The Vacation Wife David Stone (phonics reader .TXT) 📖

“Thanks,” said Marci. “You guys want an Egg McMuffin? I got like ten.”

“Sure,” I said. She handed one over. “Thanks.”

“You want juice with that? I got juice too.” She handed me juice. Susan went to the bath and turned on the shower.

“Are you guys okay?” asked Marci.

“I think so. We haven’t actually talked much.”

“We talked.”

“When?” I asked.

“I heard her come home. You were spooning me with your dick between my legs. I didn’t know if she’d want to walk in and see that, so I went downstairs. I expected to see Greg, but he wasn’t there.”

“Oh.”

“She gave me a big hug and asked me if I had a good time. She was bubbly and happy herself. I mean, really beaming, you know?”

“Good.”

“So I asked her where Greg was. She said he was still asleep, but she was eager to see you. She was concerned you might be freaked out. I told her you seemed okay.”

“That was thoughtful of her.”

“Yeah. Anyway, she said she was glad for what happened. She now knows she loves you more than ever.”

I was tremendously relieved to hear this. I didn’t fully realize until that moment I was harboring doubts. Making love to Susan just moments earlier had been intense, but in the back of my mind were feelings of insecurity. How that fervor could coexist with doubt was beyond my comprehension.

A tear rolled down Marci’s cheek as she bit her bottom lip. “I’m glad for you guys, really, Ryan.”

I hugged her and she sobbed quietly. I heard the shower stop, and a minute later Susan was on the bed wearing a towel. She didn’t say anything but hugged Marci too. We sat like that while Marci quietly pulled herself together. Susan reached for a tissue and Marci blew her nose like an obedient child and smiled.

“I was so afraid…” she sobbed again, then resumed. “I was so afraid I was fucking things up for you guys. That’s why I got out of the bed this morning. I woke up thinking, ‘What the hell am I doing?’.”

“No, no, Marci, you haven’t fucked anything up, “ said Susan. “I can promise you that.”

“I mean, I slept with your husband, Susan. I love Ryan. I know we can’t work as a couple, but you two do. I didn’t want to mess that up but I slept with him anyway.”

“Marci, I told you it was okay,” said Susan. “I wanted you to, and Ryan wanted you to. It was lovely watching you guys together. I could see how you really connected. I felt so glad you both still had that chemistry.”

“I’m just being stupid. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry, Marci,” I said. “There’s nothing to be sorry about. I have no regrets over what happened.”

“Neither do I,” said Susan.

We hugged again, then Marci smiled and laughed.

“Okay. We got that out of the way.” She blew her nose again. “I feel all better now.”

“Good,” said Susan. “Now let’s think about our trip.”

“What trip?” I asked.

“Yeah. What trip?”

“We’re going to Mexico! Don’t you remember? Well, maybe not… We talked about it last night. I mean, Greg and I discussed it after we left. We planned all sorts of stuff.”

“Jesus,” said Marci. “I don’t get it. What are you saying?”

“I’m a little perplexed too, honey.”

“We’re all going to go to Mexico for a week and, well, Marci is going to be your vacation wife, and I’ll be Greg’s vacation wife.”

I once again wasn’t sure what to think. I was, in fact, clueless, but I didn’t dislike the idea. I knew Marci and I were not heading back into our former life together, or any shape or form of coupledom, but where were we headed? Maybe getting away would help us sort it all out.

“Jesus, Susan, are you sure?” asked Marci. “What do you think, Ryan?”

“I’m not sure. Again, just what are you really saying Susan?”

“Okay, I know I’m moving kind of quickly here. Greg and I had time to discuss it. We weren’t really fucking all night, Ryan. Just a little bit, and then this morning... Anyway, we talked about what was going on and both agreed I was your wife, and that would never change. Greg doesn’t want to be another relationship right now—you know, not a real relationship, but he doesn’t want to be lonely either.

“And I’m in a weird place where I want to experiment—or something like that—but I know I don’t want to have an affair. I mean, I didn’t just have an affair with Greg, did I? That’s not how it feels. We all know you and Marci love each other, but you didn’t work as a couple, so…”

“So I’m going to be Ryan’s part-time wife,” said Marci, smiling. “You’re going to be Greg’s part-time wife.”

“Right. Just for fun, you know? We’ll be vacation wives, me for Greg, and you for Ryan, until we get it all out of our systems.”

“What if you fall in love with Greg?” I asked. “Isn’t that a risk?”

“God no,” said Susan. “He’s not even my type. You are. See how it works? Greg’s safe. You’re safe, Marci and I are safe. Greg and I agreed we weren’t interested in being a true couple. But we liked making love... Boy, that was for sure, but we know the novelty plays a big part there... And you and Marci like it. That’s for sure. So…”

“So, we’re going to Mexico,” I said, once I concluded wincing over the ‘we liked making love’ in reference to Greg.

Marci gave us each a hug. “This is fun! God, Susan, let’s shop for the trip! We’ll get really sexy stuff, stuff we’d never wear around here. What do you think, Ryan?”

Before I could respond, Marci and Susan fell into a fury of planning and speculation. After a few minutes of listening,  I got up to shower. Marci asked where I was going.

“Can I take a shower with Ryan, Susan? Is that okay?”

“Sure,” she said. “But you can’t keep him!”

With a big smile on