Let's Play Ball by Lolah Lace

lot lately and that…” Mike
paused.
    “ And what?” I
asked.
    “ Tess told Melissa that you
guys haven’t had sex in three months.”
    “ She said that?” I tried to
sound shocked.
    “ Yeah but I’m not supposed
to say anything to you. Or maybe my wife tricked me and she told me
not to say anything to you because she knew I would say something
to you.”
    “ So now I have to discuss my
sex life with you?”
    “ No, I don’t want to hear
the details. It’s just Tess was over at the house crying her eyes
out. Or at least that’s what Melissa says.”
    “ Tess over analyzes and over
exaggerates things. You know about her illness.”
    “ Yeah.” Years ago I had told
Mike about Tess’ problems with anorexia nervosa.
    “ In this economy, with the
business we’re in, I’ve been stressed trying to keep us afloat. You
know firsthand how many construction companies have gone under in
the last few years. I’m sorry if sex hasn’t been the foremost thing
in my thoughts.” I was lying. Our business was doing just fine. I
hoped I was convincing.
    “ I understand, mine
too.”
    “ Mike,” I took a drink from
my beer and regarded him fully. “I’m not cheating on Tess.” My
dishonest face formed into a faint smile.
    “ Women are fucking nuts.”
Mike added with an arch of his brow.
    “ I will drink to that.” I
raised my beer bottle and Mike raised his. We clanked them together
and hoisted our beer bottles to our lips. He believes me. Now I
have to contend with Tess.
     
    ****
     
    I went home and I was silent. Tess was
pretending to be sleep. I was mad at her for talking to that
pit-bull my brother married. I felt betrayed. I wish Tess would’ve
come to me. I know I’m having an affair but things like this make
me wonder if I married the wrong person. I love Tess. I would have
lied to her if she asked me if I was having an affair. But honestly
I also would have respected her for having the balls to ask, for
confronting me and speaking her peace. She didn’t do that.
Why?
    I know I’m a dick to compare but Kari
would have never kept her suspicions to herself or blabbed to her
friends. She would have confronted me and probably ripped me a new
asshole. That’s Kari’s favorite line. She’s always going to rip
someone a new asshole.
    I got into bed next to Tess and decided
I would figure this out in the morning. When morning arrived I
decided to take my kids to the Brookfield Zoo. I practically had to
drag Tess out of bed. She was complaining about being tired. She
had loss weight. I hadn’t noticed until today. She probably didn’t
have any energy. You need to eat to get energy. I was going to
force her to eat if I had too.
    I made breakfast, the kid’s favorite,
pancakes. Tess perked up after a cup of coffee. I tricked her into
eating two pancakes by telling the kids we couldn’t go to the zoo
until mommy ate all her pancakes. The kids begged and watched her
as she picked at the cakes. Hannah was getting agitated enough to
guilt Tess into eating two pancakes. That’s my Hannah.
    After the zoo, we went to the movies. I
usually take the kids to the movies without my wife but this time
she came along. We were out all day and the kids were beat when we
finally made it home.
    I stayed in and watched a movie on the
couch downstairs. I was still mad at Tess for blabbing our personal
business. I could not yet bring myself to sleep with her. Maybe
tomorrow after I cool down.
    I texted Kari and made sure to delete
the messages and the responses. Apparently my wife is on to me or
at least she suspects something. I will have to sleep with
her.
    The next night I did have sex with my
wife. I shouldn’t have stopped sleeping with her in the first
place. It’s just I had loss my attraction to her. There’s is
another woman who had captured my cock and had a stronghold on
it.
    Sex with Tess wasn’t that hard. I
closed my eyes and thought of Kari the entire time. It was the
truth and I couldn’t do anything