Nemesis - Dave?

"After."

"So on Wednesday when I called you, you knew that Chan thought she had seen me or rather Phillip."

"Yes."

So why didn't you challenge me on Wednesday evening? Better than that, why didn't you call me back on Tuesday after Chan told you? Why did you act as if nothing was wrong?

"I don't know. I wasn't sure what I was going to do about it then."

"But you made up your mind, didn't you? You decided life would be better without me. You thought you were going to get it all, didn't you. All our savings and a good chunk of my pension as well. I didn't matter; it was only the money you were worried about."

"Oh, my god, no, Dave. Where the hell did you get that idea? I just wanted to throw a scare into you. Honestly."

"So if you were just throwing a scare into me, why take all that furniture? Just you not being here would be a scare. You didn't have to empty half the bloody house."

"You are right, it was overdoing things but Chan said it would make you think I was serious."

"Oh, Chan again. It always comes back to Chan. Do you know that nearly all of the disagreements we've had over the years have come down to Chan and the ideas she puts into your head? And there's one other point. If Chantelle had told you she had seen me with a Chinese girl, what would you have thought?"

"I would have immediately thought of Phil."

"But Chan never told you the girl she claimed she saw me with was an oriental, did she?"

"I suppose she didn't notice. You have to admit May-Ling's features aren't that strong."

"So why the bloody hell was Chantelle telling all the guys down the club that I was shacked up with a little chink bird?"

"She can't have known. She said she didn't know that the girl was Chinese until you pointed out on those photos in the pub and she only got those back from the laboratory this morning."

"Don't ask me. Ask Ricky next time you see him, or any of your fancy men down at the club. They'll tell you what Chan was telling everyone. I think Chantelle knew it was May-Ling and Philip when she saw them. I just can't figure out why she told you she didn't recognise them."

"But why would she do that?"

"I don't know, Victoria. She's your bloody friend. You tell me what she was trying to achieve and why."

"But she seemed so sure. It was her idea for me to move out of the house."

Vicky sat there silently staring into space for a long time. I got up and poured myself a drink.

"Can I have one of those?" she asked. I poured her a Scotch and soda.

"Dave, can I ask you something?"

"Anything you like?"

"But will you be honest with me"

"I've always been honest with you. Well, there were a couple of times when I had to lie to you when I was planning surprises. Like our tenth anniversary honeymoon."

"No, this is serious. I need you to tell me the truth. Have you ever made a pass at Chan since we've been married?"

"Now who's trying to be funny? Of course I haven't. Do I look daft? God knows what you could catch off her. She never has been choosy."

"And what about Fran Cooper, your old secretary?"

"Fran? Are you mad? You've met her husband. What do you think I've got - a bloody death wish?"

"So you've never made a pass at Chan and you never had anything going with Fran."

"Don't be silly! Why do you ask?"

"You definitely never kissed Fan."

"Well, of course I kissed her a few times. If I remember, I thought her old man was after your tonsils a few times under the mistletoe at those Christmas do's."

"No, I mean beside at the Christmas parties. Everyone kisses under the mistletoe."

"You're being silly again! Only a fool would mix business with pleasure and besides that I was very happy with the woman I had."

"Bugger, I've been such a fool."

"I'll make no comment on that, but it's cost you more than you'll ever know."

Vicky looked at me with the look that should have sent me dashing over there to comfort her. My heart went out to her, but I was still trying to retain the moral high ground. I was still playing the put upon husband.

Then she turned on the tears. Oh, fuck, I lost the battle! I'd had a hard enough problem walking out of the pub earlier in the day when she started crying. A bad tactical mistake Vicky had made there. If she had sat beside me, I would have capitulated then. I moved over and sat beside her putting my arm around her shoulders. After what seemed like an age she stopped crying.

"You never have done anything that you're ashamed of in our marriage, have you?"

"What do you think babe?"

"Then why?"

