"Hello, Snow Mountain Escort Service, how may I help you?"

Randy went with a small deception. "This is Bob Wingate and I'm looking for a companion for the evening. Would your service be able to accommodate me?"

"It depends. Most of our escorts are busy this evening. I only have one left I can call on. She is a little older, but she is a fine looking lady."

"How about Arnie Dickerson? I could wait until late if you would set her up with me."

"I'm sorry, Arnie has a two-day booking. She won't be free this weekend. From your request, I assume you are looking for someone for after-hour entertainment?"

"That is correct. Say, would it be possible for Arnie to slip away from her client for just an hour during the night to visit with me? If you would tell me which hotel or motel she is staying at, I would book into the same one. She would only have to go to a different room for the hour."

"It might cost you big bucks."

"I do have an extra $500 on me."

"I'll call you back. I might even have the details all arranged. To make sure, I will even book you into the motel through our agency. Your name is Robert Wingate?"

"No, it is Bob. Mom said I was going to be nicknamed Bob anyway so she went with that." Bob gave the girl his cell number and waited for her to call him back. $500 to screw your own wife for an hour was a bit steep, but then it would get things out in the open.

Randy did engage the suggested older woman for dinner and a short evening of dancing. Evelyn Downing was ten years older than his forty and sixteen older than his wife, Arnie. Evelyn and he hit it off real well and enjoyed themselves immensely. As they sat in the dance club he questioned her about being an escort. "I'm a widow and get lonely. My husband left me fairly well-to-do, so I don't go out on dates for the money. I very rarely engage in sex, although if I meet someone as nice as you seem to be, I might. After being with you these few hours, I am tempted. I can sense you are troubled though. Would you like to tell me about it?"

Randy debated. Would this woman keep a confidence? He determined she would. "My name isn't Bob Wingate, it is actually Randy Cooper." He waited to see if she got the connection. She didn't, so he furnished more information. "Arnie Dickerson's name is really Jenny Cooper."

"You're Arnie's husband? This must be a shock. I can assume you called Snow Mountain looking for her and found she is working."

"Yes and not just for the evening either. She is booked solid for two days with a client. It is going to cost me extra to arrange to get her to come to my room for just an hour in the morning about two."

"You're not going to hurt her are you?"

"No, of course not. All I'm trying to do is get her lifestyle out into the open and see what I am going to do about her."

"I knew she had someone she was interested in and talks about him all the time, but I wasn't aware she was married. This will crush her, for she claims to love her boyfriend. You have just been out of the country too much."

"Maybe, but not every wife joins an escort service if her husband has a job overseas for periods of time. You know she could be traveling with me. I have asked her enough times. It can't be the money either, I give her everything she asks for."

"Apparently she needs more than what you are giving her, but that is for you two to figure out. Are you going to divorce her?"

"Probably. It will depend on how it goes when she comes to my room. You know it is quite a shock to be sitting in a club in Kuwait and overhear a man sitting next to you discuss your own wife. This guy kept declaring he was in love. I guess he had engaged her for several days before he came overseas. Arnie even had a picture taken for him to carry, and this Dick Stinger displayed it proudly. The guy just knew he could convince her to marry him when he gets back to the states. Does that sound like someone a man can spend the rest of his years with?"

"No, but are you sure you want to dump all of this on her this suddenly?"

"Yes, I do. Remember she has been engaged willingly to come to my room for $500. That should drive home the fact that she can't have both me and this job. I know what she is and she might as well know that I'm on to her."

"Why don't you come home with me? Forget your wife and what she does for a few hours. Call and leave a message that you are going to be home in a few days and settle it then. I'll even work through the agency to get you out of your date with her tonight."

"I'm tempted, but I have had two months to look ahead and think about this confrontation. I just want her to hurt like she has hurt me. If she doesn't, then I can walk away knowing she didn't love me at all."

"What if you break her heart? Is that what you are hoping for?"

"I guess. She hasn't given mine much thought."

