Chapter 2

"I want a weekend with Bev as my sex slave."

Both Carl and Bev were stunned into silence for a moment; Carl started to grin, "I know you're joking, Barry, but that's not really very funny."

"I'm not joking, Carl; you wanted to know how you can repay me; well ... Bev is a beautiful woman, I've been watching her all night; I can't think of anything better than having her to myself doing whatever I tell her to do for a weekend. You wouldn't have to worry about her, I wouldn't let anyone else touch her, it would just be me and I wouldn't hurt her."

"Barry I think you should leave now," Carl said trying to control his temper.

"I see, so you didn't really mean it when you said you'd do anything to repay me for saving your lives; hell Carl, if it wasn't for me you wouldn't even have your wife. I don't think it's too much to ask."

"I said it's time for you to leave, Barry ... NOW!"

Barry turned to Bev and tried to take her hand but she jerked it back; she looked as if she was still in shock from his proposal. "Okay I'm going, but think about it; you guys were the ones who said you had an obligation, alright I'm telling you how you can fulfill it."

He turned and left. Carl almost fell trying to slam the door while balancing on his crutches. He looked at Bev. She had a blank stare on her face. "Do you believe that? I don't, he was so nice all night long and then he comes out with something like that? Damn him!"

Bev was more dumbfounded than angry. After hearing Barry tell his story and reading the accident report she had developed and extreme need to reciprocate somehow. She didn't think her conscience would allow her a moment's peace until they found some way to do something in return; but what he suggested ... well, the cost was just too high. "What'll we do?" she mumbled.

"What do you mean, what will we do; what can we do ... nothing. I'm still having a hard time believing he was serious. Maybe he just has a weird sense of humor or something, I don't know. Hopefully he'll call tomorrow and say he was just kidding."

Carl was furious; he had really liked the kid and had anticipated a life-long friendship with him, only to be stabbed in the back; it was a betrayal and it hurt.

Bev was still too stunned to even know how she felt yet; all she knew was that she had to find a way to reward Barry for his heroism, but this ... this was emotional blackmail, this was immoral. There was simply no way she could go through with what he was asking; and even if she could, how would it affect Carl, could he live with it; could she? No, there had to be another way ... there had to be!

She looked down and realized her hands were shaking; she couldn't deal with this right now. She needed time to think. "Ah, let me clean up a little and then let's go to bed, okay?" she asked needing a distraction.

"Okay, honey; can I help?" asked Carl.

"No, babe; thanks for offering but I can handle it," she said already picking up some of the dirty plates. "Why don't you go on to bed, hon, I'll be up in a few minutes."

"Yeah, okay, if you're sure you don't need me to help."

"No, hon, I can take care of things down here, you go ahead," she responded. She just needed a few minutes alone to clear her head. "I'll be right up."

Barry's words were still thundering through Carl's mind as he climbed the stairs. He just couldn't figure it out; he seemed like such a nice kid; hell, he saved their lives, how the hell could he turn out to be such an asshole? It didn't make sense. Carl was shaking his head in disbelief as he reached the top landing and headed for the bedroom.

A few minutes after Carl crawled under the covers he was joined by his lovely wife; she cuddled into the nook of his shoulder and laid her arm across his chest.

"Damn, Carl, you're so tight your muscles are actually twitching, honey; are you so upset with what Barry said?"

"Hell yeah I'm upset; aren't you? He's lucky I'm still on crutches or I might have wrung his fricken neck. I just can't get over the nerve of that little punk."

"Yeah, I know; it was completely unexpected, but don't forget, that little punk risked his own life to save ours; we wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for him."

"I know, that's what makes it so fucking aggravating; how can anyone take such an unselfish, noble act like that, and turn it into a selfish, amoral, deceitful..." Carl let the words hang without finishing.

"Okay, okay, try to relax honey; you'll be having a heart attack at this rate; just forget about it. Come on," she said pushing on his side, "roll over on your chest and let me give you a nice massage; I haven't done that in a long time and you could sure use one."

