Hiding in Plain Sight, Nearly

This is just a short story for my first one published here. There is little dialogue and character development. In such a short story, I did not think it necessary, I hope I have given you enough to enjoy this simple offering.

It is a short, punchy one.

I have used Google Docs as editor and had it read back to me.

This is not real life.

Things had changed slowly, and I had not noticed until the one big event. Then I looked back over the last 6 months.

I am Gerald Harris, Gerry to most people and my wife Dee, unless I have done something wrong, then it's Gerald.

Dee and I were both 28 and had been married for 6 years. Dee had mentioned children and I was on board with that. We both had decent jobs. I was a designer for a bespoke furniture producer, some of it was, how can we say, may have had more than one use if you were a little kinky, it was very expensive. Dee worked in an office for an advertising company in our small city.

Last week Dee got back later than usual from her girls' night out with a few work mates. I had met most of them occasionally over the years. They all seemed a nice bunch. It was nearly midnight. Normally she got in just before 11, as it was a Thursday night and she had work the following morning. I did not mind her girl's nights out at the start, it was only once a month, and she was very amorous the following day. I did ask her why and she admitted being ramped up when hit on when she was with her new best friend Lucy.

Lucy was a real live wire. I had met her once a few months ago just after she joined the company. The sort of person who is great for the first hour or so but then starts to grate on you and after 3 hours, one had had enough of the non-stop talking drivel, taking the piss out of people and the annoying laugh. The only time she was quiet was when she was dancing close with a bloke. Dee told me Lucy was divorced and was just having fun. No one mentioned why she was divorced.

It all changed one night. She was a little later, never mind that happens sometimes. As she came in she pulled her dress off and threw it in the wash basket in the corner of the bedroom and rushed to the shower. As she disappeared into the bathroom, she told me she had been standing with the vapers and smokers and she smelled and didn't want to come to bed smelly.

As I lay there, I thought back. The girl's night out was now 3 weeks out of 4. She was less amorous these days. The bedroom was dark, but I could swear she had on a very nice bra and panty set. It made her boobs look bigger, not that they sagged much, but they just looked, well bigger.

I got out of bed and took the dress from the wash basket. It was one I had not seen before, I could not see it properly, but it felt nice. I smelt it, I could not smell cigarette smoke or some of those strange vape smells. However, there was the faint sharp tang of aftershave favoured by men. This would take some looking into.

When she came from the bathroom she was naked and had her underwear bundled in her hand, which joined the dress. I would have to get a look in that basket as soon as I could. Her hair was wet. That was unlike her, she hates wet hair, I wondered why she washed it. Then I realised she would have to after standing with those people if they were smoking and vaping. But was she hiding something behind that excuse?

I was pretty sure she was.

But what to do about it?

Over dinner Friday evening I said to her. "You were a bit late last night?"

"Yeah, Lucy got a bit carried away. She latched on to a bloke and they went outside; he was a smoker. As it was getting on, I went to remind her we had work today, but I got caught up in their chat, then we couldn't get a taxi or uber for a while."

It sounded practiced.

I carried on. "I don't think I saw that dress you were wearing last night before? A new one?" I had checked the wash basket as soon as I could and the dress was missing and there was no underwear in it at all.

"That old thing, I've had it for years. Thought I would get it out for an airing. Did you like it?" She looked a tad concerned.

"I barely saw it." I lied. So it starts. The lying. If she wasn't, I was now.

"It's very comfortable, I might wear it again."

"Perhaps we could go out tomorrow night and you wear it for me then and maybe you have some sexy underwear for me?"

"We can go out tomorrow, but I had to put the dress in for dry cleaning. Someone spilt something nasty down it, I am not sure what it was. So, I thought dry cleaning was the best option. I will wear it for you later." She gave me her dazzling smile. "But I am sure I can find some underwear and stockings you will like, but you're going to have to be extra nice to me when we get in."

Normally that would have melted my heart and raised something else, I knew exactly what she was on about. I love going down on her. I am sure I will manage it tomorrow whilst I still have some doubts.

We had an excellent night, and a wonderful meal and got home early. I thought I recognised the underwear she was wearing but the stockings made her look fantastic.

I did spend quite a while back with my head buried between her thighs. She reciprocated by taking me all the way down her throat. It did cross my mind that she was practising with somebody else. We slept in late the following morning and even had gentle wake up sex.

Laying in bed awake whilst she went downstairs to put the coffee on. I decided I had to confirm my suspicions. I could not afford a private detective. So, I would have to do it myself, but how?

