The indecent Proposal (Short Story/Fiction)

Kate and I were waiting for our respective spouses at a restaurant lounge. The four of us would go out once a month or so. It was my turn to pick the venue, and I picked a place not far from where I worked in the city, which meant we had some time to kill.

"Hey Kate?" I asked, "Do you remember that movie, Indecent Proposal, with Robert Redford?"

"Sure."

"What would you do?"

"With Robert Redford? How he looked twenty something years ago? I would for a lot less than a million dollars."

"How much? And what if it wasn't him?"

"I don't know, having stacks of cash sure would be nice. But, to cheat on my husband, it would take a whole big bag full of money, at least enough to pay off a bunch of debts. If I paid off the mortgage, he'd forgive me."

"I don't want the personal details, but 'half a mil.' would cover it, right?"

"You are asking? or trying to set me up?"

"Purely hypothetical, just killing time. But $500K would do it for you?"

"I guess. What about you, how much to cheat on your wife?"

"I don't know. But if it were enough to pay off all our debts I think she'd film it, or join in!"

"That would mean she knew about it. That wasn't the question, how much to cheat?"

"That wasn't the scenario in the movie."

"But, that's the hypothetical I presented."

"It wouldn't matter how much, if I cheated, she'd divorce me. You're asking how much would it take to end my marriage."

"Everyone has a price, how much? More than a million?"

"It doesn't matter, I'm happy, and I wouldn't be happier if I was rich but divorced."

"Seriously, are you telling me she doesn't have a price? Some amount that if you told her after the fact that you cheated, but got paid, maybe not that she'd be ok with it, but that she'd forgive you?"

"I suppose, but that isn't the scenario either, I don't think she has a price for that, you asked me mine. I don’t want to cause her pain and I wouldn't risk her wrath, not for money."

"Think bigger Jeff, Warren Buffet money, imagine enough that you could fund philanthropies, save failing schools, throw cash at animal shelters and public radio."

"I don't know."

"Think of the starving children Jeff, the homeless puppies, they are so sad! How could you not take the deal and do the deed? How would she not forgive you?"

"Ok, ok, I get it. fifteen million, but the point is moot, what woman would pay to have sex with me? I'm not tall and gorgeous like you are. I'm just an average guy."

"Who said a woman? I thought the scenario was how much to cheat with early 1990's Robert Redford?"

Beer shot from my nose, I was laughing so hard. "Dammit Kate, I'm sorry, did I get you?"

"No, I managed to dodge the spray. Would it take more than fifteen to do The Great Gatsby?"

"Oh no, that's entirely different, would take a lot less."

"Really, I didn't know you swung that way."

"I so don't. And Lilly knows that. She would know it's just for the puppies. Heck, she'd think I'm some sort of hero, sacrificing so much for a good cause. It wouldn't strain our marriage at all. five million, one for me, four for the puppies and starving children, plus twenty bucks for condoms, lube, and mouthwash."

"Wow."

"Wow, what? I wouldn't want to risk injury or disease."

"Not that, you're so devoted, you really love Lilly."

"Well yea, that's why I married her."

A waitress came, we ordered another round.

         

"You've never even been tempted? No one else has caught your eye?"

"I'm married, not dead. I like looking; for example, I think our waitress is exceptionally attractive, but wherever I work up my appetite, I 'dine' at home."

"She's a lucky woman."

"The waitress? Do you think that hourglass figure of hers is just luck? That she was just blessed with it like you were? It's far more likely that she spent countless hours in the gym, or under the knife, or both. Or is she lucky because of how hungrily I'm looking at her? She might like the attention, or she might think it's creepy. In either case; I am trying to be discrete. I don't want to disturb her."

"Not the waitress, you goof, Lilly."

"Maybe. I tend to think that I'm the lucky one in our relationship."

"Does she know that you have a wandering eye?"

"Sure, I'd tell her if I see someone I like, we'd 'use' that."

"What do you mean? If you see someone you fancy you'd just let Lilly know, then take her home? I thought you said you wouldn’t cheat."

"No, and that wouldn’t be cheating, it’s never happened; but, if I told her about bringing home our waitress, and I had Lilly’s ‘OK’, it wouldn’t be cheating. It would, technically, be adultery, but I don't care about that. Only if I deceive Lilly is it cheating. Regardless; that’s not what I’m talking about. If I saw someone I found particularly attractive, I’d tell Lilly about it and we’d, umm... you know, role play.  I'd have her dress up as a waitress, that sort of stuff. Act out our fantasies. Just like everyone else does…” 

"Not everyone else does..."

"You and Rick don't do that? I mean I know not everyone does the costumes and wigs and stuff, but everyone fantasizes..."

“Lilly’s okay with that? about you thinking about someone else when you’re with her?”

“I don’t think of anyone else, I know it’s Lilly under the wig and makeup, that she's doing it for me, that's part of the turn on. Someone else might be inspiration, but only Lilly is in my head at the time.”

We paused our conversation as the waitress delivered our drinks.

"Anyone I know?" She asked coyly over the rim of her glass, her blue eyes locked onto mine.

"Wha…What?" I stammered.

"The costumes and wigs, does she dress up like anyone I know?" She asked as she twirled her finger through her raven tresses.

"Umm..." I hesitated. “Wonder Woman?”

“Gadot? Or Carter?”

“Definitely Carter.” I said, the image of a tall, gorgeous, ebon haired, curvy woman with eyes the color of lapis, in my mind

“When did you see Lynda Carter walking around?”

“I didn’t, but someone reminded me of her…”

“You’re intentionally avoiding my question. Do you fantasize about anyone I know?”

“You’re intentionally trying to make me uncomfortable.”

“Guilty as charged, it’s fun, answer the question.”

“I’ll take 'the fifth'. If you want to talk to Lilly about this, and if she wants to tell you, she can. She would even lend you wardrobe if you want, but I’m not talking…”

“Don’t be a prude…”

“I wonder when everyone else is going to get here, our table won’t be held much past our reservation time.”

“Evasion…”

“Yup!” I got out my cell phone and started texting. “Lilly just parked, she will be here in a couple of minutes…”

Kate also checked her phone. “Rick’s stuck in traffic, he said to start without him.” She put her phone away. “Hey Jeff, go buy a lottery ticket, actually go buy two, here’s a dollar.”

“Okay, but why now?”

“I feel lucky. When we win, I’m taking you to bed. I need about half a million dollars for Rick to forgive me, and I’ve only got from now until he gets here to convince Lilly to either let me have you, or join in, or both. So hurry up.”

“You’re a tease.”

“I am not.” She waved towards the entrance. “There’s Lilly, I’ll start working on her while you run to the corner bodega. Meet us at the table.”

“Jesus Kate, I can't stand up now.”

“I’m flattered, drape your jacket over your arm and hold it in front of you, no one will see…now go!”

I don’t usually buy lottery tickets. I never wanted to win more than I did that night.