Carl agreed; even his jaw muscles were clinched tightly. Bev worked her magic fingers along his neck and back relieving a lot of the tightness; she scooted down to the end of the bed and massaged the sole of his foot, the one that wasn't in a cast, then worked her way up his legs. By the time she reached his butt she was too turned on to ignore the sack between his legs.

"Ahhhhh," he moaned as she tenderly caressed them. He was certainly a lot more relaxed now than when she first started. While still gently kneading his balls, she crawled up a little higher on the bed and started kissing him all over his back.

Carl turned on his side to better face his wife and reached up putting his arm around her neck. She let out a playful scream as he turned back over literally pulling her over with him. They lay face to face just gazing into each other's eyes. Without looking away Bev reached down and felt his rod of steel.

"I thought guys were supposed to take longer to recuperate when they got to be your age," she said with a smile.

"Not when they have the sexiest woman in the world for a wife," he replied lightly stroking her face.

"Roll over on your back stud, this sexy woman is going for a ride." She was so wet there was no need for any foreplay. She carefully swung her leg over and rode them both to ecstasy. Neither of them had any trouble falling to sleep after that.

When Carl awoke the next morning, his first conscious thought was of Barry's insidious demand. He tried to force it from his mind as he heard his wife waking up. With an affectionate moan, she nestled her head against his chest a couple times before looking up at her mate with a big smile.

"Good morning, sweet heart," she said before laying her head back on his chest. She felt his hand tenderly rubbing her naked back.

"Good morning, honey; did you sleep well?"

"Ah huh," she lied; actually Barry's suggestion for repayment had been on her mind too; not since she'd taken her vows had she ever considered breaking them; just the thought of being with another man was enough to make her sick, but this was different; she had never felt so strongly obligated to anyone before. She prayed her husband was correct and Barry would call back saying it was all a joke; she knew he wouldn't though. She saw the look in his eyes when he made the proposition, it was sheer lust; no, there was no doubt about it, he was serious.

They were both a little more quiet than normal at breakfast. Bev knew her husband's calm demeanor was anything but; under that apparent tranquility he was still seething; he wanted to rip Barry's head from his shoulders and piss down his throat; she knew her husband very well.

Her own feelings; however, were a little more complicated. Oh she was pissed as well; pissed because she felt trapped. Just the thought of hurting her husband and sleeping with another man was completely and totally foreign to her, but could she live with the guilt. How do you not reciprocate for something as monumental as this; my God, she kept thinking, he almost died saving us, how in the world do you simply shrug off something like?

She wasn't about to say anything to her husband yet; she would wait until he calmed down some, but even then she wondered how to even broach the subject without hurting him.

Even though it was almost constantly on her mind, Bev didn't dare mention anything for several days. It had been almost a week since having their dinner guest; they had just made love and were now cuddled in each other's arms. Carl seemed peaceful; she thought it was probably as good a time as any.

"Carl, honey we need to talk about Barry," she said very cautiously.

"Barry; why, what's there to talk about?" she could still hear anger in his voice at the simple mention of his name.

"Honey the man saved our lives, we can't just forget about it."

"The hell we can't, the little prick can go fuck himself because he's sure as hell not fucking you." Carl thought for just a second, "What do you mean we can't just forget about it; I sure hope you're not suggesting you do what that asshole wants," he said in a very menacing tone.

When Bev didn't say anything he took that as an affirmative; he angrily threw the covers off and reached for his crutches.

"Carl where are you going?" she pleaded.

He stood and turned toward her; even in the darkened room she could see the anger in his face. "I'm going down stairs; I'm not sleepy anymore." He started toward the door then stopped and looked back; this time it wasn't so much anger as it was sadness she heard as he spoke. "I can't believe you would actually consider cheating on me with that prick," he hung his head and slowly shook it in denial, "I can't believe it," he said again heading for the door.

