Chapter 5: Surprise!

"Mom, do you know when Dad will be home? We were supposed to work on my homework tonight. It's due day after tomorrow," Van said as he came into the kitchen while I was cleaning up the dinner dishes.

"Oh, honey, I don't, and I think he didn't either. He's going to a club to see some musicians," I responded. Van was doing well since starting high school the month before, but he liked to have his dad look over his music theory assignments before turning them in.

An odd expression passed over my younger son's face. "I thought he said he was meeting Uncle Chuck for dinner in San Francisco...maybe I misheard him. I'll call Aunt Lea to see if she can help," he added as he headed back to his room.

I nodded distractedly as I began to wonder once again what was going on with Darren. He had hardly been home in the evenings in the last few weeks, and this was the third time - that I knew about - that he had told one of us that he would be late for one reason, but had given another one to someone else. I shook my head to clear it of the worry that had started to creep in. He was just busy and had lost track of his schedule...that's all...

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Laying wide awake in the dark much later, unable to push away the nagging thoughts from earlier, I heard my husband climbing the stairs after greeting Winnie, our darling cat who had settled in nicely after we brought her home from camp several years before.

Being extra quiet so as not to disturb me, Darren crossed to our dresser for pajamas, and then crawled into bed. I rolled over to hug him, and we snuggled together as we had thousands of times.

"Dare?" I started, not sure what I was going to say.

"Honey, I'm so sorry I missed dinner again. It's just been so crazy lately at the office. I signed two new artists almost simultaneously, and they're both young, so I'm having to lead them by the hand..." He leaned over to kiss me softly.

"That's okay, Dare. Van thought you said you were going out with Chuck near their place, and I thought you told me you were going out to see some new artists, so I was confused...and a little concerned, honestly. That's not the first time that you've told us two different places that you would be recently, and...we haven't seen you a lot lately, and...well, you know me...I always imagine the worst," I finished with a nervous chuckle.

Darren explained with a smile, "I actually did both tonight, Rhi. We were looking at a singer/songwriter that Chuck found, so we went over to San Francisco to watch her perform in a club. I'm sorry to worry you. I know I haven't been around much, but I've finally decided to sign her, and assigned these new artists to other members of the team, so things should calm down." Then he matched his lips to mine for an intense kiss and asked, "Is it too late for some therapy, Mrs. Criss? We haven't made much time for that recently..."

As my husband moved his lips down my neck to the spot on my collar bone that made me go weak from pleasure, I panted, "It's never too late, Mr. Criss."

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The following morning all four members of the Criss family were smiling and cheerful. Van had completed his homework with Lea's help, Harry had put the finishing touches on his entry for the robot-building competition we would be attending that weekend, and Darren and I were still reveling in the afterglow of our lovemaking. It had been too long and before we fell asleep in each others' arms, we had discussed how our relationship needed ongoing care just like our kids and our careers.

I double-checked that the boys had lunch money before Harry grabbed his keys to drive them both to school, and when I turned back to the kitchen I found Darren waiting to give me a fierce good-bye kiss before he headed out for the day.

Starting the dishwasher before goiing up to our office, a buzzing on the counter caught my attention. Oh, no...Darren had forgotten his phone. I grabbed it and ran to the driveway, but he was already out of sight. Hmmm...I could call him at work...or, wait!

Why didn't I take him to lunch? Hadn't we just talked about how we needed to work harder to keep our marriage fresh and our connection strong? I ran up the stairs to get changed for my surprise date with my husband.

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I smiled at Darren's receptionist, Caroline, as I walked into the building that held CallaCriss Studios.

"Hi, Rhi! Darren's in his office...go on in," she said cheerfully.

Thanking her, I knocked lightly before pushing his office door open. "Surprise, honey! I brought your phone and I thought I could kidnap you for a long lun..."

I was stunned into speechlessness by the sight before me. Darren was half-laying over his desk with his hands in the air like he was being robbed, and a...girl - maybe in her mid-20s - was KISSING HIM! OH! MY! GOD!

My arrival startled them both into turning toward me, the girl shooting me a look of satisfaction, while my husband was wearing an expression of...shock...and fear?

Advancing into the room, I said, using my best teacher-scolding-a-student-who-knew-better voice, "Get your hands - and your lips - off my husband."

The girl, who I then noticed looked strangely like a younger version of me - heavy, short brown hair, very light skin - stood up and replied, "Obviously you're not giving him what he needs, so why shouldn't I?"

"I don't know what asylum you escaped from, DEAR, but we give each other exactly what we need, so I'm only going to tell you one...more...time." I took a deep breath and shouted, "GET AWAY FROM MY HUSBAND, BITCH!"

Realizing that I wasn't buying her claim that Darren wanted what she had to offer, the girl looked at him, then at me, and stomped out of the building, nearly knocking over Caroline, who had rushed to the office doorway when she heard me yelling.

I followed the girl to make sure she left, starting to tell Caroline, "Do not ever..."

"Don't worry, Rhi. She will be banned from the premises."

Smiling my thanks, I closed the office door and locked it before turning around to look at Darren.

He was breathing hard, and still looked afraid, but I wasn't sure of what. Then he started to babble. "You were...so hot, Rhi! Oh my god! Did I say that out loud? I'm so sorry...I swear I don't know what happened...she came into my office through the studio...and she just started rambling about how she would be so much better for me than you...and she knew that she was my type...and..."

I reached out to stroke my husband's cheek. "Dare, I know...it's okay...was that the girl you went to see with Chuck last night?"

My husband nodded slowly, replying with an ironic smile, "She obviously…misinterpreted my interest in her."

"Obviously. Please tell me you didn't sign her yet."

Gathering me in his arms, he shook his head and answered, "And I never will, Rhi. She could be the next...Adele, and I will still never have another thing to do with her." He paused before continuing uncertainly, "Thank you for believing me. With me not being around much lately...I realize those things we talked about last night make it look like I've been having an...affair, and then you find...what you found..."

"Honey..." I started, "...first of all, it was quite apparent that she was the instigator. You looked like you were paralyzed."

I gently touched my lips to Darren's, hoping that the difference between my kisses and hers would help calm him.

"Secondly," I continued, "I know that you would never cheat on me...on us...on our family. Remember that fight we had way back when about your shoes?"

Nodding his head, Darren blushed with embarrassment.

"You and I both know that neither of us would do anything that would break us up." I paused for a moment, leaning into my husband for our mutual comfort. "Honey, can I suggest something?"

"Anything, Rhiannon," he answered with a grin in his voice.

"Let's go home right now. I could really use some more 'therapy' and I bet you could too."

"More than you could possibly imagine, Mrs. Criss. I have a suggestion as well. Let's schedule a weekly mid-day session from now on."

I nodded against his chest, and then we joined hands, unlocked his door, said good-bye to Caroline, and headed home.