Ashley's New Job

"You went to a strip club and picked up or got picked up by some guys?"

She looked at me like a deer in the headlights, only a bit confused.

"Guys? Picked them up? NO. I went and...stripped." "Stripped? That's all? You stripped?"

"That's all? We agreed to wait and think about it and as soon as you left town I was planning my adventure. Ann even helped to cover for me. She even came to the club to watch my dance too."

"Ah...so it was her I saw last night on the news."

"WHAT?"

"I saw a program on the news station about that club. I thought I saw a woman that looked exactly like Ann going in. It was just a glimpse, but the club was the largest and the only with men and women dancers."

"Oh God. You saw Ann? Look, don't be mad at her. She truly isn't feeling well. She insisted on coming along. She even thought it would be good for her to get out a bit and see some lights."

"Well, seeing you in the lights anyway. So...how did you do? How did it feel for you? Was it everything you expected it to be? Those men, grabbing at you, throwing money at you...all you thought it would be?"

"I...well...yes and no. I loved stripping for them. I was on such a rush dancing in a room full of men, them dressed and me naked. They really loved me too Doug. I picked up over a thousand bucks in tips. I...danced several times. I'm sorry Doug. I should never have done this without your knowledge and permission or blessing. It was wrong and I screwed up."

"It's not like you fucked a bunch of them is it now? All you did was dance...right?"

"Uh...well...I did some lap dances too."

"What? LAP DANCES?"

"Don't shout please Doug. Yes. I did about ten lap dances too. It was scary, but still it got me hotter than hell. The only thing better would have been if you had been there to take care of me afterwards."

"So...who did take care of you afterwards?"

"DOUG. I never...I mean...no man had me. Ann and I went home together. Only us, nobody else. I never fucked around on you at all."

"No man?"

Ashley blushed a deep red. She shook her head side to side as if denying what she was about to tell me. Then she spilled it all out. "Ann and I...that is to say...we...well, I started it but we..."

"You and Ann made love?"

"Yeah...well not made love, fucked and sucked each other though. Several times."

"Fucked?"

"I...bought a...God I can't believe this now...I bought a strap-on at the club's bookstore. As we were leaving I already knew that Ann was hot as I was. We had kissed once already...I just..."

"You bought a strap-on? You aren't planning on using it on someone else are you?"

"What? What do you mean?"

"I mean, you're not planning on using it on me are you?"

"Uh...no...but now that you mention it..."

"Well, forget it. Not interested in that at all."

Ashley could see that I wasn't mad now. I was still thanking my lucky stars that she hadn't fucked around on me. I was a bit hurt that she had done this stripping thing without talking to me before hand, or at least just telling me. Her sneaking around to do this bothered me quite a bit. It didn't bode well for other things now.

"Look, what I did was wrong Doug. I'm sorry now that I did this at all without you being involved. I...have more to say though. You aren't going to like it at all either."

I froze up again. Had she cheated on me anyway then?

"Doug...they offered me a job. They told me that I was a natural and with my good looks I would be great at stripping as a pro. I told them I would."

"Think about it. You told them you would think about it right?"

"No, I told them I would. I accepted their offer. I start next Thursday. Main attraction too. I guess I was better than I thought I would be."

"Ashley, I can't believe you said you would work for them like that. What about me? What about us? No...I can't accept this. You can't dance for them. I refuse to believe that you would do this without at least talking to me about it. I do not want you dancing period."

"Hey, I'm not some property you can order around. I have a mind and an education by the way. I am a grown woman and I can do what I want. I want to do this so I am going to do it. That's that. My mind is made up."

She had jumped up as she got into being mad at me. I was stunned and shocked. I laid there, wondering what in the hell I was going to do now. Even standing there naked and angry as she was at me, she was beautiful. I could see that our marriage was in danger, serious danger.

"Ashley, our marriage is a partnership. We are best friends. I wouldn't do anything to hurt you intentionally, so why are you doing this to me? To us?"

"I don't see what the big deal is Doug. You yourself just as much as said that it was cool that I danced last night. I want to strip. I'm good at it. I love the feeling it gives me. I'm going to do it. What about what I want? How I feel? Can't you see that I want to do this?"

