Rivalry
It was a bright sunny day in August and John kisses his wife Wanda goodbye as he leaves for work. He is an advertising executive for a midsize metal resale business. With no kids and good income he and his wife enjoy getting away quite a bit. Very few tie downs in their lives and yet something is amiss. Maybe the absence of problems can be a problem in itself. The feeling of no challenges, the boredom of predictability, or maybe it is an emotional need to change and progress that we all learn from childhood. The issue remains like an emotional air pocket waiting for something to unearth it. He discusses this feeling with his wife and she is baffled by it too. She tells him that everyone must feel it but most don’t realize it because their daily life problems are eclipsing this issue. It is an interesting topic for them in times of quiet evenings but often they distract themselves with a new “toy” or vacation. All is ok it seems.
One day at work John’s secretary announces she is leaving to get married and no longer needs the work. He asks human resources to find a replacement for the position. Interview after interview and no fit. That is till Kim shows up. She is very smart, has the right experience and very professional. She immediately takes to the job well and organizes things better than before, it is what he has been looking for. New brooms sweep cleaner it seems. John’s co-workers privately ask who the new babe is. He respectfully tells them it is his new secretary and to forget it, she is very professional. They just kind of smirk and state that it is lucky for him she is very good looking. John laughs and tells them alright that is enough, he is married. John tells his wife about the new secretary and his wife jokes with him, “I guess you will be working late nights” She states. He just laughs it off.
Days and weeks go by and things are running smooth at the office. John orders his food at his favorite sandwich shop and notices his secretary sitting at a table reading a book. He says hi and she offers him an opportunity to sit with her for lunch. He tells her, “I see you like tuna sandwiches, my wife makes the best.” She states, “I love tuna, maybe I am addicted to mercury?” He laughingly responds, “Yea maybe. Tell me what do you do in your leisure time?” She answers; “Not much, just tend to my cats.” He tells her that his wife loves cats but had to give them up due to his allergies to them. He states, “I cant even be near them” as he sneezes. She says; “wow, you must have an allergy to them.” They both finish lunch and head back to work.
John sits in bed watching tv that night and looks distracted. Wanda asks him what is wrong. He states he had lunch with Kim and he started sneezing because she owns cats. He tells his wife that Kim loves tuna by the way. Kim says she will have to make some of her special tuna salad and send it by him. She makes good on her promise and he takes the bounty of tuna salad to work. Kim is very surprised and thanks him for the food. Kim asks John if she can take the next day off, she has some errands to run. John states that is no problem and take care of whatever she needs.
The next week they are given a large project and meetings go on to the late evening. As everyone shuffles off John and Kim try to finish up what is needed. It is late and they are alone in the office. They laugh about office politics as things loosen up. Kim states his wife will probably be wondering what is going so late like this. John states especially with a beautiful secretary. He blushes as soon as she does and apologizes that he did not mean anything by it. She tells him it is ok, she was actually flattered by the compliment. She finds him attractive as well. She being in her mid twenties and him in his forties, he is overwhelmed by gratitude. However gratitude becomes hunger as his need to feel young again coupled by fatigue causing an apparent lack of good judgment, he entertains himself a little. He asks how she has been available as nice looking as she is. She tells him that no man has treated her well enough to last. All she seems to get is one night stands which she does not mind. She really does not know if she wants a man in her life. His interests are beginning to peak as he sees a clear opportunity in the back of his mind. His morals keeps him check though as he begins to say goodnight and leave. Kim states that she is lonely and could use an ear to listen to her if he is willing. John feels obligated and concerned and conveniently sits next to her. She explains that she has been having an affair with someone married and feels guilty. He explains that it happens, and that we are all human. She begins to cry, they stand and he holds her. She stands before him and he wipes her tears. Like gravity taking hold they start kissing. He breaks away and says, “I cant do this!” But he cant stop and they begin passionately kissing. Everything is a blur as their clothes move off of them like a tornado had hit. They are embracing and kissing in a heated flurry as they are up against the 12th floor office window getting to the finality of their affair. Later they are tidying up their clothing as John ponders what he has done. He tells Kim he must go and to forgive him. She states, “What is there to forgive, I haven’t had a man do that to me in a long time.” He further feels guilty and leaves in a hurry.
He sneaks in his house like a burglar hoping to not arouse any attention to what happened that night. His wife is in bed asleep and he manages to change into his night wear. He slips into bed every so gently to not awake his wife. He lays down and bellows out a large sneeze. He continues sneezing and his wife wakes and asks what is wrong. He says he must be coming down with something. He gets up to go to the bathroom because he knows it must be smell of cats from his secretary that he is now responding to, at the worst possible time. Just as he about to close the bathroom door his wife asks if she should make some more tuna salad for Kim. He is almost throwing up as he runs into the bathroom.
Next day at work he arrives late and Kim is just as professional looking as can be. He acts like nothing happened and they talk very matter of factly all day. Everyone has shuffled off again and John is trying to finish up his work so he can leave without having to deal with Kim. She goes to the file room and he decides that this is ridiculous, he will just explain that it was a one time thing and that is that. He says, “Kim, I am so sorry for what happened, I don’t know what came over me.” She tells him, “John I know what came over me and it was you. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you all day.” John feels the burning inside him like a ferocious fire and begins to kiss her. They go at it again as she submits to his will. John comes home and his wife is watching tv. He obviously has stopped at a bar on the way home. She asks what is wrong and he gives her no answer as he proceeds to bed.
