Not having anything in particular I needed to accomplish right away, I simply listened, aiming to see if I could still hear Julie outside. Sure enough, I heard her engine start. I rushed to the window, watching her as she headed up the street.
Knowing I had the house to myself for a few hours, I fell back on the bed. I considered falling asleep, though I knew I couldn't then guarantee I'd be awake before Julie's husband arrived home. Finally, seeing no other option, I 'relieved myself' to thoughts of Julie and our prior engagements.
When I felt I had shot my reserves, I looked at the clock. Sure enough, it was coming to be a time I remembered Julie telling me she had a "free period". Deciding to see just how free she was, I called her.
"Hello?" she answered in a pleasant voice, clearly not aware it was me.
"Hello!" I said back, giving her a taste of my best "sly villain".
"You!" she said. "You should not be calling me!"
"True," I said, "and I REALLY shouldn't be doing it from YOUR bedroom!"
She gasped in shock, and then said, "I thought you promised me you'd be gone before my husband got home!"
"Don't worry; I will," I promised again. "He won't learn our secrets.... At least not from seeing me here."
There were a few seconds of silence before she spoke.
"What do you mean?!" she asked me.
"Well, I'll be gone before night falls," I promised, "but don;t you think he'll wonder why when he sees you leave in the evening?"
"I--I won;t be leaving!" she said. "Why, I'm only gone now because I had to work!"
She sounded assured, though I noticed a slight stammer.
"I know," I said, "and that's the same reason you'll be leaving tonight. You're going to meet me at the Budget Motel down the street at ten o'clock for a late-night 'study session'."
"You wouldn't!" she shouted.
"Maybe not," I said back. "I have to hang up now. If we're not meeting later, I have to leave your husband a note and tell him what I know about his wife."
I immediately grabbed a nearby notepad and pen, feigning writing.
"WAIT!" she said suddenly. |