Chapter 18
Now that Betty engaged in more sex than she had ever conceived of in a short period of time, she began to have second thoughts about it all.
The one thing she had always wanted to be was a conscientious mother, one who would set a fine example for her children. When Carla and Ken were very young, that had been her goal. It had remained her goal for a long time, until just recently, in fact. But now she could see that things were abruptly changing. Instead of providing the kind of conscientious guidance that they needed at a critical stage in their respective lives, she instead was turning them into sex maniacs. Once that she had gotten used to screwing with Ken, there seemed to be no stopping her. She went on from there to form a sex association with her daughter.
The one thing that she realized could change her course of action was an improvement in her relationship with Phillip. If only there was some basis, some harmony between the two of them, then she could concentrate on sex with him and would not have to deal with her son and daughter sexually any longer.
One evening, Phillip returned home from the hospital. He had performed three operations in one day, and his face was heavily creased with lines. He looked considerably older than his actual years, and Betty could not help but feel sorry for him. After all, she looked vivacious and youthful, considerably younger than her thirty-five years, while Phillip looked like an old man as he dragged himself into the kitchen.
"Where are the kids?" he asked.
"They're both out on dates."
"I just hope that they get their school work done," he said. "I don't want them to wind up dummies."
"They won't. They were both doing schoolwork earlier."
"I was thinking," Phillip said, "maybe you and I could go out to dinner tonight."
"That would be nice, but you look so tired.
Maybe it would be better for us to just stay in."
"No, I think maybe the change of scenery would do me some good. You know, just kind of escape from it all. Why don't you fix me a drink. Then after I get unwound a little, we can go out."
"What would you like to drink?"
"Bourbon and water would be fine, sweetheart."
The longer that Betty looked at her husband, the more she realized that maybe she had been too cross in her attitude toward him. After all, the basic reason why he wasn't any better sexually, and could not give her more satisfaction, was that he was so involved with his work. As a result of that fact, he was not around the house much, and on those occasions when he was, he did not have much in the way of physical energy left.
He sipped his drink, which seemed to bring Phillip to life a little. He told her about the hectic nature of the day that he had just spent, after which he decided they could go out to dinner.
As they sat and chatted in the restaurant, partaking of a delicious meal, Phillip began to change. Betty could see that in the relaxed atmosphere he was suddenly beginning to look a little less tired. The relaxation did him a world of good.
"You should relax more," Betty told him candidly. "As a matter-of-fact, I get very concerned about you, dear. You're driving yourself too hard."
"You might be right," Phillip nodded slowly. "You know what I've been thinking of doing?"
"What?"
"Taking a little vacation. Not bringing the kids along, just going off ourselves. For a week or two. Maybe we could go to Bermuda. San Juan. Someplace like that. Someplace warm, romantic and very exotic."
"That sounds wonderful."
"I'll tell you why I think I need it. I need it first of all to get myself some rest. I know damned well I'm working too hard. I've got to start cutting down on my hours, even if I do make less money. What the hell. What's the good of making money unless you have a little time to enjoy it?"
"I agree with you."
"That's one reason. The other is that I can see we're pulling apart from each other. I mean physically and emotionally. I'm so konked out I'm not able to give you the kind of loving you deserve. With a beautiful girl like you, that's a tragedy. So some changes will be made, darling. Maybe we can kind of call this a second honeymoon."
"That sounds wonderful."
"Let's drink to it."
Phillip hoisted his wine glass. He let it clink against hers.
Betty was feeling a lot better now. She would have to face her children and tell them that there would be no more wild involvements. She was going to set some kind of an example again.