"Randy, I withdraw what I said about being tempted to have you come home with me. I'm disappointed in you and what you are planning is cruel. This date of ours is officially over. Would you call me a taxi please?"

"Evelyn, may I call at the agency for a date with you again?"

"No, that would be foolish on your part. I don't know why I'm upset with you. Part of me feels sad for Arnie and the other part feels sad for you. You are deliberately setting out to be nasty and mean and to hurt someone. I don't like it and people just shouldn't do that to each other. It sounds odd after what she is apparently doing to you. I know you think of me as an old whore, but I'm a human and Arnie is too. I can have my likes and dislikes."

Randy sat at the bar thinking after Evelyn left. Did she have the right to chastise him? He paid her a $125 for the evening and received a lesson in life. When he took her into dinner, he was proud to have this elegant lady on his arm. She was almost his height and was wearing a black sheath dress that matched her hair. Well, except for the few strands of gray that made her look so distinguished. From what he could tell of her figure, it was as nice too. She may have surmised he felt she was an old whore but that was not the way he felt about her at all. Suddenly he had a feeling of shame.

Randy sat watching the clock as it marched toward two o'clock. He thought of his pixie-faced wife with her slightly voluptuous figure. He came to the conclusion he shouldn't have left this fun-loving woman alone while he worked out of the country. But when they were together they seemed like such a compatible couple. Even with what she was doing, he still had some love for her.

On the stroke of two there was a knock on his door. "Bob Wingate, this is Arnie and we have a date for this time. Let me in please."

Screw it. Randy took the envelope and scribbled a few words on it. He slipped it under the door. The end of the envelope immediately disappeared. He waited while he assumed she was opening it. The knock came again. "Thank you very much. I would like to meet you sometime. You are quite a guy, Bob Wingate. Goodnight."

There Evelyn Downing, take that! She might never know, but at least he would. Why did he care anyway? He didn't, but he slept better than if he had let his wife into his room for the confrontation that he had been planning for the last two months--one he felt she richly deserved.

On Monday morning Arnie Dickerson was at the desk giving an accounting to Sarah of the weekend's activities. Arnie had made $2000 for the two-day booking and $500 for the hour that she had done nothing for. She handed over $500 which was the agency's cut. Sarah asked about the man, Bob Wingate, who had specifically asked for Arnie and had arranged to have an hour with her.

"It was weird. I got my client to sleep and took a quick shower and went down to this man's room. I knocked at his door and an envelope came sliding out at my feet. It had the agreed $500 in it. I knocked again and thanked him."

"Didn't he say anything?"

"Nope, unless you can count the note on the envelope. It said, 'Sorry for keeping you up. Bob Wingate.' I'd sure like to meet that man."

Evelyn was standing near enough to hear this. Sarah started to mention to Arnie that Evelyn had a dinner date with a Bob Wingate. Evelyn shook her head for Sarah to keep quiet. When Evelyn cashed out and was handing in the agency's cut of $25, she asked Sarah never to say anything more about Bob Wingate. Sarah, who scheduled all of the appointments, knew how protective the escorts were of those they liked and enjoyed meeting and promised to keep quiet. After all Evelyn carried the most weight in the agency. Was Evelyn hoping for a repeat of her dinner date? That is what Sarah assumed.

Randy was home when Jenny Cooper came into their apartment. He hadn't informed her that he was in the states. "Randy, when did you get in? Oh God, it is so good to have you home. How long are you home for this time? God, you're brown. Did you get into one of those harems over there? I hear there are wall to wall women in them." She ran out of breath.

"Whoa Jenny, slow down. I was coming in last night, but I figured you would be out screwing someone and I didn't want to have to kick your cheatin' ass out, so I waited until I was sure you would be home."

"Randy, what an awful thing to say to me. I wouldn't cheat on you, you know that."

"Okay it was just a joke. You have been faithful though, haven't you? I trust you, but I have to ask. Come on upstairs love, I need you. I'll race you to the bedroom." After getting naked and before they started foreplay Randy said, "Hey Babe, get your camera. I want to take some pictures of you."

