After the talk, the walk

He walked quickly out and away from the Hotel, and from her, he had no idea to where, just walk.

I was devastated when I read the note, that prick set me up and I swallowed it, hook,line and sinker. In a moment of manic anger, I tore that piece of paper up til it was minute pieces scattered around the room, I screamed, I yelled and swore and cried and blubbed, I wished the ground opened up and swallowed me whole, no I didn't I needed my husband and I need my babies. I need my life, my wonderful life, I need it back. I need to show him he hadn't lost me, that I may have lost him, but he had never lost me, ever.

He left his phone! Oh please be there, please, please, please, “Hello Mr do you need me boss? ...”

I had to get out, walk and walk, think and walk. God if somebody offered me an air ticket home right now I'd take it. It wasn't Aruba, that she had tainted it for us was the problem with the here and now, I could and had fallen in love with the country and it's people. I had walked the main route that went past the airport and was heading down towards the opposite end of the Island, it had at least given me time to think and I'd started to align my thoughts mostly working through the basic. What I knew about John Riley could be put down as no longer cautionary assumptions, he was a predator, one that I knew so well, see I wasn't always married and he fit the bill perfectly, ten years ago he was me, oh there was a difference, I never went after married pussy, well college life being what it was, there wasn't a need, I don't think it would have been an option anyway, we always had a 'hand's off' approach to our friend's girls as well. However that didn't mean it never happened, that's where the players thing comes in, Riley is a predator and a player, and they tend to be fucking good at it. Okay so my wife may have walked into it the same way as our Little bar person had. It's funny but the better looking you are to the female set the more they let their guard down. Oh and males are pretty much the same with woman of course, the prettier the woman and so forth. Actually both sexes can be so superficial in their attitudes around the opposite sex really.

Maybe a good three or so mile down the road I discovered I was starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel, she had realised her problem and it took a lot to face me with the truth she really hadn't stalled in telling me, she just gathered her thoughts and boxed on regardless. The barman had definitely helped with the facts he'd told me and I knew he was right with everything he said about Riley, very astute and aware for a young guy, I really needed to thank him for it, well I guess we've got a bit to work out.

About the only thing that pissed me off was the sex this morning, was it because of her guilt and a need to reaffirm her love, or was she just damn horny from her encounter with Riley? ... damn I need a taxi, ... and never mind, shit that can't be a coincidence, “You want a lift now Mr?”

“How long have you been following me?”

“Long enough to know you probably needed a brisk walk Mr and a ride once you got tired.”

“So she rung you then?”

“And I am still doing my job, what I am paid to do Mr.”

As he drove I realised he wanted to tell me something, “Shoot Andrew, I know you want to say something.”

“Mr, I need to tell you that I have seen the problem you are worried about, I saw it the other night while we were at the Bistro. The problem was talking with Mrs outside and across the road at that art gallery, when I went to the men's room, I suspect he had been trailing us since earlier in the day, I had seen him a few times in our vicinity. I think his intention was always Mrs. Mr, that was why I stayed around all that night, in case trouble came back.”

I nodded and told him he was one-hundred percent right and thanked him for his care. We arrived at my drop off. It was a bit awkward, he obviously didn't intend to stay, he never turned the car off.

He turned as I hopped out and looked at me, “Talk to Mrs, Boss she is hurting and she is a very good person, her life with you Mr is her very existence, even I can see that.”

I nodded and closed the door, he drove off, God they better be paying him well, I may well pay him my own damn self for that!

I walked into our suite, she was on the phone sitting at the table. In a meek, timid little voice that I'd never heard from her before I only heard two words, “Thank you ............ thank you .......... thank you ..........yes, thank you ...... yes, bye. .......” who ever, I imagined Andrew, had hung up and as she looked at the phone in her hand she said, “Thank You,” to no one in particular. Then she lowered her head and began to cry.

He had talked to Andrew, He had hopped in the car and Andrew had driven him back. They talked, Andrew said he was no longer angry, said He'd walked it out of himself, that was typical, he was good at walking himself through problems, no matter what they were and he was always able to find a solution. We managed that all the time now, with family problems, with work problems, he and by consequence we were good at it now.

Andrew said it was up to me now, he had done all he could and I prayed to God, I'd get it right, even as I was thanking Andrew.

I sensed his presence, knew he was there and swung around in my chair.

She swung around so quickly I don't think her feet actually touched the floor and then she just sat frozen, staring at me expectantly, not really knowing or too frightened, either, I don't know which. I walked to her and knelt in front of her, moved in and gathered her quietly in my arms, she fell to her knees and melted to me, her arms went around me and she cried, softly and with a tiredness in her voice she cried.