Meeting Matt

You wake the next morning and your wife is already up. You head into the bathroom and take a shower. The shower hasn't been used this morning since your wife took one last thing last night. Usually that might mean that she could sleep in but instead she seems to be already up and dressed. After your shower, you get dressed for work too and head downstairs, just in time to see her fly past you and out the door. She squeaks out a goodbye but doesn't stop to kiss you like normal.

She still doesn't seem angry, but she can't stay in the same room as you for long. Despite her actions, she also left coffee and breakfast for you, so whatever's going on she's still thinking of you. But you can't shake the sense that something is wrong, like she's guilty or nervous, but of what? Even though you read her messages to Matt last night, you still aren't sure what's going on between them.

You put it out of your head and go into work. You're on time at least, but your boss comments again on the mounting work before he adds more to the pile. However you want to talk to Matt about how he's been interacting with your wife so even though you buckle down and get your work done, when your lunch hour comes you carve out a few minutes to text Matt and let him know you need to talk. He sends a message back rather quickly.

Matt: Srry, cant talk, clients all day after work ok? meet at that quiet coffee shop?

You agree, and decide to cut your lunch break short so you can get back to work. It takes you the rest of the day but you finally get all of your work done, everything from the last two days, as well as the extra work from today. At the end of the day, you text your wife to tell her that you're working late tonight, and then head to the secluded parking lot nearby a late night coffee shop. When you get there, Matt is already sitting waiting, and has ordered you a coffee.

{if Middle = True}

"What's going on?" Matt demands as you sit down.

"That's my line," you say.

"When I was on my way here, I got a message from Ariana asking to meet. I thought you wanted all of our communication to go through you, so why does it seem like your wife didn't get the memo?"

Your mouth gapes open like a fish. In trying to figure out what is going on between your best friend and your wife, you never convinced her not to talk to Matt directly. Rather than admit you weren't sure how to do it without revealing the details of your prank, you instead decide to go on the attack.

"That's exactly what I want to talk to you about. I saw the text messages, Matt. You said something along the lines of 'next time Ariana would pick the place n you'd buy the clothes'. Ariana is avoiding me, and you're already planning for next time? What's going on?"

"If you read the messages, you already know what's wrong with Ariana. She's embarrassed because the new dress was really expensive, and she felt bad using so much of the budget to pay for it."

"That's really all it is?" you ask incredulously.

"Go home and ask her yourself."

You relent, realizing the only way to confirm what he's saying is to do what he says and talk to your wife about it. But he still has to answer for himself.

"Alright, I will. So, care to explain the next part of that text?"

"What's to explain? It was just some friendly banter. Was I flirting a little? Sure. But we're gonna have sex tomorrow. So what's the big deal with flirting?"

"Sex isn't guaranteed," you point out.

"Precisely," Matt agrees while throwing his hands up in the air. "How am I supposed to put the moves on her if I can't directly interact with her or even flirt with her? You might as well send her on a date with a robot."

You can see his point, but you can't deny your discomfort. The deal was for Matt and Kali to release any unresolved tension or dissatisfaction you and your wife had from being in a monotonous marriage. He wasn't given free reign to do whatever he wanted with your wife.

"It seems like you and her are getting too close."

{else}"Hey man, what was so urgent you needed to talk to me without Ariana knowing?" Matt smiles casually as you sit down.

"How do you know I didn't tell Ariana I was coming here?" you ask.

"When I was on my way here, I got a message from Ariana asking to meet. I told her I was meeting you and she said you were working late. Don't worry, I covered for you and said I was meeting you in the office, but next time give me a little heads up."

Matt's comment has thrown your train of thought completely off track. You hadn't expected your wife to reach out to Matt when you said you were working late. It only makes you more suspicious to know that the moment you tell her you aren't coming home, she contacts your best friend. Your blood boils.

"I saw the text messages, Matt. You said something along the lines of 'next time Ariana would pick the place n you'd buy the clothes'. Ariana is avoiding me, and you're already planning for next time? What's going on?"

"Well, if she's avoiding you, it's probably because the dress was expensive. You saw that in the texts as well, right?"

You nod and remember seeing the message Ariana sent to Matt asking him not to tell you how expensive the dress was.

"That's really all it is?" you ask incredulously.

"Of course. You did a nice thing letting her spend some of your household budget on a new dress, and she probably feels bad for using more than she intended."

"So why hasn't she shown me the dress? In fact, it's like she's actively hiding it."

"You know how shy Ariana is. You saw the dress in the messages, right? It looks really hot, but she's really self-conscious about it. Just be patient."

You frown. "How patient? The date is tomorrow. If she can't wear it for her own husband, how's she gonna wear it out in public?"

"Because she won't feel guilty about spending so much money around any of those people, you dolt," Matt laughs. "Although that's something I don't understand. Why does she feel so guilty, when you must be spending just as much money to take Kali out?"

You tense. You think quickly, and in the end, can only confess "Well, I haven't decided where to take Kali yet."

"Wow, dude, the date is tomorrow. You better get moving already."

"I know, I will, I just had to clear this situation with Ariana up first."

"Dude, don't you trust me? What did you think was going on?"

"It seems like you and her are getting too close."{endif}

"Is that all there really is to it?" Matt ponders. "Because it seems like you're hiding something. Ariana clearly didn't show you those messages herself, and I don't know if I'm comfortable going ahead with this swap if there is something you're not telling me."

You gulp. There is a pretty big something that you're not telling him, namely that you haven't convinced your wife to go on a sex date at all, and she has no idea sex is even allowed to happen. Matt can clearly sense something is wrong, but if you risk telling him he might put a stop to it anyway. But if you don't tell him, maybe you can bluff your way through.