CHAPTER 8

After Melissa's intervention, Darian has avoided her for a couple of days. Darian didn't want to see her. He hoped Melissa would leave for her random sexual encounters, but that is to no avail. Melissa always was jealous of Andrea. Years ago, she met Andrea, that made her feel self-conscious about her looks. Andrea could afford to look like a goddess with the best hygiene products when Melissa struggled to look her best with drugstore makeup. For years Melissa wondered if Darian was attracted to her Andrea.

Melissa even went as far as to accuse Darian of sleeping with Andrea while he worked for her. In reality, Darian was assisting his CEO boss with late-night executive meetings. Andrea ended any doubts against the assistant when Melissa argued with Darian on the phone within a minute before the late-night meeting. Andrea offered Melissa to come to sleep at the office while Darian worked, but she guaranteed that Darian would be fired if she came. Melissa checked her emotions as Darian was earned a higher income than her. Melissa would not dare to jeopardize a $75000 income string.

Now Melissa's nightmares have come true with her demands to open the marriage. Seeing Darian smitten over Andrea has cleared her fog of sexual freedom. Hoping to release Darian from Andrea's grasp, marriage counseling was her only chance.

Darian was not enthused to be near Melissa nor sitting with a counselor trying to fix the marriage; Melissa had broken. Melissa understood this when she was eavesdropping on Darian's conversation with Andrea. With her ear to Darian's locked office doors, she understood the full severity of her situation as Darian ranted on the phone.

"I can't believe she would involve my parents as if she was outting me for her idea," Darian yelled. "She wanted to the open marriage. So now she gets what she asked for; she doesn't like it because of our relationship.

"Mon Amour, calm down. You should have seen this coming, but it's no reason to fret over her request."

"It's like she is trying to control me. It's been like that since Melissa, and I got married."

"Well, love, it seems like I been in a pickle since you said I do. So what are you going to do about it."

"I dunno, it sure in hell I am not going to marriage counseling."

"Maybe you should."

"What," Darian asked with a surprised tone. "You want me to work out my marriage with Melissa?"

"Yes and no!"

"I am not following!"

"Darian, you are an excellent lover and an ideal mate for any woman who is not stupid to risk losing you. However, you are married, and I am no homewrecker. Go marriage professional and see if there is something worth saving. If you feel your marriage is a complete failure, I'll be here for you."

"And what if Melissa and I work things out?"

"Then I gracefully bid you an adieu with one last passionate fuck," Andrea chuckled. "Now go, call me when you are ready!"

*****

The following week, Darian and Melissa met with Dr. Palanski. She was a fifty-year-old caucasian woman. She is a marriage counselor who has been the best in her profession for eight years. Dr. Palanski has multiple certifications in couple reconciliations, sex therapy, and partner to partner communication. Dr. Palanski was not cheap as sh cost 150 dollars for a two-hour session. Melissa offered to pay as Darian was not.

"So what brings you two here. Who wants to start," Dr. Palanski asked. Both Melissa and Darian said nothing. Darian had his body turned away from Melissa while his wife shied in her chair.

"Okay, Darian, let's start with you?"

"My wanted to have an open relationship. Now you want to close the marriage because she is jealous of my relationship with my partner."

"I see! Open marriage is for special people who feel that they can handle it. It takes months of careful consideration, guidelines, rules, and dealing with repercussions if it does not work. How long have you two talked about it."

"Only a week," Melissa stated.

"Darian, why don't you want to close it."

"As part of our agreement, both partners have to agree, which I don't!"

Do you have feelings for the other woman?"

"I do!"

Melissa's heart sank hearing those words.

"Darian, you were not supposed to develop feelings for any of your sex partners."

"Are you kidding? I only had one sex partner while you had multiple. You even threatened me with infidelity if I did not agree to an open marriage."

Dr. Palanski's eye widened when she heard that Darian was unwilling to coarse.

"Melissa, why did you result into threatening. Manipulation should never be a weapon in a marriage."

"I dunno. I really wanted to try an open marriage."

"Why, was there any reason?"

"I dunno," Melissa replied. This made Darian upset. He knew his wife was withholding information.

"That's bullshit. You know why you just don't want to say. You better tell me why you wanted an open marriage, or I am leaving."

Melissa was shaking with fear as she did not want the truth to come out. Finally, Darian got tired of the hesitation. As Darian stood up to leave, words just blurted out of Melissa's lips.

"I… I cheated on you!" Darian was not shocked as he somewhat knowingly knew that Melissa had an affair. However, he refused to believe it, hoping it was not true.

"WITH WHO!"

"There was this new manager who was hired six months ago at our job. He often flirted with me, but for the first two months, I ignored him. However, the other women in the office encouraged me to talk with him as a friend. I mean, the idea was good at the time for networking reasons. However, as time passed, we started flirting with each other. When we out of town for business-related reasons, that when it happened."

Darian flopped down in his chair a broke down in tears. Melissa tried to console him as she wept and attempted to hug him. Darian shoves Melissa away.

"Don't you touch me," Darian snarled? "So all this time with the late nights, you have been fucking your supervisor. Sucking his dick, and you come and try to kiss me!

"Let's all calm down," Polanski replied as she offered Darian kleenex before turning her attention towards Melissa.

"Melissa, why did you feel that you needed to result in infidelity."

"I dunno; I mean, my husband is a great guy. To great of a guy."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean...Darian is a good man, but I felt that we were at a disconnect.

"A disconnect. Melissa, I practically try to do everything for you."

"I no. I guess flirting with my manager made me feel alive."

"If you felt bored in our marriage, you should have spoken to me. We could have worked something out. But, you know what, I am outta here."Darian replied as she darted out of the office. Melissa attempt to following him, but Polanski, calls her back.

"Melissa, let him go. He needs some time to himself."

"If I do, he's going to call his mistress."

"I understand that you are scared, but that is the situation you created."

"What am I supposed to do."

"Finish the session. Hopefully, Darian will come back again when he feels comfortable."

*****

Melissa rushed home, hoping to find her husband waiting for her. However, to her disappointment, she found the house empty. She went to the bedroom and saw the dresser drawer open. Most of Darian's clothes and valuables were gone. She ran to Darian's offices screaming, "no, no, no!" Then, Melissa saw a note on the office door written in bold black letters. "WE ARE DONE!"

Realizing that she lost her husband forever, Melissa falls to her knees and weeps. In her final act of desperation, Melissa calls Darian, but it goes straight to voice mail.

"Darian where ever you are, please come back. We can work this out," Melissa wept as she recorded her message.

12 hours later

Darian walks through the door of Andrea's manor as the chauffeur sets his luggage by the door. Andrea waited at the entrance to greet her lover. Andrea saw that there was anguish in Darians eyes. Andrea knew Darian was crying when he called her to inform her that Melissa's affair was valid, her reasons for wanting an open marriage. Andrea walked over to Darian and kissed him on the neck before saying to him.

"Today, you will not cry for an ungrateful woman."

"I know. I emptied all the love I had for Melissa with my tears. So now it's just you and me?"

"Glad to hear," Andrea replied before giving Darian a passionate kiss of new beginnings for their relationship.