The Plan

Ben Anderson held Sarah Tompkins close to his body as they swayed together to the rhythm of the slow song being played by the band at Jenny and Peter’s wedding.

He could feel their hips moving in unison. He could smell her perfume, it smelled so sweet, so tempting.

He was lost in the ‘what ifs’ of times past. Even if they’ve been good friends since college and attended each other’s wedding, that didn’t mean he didn’t still have thoughts about her. And maybe she had them about him. After all, it could be more than just flirting between the two of them all these years, right?

But it didn’t also mean that they both didn’t love their spouses. It was, and always had been a natural, and perhaps mutual, attraction. He was torn.

“So, are we still on for Friday?” Sarah asked, whispering into his ear.

Ben was hesistant. “I don’t know. Can’t we do it someplace else, why do we have to do this in your home? It’s too risky. What if Joe comes home early?”

“Risky? Don’t be silly. Everything will be fine. Terri said she will keep Joe working late. It’s already been arranged.”

“Ah yes Terri,” Ben smiled. “It must be nice to have your best friend be Joe’s boss. How convenient to have an accomplice in all of this.”

The band continued playing as Ben squeezed Sarah’s hand a little tighter. “I don’t like all this sneaking around, someone’s bound to say something.”

Sarah brushed back her long black hair and looked at him with a quizzical look of surprise at these new second thoughts.

“Ben, you know we’ve been planning this for quite a while now. You said you were Ok with the plan. Trust me it will be fine.”

Ben always was a worry wart. He liked the safe way of doing things. Risks were something other people took and he couldn’t believe he was willing to take one with Sarah.

“But, don’t you think he might suspect something?” Ben asked, and unconsciously gave a quick glance over to Joe who was sitting at a table talking with Dennis Abbott, another friend.

Sarah gave a quiet giggle. “Who? Clueless Joe? Ben, come on, you know Joe doesn’t pay attention to much of anything at this time of year besides his work and baseball. I bet you we could sneak away right now and he wouldn’t even notice that we’re gone for an hour or so.”

She had that flirtatious twinkle in her eyes and in her smile.

“Well, I don’t know about that,” Ben replied, but smiled at the possibilities.

“So, again, don’t come over until just after 5, and park down on Oak Street, you know that dead end about two blocks over.”

“Oak Street?” Ben blurted out, then blushed at the thought of being overheard above the music, which suddenly was soft and quiet. “Why so far away?” It was his turn to whisper in her ear.

“Because I don’t want anyone to see your car, silly, why take chances.”

“Yes, why indeed!” Ben replied, shaking his head.

The song was ending, but Sarah still needed to talk to Ben.

“Let’s do another,” she said.

Ben took her back into his arms, thankfully the band was playing another slow number, he hated dancing to fast songs.

 ------

Joe swirled the ice cubes around at the bottom of his otherwise empty glass as he watched Sarah and Ben dancing to the slow song. Joe didn’t like to dance, even if Sarah did. And he didn’t enjoy watching her dance with other men either – especially slow songs. Joe had a jealous streak in him when it came to his beautiful wife.

“What the hell is going on with all that whispering between those two?” He asked himself.

He was half listening to Dennis jabber on about how The Dodgers were destined to win the World Series this year.

Joe didn’t even want to come to the wedding reception.

“We hardly know them,” he had argued with Sarah.

“Joe, everyone from the neighborhood will be there. You can talk baseball with Dennis, and I’ll dance the night away. Ben and Denise will be there as well.”

Ben, Ben, that’s all Sarah seemed to talk about of late. Just because their kids were dating each other, that didn’t mean they had to be with “the in-laws” - as Sarah jokingly called the Andersons - every weekend.

The song was over, but wait, Sarah just motioned for another song? They’re staying on the floor?

“Geez,” Joe snorted. “I’m getting another drink Dennis, you want another beer?”

Back at the table, Dennis and Joe continued their annual debate about who was going to win The World Series as the season was winding down. Joe kept glancing over to the dance floor.

“Look, the Dodgers’ pitching is so much better this year, Joe. We got that Japanese guy Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow is pitching like Cy Young, your Yankees don’t have a chance – even IF they make it to the Series,” Dennis said for the third time.

“I got three names that say you’re wrong,” Joe replied. “Judge, Soto and Stanton. And our pitching is just as good as yours. Yup, you guys will be toast IF The Dodgers make it that far.”

Dennis laughed. “Oh ya! Ever hear of Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and a guy named Ohtani? This is our year Joe. I’m telling you buddy, this is our year.”

-----

“See, just look at those two,” Sarah told Ben. “Joe probably doesn’t even hear the music playing. This should be easy to pull off. Just you wait and see. I can’t wait.”

Ben glanced over. “Well, Joe does seem to be oblivious to his surroundings,” he agreed.

“OK, I won’t worry anymore and I will stash the car over on Oak Street, out of sight. I will be there. I will be your personal slave,” he smiled.

Sarah gave Ben’s shoulder a gentle tap. “Well, that sounds exciting, I’ll have to think about that one.”

Ben expected that the nervous excitement about ‘the plan’ would probably get worse as next Friday drew nearer, but he knew it would be well worth the anxiety if it would make Sarah happy again.

----------------------------

It was 5:20 Friday when Ben rang the doorbell. Sarah, looking incredible, opened the door and quickly ushered him in.

Once inside the living room she spun around. “Let’s get started,” she said, putting her glass of wine down on the coffee table. “Do you want a drink?”

Ben was nervous as hell and needed a strong one. “Double Scotch and Soda,” please.

Twenty minutes later Sarah’s cell phone rang. She glanced over at the display. “Oh, it’s Terri. Hi Terri, what’s up?”

She shot a look of fear over at Ben. “What! He left?”

“I’m so sorry Sarah, I couldn’t get him to stay,” Terri explained. “He wasn’t making any sense and said he had to get home to check on something. He said he might be back later. He just left now.”

“OK, don’t worry about it Terri. Thanks for letting me know. Bye.”

Sarah shouted, “he’s on his way now! You know what to do.”

Despite his suspicions, fears, and rising anger, Joe didn’t speed on the way home. “I’ll get there when I get there,” he told himself. “And I will catch them in the act together.”

Joe knew something was up when his wife told him that she had cancelled her yoga class and was just going to stay home.

“She never misses her yoga sessions on Friday,” he said. “Not for anything.”

Joe drove down their street and parked on the road a few houses away. As he walked along the sidewalk, he saw a light on in their bedroom while the rest of the house was dark.

“Here we go now,” he breathed and quietly opened the front door.”

“SURPRISE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” Came a sudden, loud shout.

The living room lights flashed on and Joe saw Sarah, Ben and his wife Denise, and about seven other neighbors all laughing.

With an exciting end coming to the baseball season, and his intense Green Monster suspicions growing about his wife and Ben, Clueless Joe had completely forgot that his birthday was this weekend.

He closed the door and smiled as Sarah ran over and gave him a big hug and a kiss.