I had to circle the hospital car park three times before I saw someone pulling out. I grabbed the spot and with the bouquet of flowers in hand I strode purposefully toward the maternity wing. I'd promised my wife Sandra that I'd be there for the birth, but had been inadvertently delayed in getting here. I had to wait until this morning for a flight. I'd been told by the nurse it was a girl... whow, we'd waited and tried for this for so long. I couldn't believe that we now had a child.

"Sorry for the delay honey... all flights were delayed" I said as I placed the flowers on the bedside table. When I turned and fixed my gaze on mother and daughter, my former high spirits were dashed... how was my wife going to explain this.

It's funny how things slowly catch up with you. Somewhat like a jigsaw puzzle. At first you have hundreds of pieces scattered on the table. Then one by one you build up the picture and as you place the pieces it all becomes clearer, until you eventually get the whole picture, clear as.

Well that's how it happened with me. Sandra and I had been married for some years. We'd tried hard for a child, but never had any success... Sandra's biological clock was ticking. We were both in Real Estate. I worked at one office and Sandra at another office across town. It was a good way of doing it, as it meant we weren't in each others faces twenty four hours a day, Real Estate is stressful enough and you don't need to bring that extra tension into a marriage or relationship.

The setup had worked perfectly for many a year and I had no reason to suspect anything was wrong. Sandra had coupled up with another of her workmates... a Simon Walton. It wasn't unusual; many in Real Estate do it. It means you have someone to help and share the workload, especially when you were away. The only problem of course is, your buddy must put in his or her effort, which doesn't always happen.

Simon seemed a nice guy and I liked him. I managed from time to time to share a beer or two with him and he and Sandra would take time out and maybe have lunch together at our place. We weren't big time buddies, but rather good friends.

I'd been home on several occasions for lunch and had joined them.

"I've made sandwiches and there's a fresh pot of coffee on, or perhaps you'd prefer tea darling" she'd say

Once I'd finished lunch it was up and off for me and back to the office.

Everything seemed ok... nothing to send alarm bells ringing... until I suddenly noticed a change in attitude. Sandra seemed more tense... a little cold, standoffish toward me. I kept asking if there was a problem... maybe at work, was there anything I could do to help perhaps.

Her responses were short and curt.

"No... no there's nothing wrong... why do you keep asking" she would fire back

"Hey honey I'm only concerned about you... you seem a little stand offish that's all... thought it might have something to do with work"

She would melt a little and for a while I got the old Sandra back. It was like this from now on. A seesaw of moods, one minute up... then down again... still I did not see the whole picture.

When I phoned her office I was always told "Oh she's out Steve... her and Simon have gone to look at some property"

"Ok... I'll call back later"

I had some property to look over myself and as it happened I had to drive by our house to get to it. As I did so I noticed Simon's car parked up outside. Again no immediate alarm bell, perhaps they were having a late lunch.

I did my CMA... market analyses and was returning, passing our house and again seeing Simon's car still there, thought it was a rather long lunch, but gave it no more thought. At night I asked Sandra about the property she and Simon had looked at.

"I can't tell you about that... not until we have it all signed up... you might go in and steal it" she said laughing.

"Yeah I might just do that" I said, laughing.

"You and Simon must have been having a late lunch" I said.

There was a silence and what I thought was a guilty look.

"Oh... er... when was that, this afternoon... oh er yes... yes, that was after we'd been to view the property... came back here instead of going back to the office"

Now a little bell went tinkle... only a little bell and only a little tinkle... the first seed. Why had she been so embarrassed at such a simple question, she had seemed so unsure of herself and had to think hard for a suitable answer... it was just a hunch... just a feeling.

I started to take an interest in her activities. I rang her office more often and was told the same story, her and Simon were out looking at property, god she must have had a lot of property to view... she sure was going to have quite a few listings to sell.