John calls in sick the next morning and Wanda tells him that she will get him some cold medicine as she runs errands. Several hours pass and she arrives. She tells him that she is very concerned and she stopped by his work and talked to Kim. John begins to prepare his explanation of everything however his wife cuts him off and says, “It is ok, Kim explained it all. She stated how the new project is a make or break situation and you are under the gun.” John falls back relieved but deep inside wants to tell her the truth. He begins sneezing and starts feeling guilty. Wanda tells him that cold must really be lingering and gives him cold medicine to help. He is more than happy to comply with the cold story.
He finds the courage to go to work but with a much more sterner disposition. He refuses to be anything but professional with Kim. She becomes angry at him and only talks professionally back from then on. He has straightened it all out it and thankful he got away with it all. He goes home and makes love to his wife with fire that she has never experienced before. He tells her he loves her and she is in heaven. He takes a shower and coming out Wanda stares at him in anger. He asks what is wrong? She asks where this note in his pocket came from. He looks at the note and it is writing from Kim stating she wants him again inside her. John breaks down and cries begging for forgiveness. He explains about the two nights and what happened. He broke it off with her and obviously she is angry with him. She must have left that note in his coat pocket. His wife quietly ponders it all for the rest of the night ignoring John.
John goes into work realizing he must let Kim go. Hours pass as he tries to figure out a way to tell her. He looks at her and then his wife shows up. She gets into with his secretary in a shouting match. Wanda warns her to stay away from her man. Kim tells her that she is a better woman and she can bring out the sexual animal in him. John cowers behind his desk as this event draws the attention of all those that work there. After a major war of words his wife leaves and Kim storms into his office to state that she quits. Kim leaves as John’s boss asks to see him in private. John is told that this kind of thing is not tolerated and he has two weeks to clean his desk out.
John heads home to find his wife packing. She tells him that there can only be two people in a relationship not three. He explains that he does not want Kim just his wife. She angrily leaves. John is devastated, he has lost everything. Days go by and John sits around his house, not even bothering to go to work and finish his last days. He is depressed as his wife will not answer her cell phone. He is eventually served divorce papers for cheating and signs them as he has nothing left in him.
Days later the door bell rings and it is Wanda wanting to pick up the remaining things of hers. He simply watches in tears as she boxes up everything that is left and has movers carry it out. She gives him one last evil stare and he asks her to wait. He begs for one last hug from her. She gets mad and as they argue she screams; “Ok!” He hugs her passionately not wanting to let go and she pushes off of him. She says, “Enough, John, enough!” She leaves as he stares out the door. He slowly closes it and begins to start sneezing out of control. A light goes off in his head, “Wait a minute. “ he says to himself. He grabs his keys and takes off in his car. He follows his ex-wife and moving truck far behind. It is easy to follow a moving truck. He wonders where she is living now, as he sneezes. The vehicles pull up into a house and he watches from afar. His ex-wife gets out of her car and Kim his ex-secretary greets her and they both kiss and hug. They both hold hands going into the house. John sits in shock. He immediately storms through their front door and demands to know what is going on. Kim and Wanda stare at each other in horror. Kim asks Wanda if the divorce papers are filed. Wanda states they are and they both agree to tell John the truth. Wanda explains that John was right the little feeling of emptiness and need for change is felt by her too. She met Kim a year prior at a lesbian club and they hit it off. They decided months ago they wanted each other but Wanda didn’t want to loose everything in a divorce. So Kim hired on his company when Wanda found out John’s old secretary was leaving. Kim waited for the opportunity to seduce him with a crying act so Wanda could “catch” him at it. Then a big fight in the office to get Kim fired and end the marriage as well as prove in front of others at his job that John was at fault. It was perfect it seemed but they wondered why John followed Wanda there. John said he started sneezing a lot after the hug and it just seemed strange that you would get a cat so quick. John stated it all made since, the tuna salad, the sneezing around Wanda, he felt so stupid. He asked Wanda, “Why didn’t you just ask to leave. I would have let you go.” Wanda stated she didn’t think it would work that way and she actually still does love him. She simply could not just walk away, it had to be a hard break. John looked at Kim and stated, “It all makes sense now for you. You told me you had an affair with a married person but then made a statement that you had not had a man in a long time. I never picked up on it.” Kim told him, “If it is any consolation, I actually do like you and grew very fond of you. I hate myself for doing what we did to you.” John walks away to the door and turns to say, “You got me good. I never had a chance. I guess trust and love never does against this kind of deceit.” John leaves as Kim and Wanda look at each other ashamed.
A few days later John’s door bell rings and it is Kim and Wanda. They ask to speak with him. He invites them in and they all sit. Kim and Wanda tell him that they feel awful and have a proposal. They both love him and want him in their lives. He looks baffled and ask them to clarify that. They state to him they want him to live with them and be all together. It is a change that would make life exciting. John tells them he cant do that, it is wrong. They state to him that he already has had sex with them both, so what is the difference now? He stares out the window and then angrily tells them to leave and never come to his house again. Kim and Wanda sadly leave, asking him one last time. John just stares at them as they get the message to leave. John thinks as they drive off, “It was a rivalry, not between mistress and wife, not even between wife and me, but with myself. Obviously life is more than just trying to make things the same and stable all the time. It is about struggle and growing from it. There was nothing for me and Wanda to rival each other about. I now understand it.” John sits down and opens the job ads, he pauses for a bit and starts laughing as he starts reading the ads.
The End.
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