"I don't know why I acted like I did, but I'll admit that I really liked it," Emily Porter was saying at about the same time. "I can't explain it at all."
The Porters were sitting in the Trent's living room with the drapes closed for the first time in ages. Charles and Robert had come up with a solution to everyone's problem, and they were there to follow through.
"My wife has a beautiful body," Charles said in an awed tone. "She's hot everywhere you look, so I don't see any confusion over why you reacted that way."
"Sure, but I'm not a lesbian," Emily protested.
The Charles and Patty both laughed. Emily had said that so often it was becoming her mantra.
Robert didn't tell Emily what he and Charles planned, or that Patty had eagerly acquiesced to their plan. All she knew was that Robert felt hurt, and that he wasn't angry, but she had the feeling that some plan was afoot and she was wary of what it might be. All Robert had said was, "Wash up and put on something comfortable. Your girlfriend's husband invited us over for drinks." On a Wednesday night? Were they planning a public flogging?
Robert had prepared for the event by showering and dressing in a pair of loose cotton slacks and a polo shirt, trying to look dapper but nonchalant. He was so horny and eager that his hands were trembling when he buttoned his shirt, and he had to wear briefs to conceal his hard-on.
And so they were seated on chairs set on either side of an end table, and the Trents were on the couch opposite them. Patty was curled up against her husband, her head on his shoulder and her feet shifting every few seconds, as though they were eager to get moving.
"Robert has a problem," Charles said, adopting a serious tone that didn't quite ring true. "Actually, we all have a problem, but Robert is first. Okay, Robert, can you tell the group what your problem is so we can help?"
"What is this, therapy?" Emily asked
"Sure," Charles laughed. "Robert?"
"I love my wife," Robert said. "And I know my wife loves me. But she's been leading a rather interesting life behind my back and I feel kind of angry that she left me out."
"I'm sorry, I . . ." Emily began but was cut when her husband continued through her words.
"But I have a confession to make before acting all high and mighty," he said. "I had sex with an eighteen year-old girl on graduation night. I didn't plan on it, but I sure did it, and I regret it."
"I saw the two of you," Emily admitted, quietly. "I heard the noise and went to see what was happening. There you were fucking the hell out of Cathy Burton on the kitchen table."
"Why didn't you clobber us right then?"
"Because I owed you, dear," she said sadly. "I owed you, and, well, I would also have something to point at if you got angry about me."
"Ammunition," Patty said, grinning.
"I know Cathy Burton. If my loyal husband was fucking her then she must have made it impossible to say no. And it doesn't make up for me, anyway."
"What do you want, Robert?" Charles asked.
"I want in on the whole thing. I want everything out in the open."
"That's fair," Charles said. "And we all want to go to the party. Unfortunately, there are a couple items blocking our party fun."
"What?" Emily asked, feeling better but still horribly confused.
"You have to make good to Robert," her neighbor told her. "And the three of us have to get over some little performance anxieties. And that's why we called this little therapy session. Emily, could you stand up, please?"