"Even if it costs you our marriage?"

"What? What are you saying Doug?"

"I'm saying that if you go to work Thursday it had better not be a strip or dance club. It had better be a place where you are going to use your degree in engineering. I have never given you an ultimatum before Ashley, but I am now. If you start stripping as a job we will be in divorce court. I cannot have a wife that won't be honest with me and you have gone beyond that quite a bit."

"YOU are giving ME an ultimatum? Here's an ultimatum for you buddy. I'm going to strip at the club like it or not. If you don't like it then fine. We're done."

She got dressed, grabbed her bags and walked out on me. It was early in day yet and she went straight to the airport and flew home. I sat in the hotel room and stewed. If I left to try to talk her out of this, which I was finding out would probably be impossible, I would screw up my future with my employer.

I knew that flying home would mean the end of my promotion, and maybe even my job. Ashley had made it abundantly clear that her new ‘career' was more important than I was or our marriage. I dressed and then went down to the lounge and proceeded to get on my lips drunk.

I crawled into my room at closing time and slept through the day Sunday. I figured that my marriage was over, and it had happened so fast I still was having a hard time seeing it. I moped around the rest of the day Sunday and didn't bother trying to call Ashley.

Monday, I worked with the client and we got an amazing amount of work done considering that my thoughts were not on the job. I was miserable but mad enough to not bend enough to try to contact my wife.

That night the client invited me to dinner and I went out with them. It was a nice evening and had Ashley and I not been in the biggest fight of our marriage, I would have probably enjoyed it a lot more. By Wednesday we had finished up everything and I was free to go home. I flew home, not having called or even trying to call my wife. I grabbed a cab home and as I walked in the door the first thing I noticed was the house was quiet.

Going into our bedroom I saw Ashley's dresser drawers open...and empty. Her closet was empty too. She had meant what she said and she was gone. I was alone in a home meant for two people. All by myself.

I unpacked and made myself a little lunch. I was surprised that there was still food in the place yet. I checked with the bank and strangely, all my money was still there, and so was the savings. She hadn't touched it yet then.

Sitting around the rest of the day I felt like shit. I questioned my whole attitude towards Ashley now. Still, deep down I thought that I could never accept my wife being a stripper. I slept the sleep of the doomed, tossing and turning, having nightmares that were forgettable, but enough to keep me half awake.

The next day I drug into work and finished up the loosed ends on the new contracts I had just nailed down. Everyone but me was happy and in great spirits. I hung around till quitting time then drove home to my empty house.

I saw that there were several messages on the answering machine. I played them back. The first was Ashley asking if I was alright.

"Yeah...just fucking dandy."

The second was Ashley saying that we needed to talk.

"Haven't we talked already? Your mind is already made up it appears. I can't accept your dancing as a stripper and you don't want me anymore because of that."

The third was Ann. She wanted me to come over to her place and ‘talk'.

"Yeah...talk me into keeping my marriage together while my wife does whatever the hell she wants regardless of my feelings."

There were more messages, but I was through. I went to the bar in the living room and proceeded to get shit faced again. I passed out on the couch and in the morning I called in sick. I really was too. Massively. And I was talking to myself...out loud too.

I noticed that there were about ten new messages on the answering machine now. All from Ashley, each getting more and more desperate than the last. What the hell was it with her? She as much as tells me to go to hell that she is going to do what she wants and then moves all her stuff out of the house.

Now, she wants to ‘talk'? Fuck that. Fuck her. We had gotten along so well I had never seen this coming. Better to know now than later. I felt like I had already wasted our years together. I was angry and hurt and had no way to deal with it except go get drunk...again.

Saturday came and I laid around the house, not wanting to do a damn thing. The dishes had piled up, as had dirty clothes and garbage, so I cleaned house. I got done in the early afternoon and decided to go out to a local bar and...you guessed it...go get drunk.

I called a cab, knowing that I would be in no condition to drive later, and went into the closest bar. Two hours later they kicked me out.

"Man, you are way too blasted to be in here buddy. Take it home and fix your problem before it fixes you."

