However not everyone was having such a romantic time that evening. Over at the McMillan's Richard was furious. It was nine p.m. and Susan's husband Charles still wasn't home. Usually the man came was home by six, but today he just didn't show up. Richard was worried at first, but when he called into Charle's office the receptionist just told him that he was in a metting. That was at seven.
He could feel his dangling earrings brush against his neck as he bent down and put the last of the dishes away. He had to move very carefully, keeping his back straight when he bent so as to not lose the balance he held on his heels. When the last cupboard was closed, he heard a car pull into the driveway.
Still in character, an unconscious mutter of "That man!" came unbidden from his mouth. Sarah (Jon) had gone out for a drive half-an-hour earlier, so that left the house empty for a real throw down. He stomped to the front door and waited, hands on hips, for Charles to enter.
The waiting gave Richard a moment to ponder the situation. Here was a man in his late forties, married to a beautiful young woman who loved him, yet he didn't make the effort to bridge any gaps that had developed. Richard's head shook in amazement at the absurdity of some people's lives. He was devoted to Linda, but he couldn't help admire Mrs. McMillan from a distance; you'd have to be dead not to. She was a real head-turner. Her short skirts, her big breasts, her flirtatious attitude; all these added up to a very desireable woman.
The door opened and in walked a short, slightly overweight, grey-haired man.
"Where the hell have you been?" Shot Richard.
A look of confusion crossed the husband's face, then a sense of recognition. He had worked with a lady who had been host to Zoe McMillan once during the game. He, like everyone else in town, respected the game and played along.
"Susan, sweety..." he began, but was cut off.
"Do you have any idea what time it is? It's nine o'clock! That's right, NINE! I had supper waiting for you at six thirty! AND NOT EVEN A PHONE CALL?!" He had folded his arms under the place where, should he have Susan McMillan's wonderful breasts, they would have sat.
"Honey, listen, calm down. I can explain," Charles calmly and wearily tried to jump in.
"It's that floozy of a secretary, isn't it? I knew she had eyes for you, but I thought you were man enough to resist! That whore!"
"SUSAN!" Charles yelled, snapping Richard out of his tirade. "You need to calm down and listen to me!" He grabbed him by the shoulders and held him until Richard would look him in the eye.
Richard looked at his new husband's tired face and realized that he may have prejudged the man. There was something happening that he hadn't counted on. He felt himself softening.
"Sweetheart, I have something to tell you. Something's happened at work."
Richard just waited for him to continue, not wanting to interupt the man.
"There were cutbacks today, and I was layed off," he looked defeated, depressed, and exhausted.
Richard did what he thought Susan would do. He pulled Charles in close for a hug, said, "Oh, honey!" and began to cry.
Meanwhile, Jon...
