Chapter 44, Affairs Circle Crumbles, I Move On

Thumper made, "Now Now", an Affairs Circle star. Others sought my advice. My consul was; manage your affairs by putting family first, avoid young alpha males and pursue Omegas.

A trophy ring quest ensued. Erica dated a Japanese produce man we nicknamed Tojo. He was short, married and enthralled by his Nordic goddess. He delivered produce to restaurants which demanded the best and she had fruits and vegetables unattainable in the grocery with us also placing orders.

He bought her a trophy ring but she continued dating young alpha males and tried to entice me into having sex with them at her house in mini orgies. I declined and avoided visiting when they came to her house.  She was never jealous and didn’t expect her lovers to be faithful but I was and did.

Within a year of breaking up with Darryl the "Affairs Circle" imploded. By 1983 AIDS reared its ugly head. Prior to it a condom was considered a hindrance in an affair with the woman expected to be on the “pill”. Now it was a mandatory accessory.

Over half the Affairs Circle members divorced, most due to a husband's discovery but for a few wives left to marry their lover. None who divorced moved up in mate or economically. For most it was a steep step down. One married her young alpha stud then tried desperately to find him a high paying job like her ex gave. She wanted to continue the life style she considered she was entitled and accustomed too. Her precipitous fall ended as a twice divorced, middle aged woman with baggage. It was her who desperately sought a high paying job. She ended up as a grocery store clerk.

Erica was caught, in bed, by her husband's private investigator. Avoiding barhopping with her and her house when men were there saved me. Her husband demanded child custody and no alimony. Nervous about receiving a subpoena to testify in a divorce I developed a complex limited relationship to avoid being dragged into the muck. It was unnecessary. She eagerly agreed for a cash settlement, packed sans son and left to where the action was, LA.

His having custody was best. She visited for a couple of years after and titillated with her amorous exploits. She then met what she needed, a controlling dominate male and remarried. He managed her by never letting her out of his sight. They soon had kids. She visited with him once but we only got to talk in whispers when he was in the other room. She no longer had anything amorous to say, was happy to be controlled. It’s what she needed.

Those who stayed married either evaded exposure or threw their lover under the bus and had a husband who forgave. Some gained weight, dressed slovenly and blamed others for their condition. Others reconnected to their marriage, kept trim and adorned and continued the battle of the sexes. I joined the latter.

The 70’s were over. Promiscuity was again out. The Red Guards of AIDS and other STDs crushed the sexual Cultural Revolution. I wondered if Edward knew things others didn’t from his research.

I was a survivor, happily married with children, partly due to stealth but also luck. Luck, luck I didn’t slip and trip, luck my husband didn’t stumbled on the truth and luck condoms kept me safe. Maybe it wasn’t luck. Maybe it was my guardian angel, or my husband’s or the kid’s. Maybe God saved me. It didn’t matter, I accepted my survivor’s fate and skipped the “what if’s.

The kids needed attention as their school activities and playing sports expanded. I was a full time mom and faithful wife. I stopped flirting.

Then coming home from work one evening in 1984 my husband announced.

“Honey we need to talk. I need to talk about something serious. You don’t need to answer right away but I do need an answer. It’s complicated. We’ll discuss it after dinner.”