PRECARIOUS by Robert F. Clifton (knowledgeable books to read txt) 📕

restaurant and bar nursing the drinks that were on the table before them. “Alright, let me start. We both know that there is an attraction between the two of us. Since we’ve only recently met it can’t be love. Therefore it has to be a sexual attraction. Do you agree?”, asked Jane.

“Certainly.”

“Good that gets that out of the way. Now, what about you?

Have you cheated on your wife before?”

“No.”

“But you’re willing to cheat now. Why?”

“I don’t know.”

“You had better know. Let me tell you something, just so you know where you stand. I haven’t cheated on Mighty Mouse either. But I’m so damn bored I’m going out of my mind.”

“You refer to your husband as, Mighty Mouse?”

“Yes. The idiot thinks he’s a flamboyant lover. If he last three minutes I’m lucky. So, what are we going to do? If your not interested just say so and I’ll get up from this booth, go home and see you at the next home game pretending that nothing had happened.”

“Before we make, say a commitment, let me ask you something. How often are you going to be able to get away from home?”

“To meet you? Once or twice a week. don’t worry about me. you’re the hot shot attorney living on Rittenhouse Square. We both have our reputations to worry about. You have more to lose than I do. Hell, all I lose is William Collins.”

Robert reached back and removed his wallet from his rear pocket. From it he removed a business card. “Here take this. Call me at the office on Wednesday. By then I should have a place in mind where we can meet and be alone.”

“And who shall I say I am when your secretary asks who I am?”

“Tell her that you are Doctor Andrews receptionist calling to verify my next appointment.”

“Let me tell you something. For a guy who has never cheated on his wife you seem to have a lot of answers.”

“Do you think so?”

“Yep, I just hope you can satisfy one of my questions.”

“I’m almost certain that I can.”

The following Wednesday, at ten o’clock in the morning Robert’s secretary told him that he had a telephone call on line three. “Who is it” he asked before taking the call.

“The receptionist from your doctor, Doctor Andrews.”

“Thank you”, he said as he then pushed the button with the flashing, white light. “This is Robert Sayer,” he said.

“Good morning handsome. How are you?”, asked Jane.

“Actually, very well,” he answered.

“Well, you said to call. Here I am.”

“Yes you are.”

“You sound like you’re thinking things over. I get the impression that you’re changing your mind. Are you?”

“No. It’s just that I don’t know where or when we can meet.”

“You’re a big boy. I’m sure you’ll figure things out and get an answer. Tell you what. The Eagles are away this Sunday. I’ll call this time next week. By then you should have the answers. If not, then we can end this thing.” He heard the click of her hanging up the receiver.

When the call ended Robert felt relieved. Nothing had happened. Still, he had had the thought of being unfaithful to his wife. “Why? He asked himself mentally. Sure, Jane was attractive, and available, but she came on to him, not him to her .I’ve seen and been around hundreds of attractive women, but never wanted to sleep with any one of them. Why the difference now?

The telephone call came the next Wednesday and exactly ten o’clock in the morning. “Hello”, he said

“Hello yourself. Well? I’m listening,” said Jane.

“Do you know your way around Olney,” he asked.

“Yes.”

“Are you free Friday evening?”

“I could be,” said Jane.

“Alright. Go to 2901 Godfrey Street. In the lobby you’ll see the brass, mail boxes in the back wall. Open box 27. It’s unlocked. In the box you’ll find the key to apartment twenty seven. Go on up to the second floor, unlock the door and go in. I’ll be there just as soon as I can”.

“Very good. Now, was that so hard?”, she asked, giggling as she hanged up.

On Friday, Robert told his wife that he had to meet with a client about a legal matter. He also said that he didn’t know just how long he might be and not to wait up for him.

Barbara sat reading a magazine, listened to what he said and nodded her head. When she did, he felt the guilt come again to him. Still, he leaned over and kissed her.

He parked his Mercedes two blocks away from Godfrey Street hoping that the expensive automobile would be safe there.

At the same time he didn’t want it seen parked on Godfrey Street near the furnished apartment he had rented under the name, Allen Bridges. As he walked, a cool evening breeze was blowing. When he got to the apartment house complex he opened one of the heavy doors, entered the lobby then made his way to and up the stairs. Using his key he unlocked the door, entered, then closed and locked the door behind him. When he turned he saw Jane standing there.

“Well, well. You made it. I thought sure that you would have changed your mind. You’re full of surprises. I can’t wait to see what else is on your mind,” she said walking to him then placing her arms around his neck and giving him a long kiss on the lips.

When they parted Robert looked around. He saw a large paper bag on the kitchen table. “What’s in the bag?”, he asked.

“Two bath towels we can use after we shower. Two glasses.

A thermos bottle of whiskey sours and a change of underwear for me,” she said

“And you still say that you’ve never cheated on, what do you call him? Mighty Mouse?”

“It’s true, but that doesn’t mean I never thought about it.”