I am a pretty average looking chap 5 ft 9 ish, Blue eyes, brown hair, a bit long at the moment, clean shaven. Fairly fit, not fat, but not thin. I normally wear jeans and a sweatshirt even to work unless meeting a customer. As I said, average.

A plan formed in my head. A disguise, but what?

Right, first a look over the club she and Lucy said they went to. Fortunately Dee was not going out the next Thursday, so I said I was going to pop out for a pint with some chaps from work. She had a little moan as to why I could not do that on her Thursday nights out. I told her I would not be long, but did not answer her question.

I was correct, the club was dimly lit, but not as loud as I expected.

Then a look on the internet. I had to change the shape of my face, a beard. I wanted that scruffy not shaved for 2 weeks look, that would be too difficult and Dee would see through the disguise straight away. But I did start to grow a scruffy beard so I could shave it off. I settled for a goatee in a dark colour, not black. I wanted blonde, but the club was dark so a blond beard would not show up. Next hi-lift shoes. Again, an internet search, up to two inches would not stand out too much according to the blurb, they were a bit expensive, but I only needed them a few times then I could return them.

Once I had the shoes, clothes were next. A visit to the local charity shops, I had to wear the shoes to get used to them and get the correct length of trousers. I picked up a muted colour sports jacket and a shirt.

I did consider a cravat. That would probably draw attention to me. I was going for the slightly older, more mature look, but a cravat would be too much.

Dee did go out the next Thursday, but she was a bit quiet, and she told me she would not be as late as last time. Perhaps I was giving something away, I felt I was withdrawing from her. We had not been intimate much.

I made the effort to dispel her worries the following week and I put a lot of effort into it. That was good, because if she was cheating it would be the end of my sex life for a while.

I took a risk for her next night out. I took the day off from work, but told Dee I was going to be late and I would not see her before she went out and to enjoy herself on her night with Lucy and the girls.

I had a haircut, shaved, and dyed my hair to be the same colour as the beard. I even added a few grey streaks for that distinguished look. Hi-lift shoes, jacket, beard and I even got a pair of glasses slightly tinted form one of the charity shops. They could not be too dark otherwise I would not be able to see.

I looked in the mirror, not bad, but it was a good job it was dark in the club.

I beat them to the club. Dee was wearing that dress again and it looked like the underwear that enhanced her figure. She did look good, but there again so did Lucy and the others. They bagged themselves a booth. I watched them dance together and with a few blokes for a while. Then at about 9 o'clock two chaps walked up and sat down with them, one next to Dee the other next to a girl I thought was single. They looked very familiar. The chap next to Dee was her boss, whose name I had forgotten. They were familiar in other ways too, with the way they kissed. I must admit he was a good looking man. A bit older than us and married with 2 kids if I remember correctly.

I was only going to watch to see what happened, but I got carried away. I wanted to see if I could hear anything so when Dee got up to dance with her boss, I asked a girl to dance. I managed to manoeuvre her close to Dee and her boss, but could not hear a bloody thing. But I did catch Dee giving me the odd look. Perhaps the disguise wasn't working after all.

I was walking back from the toilet when I bumped into one of Dee's work mates. Sharon I think her name was. Good looking slightly older woman, married I think. She knocked my drink from my hand. She apologised and offered to buy me another, I declined, but she insisted. I had a Vodka and coke. I had been drinking plain coke before.

Then she asked me to dance, it would look strange to be in a club like this and refuse a good looking woman a dance. We had one, the next was a slow one, a bit early in the evening for one of those I thought. I wondered if all the women were on the pull? One way to find out. As I held Sharon, I slid my hand down lower than her husband would like. She pulled it up and said in my ear. "You're a good looking bloke, polite and not a bad dancer, but that belongs to my old man, so don't get any ideas"

Phew.

I could see Dee and her boss, now his hands were definitely in a place her husband would not approve and she did not move them, she was also grinding herself against him.

Towards the end of the dance Sharon pulled back, looked at me in the face and said. "Do I know you? You seem familiar."

I replied in my best posh-ish voice. "I don't think so, they say we all have doppelgangers out there somewhere." She left it at that. We had another dance, a faster one this time. I saw Dee's boss dancing with another woman, he was sharing himself around a bit. When we finished, Sharon pulled me towards the table where Dee, her boss and her work mates were. She invited me to join them. I declined because the lights were too bright in the booth. My disguise would not hold up. I tried to stand behind Sharon. A few of the girls looked at me and so did Dee. Her brow was furrowed.

I excused myself. I watched from afar. I saw Dee take her phone out of her handbag and walk towards the toilet.

