What about Mike?

Dear Diary,

I use to be judgmental of those who stepped out of their marriage. Now I am one of “those” people. For years, I pleaded with Mike about sex and spending time together. I even suggested couple’s counseling, noting that this is how people get divorced. Do you believe we even had a contract? But these efforts were to no avail. We are like roommates, and I am feeling less attracted to him every day. I find myself getting more annoyed by the simple things he does.  I don’t want to bitch and nag. I just want to be happy. I just want to go out every now and then, and have SEX, the way we use to have sex. Is that too much to ask?

                TGIF! It has been a long an interesting week. Natasha and Kevin hooked up three times this week after work. She even missed her lunch date with her girl Lisa. Finally Lisa cornered Natasha in the break room. “Na-ta-sha  Mel-ton! Where have you been stranger?”  Lisa inquired with a tone that said, ‘I already figured it out, so don’t lie’.

                “Well, I’ve been so busy lately...I..” Natasha, stammered over her words.  Lisa interjected before Natasha finished her sentence. “Well, you can tell me today after work. You know that it’s Chocolate Martini Friday.  Jasmine and Theresa are expecting to meet us at the Lounge at 4.

                Yes, it was Chocolate Martini Friday however Natasha has been so enthralled with Kevin that she completely forgot about it.  Every other Friday Nastasha, Lisa, and their friends Jasmine and Theresa meet up at the Lounge, an upscale bar in town. Jasmine and Theresa use to work at the same company as Natasha before the merger, and now they work at different companies across town. They all became good friends over the years. They continue to keep in touch, but its gets to be a bit difficult, so they meet up once a month over chocolate martinis.  The ladies use to this time to discuss and vent stressors related to work, family, and other personal matters.

                Theresa is tall very attractive woman of African American and Dominican decent. She kept her hair in a long ponytail. She is the youngest of the quartet is singled and never married, without kids. Jasmine, is the oldest, average height, very shapely, cinnamon brown is recently divorced with three teenagers. Jasmine is always stylish, and never caught without a Beyoncé-type hair weave. She is what many refer to as a “cougar”. Ever since the divorce, Jasmine frequents the clubs, and is often confused with women ten years her junior. Young guys always approach her, and she rarely rejects the attention. Natasha was once considered the conservative, but now risqué one, with the secret life. Lisa is a petite dark-complexion African-American woman. Lisa usually wears her hair in a chiseled well-manicured bob. For the most part, Lisa is the voice of reason, and everyone’s confidant.

                Theresa, Jasmine, and Lisa were already seated at a table when Natasha arrived at the Lounge. “Hey, ladies!” Natasha greeted in a festive mood. “Hi Tasha!” the ladies replied in unison.

“Someone had a great day.” Jasmine remarked.

“Yup, TGIF!” Natasha responded. “Yup, TGIF. I haven’t seen you all week,” leered Lisa. “Oh, yeah do tell.” Inquired Theresa.

                “Yes, I want to know what’s going on also. The last time we met up, you were singing the blues about Mike,” remarked Jasmine.

                Natasha took a deep breath. “Well, ladies, it’s true, I was going through a rough patch for a while, but I decided that I would stop moping around and be more proactive about my happiness. I can’t rely on Mike to make me happy. I’m too young to be in a sexless marriage.”

                “So are you thinking about divorce?” Theresa asked. The other ladies took a sip of their drinks and leaned forward toward Natasha. “No, I want the kids to have their father in the house. Mike is a good dad, but a lousy lover.”

“Oooo Natasha!” squealed Lisa.

“Well it’s true. We never go out since the kids, and we only have sex once a month, When we do have sex it last only 10 minutes, and he never go downtown, anymore.”

“That is the same thing I was going through with Mark during the last 3 years before the divorce.” Jasmine sulked.

“Like I said,” replied Natasha, “I want to be happy.”

“So what’s the alternative? Mr. Rabbit?” laughed Jasmine.

“Girl, you know I wore out two of those, and almost electrocuted my ass with the massager!”

“Dammnnn!” gawked Theresa, “Is that a record.

“So what IS the alternative?” Lisa inquired in her concerned mother-like tone. Natasha took another sip of her drink and a long pause before responding. “Ok, don’t judge, but I decided to live out the whims of my alter-ego.”

“Your alter-ego?”  Theresa.

“Yup, gave her a name too, Nina.

“Chile please, I got one too, and her name is Jackie. She shows up after the third drink, and what Jackie wants, she gets.”

Theresa laughed, “that’s no secret Jazzy, we’ve all met Jackie. But you Mrs. Melton the conservative, I’m surprised. What is Natasha’s, I mean, Nina’s desire.”

“I won’t go into all the details, but I will say that it better than a rabbit.”

“Wow, Natasha, you got a jump-off?” asked Theresa.

“I knew it” jeered Lisa, “that’s why I haven’t seen your happy ass. And I think I know who it is. Kevin, right.”

Natasha never could hide the truth from her girlfriends. She gave it away without uttering a word. “For real?” asked Theresa. “Fine ass Kevin from the office? Isn’t he married?”

“Separated, well yeah it’s complicated,” murmured Natasha.

“No judgment here, I know exactly how you feel. Just be careful. These things have a way of spiraling out of control,” warned Jasmine.

“Well, how was he?” asked Theresa.

“Theresa!” scoffed Lisa.

“You might as well tell us,” added Jasmine.

Natasha sat back and sipped again before answering, “He’s the best!”

“So, what about Mike?” asked Lisa.

“Girl, I don’t know. I know I can’t build a relationship off of this. I just need a distraction. Like I said I want to be happy. Just living out Nina’s whims.”

“Do you think that Mike suspects anything?” said Theresa.

“ Maybe he is cheating also,” exclaimed Lisa.

“I don’t think so,” Natasha grimaced. “He can’t even get it up.”

“Well, you never know,” cautioned Jasmine.  “Just be careful, he will never forgive you, if he finds out.”

                The truth was that Natasha had no idea the direction she was going. She had alluded to having an open marriage, where both she and Mike could see other people with discretion. She really didn’t care as long as he respected three rules: 1. No diseases, 2. No babies, 3. No drama.