“I see. Now, what do you think of the place?”,he asked.

“Well, considering that we will probably only use it once or

twice a month it’s both convenient and better then some cheap motel.”

“I agree.”

“Good, now do I keep the key or do we play Huck a buck a bean stalk and put it back in the mail box for me to find each time we meet?”

“You keep it.”

“Fine. Now, go sit on the sofa. I’ll pour the drinks and I’ll be right with you.”

He then sat and watched her as she walked towards him carrying a drink in each hand. She came to him, handed him a glass which he took from her and then she sat down next to him.

She took a sip from her glass then placed in on the coffee table in front of them and then said, “Well, here I am.”

Approximately three hours later their meeting was over.

“I suggest that one of us leaves first,” said Robert.

“That would be me. Tell me. Are you having second thoughts,” she asked.

“No.”

“I have another question,” she said.

“What is it?”

“What do we do when the Eagles season is over?”

“I don’t know.”

“Better think about it. Good by. Thanks for a beautiful evening. I needed that,” she said as she opened the door and left.

They met again at the next, home, football game. Sitting in their own, particular season ticket seats she turned her head and said, “Do you want me to sit next to you?”

“No”, he replied.

“Why not?”

“Because television camera directors have a tendency to have the cameras turned on to the crowd. Someone out there might see us sitting together and realize that we shouldn’t be.”

“Mighty mouse doesn’t watch TV.”

“No, but you can bet that someone he knows that also knows you would spot us and tell him.”

“It must be nice to always have the right answer. Is it?

“In this case? Yes.”

“Are we dining after the game?”, she asked.

“If you want.”

“Let’s go some place different.”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because where we go is safe from prying eyes. I know the Sunday crowd. Going someplace else leaves us open to scrutiny. Something we really don’t need.”

On a Monday morning at nine o’clock the partners met to discuss several things on the agenda. Before the meeting ended

Melvin Parlin turned to Robert and said, “Robert? how’s your health?”

“Surprised by the question he stammered as he answered.

“Fi, fi, fine. Why do you ask?”

“The word around the firm is that you are receiving telephone calls from your doctor. I’m just hope that it’s nothing serious.”

“It isn’t. Just a routine check up. Doctor Andrews is keeping a check on my cholesterol, whatever that is”, said Robert.

Walking back to his office his mind was racing. “How did Parlin know? Someone had to have told him. Who? Ann, my secretary. She has to be the one. Now,the telephone calls must stop. I have to find another way of communicating with Jane.

How? I don’t know, but I’ll think of something,” he thought to himself.

His decision came later. They decided that he would call her. He would call between nine and ten AM on Wednesdays. If her husband was home she would say, “Wrong number.”

The result was that they met at the ball games every two weeks. They also kept the same schedule when meeting at the

apartment. Then, as Christmas approached he began to realize that all they had in common was the torrid love making. For him the novelty of the relationship was wearing off. He wanted to end it, but didn’t know how. The affair was even affecting his career. For the first time he had lost in court with the judgment being awarded to the plaintiffs.

About the same time the dreams of Janet returned. Once again in his dreams he was begging her to come back to him. In the last dream he was sitting on the beach. As he did he gazed out upon a blue/ green ocean. A rainbow appeared and at the height of the arch Janet stood looking at him. She appeared to be listening. In the dream his heart beat with excitement as he waited for her answer. There was none. Janet turned and walked away and the rainbow faded out of sight. He woke, realize that it was just another disappointing dream. A dream with the same result.

One night at the apartment as they lay in bed, Robert said, “there’s something I want to tell you.”

“Oh, good. I have something to tell you too,” said Jane.

“This has to end. We mustn’t see each other any more. Not like this anyway. I’m sorry, but I can’t go on like this any more, he said.

Jane raised up on one elbow and looked at him. “You can’t go on like this anymore? Why? I never asked you to leave your wife. I didn’t ask you to make me an honest woman. I’ve never even made any demands on you that I know of. Yet, you want to end it. Fine, but let me tell you what I have to say. I’m pregnant. Mighty Mouse thinks it’s his, but I know it’s yours. So Mr. hotshot attorney, here’s what we’re going to do. You with all your money and connections are going to get and give me something that gets rid of this pregnancy. Then, I’ll abort this baby, leave you and hope to never see you again. So, our next meeting which had better be a week from now is when you hand me the pills or whatever.Got it?”

“How in the hell can I get my hands on something like that?”, he asked.

“That’s one of your problems, the other is this fetus growing inside of me,” she answered as she left the apartment

“The next day in his office, Robert made a long distant telephone call to a friend of his in Atlantic City. When the man on the other line said hello? Robert said, “Norman? Robert Sayer. I need a favor.”

“Hey I haven’t seen you in years, how have you been?” asked Norman.

“Fine. The reason I’m calling is because a friend of mine has a young son that has a girl in trouble.”

“Oh brother. Do you know how far along is she?”

“No, but I want to help his father out of this situation if