On an impulse I decided to drive past our house and sure enough, there was Simon's car parked outside. I drove around the block, my mind working overtime. I'll drive in... if there is something going on, I'll find out. I thought to myself... but do I really want to know. I parked the car in the drive, my heart was pounding, wondering what I was likely to find... not I hope what I was thinking.

I let myself in and went straight to the lounge. There they were, just sitting, cups of coffee by their sides and manila files out and open in front of them. But there seemed to be something wrong... you know what is wrong with this picture type thing. They were a little unnerved, flushed. It was an act more than a natural setting.

"Oh... high sweetheart... you forgotten something" said Sandra.

"Er... yes damn it, I've misplaced a file somewhere and can't find it"

"I haven't seen any lying around" she replied

"Well it has to be somewhere" I said moving through the house. The spare bedroom door was open and the bedcover was all crumpled, the pillow's skew-wiz. This was not the way Sandra would leave a room... especially the guest's bedroom. Now the little bell was going, tinkle, tinkle, tinkle and a little louder. Another piece of the jigsaw puzzle was in place.

"No it must still be at the office... I'll take another look there" I said, making for the door.

"Do you want a coffee darling before you go" Sandra, trying to sound nonchalant.

"No... I'd better get back and find that damn file... catch up with you all later... see ya Simon" I said trying to sound as if nothing was bothering me.

I drove the car a couple of blocks, than pulled to the side. The images were flashing across my mind.

God it could all be done quite easily. They were definitely unsettled, that guilty look, like two kids who had just been found with their hands in the cookie jar.

The front bedroom would give then plenty of time to stop what they were doing and return to the lounge.

All Sandra had to do was pull up her skirt, drop her tights and panties to her thighs or knees and lie on her back. Simon, well all he had to do was unzip his fly, or maybe pull his pants down to his knees, thrust himself into Sandra and fuck like mad.

Now they hear my car in the drive. It's an emergency, panic... god here comes Steve. Well that's not to big an issue. Simon pulls out of Sandra, up with trousers and zip. Sandra at the same time has pulled up her tights and panties; dropped her skirt and then it's a mad dash back to the lounge... making it all look ever so innocent. The thing she couldn't do in all the panic was straighten the bedcover and pillows, one little give away. I couldn't be certain that, that was how it happened but I was pretty sure that's how it had gone down and probably the way it had gone down on many other occasions.

So do I go back later and confront her with all my suspicions or what?

Well if I couldn't prove it, she'd only deny it and it would lead to a rather big row. I'd do more research.

Our house was given a miss for a while. Whenever I drove by there was no Simon's car and I began to think that maybe it had been just my imagination running riot. Seeing ghosts where no ghosts existed.

I tried to find out if they had found a new place to go. I even drove past Simons house, but no, no cars. They still had an alliance going between them, but where they went to fuck, I knew not.

One day instead of phoning her office I called in. "Hi Julie" that was the girl on reception, I knew most of them at the agency. "Is Sandra about" I asked.

She looked at her colleague as if wondering what to tell me, or if indeed she should tell me her where abouts.

"Oh come on Julie its not a state secret is it"

"Oh no... no" she stammered, looking at her colleague again for inspiration. Her colleague just shrugged, not wanting to be part of it.

Julie looked at the board, saw what time Sandra was due to return "I see she's due back at three" she said "Her and Simon have gone to look at a house" I couldn't help be see the smile on her colleagues face.

"There now that wasn't too hard was it" I said, turned and left.

Out looking at houses eh... yeah, but what house?

I looked at my watch and decided to go home, rather than return to the office. Then bingo, as I approached the house, who's car was outside, yeah you've guessed it. Simon's car. I kept on driving, parked a block away and made my way back on foot.

Now they had been using the front bedroom... so chances were they would be using it again... it was the best one for advanced warning.

I kept to the other side of the house and went to the back door. The door was locked, yeah-well good thinking, don't want anyone sneaking in on them do they, especially me.