Tom never realised that arriving home early would change his life for ever...

Changes

Chapter 1

By Susan Brown

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I arrived home tired, irritable and in need of a drink. Parking the car in the drive next to Olivia’s, my feet crunched up the gravel drive, to the front door.

The journey home had been its normal horrendous stop-start on the M25. I had been doing it for seven years now and things hadn’t improved despite the road widening schemes.

Working eight plus hours in the office for a company that cared little for me or my co-workers, left me jaded at the end of each day and the journey just added to the fun that was now my life.

As I opened the front door, all I wanted was a hug a kiss and a cheery smile from my wife, and then I would go upstairs to change into a dress or something at least a lot more feminine than the shapeless man’s suit I had to wear at the office.

Olivia used to love my dressing; we had great times in and out of bed and we had a network of friends that shared our type of lifestyle. All that gradually ended about a year ago now. Olivia started to go cold on me and stopped going to events; finally withdrawing into herself. We hadn’t had sex in ten months now and we were gradually drifting apart; I didn’t know what to do about it. I loved my wife and I would do almost anything to turn our lives around I tried to discuss things with her, but she refused to talk about it–only saying that living with me was like having a lesbian relationship and she had to think things through. I even said that I would stop dressing, but she gave me a pitying smile, knowing as I do that it wouldn’t work.

Walking up to the front door, I fished the keys out of my pocket. Arriving home early meant that neither of us would be tired. She worked at the local library and was normally home by 4.30 at the latest. Perhaps for once, we could discuss our problems without being too knackered to have a meaningful conversation.
 
 
The reason I had finished a bit early today was that I had some work to do at home prior to a meeting, early tomorrow at a London hotel. Our company liked meetings and I spent large amounts of my time attending them. Nothing was ever done or decided at these meeting. Some of my colleagues really enjoyed going to them–business networking, it’s called. I found nearly all of them boring and the only thing that seemed to happen was the exchange of a large number of business cards with people who wanted to sell themselves and didn’t really listen to what you were saying.

I opened the door and said, ‘Hello?’

It was quiet; maybe she was upstairs somewhere.

I went up the carpeted stairs and had a look in the bathroom, all was quiet. I was just about to shout hello again, when I heard some giggling from the spare bedroom.

Going over to the door quietly with a smile on my face, thinking that I might surprise Olivia, I opened it…

The smile wiped off my face as I saw her naked on the bed with a man astride her. They didn’t realise I was there–being in the throes of energetic and noisy sex. The man was about my age–30, and was slim with blond hair. I could have gone over to them, confronted them and made a hell of a row, but I didn’t. I looked at them for a few moments feeling numb and confused and then quietly closed the door.

Going to our bedroom, I took down two suitcases, I packed a large selection of clothes, shoes and other necessities and then, picking up some personal stuff from the safe, I left the room, passing the spare bedroom as I heard some more giggles and moans–they were oblivious to the world and my presence. I tried not to picture my wife in bed with somebody else, just wondering how long she had been cheating on me. Going downstairs, I picked up my wallet, phone and keys from the kitchen table and went out; closing the door behind me for what I knew would be the last time.

Driving off, I glanced at the house in the rear view mirror. I had tears in my eyes, I loved her but she no longer loved me. It wasn’t fair and life–as far as I was concerned–stank.

Not knowing where to go, I just drove. After about an hour, I found myself on a dual carriageway coming up to a roundabout, I saw a Little Chef restaurant and pulled in.

I sat a table and waited for a coffee and toasted teacake, I wasn’t hungry but hoped that putting something in my stomach might make the sick feeling I had, go away.

My phone rang. Picking it up, I saw that it was Olivia.

‘Hello?’

‘Tom, where are you.’

'On my way to a meeting, I’m going to be away for a few days.’

‘You didn’t tell me.’

And you didn’t tell me you were shagging another bloke in our house.

‘I left a message on the answer machine.’

‘You know that’s playing up. When will you be home?’

‘Not sure yet ’cause it’s a big deal and I’m needed to smooth things over.’

‘Oh…when will you let me know?’

‘Know what?’

‘When you are coming home?’

Does it matter, you have another man now, why don’t you go and make love to him again!

‘I’m not sure; I’ll let you know as soon as I do.’

‘It’s funny, I thought I heard your car in the drive but when I got to the window, nothing was there.’

‘Look, I’ve got to go now; I’ll contact you when I can.’

‘Tom, are you all right, you sound a bit funny.’

Not half as funny as you did as he screwed you!

‘I…I’m fine; just tired. I have to go now, bye.’

‘Okay, drive safely, Bye.’

As if you care!

I switched the phone off, not wanting to have any more calls and ate my tea cake. After finishing that and my drink, I paid my bill and was soon back in the car.

I sat there for ages, unable to decide what to do. My marriage was finished and I was in a job that I hated. Still in shock, numb at the events of the last few hours, I was probably not in the best frame of mind to make any sort of decision about my life–but I did, anyway.

I was a bit old fashioned and didn’t have a satnav, just a good old road atlas. I opened it at the page that showed the whole of the UK mainland, shut my eyes and jabbed my finger down on the page. Opening my eyes I smiled because my finger had landed in the middle of the North Sea.

Trying again, I looked where my finger had landed this time and smiled, South Devon, near the Cornish border, Penmarris Cove. It looked like a small fishing village–that would be where I would try to rebuild my life.

‘That’ll do.’ I said, starting the car and following the signposts that said West Country.

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To Be Continued...

Please leave comments...thanks!
My thanks also go out to the brilliant and lovely Gabi for editing and pulling the story into shape!~Sue