Chapter 2

As if I didn't have enough problems I was asked to work overtime for the next week. So now I was working a twelve-hour shift and coming home to a warmed up dinner in the microwave. Marge told me that on Thursday she and her girlfriends were having their girls' night out.

"I thought it was on Fridays; why the change? I told you how I didn't trust Trish but you still go out with her."

"There is nothing wrong with Trish and the reason we are going on Thursday is because of the April Fools' Day party Saturday. Since you never answered me about it I told Trish to let Dave know we were going. I know Cindy's going for sure so you'll get to meet her. Barb isn't quite sure if she's going or not."

I hardly said three words to her the next couple of days. When I got home Thursday around seven there was a note on the table. Marge said she went out with the girls. I was pissed because no matter what I said she didn't seem to care anymore.

I decided to call Larry and ask him if he would mind taking me to this club so I could see for myself what kind of place it was. When I called him he said he had talked to my cousin Mike a few days before and told me he would be happy to show me around.

I promised him a burger and a couple of beers. I stopped by and picked him up. He was my age and seemed like a nice guy. When I asked him how he knew Mike he laughed.

"I'm a cop too. Mike and I have been friends for years. So he tells me you're having some possible marriage problems and thinking of joining the club."

I told him about wanting to spice up our life a little and my wife has a friend and she and her husband belong to this club. "To be honest, I don't trust her friend or her husband. There's a party here Saturday and they want us to come with them to it. My wife has all but said she wants to go."

We entered through the rear door. Larry had a key card. A woman met us in the hall and told Larry that his ex-wife Cindy was there again tonight.

"Thanks for the heads up; now she's seems to be here just about anytime I come." I watched him shake his head.

"Larry, you don't have to show me around if it bothers you being here. We can come back another day," I replied.

"No, I'm use to it. It's just that she turned into a fucking whore. I use to blame this club but the truth is our marriage was doomed long before we joined. This just made the divorce come sooner."

We went upstairs and got a table. He said you could see the dance floor and bar on the lower level better. A waitress came and we gave her a beer order. I also asked Larry about the burgers and he said the food was really good here and I ordered us each a jumbo burger.

I was looking down around the dance floor. Larry said that during the week they used the jukebox but on the weekends they had different bands come in. He did say the crowd was a little light but it was probably due to the big party on Saturday.

There were still a good fifty people there. In one corner I was surprised to see Marge, Trish and one other woman with them. They were in a circular booth made for the corner. They were all drinking and talking. I pointed the women out to Larry.

I asked him if he knew any of them, including Marge. He shook his head almost disgustedly. "That's my ex-wife Cindy. Of course she's still hanging around that tramp Trish. I take it the other woman is your wife Marge."

"I didn't know she was coming here tonight. She just said it was a girls' night out. Have you ever seen her here before?"

"To be honest, I did. It was a couple of weeks ago. I came to see Barb but she's not with them tonight.

"Rob, I'm going to be honest with you. If your marriage is on some rocky ground then this place won't help it. It helped end my marriage. Let me explain.

"Cindy and I thought our marriage was strong and that a little extra flirting and maybe even having sex with someone else might make our marriage stronger. It didn't! I admit the first couple of times I was with another woman it felt good and different.

"Cindy was with another man but I didn't see them have sex. We were in different rooms. She seemed happy on our way home. She even said she loved me even more. I thought it was working for us. We would come maybe once a month and meet other people.

"I found out that Cindy had been coming here without me and cheating with a number of men. That's when I lost it and brought in the pencil camera and took pictures. That night we had a hell of an argument and she said she wasn't giving up her new-found life. I started divorce proceedings. We've been divorced for a couple of months now."

"You mentioned knowing Trish; how did you meet her? Was it here? Do you know her husband Dave?"

Marge wouldn't be able to see us in on the second floor but we could see them quite well. I didn't go there to spy on her, in fact I didn't know they were going there. Before Larry started talking, I was surprised two see two men join the girls. I was a little pissed especially since one of them was Dave.

"That's Bill with Dave, they work together. Bill is one of those guys who has an open marriage. They say it works for them but I really don't see much love in their relationship. You asked about how we met Trish and Dave. First I should tell you that they aren't even married but do live together.

"They say they are married and she tells people she just kept her old name. In truth, she's been divorced once and Dave has been divorced twice. So those two swinging isn't quite the same as a married couple in a committed relationship."

I was surprised to hear this. I had to wonder if Marge even knew the truth. About that time I saw Bill ask Marge to dance and Dave was dancing with Trish. Another man came over and asked Cindy to dance. Larry said his name was Fred. He was a regular at the club, also divorced. As I watch them dancing Larry told me how he met Dave and Trish.

"Cindy works at the same business as Dave and Bill. I think they had something going before Cindy invited Trish and Dave to our house. They seemed like a nice enough couple and we went out with them a few times.

"Cindy had mentioned to them that our marriage was a bit rocky and they suggested going to the club with them. They told us it helped their relationship. Needless to say we went and eventually we swapped partners. I was unsure at first but Trish took me back to one of the rooms and I had some great sex.

"The atmosphere is so sexually charged. All these different couples seemed to be enjoying themselves, and with the booze flowing we just became a part of it. I have to say the sex was great but after I found out Cindy had been with Dave even before the club I got really pissed.

"She wasn't out to save our marriage but she figured we could have an open marriage. Looking back I knew that wasn't what I wanted. It was just the beginning of the end of our marriage," said Larry.

As Larry was talking, I saw the couples go back to their table. A few minutes later I saw Dave take Marge by the hand and lead her to the dance floor. Trish had gotten up and was dancing with Bill. Fred had gone back to his table and Cindy sat and was drinking her beverage.

"Larry, why do you still belong and come here? I would think you would hate it here."

"As I mentioned, at first I blamed the club but I realized it wasn't the club's fault that Cindy cheated on me. If it wasn't here it would have been someplace else. It was inevitable that our marriage was over.

"Now, as far as coming here, over half of the people are divorced. Most are in their late thirties on up so if I want any companionship it's a pretty easy place to get it. I don't mess with married women anymore. I did meet a woman two weeks ago when I was here. Her name was Barb and she has only been here twice.

"Believe it or not she came here with Cindy. She works with her. I spent some time with her when she was here and she doesn't belong here. Her husband was killed in an accident a year ago and she wanted to try and get out a little. Cindy brought her here.

"I told her about the type of place this was and that Cindy was my ex. I mentioned to her that I would like to take her somewhere for dinner but not here. She mentioned the party Saturday and I told her I wouldn't be there and if she would like to go out with me somewhere else to let me know. I'm supposed to contact her tomorrow. I know Cindy filled her mind with a lot of shit. It's up to her to sort it out," said Larry.

I looked down and Bill and Trish weren't in sight. I did see Marge dancing with Dave. He had his hands on her ass and was pulling her tight against him. I was pissed! More so because she was letting it happen. Why was she not pushing his hands away? I had to wonder if she had already been further with him.

I saw Dave whispering something to her and she shook her head no. I had no idea what they were saying to each other. Larry looked at me but didn't say anything. I guess because he has been through it all. I wanted to go down and knock Dave on his sorry ass and tell Marge to go to hell, but I was able to stay calm.