I ran to the front door, my phone rang and it was Dee. I got as far away from the club as I could. I wanted to answer it, not let it go to voicemail.

"Hi Babe, how is your night going?" I asked.

"Fine, how's yours?"

"Great, finished work on time."

"Lovely, where are you?"

"At home, why is something wrong? Do you want me to join you or pick you up?"

"No, it's all fine. I was just wondering if you finished work yet?"

"No just waiting for my wife to come home so we can have some fun."

"Sorry dear, going to be a bit late, it's Sharon's birthday. But I promise tomorrow night will be unforgettable."

"I look forward to it. Wish Sharon a Happy Birthday from me."

"Will do, got a rush, love you."

"Love you too." We both hung up. I headed back into the club.

The devil got into me.

I saw what Sharon had been drinking. I ordered one and walked across to the table. I was standing behind them, obscured by Dee's boss. I heard Lucy say loudly over the music. "Go on, have a bit of fun again we won't tell will we girls?"

Dee replied. "I don't know, I think Gerry is getting suspicious, he's been asking lots of questions recently."

"Come on Dee, Gerry is lovely but a little dull, isn't he?"

I was hoping Dee would stand up for me, she didn't. That stung.

Lucy carried on. "Ralph's got his Jag here. There is plenty of room in the back of that like the other week. Don't worry, it's just a bit of fun. Only us girls know." She laughed. "And the boss of course."

I heard Sharon say. "A bit of fun, is that how you got divorced."

I didn't hear the reply.

Ralph, that was his name.

I moved around Ralph, trying to stay in the shadow. I placed the drink in front of Sharon and said. "I gather birthday wishes are in order. Happy Birthday." With that I turned and walked away. From a distance I saw the confusion on everyone's face.

They seemed to get over it, but Dee had a slight frown for a few seconds. Then Ralph took her hand and kissed her full on the lips then he said something to the girls, and they walked out. I managed to get between them and the door, as they walked past me nodded to them. After they left, I got my phone out. Pulled up the camera app. I videoed them getting into the back of the Jaguar. I got close enough to see it through the windscreen. The sides were tinted. But I got enough video to see exactly what was going on. The car rocking on its suspension helped. He must have been giving it some.

I managed to video Dee getting out on the far side of the car. Away from the door Of the club, putting her knickers back on. They stood there kissing for a little while. I made my way back into the club. Again, they passed me. In my posh voice I said as they passed me. "That looked like fun, hope your other halves don't find out."

They both looked at me, Ralph smiled, Dee did not.

It was time for me to go home. But I walked around the Jaguar first.

I got home and did some editing of the videos I had taken. I turned the lights out and sat, waiting. I put the reading light on behind me. When Dee got in all she'd see was a shadow.

I heard her key in the door. She opened it and saw the light on and the glow of the television. But there were no pictures on it.

"Hello sweetie, why are you sitting here in the dark?"

"Just waiting for my ex-wife to turn up."

I could see the look of confusion on her face. "But you don't have an ex-wife."

"But I will soon." And with that, I turned the living room light on. I sat there in the disguise. Her jaw fell open. I flicked the remote control of the television. And you could see her getting into the back of the Jaguar.

"No, no. No, it's not what it looks like."

"So, this is what it looks like then, is it?"

I pressed the remote-control button again. And you could plainly see her having sex in the back of the Jaguar. That was when she fainted. I picked her up and laid her on the sofa. I got the divorce petition out that I had printed off earlier. I had already signed it and placed it in front of her.

I pressed send on the email that I had prepared whilst waiting for her. All hell would let loose at work tomorrow, if not sooner.

I picked up her phone and held it in front of her face. It unlocked. A dialled Lucy. "Hi, this is a bit late. Anything wrong?"

"Oh yes," I replied.

"Shit." was all I heard.

"You've got two options. You can ignore your friend and she'll sleep on my front doorstep tonight. Or you can come and pick her up. May I suggest before you do, you look at the email you have just received. And look at the addresses I have sent the videos to. Goodbye."

Then I went and got the suitcase I had packed for her earlier. She was still out.

Epilogue.

15 minutes later. Lucy turned up as I was helping Dee out of the house, the front passenger door of her car opened and Ralph ran into my fist and collapsed on the floor. I helped put a crying Dee into the back of Lucy's car. Ralph needed some help too, there was blood everywhere. He would need a lift as his Jaguar wouldn't work too well with three flat tyres. I helped him into the front of Lucy's car, slammed the door and walked away.

Perhaps I could explore what folk were doing with some of the stranger furniture I was making. I'm sure I will meet some interesting people.