Read Online Tales From a Hen Weekend by Olivia Ryan - Free Book Online Page A

local sixth form college so he’s at the gym a lot during the daytime in the holidays. I started going there more often when I knew he’d be there. We got into the habit of having coffee afterwards every time. It wasn’t hurting anyone, was it? I felt so much better, looking forward to seeing Andy, having a chat and a laugh with him, feeling like someone was interested in me. Then one day he asked me to go out for a drink with him in the evening.
    I knew this was a turning point. If I crossed that invisible line, I was making myself available for an affair. And I wanted to – desperately.
    That evening, when Richard got home from work, I’d already put the kids to bed early. I put on soft music, turned down the lights, lit all the candles and cooked his favourite dinner. I served it wearing a black negligee with nothing on underneath.
    He ate his dinner slowly, watching me carefully, without saying a word. When he’d finished I poured him some more wine and pulled him over to the sofa. I undid the negligee and sat astride his lap, put my arms round him, undid his collar and tie, started kissing his neck and his chest. Still he didn’t say a word. I pushed him onto his back and dangled my boobs in his face. Hold them. Suck them , I was saying. Take me. For Christ’s sake, Richard, fuck me! I grabbed his hand, pressed it against me, tried to take hold of him , but he wasn’t even hard. Please, Richard! Please! I begged, starting to cry.
    ‘What’s the matter?’ he asked, tonelessly, as if he wasn’t even remotely interested.
    What’s the matter? I need you! I need you to want me! I don’t even care if you can’t do it – if there’s something wrong with you, if you can’t do it any more, it doesn’t matter, but I need you to at least WANT to!
    He looked away from me and shrugged. That shrug made me so angry, I nearly hit him. I wanted to tell him: This was your last chance. If you wanted me, I wouldn’t go to someone else. Instead, I got up, got dressed, blew out the candles, put on the lights.
    ‘I’m going out,’ I told him, and went to meet Andy.
    He turned on the TV as I went out of the door.
    We’ve never discussed it since. Does he know I’m seeing someone else? He surely must have guessed. In a way, I’ve got even less respect for him because of this – although it does at least mean I don’t have to lie to him, as he never asks any questions.
    Perhaps I should leave him. Andy wants me to, but I’ve got the kids to think about. They adore Richard, and as I say, he’s a great dad, and a good husband too in lots of ways.
    So now you know. To be honest it’s a relief to talk about it.
    Perfect Rick? The perfect Prick? Ha! You must be bloody joking.

ABOUT DUBLIN
     
    ‘D’you think he’s a closet gay?’ says Emily. ‘You hear about these things, don’t you. They get married because they want a family and respectability, but they don’t really want a woman.’
    ‘Or perhaps he just doesn’t like sex very much at all,’ says Jude. ‘Poor Lisa. Who’d ever have thought it?’
    Emily yawns and looks at the clock. It’s half past two. Apparently Lisa went to sleep as soon as she fell into bed – tired herself out with talking – so Emily came round to our room and we’ve been sitting here talking about it ever since. We’ve used up all the little sachets of tea, coffee and milk in the room and have all completely sobered up.
    I still can’t believe my sister’s having an affair.
    ‘She’s always been such a kind of shining example . I thought she was better than me at everything.’
    ‘Maybe she is!’ laughs Emily. ‘Sounds like she just didn’t get a lot of opportunity to prove it, with Richard.’
    ‘It’s not funny!’
    ‘No. But it gives a whole new meaning to that Truth or Dare game, doesn’t it!’
    ‘Poor Lisa!’ repeats Jude sadly. ‘Of all the unlucky questions for her to be asked – that one about begging for sex.’
    ‘How humiliating for her. I could