"Carl wait, please; Carl..." she yelled but he didn't stop. She caught up with him just as he was maneuvering down the stairs. "Honey please, we need to talk about this; we have to do something; if we don't find a way..."

"There's nothing to talk about," he yelled cutting her off, "You want to be his fuck slut, go ahead, but I won't be here when you get back!"

"Carl, please don't say that," she said bursting out in tears.

He turned when he reached the bottom of the stairs and saw his wife still a few stairs up, holding on to the handrail for support as she crumpled in near hysterics. He had never seen her like that; not even when her mother died. Carl hung his head, now feeling guilty.

"Come on," he told her using a much gentler tone in his voice, "let's go in the kitchen, I'll make some coffee."

He had already started the pot brewing by the time Bev composed herself enough to make it to the table. She was wiping her eyes with a tissue when he set a cup down in front of her.

"Please, please, I'll never mention it again, but please don't ever say you're going to leave me, Carl; I don't know what I'd do if I lost you," she sobbed.

He stood next to her for a few seconds; did he really say he'd leave her, he wondered; thinking back he knew he did, but he was just so damn angry.

"Honey," he said switching his crutch to the other hand so he could put his arm around her, "I'm sorry I said that; I'm not going anywhere; please don't cry." He leaned over and kissed her softly on the cheek.

Before he could straighten back up she turned and wrapped her arms around his neck almost making him lose his balance. He could taste her tears as she pressed her lips to his with desperation. He put his hand behind her head and kissed her back, returning her passion.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," she cried, still sobbing.

"Me too, honey; I didn't mean to say that; I ... I ... it's just the thought of you..." he had to stop talking and sit down as tears were now flooding his own eyes and spilling down his cheek. Carl reached across the corner of the table, took her hand, and kissed it.

"What do you say we just microwave the coffee in the morning, huh?" he asked.

Bev was still sniffling and wiping her eyes when she just nodded her head. He turned the coffee pot off and they went back to bed. Carl lay on his back with his arm around his wife as she rested her head on his chest. He could feel her still sob once in a while until she finally fell asleep; something he was still having trouble doing.

Bev didn't mention Barry again but Carl could read her like a book; the things she said and did, he knew damn well she was fighting internally with her emotions, but just what those were he could only guess. He understood her fierce sentiment of obligation; he understood the guy saved their lives, but that did not give the bastard the right to screw his wife and the thought of her even considering it hurt to the bone.

Bev could see it in his face; the hurt. Every time she looked into his big brown eyes it was there, she recognized it, and it was killing her. Never in her life had she been so conflicted about anything, she had no idea how to handle her feelings.

Finding some way to reciprocate for what he did was more than an obligation, it was a requirement of her character; it's the way she was brought up; if someone does something nice for you then you do something nice in return. Her late father taught her that. This was more than just something nice; my God the man saved their lives. She wondered what her dad would do in her situation.

She desperately wanted to sit down and talk to her husband but was terrified she could do real damage to their marriage; she couldn't bear the thought of hurting him again. She thought just a second about trying to comply with Barry's demands without Carl knowing, but she knew that wouldn't work; there was no way she'd ever be able to hide her guilt; Carl would know in an instant.

The more she thought about her situation the worse she felt. Several times over the last couple weeks she had to find a place to hide from Carl so she could have a good cry.

It was during this time that Carl could feel a wall building between them. It was subtle but it was there; never in all their years together, had that happened before ... never. Carl knew something had to be done; they had to get everything out in the open and he was hoping he could control his temper enough to be able to have a real discussion.

Bev was silent when he asked her to sit down at kitchen table; she knew it was coming and was afraid it would develop into another fight. She didn't want that, she wanted her marriage back the way it used to be, blissful. She looked into his stern face and could feel the moisture in her eyes before he even said a word.

"Honey," he started, "we've both been pretty moody over the last couple weeks; this thing with Barry has us both all tied up in knots and I'm scared that our marriage is suffering because of it; I don't want that to happen, honey. I love you too much to let this come between us."

