Chapter 22: Homeward Bound

"Since when have you been taking stupid pills, Stephy?" Cassie said, dropping her purse on the table and pulling up a chair.

"What the hell are you doing here, Cassie?" Stephanie's head hurt. Maybe from that bottle of wine she drank when she got home last night. She didn't need to face Cassie today.

"Well, it all started with this phone call about 3 from your husband."

"Darren? Why would Darren call you?"

"Why? Who else would he call? You're his best friend. Have been since the day Bruce died. Who else would he call?"

Stephanie just stared at her friend. "Darren has lots of friends."

"Yeah, sure. But how many of them would he feel comfortable about calling at 3am to talk about why his wife kicked him out?"

"I didn't kick him out."

"You told him not to come home. Same thing."

"Yeah, so why are you here?" Stephanie was pissed now. She was still mad at Darren and this just made it worse. She'd had her cry and she and Christy talked for hours last night. She would accept Darren's apology and end this fantasy crap and things would be back to normal in no time.

"What did he do?"

"He didn't tell you?"

"I didn't give him a chance. I wanted to hear your side first."

"You wouldn't understand."

"Why not? Because I've never been married? So who did you talk to? Christy?"

Stephanie wasn't going to even reply.

"You did. You cried on Christy's shoulder and you got marital advice from her. Like I said, since when have you been taking stupid pills?"

"Drop it, Cassie. I don't want to talk about it."

"No way. I'm not going to let you kill a perfect marriage."

"Who said anything about killing it? And what would you know about perfect marriages?"

Stephanie watched as her friend stood and walked to the door. She could see Cassie working up to something. Was she missing something?

"You are a dumb bitch sometimes, Stephanie."

"I'm not going to..."

"Oh, yes you are. You are going to sit there and listen to me. And then I'm going to get the hell out of here. You got it all, Stephanie. You won the prize. Yeah, I'm talking about Nerd Boy. Do you have any idea how jealous of you I am? He's the most attentive, loving husband you could ask for. You bitched for hours at the restaurant two weeks ago about this fantasy date thing. And all I could do was sit there and wish I had a man who wanted to know my innermost fantasies and make them happen. Did Darren complain once about that night? You went out and partied with two single girls and three men and your husband drove you there. He took you to Tahoe. I know you've always wanted to go skiing. And now he picked something you didn't like. What, didn't he put you on a pedestal high enough? My god, do you know how lucky you are? You have two beautiful children, a lovely home, a husband who still worships the ground you walk on, and you are ready to toss all of that away? Why?"

"Why?" Stephanie couldn't believe her ears. She stared at her friend's face and said, "I'm trapped. I get up every morning and fix breakfast for those children. I get them off to school. Then I go to work. I come home to fix supper and then go to meetings about those children. On the weekends, while you and Christy are out having a good time, I'm cleaning my house and shopping for groceries. I don't get to go out just because I want to. I don't get to go to exciting places. I can't take a six month assignment in Chicago. I can't do any of that because I have a husband and children. I'm stuck. I'm trapped. How would you like that?"

Cassie just stared back at her. Stephanie could see the shock on her friends face. "I'd trade you in a heartbeat, Stephanie. You think I have the perfect life? I have a string of boyfriends who have had no problem dumping me for the next bimbo with big boobs. You want to go to Chicago for six months, be my guest. It wasn't all a bed of roses. It was work. And that was it. I went out with the married guys I worked for, to discuss business. I didn't meet any guys who were interested in me for more than just a bed companion for the night. Do you really think it's all that exciting to sleep with someone new every time? When was the last time you had to fumble with a condom, or fight to get the guy to use one? It's not like you can trust them to be clean. You think it's such a great life, you take it. I'll take Darren and the kids, any day, any time. And if Christy were honest, she would too. She's had three husbands, each one as big an asshole as the other. Yeah, they look good and they make big bucks, but that stuff wears off quickly. Trust me on that. So you think about that and you think about Darren and the kids and the good times you have had."

Stephanie watched as the tears streamed down her friend's face. Cassie grabbed her purse and opened the front door. "And don't take long, girlfriend. Darren will be here for lunch in ten minutes."

Stephanie stared at her friend's back as she tore out of the house and started for her car. Stephanie stared out the front door for a moment.

"Cassie. Come back, please."

The two friends walked back into the house. Stephanie didn't know where to start. She offered Cassie some tea. They sat down at the table and after a sip of tea, Cassie looked at Stephanie. "So what did he do that was so horrible?"

Stephanie felt herself blush. This was Cassie, the girl she'd done everything with. "He wanted me to be a hooker. He had me kneeling on the floor and he wanted me to suck him and swallow. That's when I lost it. I'm not a whore, Cassie."

Cassie stared back at her as if she had three heads. And then she started to laugh. She laughed so hard that tears were streaming down her face again.

"It's not that funny," Stephanie snarled.

"You threw him out because he wanted you to give him a blowjob and swallow? My god, Stephanie." Cassie could barely talk she was laughing.

"I suppose you would have just done it."

"In a heartbeat. You've never done that for him?"

"Well, not and swallow too."

"Does he go down on you?"

"Yes," Stephanie could feel herself blushing again.

"Often?"

"Yes."

"So is he a gigolo? Or a bad person because of that?"

"Well, no."

"But you would be if you blew him?"

"Well, no, but it's not the same." Stephanie could feel the weakness of her argument. "I mean, it was like he was treating me like an object."

"And you never treat him like that?"

"Of course not."

"So when he paid for the three of us to go out, get our hair done, ride in a limo, get an expensive dinner, and get plastered in a bar with three guys who were not our husbands, you didn't treat him like an object or worse?"

"What are you talking about? That was my fantasy. I wanted to be treated like a star."

"I thought the point of these fantasies was to bring you two closer together by learning what the other one fantasized about."

"Well, yes, I guess." Stephanie didn't like where this was going. She wasn't ready to admit that she was wrong.