Lynne hung up the phone with a sigh. Well, late for dinner again. She walked into the kitchen and kicked the oven door. Son of a bitch. She poured herself a glass of lemonade, wishing she had something stronger. She pressed the cool glass against her neck, stopping a few beads of sweat before they made it down her shirt. Goddammit. Was he ever gonna get that air conditioner fixed? Always too busy. Too busy to fix the air conditioner, too busy to fix the leak in the bathroom. Too busy to even eat anything. "Except your secretary, isn't that right hubby dear?" Lynne said out loud. Oh she knew. Not that Steve was the most discreet. but she'd hoped that he'd at least have enough respect for her not to make it so obvious to any of their friends. But no. Respect wasn't a real concern for Steve. Ten years of marriage and she doubted if asked, if she could even say she liked her husband anymore. He was just there. It occured to her that it wasn't the infidelity that bothered her but the fact that everyone knew about it. She was embarrassed, not jealous.

"Jesus. How fucking sad is that?" Lynne sat herself down at the set table. As if sensing her melancholy, the phone rang again. This time it was her best friend Heidi. Jesus, Lynne thought with a smile, the woman must have radar or something.

"How ya doing?" Heidi asked her.

"Peachy. Steve called in to say he'd be late yet again." Lynne sneered, twirling the kitchen phone cord around her finger.

"Christ Lynne. You have the patience of a saint I tell ya."

Lynne shrugged. "I can't really say I blame that asshole. It's not like he's getting it at home ya know? I can barely stand it when he is in the mood. Maybe there's something wrong with me."

"That's bullshit. I feel sorry for that poor secretary he's boinking. You deserve better than fumbled pokings that make you wonder if you're getting poked or getting felt up at your Gyno's."

Lynne's lemonade spewed out of her mouth as she choked on the accurate image Heidi portrayed of Steve's love making technique or lack there of.

"You okay?' Heidi asked softly.

"Fine," Lynne wheezed, wiping her chin.

"I mean about Steve boinking his secretary," Heidi clarified. Lynne sighed.

"I wish I cared. What does that say about me? My husband has spent the better part of our marriage sharing marital rights with other women and I'm ambivalent about it."

"You deserve better Lynne," Heidi pressed.

Lynne pressed a hand to her eye. Oh here we go again. "Heidi-"

"I know. You're not interested in my offer. Lord knows I've tried and lord knows any one of my guys would do you a world of good but you have some ridiculous image of what the perfect wife should be."

"You know I don't love Steve, it's not that. It's just......I don't know, maybe in the back of my mind I wonder if maybe if I just fight hard enough, we could maybe love each other or grow to. Everyone I know is divorced. My parents, my sisters. I don't want to be just another statistic. They gave up too easy."

"Lynne honey, are you listening to yourself? You make marriage sound like some battle you have to win. Why stay in a crappy marriage? Just to prove you can? What about love honey? What about passion and fireworks?"

"Maybe we're not all meant to have to have that grand passion. I mean look at you? You're on your own and you're perfectly happy."

"Oh, we don't want to go there. Believe me." Heidi said cringing."Look, what if I could prove to you that you were meant to have passion in your life?"

"Heidi, don't even try it, I'm not kidding. I'm not interested in adultery," Lynne warned.

"Who said anything about sex?" Heidi said and before Lynne could ask her to explain that cryptic comment, she hung up.

"What the-?" Lynne asked looking at the phone.

Heidi gave a small giggle as she picked up the phone again dialed a number. "Hi, can I speak to Kevin Richardson please?"

Next ... Part 4

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