"You're crazy, but I love you. Okay we can do this. Wait right here."

Jenny didn't know it but when she disrobed, Randy could see where a man had grasped her ass leaving black and blue marks where his hands had tightened on her, most likely during an orgasm. God, now he wished he had followed through at two this morning. And now she was standing right before him and swearing she was faithful. What a cheating bitch. Pictures taken, Randy and Jenny fell into bed and it took two hours to satiate Randy.

"Randy, you've become rougher in your lovemaking. I'm sore all over. What's got into you anyway?"

"I guess because it has been so long since I made love to you--or anyone for that matter. It has been ten weks since we have had sex. Do you wonder I was rough?"

"No I guess not, but I don't think I like it. Sex between husband and wife has to have love in it and I didn't feel much love from you tonight. Oh Randy, I've missed you so. Really, how long are you home for this time?"

"Well, actually I have a choice, finally. I can go overseas somewhere or I can stay here. Well within fifty miles of here. Of course it will mean a big cut in pay. So I just have to weigh my options."

"You are going to stay here aren't you? We can start a family and buy a house. I want a big house and lots of babies to put in it. You know I only have a few years before it will be too late. You have been gone so much I haven't wanted to start having children. As of right now, today, I have taken my last pill."

"Wait one more week, I have to get settled. I'm still negotiating my pay package. Are you really too sore for some more loving? I'll be a little more gentle this time."

Jenny volunteered at a food bank mornings. Two days after Randy came home she went back to work. Randy made a trip to the Snow Mountain Escort Service office. Sarah was in attendance. "Hi, I'm Bob Wingate. I called last Friday evening for an escort. You set me up with a very nice lady named Evelyn Downing. I would like to contact her personally."

"We don't give out any personal information. We can set you up with another meeting of course. What evening would you like to book?"

"No booking, you are going to put me in contact with her as soon as possible. Otherwise I'm going to rock this canoe so hard everyone in it will drown."

"That sounds like a threat."

"It is."

"We don't pay attention to threats here. We don't have many, but we take care of them as they come up."

"Look, all I want is to talk to Evelyn on the phone or in person somewhere privately. I only have this morning."

Sarah stared at Randy. The man had backed off with his threat. "Okay, I will call Evelyn. Go across the street to the little park there. If she wants to meet you, she should be along in twenty minutes or so."

"Hello Randy. Sarah said a Bob Wingate was insistent that I meet him. I heard Arnie tell Sarah in the office about her unknown benefactor. You changed your mind after I left you. I'm glad."

"I had good thoughts about you too. I need some advice and you are the only person I respect enough to talk to. You tell me what I should do."

"What's the problem besides knowing your wife is one of the most popular escorts Snow Mountain had? She will not be asked again. I'm going to let them know she is married. Even if she comes in again for work, she will be turned away."

"If I came home and lived everyday with Jenny and she said she would be faithful, would she be?"

Evelyn sat contemplating my question. "She'd be a fool if she didn't. Why do you ask me?"

"Because you said she loved me. You must know her pretty well to make a statement such as that."

"I guess I know her as well as any of the escorts and I like her more than the others. I must admit, I don't know why she became an escort and all that goes with it. She has shown a lot of disrespect for her marriage. If I had the choice, I'd give my right arm to have you for my husband and I would always remain faithful. So what do you think you should do?"

"Divorce her and marry you would be the smartest thing, but I don't suppose that is an option. I guess I will stick with her for awhile. What I would like is to trust her and verify that she is faithful. I've thought of a way, but I need you to run interference for me with Sarah in the office."

"What do you need?"

"I need a printout of her activities for the last ten weeks. They can be in any kind of code as long as I can read them. I also need the promise that if Jenny ever contacts this office to return as an escort, even for one date, I'm to be informed. One more thing. I met a Dick Stinger in Kuwait. He is the one that tipped me off about Jenny, or Arnie, as he knew her. He knew that shwe was escorting for money. He says men have fallen in love with whores before and someday he wants to track her down. If he ever shows up here in town, I want to know about it immediately. I don't think he would remember me, for I only spoke a few words to him."