The bartender had just given me the best advice he could ever have thought of, but I was too drunk and still to angry to hear it. I heard the words mind you...just not the intent. The cab dropped me home and I stumbled up the walk.

The sidewalk that my wife and I had poured in, working hard over three weekends to get everything just right...so long ago it seemed. I went in the front door...the door that we had both chosen together and then installed. The trials of learning about carpentry and door squaring that had driven us both to extreme ends before that job was done.

Everywhere I looked I saw projects or remembered things that we had done together. I realized that this house had too many memories for me now. If we were going to get divorced, then I would have to get rid of this place and find some other place to call home.

Long nights and days followed. Ashley kept calling, but would not stop by. That spoke volumes to me too. She cared she said, but not enough to come over and talk to her husband face to face. Even bringing a friend over for backup. Had she ever loved me? Had it all been a charade?

Two long weeks went by. I got my promotion and a much larger office. I got a huge pay raise, and even a big bonus too. It should have been a great and fun time to be me. Slowly I was coming to realize that without Ashley I was only a shell. I wondered...did she feel the same way? Did she miss me or was I just a past pain and she had release now?

My boss figured out that something was wrong with Ashley and I and he began to work on me trying to get me to talk to him. I shut down even further at each attempt. My nightly drinking was becoming a problem...that much I knew.

People had been calling but I had quit looking at the answering machine totally. The only phone calls I had were those I made for take out or cabs to go drinking. I was shutting down and becoming a hermit. I knew that someday I would have to finally make a move on my marriage and other things...I just couldn't see myself ready yet.

One night, it was a Friday, I went out and ended up in front of that club. Just behind that door my wife was probably dancing and making out with other men. She was probably enjoying herself and her freedom. I hung around for a bit, then, curious about it all I finally went in to see what had caused my marriage to self destruct.

Getting inside I saw that there were three dancers at a time on various stages doing their routines. Men getting table dances here and there. Over in the corner, lap dances in a line of chairs. I went up to the central bar, where I could look around the whole club and see if my wife was dancing or not.

The bartender gave me a funny look when I sat down. Serving me my drink he hung around close by. He tried to strike up a conversation with me but I was not talkative. I was here for one reason only. One that I didn't really want to see either.

Suddenly, one of the bouncers came up to me.

"Doug?"

"Yeah? How do you know my name?"

"We know quite a bit about you. You need to come with me."

"What...kicking me out?"

He gave me a funny look then shook his head.

"No man. I'm supposed to take you back to the office. The boss wants to talk to you."

"Oh really? What...he wants to thank me for Ashley? Fuck off."

I was getting mad now. The hurt, the anger, the loneliness, it was all adding up. Now, with all the drinking I had been doing it was a wonder that I hadn't ended up dead or in jail yet. I was headed there...all over a woman. I hated it. I hated what I had become.

The bouncer grabbed my arm and pulled me along behind him. I followed, not sure why I was wanted in the office and curious enough to want to find out how big a whore my wife had become.

He guided me into the office and offered me a chair. Sitting down I looked around and saw pictures of all the dancers adorning the walls. I found a Ashley's right in the middle and it was somewhat larger and lit up. She looked so sexy in her pose, my heart tweaked, tears threatened me too.

I still loved my wife. I couldn't understand why she had done what she had done to us yet and that made it all the harder for me. She looked so hot and sexy, any man would kill to have her. Was I so wrong in not wanting her to dance? Was that too much to ask of a wife? Keep something private just for me?

I sat there and having already had a few drinks at home before starting out tonight, and then a few at the bar before the bouncer took me back here, I fell asleep. It was warm in the office and I was a bit tired having not been sleeping well anyway.

I don't know how long I slept but suddenly a loud noise creased my consciousness. I opened my eyes everything a bit fuzzy. I could have sworn that Ann was sitting behind the desk I was in front of. I rubbed my eyes and opened them again.

"So Doug. You finally came to the club. Took you long enough. Ashley has been worried sick about you. Do you know she has been losing sleep over you?"

