LEZZIE-ASON CHAPTER SIX

When I got home that night, I cooked a special meal for Gerry. Well, to be honest, it wasn't really anything that special, it was just his favourite meal, spag bol with grated cheese on top. Of course, when I announced dinner he acted as though it was something special.
"Oh, my God!" he exclaimed. "How did you know I fancied spag bol tonight!"
"Oh, you know. Wife's instinct."
The truth was, I was feeling guilty. Feeling guilty about the fact that my husband was ill at home, hoping I was having a better time than he was, when all the while, I was romping with my best friend.
"Where are the kids' dinner, darling?" Gerry asked.
"Larry's round at Nelsons', and Lisa is at her ballet lesson, so it's just us tonight. Til seven."
"Oh."
We sat in silence for a few minutes. Gerry eating his spag bol, me eating the reheated roast chicken left over from last Sunday. Suddenly, the phone rang. Gerry, being a gentleman, answered it.
"Oh no," I heard him saying. "Can't it wait til tomorrow? Oh, ok. Ok, I'll be there in twenty minutes."
He came back in from the kitchen. "That was work, they need someone to change the lock on someone's front door; it's an emergency. They can't get hold of anyone else."
"Oh, ok. How long you gonna be?"
"I'm not sure. Three hours?"
"Three hours?" I echoed.
"Yeah, well, it'll take forty minutes to get to this place, and changing locks on doors takes a very, very long time. Well, for me it does," he pulled a face.
I couldn't help smiling. "Ok, well, I'll keep the spag bol in the microwave for you."
"Thanks, darling," said Gerry, as he picked up his van keys and jacket and headed out the door.
After I heard the van start up and pull away, I finished the chicken, and washed the dishes. I saved Gerry's dinner, putting it in the microwave, so he could heat it up when he got in. Fixing locks is hungry work, as Gerry had come in once before from fixing a lock and demanded something hot inside him as soom as he walked in the door.
As soon as I finished the dishes, I went into the sittiong-room with a glass of wine and switched on the TV. Neighbours was on, but I'd missed it for weeks, so I couldn't concentrate on it, not knowing who half the characters are now, and not knowing what the Hell was going on.
I drummed my fingers at the irritation of it all, and my eyes fell on the phone sitting next to my glass of wine.
I suddenly had a battle of the consciences. The devil-on-my-shoulder toild me to call her and ask if I could come round, whereas the angel-on-my-shoulder insisted I should stay away for a few days, and concentrate on being a wife instead of an adulterist.
My consciences fought it out for five minutes, but in the end, the devil-on-my-shoulder won; I seized the phone, and dialled May's number.
"Hello? Hello, who is it? Listen, Lauren, you're not due home for another two hours. Yolu can't comne home because you're not good at it. You need to stick it out. After all, the fact you don't know about it is the reason why you're taking the lessons."
"Hi, May. No, it isn't Lauren. It's me, Sarah."
"Oh, hi, Sarah., Sorry about that. Lauren's round at basketball practice. She begged and begged me to let her go, and when I finally did, she suddenly got all shy, and was determined not to go."
I laughed.
"So what's up, Doc? What's happened?" She sounded really worried, which made me sure she was the one for me.
"Nothing's up. It's just that the kids are out at friends' places, and Gerry's been called into work... and I'm kind of lonely."
"So you thought you'd ring me up, and ask if tyou could round."
"Er... Yeah."
"Yeah, sure, why not? Come on over!"

I arrived at May's and knocked on the door. I usually walk in, but May locks her door when it gets dark. She came whizzing to the door and opened it with a breezy smile.
"Sarah! I'm so glad you weanted to come over. I was lonely too, and I was thinking of giving you a ring!"
"Well, it might be better if I came round here," I said, as we walked into May's living-room.
"Why's that then?"
"Well, it's OK for you, you don't have a husband to be guilty over. I always feel guilty whenever Gerry's around. And if you're round at mine, it'll make things a bit awkward."
May's eyebrows wrinkled, and I knew she knew I was talking about our Dangerous Liaison in the Stately Gardens.
"Is that the real reason you came over, Sarah?" She asked, an accustory tone in her voice.
"No! You've got it all wrong. I liked our, er, romps we had." I shuddered, using such a disgusting word.
May saw the shudder and misinterpreted it.
"You're lying!" She shrieked. "You're just sayng that to make me feel better."
"No, I'm not, honest."
"So why did you shudddr then?"
"Because I said 'romp'. I don't like saying that word if I can help it."
May softened the frown on her face.
"Sarah," she started. "You must think I'm sort of home-wrecker, who destroys the lioves of all the friends" - She made a sign in the air - "I make, deliberately."
"No," I said. "Why would you say that?"
"Well, I don't know. You hear about it, don't you? Girls who make friends with other girls, just to destroy their lives! And all because their own lives suck!"
I couldn't help laughing at that. "You've been watching too many ITV1 dramas, May!"
"You may think this is funny this is funny, but it isn't. I'm not usuall a bi, but I've never felt like this before about anyone I've met. Including Lauren's father."
She sighed. Then she looked at me with a pitying look on her face.
"I don't mean to come across as a home-wrecker. But I feel as though i care for you, as more than just friends. And I can't help acting on my feelings."
"I care for you too," I told her. "As more than just friends. But it's OK for you. You don't have a husband to come home to. A husband who loves you dearly."
I seemed to be saying the wrong things. May's eyes brimmed over, and she started bawling. "That's right! Rub my nose in it! Ican't ever find anyone of my own, so I have to resort to nicking other people's partners!" She buried her head in hewr face, and carried on crying.
I sat down beside her, and prised her head out. "Listen, May!" I said, sternly. "You never gave me the chance to finish! I was also going to say, a husband that I took out for a Valentine's meal, knowing all the while it was you I wanted to be with during that meal!"
May looked at me, fresh tears in her eyes. "Oh, Sarah, honestly?"
"Honest to God. And I know it's unfair on Gerry, but to tell you the truth, I'm starting to get pissed off with him whenever he says he loves me. Because I know... I don't or can't love him back!" Now it was my turn to sob.
Suddenly, we heard the front door bang open and shut. May looked at me, a frighntened look etched on her face. "I must've forgot to lock the door!" She said.
Then we both screamed, as a familiar child's voice rang out: "Mum? It's Lauren! I'm back! Charley at the basketcall practice gave me a lift home! MUM, WHERE ARE YOU?"

Find out what happens next in Chapter Seven...