"Sarah said that you made some threats. What was that all about?"

"I did make a threat. If I don't get those three things, I'm going to inform the authorities that Snow Mountain is running a whorehouse out of this office. The district attorney might be interested, seeing it is an election year."

"Snow Mountain isn't going to let any records like the printout you want to be floating around."

"I know that. I only want them in case I have to go to court to sue for a divorce. Once I read them and am assured they would be turned over if I needed them for that one purpose, I would hand them to a neutral party to be held. I would return them or have them destroyed after that."

"Well you are giving me quite a lot to work with. Let me go talk to Sarah. She doesn't let many people know, but she is a part owner of Snow Mountain." Evelyn walked across the street and was gone for nearly an hour. She came back and handed Randy a thick envelope. "You have everything you wanted. Slipping that envelope under the door for Arnie the other night was what convinced her."

"It wouldn't have happened without you."

"No, probably not. So you are going to try to get over what she was doing?"

"Yes. Jenny wants to start a family. I want kids. I was an orphan growing up."

"I hope it works out for you."

"Evelyn, would you let me have your phone number? I won't abuse the privilege of having it by calling you too often."

"I know you won't. I'll give you my address too. If for some reason this doesn't work out and you need a bed to sleep in, we might start a relationship."

"I'm sure it would be a pleasure. Thank you for helping me. You are one in a million."

So started a new life for Arnie Dickerson, professional escort, married name Jenny Cooper, and married to Randy Cooper, who sometimes used the name Bob Wingate.

Once in awhile Jenny ran into a man who had hired her as an escort. Randy made it easy for her by accepting her explanation that it was an old friend of hers, her father or her mother's. Jenny became pregnant and after the first child was born became pregnant again. She had trouble birthing the second one and when repairs were made, she was informed she could never have another child. Two sweet children, a boy Randy Jr., and girl Megan, had to be enough, because no more were possible.

Evelyn and Randy saw each other occasionally from a distance. They had never made the effort to make direct contact, but were painfully aware when they met in the grocery store or in other places. Jenny, on the surface, totally ignored her former friend if they should meet. Only he knew they were acquainted and wondered if they ever conversed.

The day before Randy Jr. turned four, Randy Sr. had a visitor. "Your secretary said you might have a minute to speak to me. I'm in the same line of work as that done by your company. I am looking for work and was hoping you would have a position open."

Randy was looking up at Dick Stinger as his caller finished speaking. This was a long way and almost five years from Kuwait. "I don't think so, but you can fill out an application. What brings you to this part of the country, or are you from here originally?"

"I'm from the west coast, but years ago I traveled through here. I met a woman and fell for her. I had just signed a long-term overseas contract and had to leave her. It was in the city about fifty miles from here. I want to settle there and find her. She practically said that even if she was married when I came back, she would leave her husband and live with me. We really hit it off. I've dreamed about her all these years.

"I tried writing, but my letters came back. I've just come from the place where she was employed. They act as if they never heard of her or me."

"You better forget her then. She apparently didn't want to continue."

"I can't. I'm staying in the area until I find her. I do need work while I'm looking. If I do find her, I want to persuade her to move out west with me. I have plenty of work out there."

"Why don't you continue looking and stop back in a week? I will see if the company can find something for you by then."

"That would be great. Thanks an awful lot."

Randy picked up the telephone as soon as Stinger had left. After greetings, "Evelyn, I have a problem and it goes back to when I first came home to stay."

"I know Randy, I was about to call you. Sarah said the man you asked to be informed about, if he came looking for Arnie, showed up and was in town. You have kept your agreement with her, so she called me. How did you find out and what are you going to do?"

"Dick Stinger came into my office looking for work. He didn't recognize me. He told me why he was here. He is definitely on the hunt for Arnie Dickerson. He claims she made a promise to leave her husband if he ever came back for her. I think I will make it easy for them to get together. I don't want to, but I want this resolved. Can you help me?"

