Her Mom Likes Girls

18

As we ate, I felt Audrey's eyes on me the entire time. Sam sat next to me with her hand on my thigh and that alone was strange. Sam wasn't usually affectionate unless she had something to hide.

"Sam said she told you about her trip to France?" I asked.

Audrey looked up and nodded hesitantly. "Yes she did."

"Yes, honey, I also told her that I'm planning a trip for us next year."

"To France?" I asked.

"Why not?" Sam responded. "You work too much. We should."

I stared skeptically at my wife. "What did you two actually talk about, Sam?"

I wasn't as naive as Sam would like to believe. Sam stared at me with fear in her eyes.

I looked around the table and tried to find my strength to get through the conversation.

"It's nothing, honey. Just what I said."

"Sure," I mumbled and looked at Jamie. "Do you know what they were talking about?"

Jamie's eyes were wide and doubtful. "Maybe we should leave." Jamie said and placed her napkin down.

"I think that's a good idea," Sam said. I looked at my wife and found guilt in her eyes.

"No, no." I stared at Jamie. "What's on everyone's mind that I don't know about?"

"It's not our place to say, Peyton." Audrey said and stood.

"No, sit down," I demanded.

Audrey stared at Jamie before sitting down. I looked at my wife again. "Honey, it's nothing."

"It doesn't seem like nothing. You're all acting suspicious. Tell me what's going on now or I swear to god, Sam."

"Okay, okay, do you remember that thing I did nine years ago."

I was taken aback for a moment. "What are you talking about?" I asked.

"That thing that you never wanted to talk about again—when I was in Las Vegas for a conference."

My heart started pounding. "You've got to be kidding me! What does that have to do with this?"

I looked at Jamie and Audrey again. They looked back at me with pity in their eyes.

Sam said. "I know Audrey from this place we both go to."

"What place, Sam?"

"The Green Door."

I looked at her in bewilderment. "The Green Door? What is that? A Bar?"

"Something like that," Sam said. "It's a, a—"

"Why are you going to gay bars without me?" That was the first question that surfaced in my head.

"It's not a gay bar," Audrey mentioned.

"What then?" I asked.

Sam didn't answer.

Audrey didn't answer.

I looked at Jamie, knowing that she probably knew the answer, "maybe you should look it up on google, Peyton. I don't want to be the one to say it," Jamie said.

"For fuck's sake," I mumbled. I grabbed my phone and typed it in. "Why's it saying sex bar?" My eyes darted to my wife. "I can't believe you're still doing this shit."

I felt immediately embarrassed. "I kinda never stopped," Sam mumbled.

"Sam, you told me that it was a one time thing. You watched, then you left. You never participated."

"Not then. I didn't," Sam said.

"Not then? So what have you been up to?"

"It's nothing that you want to know about, honey." Sam placed her hand against my shoulder. "It keeps me leveled, that's all."

"Keeps you leveled? Tell me something, Sam. Are you saying you've been having sex with other women, but it's okay, because it keeps you leveled?"

"Honey, please—"

I stood and looked at Audrey. "Did you sleep with her?"

Audrey swallowed hard. "Jamie, I really think we should go."

I looked at Sam and saw my answer in her eyes. "You've got to be kidding me. You've been cheating on me! When were you planning on saying something, Sam?" Sam looked away with tears in her eyes. I looked at Jamie. "Did you know about this?"

Jamie shook her head. "Not until tonight. Audrey and I are now over."

Audrey said, "oh, come on, we never discussed being exclusive!"

"Yeah. Nothing to discuss now. You can leave, Audrey. I'm going to call an uber."

"Please, don't be like—"

Jamie held up her hand. "Get out of here. I don't want to see your face again."

Audrey scoffed and stormed to the front door, before slamming it behind her. Jamie looked at me apologetically, "I'm sorry, Peyton. I'll be on my—"

"Wait, no. Wait." I stopped her. Jamie stood in the middle of the room confused.

I looked at my wife and didn't want to be next to her. "I'll drive you home, Jamie. I need time to process this anyway while Sam comes up with her explanation."

"You don't have to, I can—"

"I insist." I grabbed my keys and jacket. Sam looked at me with disbelief and walked to her office. Jamie looked at me with the most sympathetic eyes. "Ready?"

Jamie nodded, "yeah."