"Why what, Vicky."

"Why would Chan tell me you had? Why would she tell me she had seen you with Fan?"

"You had better ask her that one, Victoria. She's your friend."

"No, she's not. Not anymore, she isn't. I don't know why but every doubt I've had about you in our married life I can trace back to Chan."

"What bloody doubts?"

"Oh, suspicions about you playing around when you're away from home, and that you had something going on with Fan."

"Do bloody what? Why the hell have you never said anything in the past?"

"Because I love you. I didn't want to bring anything to a head. I thought I'd let things slide and you would come back to me."

"I'd never leave you, Vicky. I love you too much."

"I know that now. I should have always known it. I'm sorry, Dave, I haven't been a very good wife. I haven't given you the trust I should have. Can you forgive me?"

"Ooh, now there's a question. But I don't think it's for me to answer. I think you need to answer that yourself. Look into your heart and work out why you thought I would be unfaithful to you. When you can figure that one out, I think you'll have your answer."

Vicky reached into her bag and retrieved her mobile phone. Deliberately she dialled a number.

"Chantelle, you are no longer a friend of mine. I never want to see you or hear from you again...Shut up and listen, you bitch. I'm calling you because if I met you in person I'm not sure I could control myself; I might kill you or something. All my life I listened to you. Now I realise you have always been trying to drive a wedge between me and my husband. You've lied to me so many times I can't count them. No, stay out of my life from now on."

Vicky looked up at me. "Can I bring my bags in out of the car now?"

"No, we'll go straight to bed. I've missed you for the last couple of weeks and you'll definitely not need any night clothes tonight."

We went up to bed and spent the night trying to relive our honeymoon. I think it was one of the best nights we ever had. In the morning I made arrangements to have our furniture collected from the storage unit Victoria had hired.

We dropped back into our old life. Oh, there were the solicitors' bills to pay but at least Chan was out of our lives. I think it was worth every penny.

It was some time before Vicky figured out what Chan's problem was. Vicky ran into an old friend one day who told her that before Vicky and I were married. Chan had told her she had a crush on me and she intended steeling me from Victoria. Well, that never happened. I do remember Chan coming on a bit strong but, as I have said, I always figured her to be a slut so I steered clear.

Vicky and I intend to grow old together. And we talk about our feelings lot more nowadays. Oh I'm a regular at Ricky's club most weeks now. But the Ice Maiden dances a lot more than I do.

As for Chantelle, I don't think either Victoria or I have seen her since.

It was the night of our next anniversary. I'd been away on one of trips. Vicky attacked me as I entered the front door. She then started dragging me up to the bedroom discarding her clothes as she went. Once in the room she pushed me down onto the bed and attacked my belt, within moments she had removed my trousers and underpants whilst I removed my shirt. I must add I don't remember her removing my shoes and socks, maybe she removed them after her lips clamped down on the old John Thomas. But by that time I was beyond caring.

I watched her head rise and fall as she tried to force as much of me as possible down her throat. What's the old comment she could suck a billiard ball down a hose-pipe? Well, that's what it felt like she was trying to do.

God, Vicky gives bloody good head. Far better either that Fran or Chantelle. Maybe not quite as good as that little Chinese bird up in Blackpool though. Mind you it was bloody lucky for me that she looked so much like May-Ling. I nearly cocked things up in a big way there.

Oh, by the way, I did try Chantelle out just before I got married Vicky. Come on, there are advantages to being an identical twin, but really Chan was all show and not much action. I think she must have gotten a little pissed off with Phil when I told her she wasn't that good in bed. Well, I never did like the bitch. I'm just wondering if Chan ever worked out that Phil and I pulled the switch on her. If she did, she was the only one, well I think? But it might explain why she tried to put the boot in.

Look, I have said that I consider myself a bloody gentleman. But I've never said anything about having a flawless character though.

He Who Dare's Wins!

Life goes on. Just a little more carefully.