She started to say something but he interrupted her, "Honey, please, let me have my say first, then I will listen to you and we'll hash this thing out." She sadly nodded her head as he continued.

"Babe I know how you feel about Barry saving out lives, he saved mine too. Damn, unless it happens to them, it's impossible for a person to know how indebted you feel toward someone who you owe for your very existence. When I first read the police report I thought Barry was a brave, young, decent man, but it turns out I was wrong; he's not the guy I thought he was. I don't really know why he did what he did that night; whatever the reason I am grateful, but that doesn't mean I'm going to give him my wife in return; I will not pay my debts by pimping out my wife."

He stopped for a second trying to gather his thoughts. "Baby, I ... well, I'm really hurt that you would consider sleeping with him; I don't care what he did. You are an extremely attractive woman, honey; I know you get hit on all the time but never once in all these years have I ever worried about you straying on me. I won't say I haven't gotten angry at the guys who tried their best to get into your pants, but the only thing that has kept me from a lot of fights over the years, is the fact that I knew they didn't stand a chance; now all of a sudden this guy comes along, and for the first time in our marriage, I have doubts."

Bev's heart was breaking as she listened to the pain in her husband's voice. "Oh Carl," she whimpered with tears streaking her face, "I'm so sorry," she said shaking her head,"

"I agree things have been strained between us lately; I've wanted to talk but I've been afraid because I don't want to hurt you any more than I have, but Carl, this thing is eating me up inside."

She grabbed a tissue and wiped her eyes. "You said you know how I feel because he saved your life too, but I don't think you do know; there's more to it than that; for me it goes deeper ... much deeper. It's not so much that he saved my life, honey; it's that he went back for you." She took a moment to wipe her eyes again.

"Did you read what that other guy said in the report, the guy who witnessed everything from the road? Barry already had me safely out of the car before going back for you; when the car started sliding down the ravine he refused to let you go, even with his own life in peril he refused to let you go."

She tried to compose herself again, "I keep thinking, what if he hadn't gone back; or what if he had let go? Don't you see, my darling; he saved me from something much worse than death, he saved me from living the rest of my life without you."

Bev's words penetrated his very soul as subconsciously he twisted it the other way around; what if it had been him safely laying on the ground and it was Bev that Barry so heroically went back for? He shuddered at the thought. He was just beginning realize how his wife felt.

Carl reached over and took ahold of her trembling hand as she continued. "Every time I close my eyes I see you trapped in that car, sliding down the hill; sliding out of my life forever. What would I have done if he hadn't risked his life and gone back for you, Carl; I can't even imagine living without you?"

She was crying again and had to stop for a moment to regroup. "How ... how do you pay a debt like that?"

"I don't know," he said sadly, "I doubt a debt like that ever can be paid, not in full anyway." Carl could feel a cold chill going through his spine. Now that he understood Bev's motives better he didn't feel as betrayed as he did, but now he was even more worried.

As gently as he could, he had to ask, "What are you going to do, honey; are you going to do what he wants?"

Her eyes were red and swollen, her entire body was trembling, "I don't know," she cried, "I couldn't live with myself if I hurt you, but I don't know if I can go on with this hanging over my head either," her face scrunched up in agony. "Sometimes I wish he'd just left me in the damn car," she blubbered. She laid her head on her hands and broke down, bawling like a little girl.

"Don't say that," Carl said as he stood up and used the table for support while hopping to her side. He leaned down and held her. He wished he could ease her burden, tell her what to do and make it all better, but he couldn't. She was the one who had to make the decision.

"Honey, listen to me," he said trying to comfort her, "I really didn't understand how you felt before but now I believe I do. I wish I could give you some magic formula that would make all this go away but I can't. I know you love me and you know how much I love you; I also trust you. I know whatever decision you make it will be because you feel it is the right thing to do." He kissed her and tried to calm her down.

