A Formal Affair by Patrick Councilor
The garment bag lay across the duvet in the master bedroom. Zipped inside it and concealed by dress shirts and a dinner jacket was his best tuxedo which he had professionally cleaned and pressed just two days prior. He had packed his favorite leather shoes and favorite gold cufflinks.
Inside his black Fergie suit case, he had packed for the weekend and insured that he packed his favorite cologne, the new Louis Vuitton wallet he had just purchased for himself, his matching ring and Tag Heuer wrist watch.
He sat at the edge of his bed. His heart felt as if it was slowly sinking into the pit of his stomach and a lump was forming in this throat. He placed his index finger near the base of his nose. Even the thought of lying to his wife made him feel like he had to take precautions against a nose bleeds that he would get when he would lie and his blood pressure would spike. In his top jacket pocket, he kept some facial tissues. Normally, he would have his handkerchief in their place, but this time he was prepared for a nose bleed.
The plans he had spent so much time preparing, involved spending a very romantic weekend with the woman that made his heart race. It would be an affair he would never forget. The arrangements have all been made. The planning and secrecy for this one weekend were quite overwhelming, but at this point, he wasn't so sure he could actually go through with it. He had never done anything even remotely close to this before. There was just one last step remaining that would start his romantic adventure rolling, but it was not an easy one. He had to complete the lie by kissing his wife good-bye and carrying his bags out the front door. It sounded easy enough, but it suddenly became all too real to him. The thought of the actual act of cheating on his wife almost made him sick. He thought of all the planning and efforts it took to get him to this moment in time. He had thought that after every detail of organizing and secretly planning this would make this part much easier, yet he had genuine remorse. He felt it burning up his chest. He took a deep breath and tried to settle himself.
He loved his wife. Maybe he should go to her, put his bags at her feet, look into her eyes and confess everything. He would hold her and ask her for forgiveness.
Yet, he told her that he had a psychoneuroses seminar for the weekend in Spokane.
"This is going to be okay," he softly told himself. Obviously, he wasn't very convincing to himself because he couldn't stop his hands from shaking.
He checked his watch. He had to get going if he was going to catch that fabricated flight. He stood and straightened his tie. It would all be worth it, if he could just get through these next ten minutes. That was a big "if" and he knew it.
Taking up his bags, he walked out of the room. His heart was racing just that much more with every step.
Down stairs, he found his wife in tears. She was watching the end of Harry and the Hendersons and was crying because of the ending. Though the tears weren't for him, they surely weren't making things easier for him in the least.
She had a box of Kleenex at hand and had one of them under her nose.
He put his bags down by the door. "It's time for me to go," he told her. He wasn't going to lie to her again if he could help it; not now – not as he was going out the door.
Getting up from the fainting couch, Daphne wiped her nose and came over to give him a loving hug. "Have you got everything you'll need?"
He nodded. "I believe so. I've double checked everything."
She turned and took a small lunch pack from the table to hand to him. "I've packed you some snacks for your trip. Are you sure you don't want me to drive you to the airport?"
"No, this works best for me." He forced a smile. "I'm going to say good-bye to David." He went upstairs and into David's room where he was curled into the fetal position in his crib. Niles leaned down upon the railing. He stared at his son. He started to tear up. "I'm going to miss the dickens out of you this weekend." He kissed his fingertips and then gently touched them to his son's face. Niles started to tear up. "I'll bring you something back."
He turned to find Daphne leaning in the doorway. Oh my, she must think something's a miss with him tearing up so.
"First time you will be away from David for an entire weekend," she said in a whisper to not wake her son.
Niles nodded as he wiped his face. He put his arm around his wife as they left the room and went down stairs. At the front door, they hugged. He held onto her for dear life. "I will miss you so much." He was telling the truth. As a matter of fact, he was already missing her.
She nudged her lips into his over and over. "Be safe out there and call me when you get to the hotel."
"I will," he said. "Are you going to be okay this weekend?"
"Oh sure. Kristen and Andrea are going to come over for a movie night."
He kissed her firmly. He picked up his bags as she opened the door for him. "I love you," he told her as he kissed her cheek.
"And I love you."
He stepped out into the hallway. Daphne gave him one last smile as he headed for the elevator and then she closed the door. Niles set his bags down and walked back over to touch the door handle of his apartment as if he were touching her hand for one last time.
That was it. It was that simple. Niles checked his watch. As if the theme to Mission Impossible had just sounded, his mission had just started. Everything was now in motion. He had time to waste now that he told her he would call her when he arrived at the hotel. He went over and hit the button to call the elevator. Café Nervosa would be a splendid place to waste a bit of time before checking into the hotel.