and answered “Please, Mr. Prescott. I’m not here to judge, and I can see it’s not the first time for you.”

“What do you mean?” He asked.

“I can see here that you’ve been treated for STIs two times already, about 5 and 7 years ago.”

Jake was astonished. “I swear doc, it’s the first time I’ve heard about this. Are you sure you have the right file?”

“I may be just a temporary replacement, but the file here is yours ... Uh-oh,” he said.

“What?”

“There is a note here saying that before disclosing any information related to you it must be sent first to your wife for approval.” He looked at him. “This is highly irregular, but that’s the arrangement with your regular doctor. In fact I shouldn’t have told you anything.”

“That’s ridiculous! It’s my body and my information!”

Suddenly a thought came to him.

“Doctor, is it true that you cannot disclose information about a patient without the patient’s authorization? Not even to his family?”

“Well, yes.”

“Ok. Please do not tell my wife anything about this visit.”

“Sorry but STIs are mandatory reporting. I have to tell her.”

“Can you at least wait until Monday to call her?” It was Thursday.

“That I can do.”

After leaving the clinic, Jake called his friend Mike. Mike Walters was a single dad friend of his, part-time detective and occasional poker companion.

“Mike, I need your help. Can I go to your office?” “Of course Jake, I’m free right now. Just come on in.”

“So your wife has infected you two, sorry, three times with an STI. You were secretly treated two times by your family doctor. Sorry man but this looks like a lot more than simple infidelity, if the doctor is in it.”

“I know. Kathy sometimes goes out on business dinners, travels a lot, she has a lot of chances to put the horns on me. I trusted her, but now...”

“So you need my superdetective skills,” smiled Mike. “Hope they’re better than your comedian skills.” growled Jake. “Don’t worry, pal. They are.”

It was already Friday and the whole family was having breakfast.

“By the way Jake, I have a business party tonight and will probably arrive late.”

“It’s ok, dear.”

She detected a hint of sadness in him, and continued “I will compensate you tomorrow night.”

“Mom, tomorrow I have the pool party with Jenny” said Mandy, their 13-year old daughter.

“The one with the big bazongas?” asked Billy, their 14-year old son.

“Mom!” complained Mandy.

“William Prescott!” barked Kathy. “That’s not a way to talk about a girl.”

“Ok, mom. The one with the beautiful ... er ... eyes, then?”

“Idiot!” said Mandy, throwing him a cheerio.

“Easy, kids,” said Jake. “Now get your things and go to school”.

“Yes, dad.” They answered in chorus.

Jake watched his wife getting ready. “At least I had some years of happiness,” he thought. If what he suspected was true, there was no way for him to remain married. He knew he would probably get custody and child support, given his role as main carer for the children.

Kathy Prescott was 35 years old and a real beauty. Age and children had added some fat but only in the right places, and she looked a lot like Claire Castel. She was an executive for a big import-export company, and sometimes her work demanded her to travel, normally one week two or three times a year.

He wondered how many times she had used those travels to break her vows.

“Honey, do you love me?” He asked.

She turned, surprised. “What kind of question is that?”

“A simple one. Do you love me?”

“Of course I love you, big dummy!” she said, giving him a big kiss.

“I love you, too. Never forget that.” He said.

“Ooookay...” she waited, but no more words were said.

“Don’t wait up,” she said, grabbing her purse and leaving.

Jake didn’t do a thing. He knew Mike would call him if anything happened. He prayed for the phone not to ring, but unfortunately, it did.

Both men were in the parking lot of a motel room, one of those that have the parking space right in front of the room door.

“So she’s there right now?”

“Yes. They arrived about 30 minutes ago and now they’re in the bedroom. What do you want to do?”

Jake Prescott looked at his friend and said “We go in. Get your camera ready.”

“Ok. I will knock first and when they open I’ll take pictures. You wait ten seconds and then go in, say whatever you need to say and we leave.” instructed Mike.