"This may not end up the way you want you know."

"I know, but I can't believe Jenny will leave me or take the kids away from me. He may not want my kids anyway. Jenny and I have had a real tight relationship for the last five years. I'm confident she will turn him away, but I want the little uncertainty that remains over with."

"What you have kept hidden all of these years will come out--the fact that you've known she was an escort while you were overseas."

"That should help, won't it? The fact that I could live with her cheating?"

"Maybe, if she doesn't think you are a wimp."

"I think I will risk it. Evelyn, you know I still think of you. You are the nicest person I know and that includes Jenny."

"I feel the same way about you Randy. I often wish we had met before you met Jenny. Our timeline is just maladjusted. I'm getting older all the time and it seems I am just waiting to die. There is not much joy left for me. Snow Mountain doesn't have any clients suitable for me to go out with either. Oh well, let's get your problem straightened out. Then maybe you can help me work on mine. I'll give your problem some thought and will call you tomorrow."

Randy hung up after giving Evelyn his number. Ten minutes later his phone rang. "Hi, me again. Would you want to throw Bob Wingate into the mix? He disappeared, but maybe he should be resurrected."

"Whatever you plan is fine by me."

Ten o'clock next day Evelyn called. "Dickie-boy has your wife's phone number. I let Sarah give it out. Now I'm going to accidentally bump into Jenny and talk over old times. Keep Saturday night free. Bob Wingate may be going on a double date with Dickie-boy and Arnie Dickerson." She hung up after saying her plans hadn't jelled yet.

Randy announced to Jenny that he was going to be tied up Saturday night with a business colleague. Jenny asked if it couldn't be postponed as she had planned to go out with a lady friend she used to know. "I might even get plastered and have to stay over."

"Can't we get Carol next door to watch the kids until I get home?"

"That would work. You are okay with this? I mean I hardly ever go out."

"Sure go ahead. Just don't pick up any men friends."

"Randy you piss me off sometimes. I'm totally faithful to you. Hell you never give me any chance to pick up a man. Piss me off enough and I might consider it though."

"Okay, okay, I was out of line. Who is this lady? Do I know her?"

"No, I don't think so. Her name is ... Randy, I don't have to tell you. She is just someone I used to know more than five years ago while you were overseas."

"Jeez, keeping secrets from your loving husband. You aren't into women are you?" Jenny was mad and pummeled Randy with the nearest magazine. He just grabbed her and kissed her until she returned his kisses, with fervor.

Saturday night Randy put on a pair of slacks, a turtleneck and a blazer and left the house while Jenny was still in the shower. He drove to Evelyn's house where she had prepared dinner for him. Over coffee she said she had reserved a table for four at a dance club. The table was in the far and darkest corner of the hall. She had reserved this one so Bob Wingate could remain anonymous until the last moment. He could observe the body language as Dick Stinger and his escort came through the dancers and up to the table.

"Randy, can I make a confession?"

"Is this where you say you love me?"

"No it isn't. You should know something else about me. The fact is, I own Snow Mountain. Sarah owns a piece of it, but I own the majority of the stock. At first I wanted a straight escort business--what the law says it should be. But you and I know that people don't stop with just a kiss when they are having fun. And financially, to make my business pay, I had to come to that conclusion and am pretty much okay with it. My escorts can choose to stop with a client's kiss or go to bed with them.

"Our main purpose has been to match people up with someone compatible. Jenny came to work and immediately went to bed with her first client. She would get peeved if we matched her with someone that had dinner and a short evening out, just as we did the first time you and I met. The surprising thing is she has been totally faithful to you since you came home. When we 'accidentally' met this week she wanted to go on this date with Stinger alone, but then I mentioned I had a date with Bob Wingate. She remembered the $500 tip and asked if she and I could double date. I reminded her she is married and she should get rid of Stinger.

