Chapter I
"How do you want your eggs?"
Diane shouted upstairs to Mark. There was no response.
Probably still in the shower
she thought.
"Scrambled it is then"
Diane spoke into the room as she broke the eggs, and watched them plop into the hot pan. While she stirred them into morning froth, she mused about last night. She never expected him to just come out and ask. After nine years of marriage, she thought they had a fairly normal sex life, but she did fantasize, and she knew he did too. He just came out and asked, and threw her for a loop.
"What's your number one fantasy? I mean the big one, deep down inside, the things you think about that you have never told me."
Mark asked while scrubbing his hair dry. It was so nonchalant' Diane almost did not think he had said it.
Maybe I just think that's what he said
she thought, but he repeated it as he walked into the bedroom to get dressed for the party. She wondered if she should answer him truthfully, or give one of the standard answers she had always said, which were basically things he wanted to hear, and he wanted to do.
"You are my fantasy sweetheart!"
Diane offered breathlessly, almost comically.
"I know better. Fine, if you don't want to tell me, I will find out some other way"
Mark tossed off, almost in a passing fashion. Diane really wondered what brought it up, but wasn't about to ask.
Diane had been a
housewife
for the last few years. She had been working as the administrator and office manager for a local Doctor's group, but when Mark was promoted to full partner in the law firm, she left the stress and hassle behind. Diane loved their life. For the first time since college they didn't have to worry about money. Diane kept the house immaculate. She volunteered a little. They had even built a small three room guest house at the back of the yard as a place for her parents to stay when they visited, because Mark and her Dad didn't see eye to eye on much. Mark had finally reached a position where he could pick and choose the cases he worked on and as Diane expected, he tended to choose the most challenging ones. Every aspect of their lives seemed to fall into place. There were times Diane longed for a little more excitement in their lives. She would try and spice things up with an unexpected vacation to the shore, or by buying Mark some present but she really wanted some real excitement.
Bill and Ashley threw a great party. There was everything you would expect from a great party. Lots of great food and drink, there was a three piece combo playing on a stage in the back yard and tons of people. After a couple of hours of doing the
couple thing
Mark was standing near the pool talking football with a group of guys and Diane found herself, as she usually does, sitting with her best friend Lia talking quietly about the other people at the party, and laughing about the gossip of who is sleeping with whom, and griping about their husbands.
"He just came out and asked?"
Lia spoke a little too loud.
"Lower your voice! Yes, he just asked, and acted as if I was just going to answer."
"Well, did you?"
Diane paused a long moment.
"Almost"
Lia took a deep drink from the Manhattan she had been nursing.
"Why didn't you?"
Diane as she looked towards the open patio doors.
"I don't know, maybe I don't want him to think he isn't making me happy"
"Is he? Making you happy"
"Of course! He is great to me."
"That's not what I meant Di and you know it!"
Diane flushed a little, knowing what she meant. It wasn't as if they hadn't talked about each other's sex lives before, but Diane felt as if she was going somewhere she hadn't before with her friend.
"Things are great in the bedroom, if that's what you mean."
Diane's voice was a whisper. Lia wasn't stopping there.
"You told me once you wanted things to spice up a little did not you? And you had bought some new outfits you might try out on him sometime. Have you yet?"
"Not yet."
Diane's eyes fell to her lap and she