"Oh really? She cares about me? Cares enough to call but not drop by her husbands house? The place where up until a few weeks ago she used to live too? Cares enough to not hurt her husband by dancing and stripping? Cares enough about me? Go bullshit someone else Ann. I'm outta here."

In my half awake state I didn't even think about why Ann was sitting behind that desk. Her next statement shocked me to my core.

"Sit back down Doug. You were brought in here because you need to understand things. Ashley is the best dancer I have working for me. She is also my best friend. You mean as much to me as she does in many ways. If she isn't happy then neither am I. She is not happy. It's all because of your fight and her leaving you."

"Working for YOU? YOU own this club Ann? Now I can see everything much more clearly. Well, if she wants to talk to me or whatever, she knows where I live. See ya later Ann."

I had not one sliver of an idea that Ann would have been or was an owner of a strip club. I had thought she was a business woman that owned a clothing store or something. No wonder Ashley had gotten so worked up about this stripping thing. Ann had probably put a lot of ideas into her head while Ashley had been taking care of her.

I walked out and nobody stopped me. I called a cab and as I was leaving I looked up on the stage to see Ashley. Men crowded around her as she did a real hot dance. The cab was honking and I lingered only a bit before turning to walk out.

Behind me I heard a commotion and suddenly Ashley was grabbing my arm.

"Doug...don't leave. We need to talk. Please...stay for a bit. I love you. Doug...don't go."

I shrugged her off and walked out. I barely caught my cab and as I slid in I was shoved hard across the seat. The bouncer had come out and shoved me over. He then told the cab driver to hold up for another passenger.

"NO...just go. I am alone."

"Buddy...you are well on you way to screwing up your life. Driver, wait around. There will be two more passengers. I'm paying, so you take orders from me, not this drunk idiot."

"Fuck you asshole. I am not that drunk and I came here alone and I'm leaving alone. If anyone else wants to come they know where I live if I care enough to see them. GO driver."

The bouncer gave up. He sighed and then as the door closed he called me an idiot that didn't know his head from a hole in the ground. As the driver pulled out I looked back and saw Ashley and Ann running out of the club. It was too late. We were gone in traffic.

I got dropped at home, tipping the cabby a big tip for having had to put up with a drunk. He left with a smile and not one word. I stumbled into the house and passed out on the couch. I came to with noises in the house. Someone was in the place with me. I got up and looked around.

Walking up to the door of the kitchen I found Ann and Ashley making up a dinner. They didn't see me as I hung back in the shadows. The table was set for three, and it was well on the way to being served. I went into the bathroom and then, deciding to be an ass, took a shower. A long hot one. A real long hot shower.

The pounding on the door was ignored. Then the shouts. I didn't care if the house burnt down. I was not going out there with them. I had nothing to say anyway. Ashley had always only had to come home and talk. Yet, she hadn't. Phone calls and that was all. She hadn't tried very hard to help me understand her.

Soon the water got cold and I had to get out. I toweled off and dressed, having laid out some fresh clothes when I came in. It was quiet in the house so I assumed that they had given up and left. I walked out into an ambush.

Two big bouncers had me in their grip before I knew what the hell was going on. They drug me into the livingroom and then proceeded to tie me up. I was on a hard dining room chair, tied up tight in one package. Looked like I had no choice in this now.

"Thanks guys. I owe you big."

"Hey Ann, you're the best boss we've ever had. We'd kill for you. It was our pleasure to do this favor."

When he said ‘kill for you' he looked right at me with a glare. The other guy didn't make any facial movements or anything. He stood there being very intimidating.

"If you have any brains left buddy, you will listen to these two ladies very carefully. They care about you whether you believe it or not."

I sat there quietly. The fight was out of me now anyway. I had been acting a bit childish and just wanted to get this over with and find the end.

"Doug, the reason I never came home to you was I was afraid. I thought you might be angry enough to hurt me."

"BULLSHIT Ashley. I've never hit or even thought of hitting you. You know better than that."

"You've been drinking a lot. People that are drunk can act way different than when they are sober. I had to be sure that I didn't give you a chance to ruin everything for us by getting violent with me. That would have destroyed us for sure."