"I don't know what her plans really are and I'm only telling you this because I'm afraid her days of being faithful are coming to a close. She might want more excitement. I hope I'm wrong. I don't think this Dick Stinger holds any major attraction except maybe she wants to get her feet wet again and he is a convenience. I don't want you to get hurt, but there is going to be some pain for you. And too, I don't think you are absolutely sure what it is you want concerning Jenny. So shall we go find out what your fate is?"

Evelyn and Randy watched Dick and Jenny weave through the lighted throng toward them and into the semi-darkness where they were sitting. She had her hand on Dick's arm and Randy saw them come toward him. When they got nearer, it was too dark to read her expression. It cut through him like a knife and not a sharp one either. Dick recognized Randy before his wife was aware that she was approaching her husband.

"Hey Randy, I thought we were going to be joining a man named Bob. Doesn't matter, but I'm glad you will know I found the person I was looking for. Now if I can convince her to leave her husband and head west with me, I'll be a happy man."

"I'm sure if that is what she wants, her husband won't stand in her way. Isn't that right, Jenny?" Randy had to give Jenny credit, she handled this pretty well.

She turned to Dick. "Dick, my name isn't Arnie. My name is Jenny Cooper. Randy is my husband and he has been for ten years. When I met you I was a whore, and I guess I still am. If I went west with you, I probably wouldn't treat you any better than I have him. Thank you for the lovely dinner. I do not wish to ever see you again."

Dick stood there looking as if he had been slapped. Then he looked at Randy. "Is this true?"

"Every bit of it."

"How can you stand it?"

"A little bit because I hated to let people know I was married to a whore and a little bit because I love her and she has given me two fine children."

Dick turned to Jenny. "If you have two kids and didn't tell me about them then it figures you didn't plan on leaving your husband. You were just out doing your thing tonight." He turned to Randy. "I'm sorry for you. I'm glad I found out what she is before I did something foolish. She can sure screw someone in more ways than one." He stumbled blindly back through the crowd and out the door. Jenny sat down.

Evelyn was sitting already. "Where do we go from here? Are you going to take Jenny home?"

"I'd like to go home with you, but I suppose I should be the dutiful husband and take the wife home. She and I have some issues that need to be settled. If I hadn't followed your advice five years ago, this would have been settled. As it is, it has to be done now. Anyway, it bought me your friendship and that is something I value. I'll drop you off and then call and tell you how everything turns out."

Jenny went in and after paying the neighbor for baby-sitting, made coffee. She brought two mugs and the cream and sugar and set them on the dining room table. When the coffee was poured she sat down across from Randy. "How long have you known?"

"Since before I got home from Kuwait. Dick was flashing your picture around and was calling you his true love, telling how good you were in bed and the plans you had made together. He said men had fallen in love with a whore before, and when his stint was up he was going to find you. I sat in the mess hall and listened to it all and you can just imagine how I felt. After tonight I guess he decided his whore wasn't good enough for him after all."

"What's with the Bob Wingate?"

"I came back and set this up to confront you using the name of Bob Wingate. Snow Mountain had reserved Evelyn as an escort for me to dine with. I told her who I really was and she urged me not do anything to hurt you. When she left me, I went to my room and it was only the last minute while you were outside the door that I made up my mind. In that instant, I scribbled the note and slid it under the door to you. The rest is pretty much history."

Randy thought a minute and then went to his briefcase. "These are the pictures I took of you on the first night I was home. Look at these two. Can you see why I wanted them if I decided to divorce you?" Both photos showed the black fingermarks on Jenny's butt. "This was our first night together in over ten weeks. Where did the marks come from?"

Tears were coursing down Jenny's face and she wouldn't answer. He continued, "This is a printout. Do you want me to read it to you?"

"What is it?"

"It is a record of your activities for the ten weeks that I was in Kuwait. I didn't go back further than that. One other question, what did you intend to do with all of the money you made? Let's see, as of yesterday your balance, plus interest, amounts to $127,000.35. At least $80,000 of that were earnings. You certainly got paid well for spreading your legs and doing a little kissing."

"That's because I was good at what I did."