Later that night Carl lay in bed with his wife curled in his arms. He stared up the ceiling while deep in thought. Without really saying it, he had still given her the impression he could live with her infidelity if that was what she chose. It was a lie and he knew it. The thought of his wife fucking another man was something he could never live with. He hoped his wife knew him well enough to realize it. Try as he would to get past it, he knew it would eventually drive them apart. It was a gamble; all he could do was hope and pray she would make the right decision. A tear broke free from the corner of his eye and ran down his cheek to the pillow below; it would be followed by several more before he finally drifted to sleep.

It had been a full month since the accident; Carl was sitting in a chair by the window staring out at little green buds on the tree in his yard; spring was finally approaching. Bev hadn't mentioned Barry all week but he knew the whole situation still weighed on her mind; it was never far from his thoughts either.

It was the ringing of his cell phone that disrupted his deliberations; he knew from the ring tone it was Angie, his secretary from the office. She had called several times over the past few weeks with questions regarding one client or another.

"Hi Angie, how are things going?"

"Hi Carl, I was about to ask you the same thing; how's the ankle?" she asked.

"It's okay; I'm still on crutches for another couple of weeks but it doesn't hurt or anything."

"That good," she responded, "how are you getting around on the crutches?"

"Oh I'm an old pro by now; why, you want to take me out dancing?" he joked.

His secretary chuckled for a second before replying, "I would, Carl, but I wouldn't want to face Bev's wrath. No, actually Mr. Bremer was wonder if you'd be able to start coming into the office, not full time but maybe three or four times a week for just a few hours."

Carl didn't hesitate, "Yeah, I could do that; it takes me a little while to get ready in the morning, how about if I come in tomorrow around ten?"

"That would be great, Carl; I'll let Mr. Bremer know. He said you could make your own hours and go home when you got tired; he'd just appreciate the help; with that nice big client you brought in last month we're a little overwhelmed right now."

This might be just the thing, Carl thought. Bev and I have been inseparable for the last month; maybe a little breathing room from each other is just what the doctored ordered. "I'll see you tomorrow morning then," he told Angie before disconnecting.

"Who was that?" Bev asked. She was coming down from upstairs and had just heard the tail end of his conversation.

"That was Angie; they want me to start coming into the office to help out three or four times a week. It won't be for the whole day, they said I could pretty much make my own hours," he told her.

"Are you going to do it?" she asked.

"Yeah, I told them I'd be there tomorrow at ten; will you be okay for a while without me?"

"Of course; I will admit it's been good to have you home with me, but I knew it wouldn't last. Can you drive or do you want me to drive you?"

"No, I can drive just fine, honey; thank you for the offer though."

The next day Carl was greeted like royalty as he stepped into his office for the first time since the wreck. As his co-workers saw him making his way down the hall to his office they all came over to greet him with a hand shake, a pat on back, and in some cases, smeared lipstick on his cheek.

Angie followed him to his office and opened the door for him; a big grin stretched across his face when he saw the large banner hanging from the ceiling above his desk saying, 'Welcome Back.' He heard a round of applause and turned around to see that everyone had followed behind him; he hadn't even realized they were there.

"It's good to have you back, Carl," said Mr. Bremer who seemed to appear from nowhere.

"Thank you, Gene," he replied, "it's good to be back and feel useful again."

Angie waited until he was safely seated behind his desk before throwing her arms around him enthusiastically, and kissing him on the cheek. "I missed you, Carl; it's so good to have you back," she told him sincerely.

"Thank you, Angie; this is just what I need, I'm just not designed to sit around home doing nothing, it was really starting to get to me. Now," he said settling into his chair, "what's first?"

Angie brought in a stack of files with post-it notes stuck all over them. He smiled; he felt like he was back in charge of his life again; that was something that he felt had been slipping away lately.

About three o'clock his ankle was starting to hurt from not being able to sit with it propped up; it was enough for the first day anyway and he decided to call it a day. When he stepped inside his home it felt just like old times.