Chapter 4

Dale went to search for Kathy with some trepidation. He knew she was upset. But she'd have to learn that he needed help on the way to the top.

As Dale disappeared into the bedroom, Mitch said, "How well do you know him, Irv? You know this could be a ticklish situation. But that Kathy-wow!"

Irv poured himself another drink. "I've had lunch with him a few times. I never met her before. He's getting up a group policy for the office. I like him even though I don't know too much about him."

Liz laughed and said, "I wonder if he could write a policy for our little group? He's cute."

Mitch grimmaced. "Insurance men and accountants-in the Corps we called them pencil pushers. Nothings."

"You're jealous," Liz said. She repeated, "He's cute." She liked to talk honestly. She felt secure that her marriage was iron-tight. Both could say what they wanted. Neither ever became offended. Liz felt a warm glow about her good marriage.

Irv said to Liz and he meant it, "To you an IBM machine in pants would be cute."

Natalie backed up Liz, "I think he's darling."

To which Irv responded, "You too. If it's got pants, it's darling."

Natalie quickly retorted, "I'm a degenerate. I must be. I married you, didn't I?"

Irv smiled. "Yes, dear. We deserve each other." He turned to Mitch: "He was transferred here from Chicago about six months ago. A real hotshot. You know the type."

Mitch was frowning. "You clued him in didn't you? I mean he knows what kind of parties we throw? That wife of his. I don't know. She looks like a nun. You sure you told him everything?"

Irv looked hurt. "Would he be here if I didn't? Now would he?"

"It's this way," Mitch explained carefully. "I just want to be sure. No misunderstandings. She's just a kid."

Cynical Irv had his say. "There's no such thing. If she's a girl she screws just like every other girl-and anyone if the time and place is right."

"Oh shut up," Natalie said. "Nothing's sacred to you." She turned to Mitch, "But I'll tell you. Sometimes those innocent looking ones are tigers in the bedroom."

Mitch was still unconvinced. "What do you think, Liz?"

Liz stirred her drink with a pinkie. "I don't know. I don't think on Friday nights."

"Oh," Natalie said. "I'm a woman. I know women. They can be what they want to be. That goes for Kathy, too."

"That's what I tried to tell you. You don't listen to me," Irv told Natalie. "Now dummy up." He turned to the others. "Ten years of wisecracks and gimmee, gim-mee, gimmee."

"So gimmee a divorce. There's another gimmee for you," Natalie told Irv.

"Sorry," he answered. "Community property, you know. Damned if I'm going to give you a shot of half of all my possessions."

"Oh, you're a pain in the ass," she said.

"She's so refined," Irving got in the last word of the argument.

Mitch paced. "I hope this isn't going to be a bust tonight. It's starting off badly. First Thelma and the babysitter and then the worry about Kathy."

"There's always scrabble," Liz said matter-of-factly.

Mitch continued to pace, then he stopped and looked at the bedroom door. He said worriedly, "I wonder what they're doing in there."

Everyone looked toward the room But the door was closed and only silence came from it.

Inside the room Kathy faced Dale squarely. She was obviously angry. "Look," she said, "all I want to know is what's going on. I think a lot is happening that I'm not aware of. Who are these people? Is this just a party where we stand around sipping drinks, talk and then go home? Or what? I won't leave this room until I know."

"My God ... ," Dale responded.

It made Kathy more angry. "Stop treating me like a child. I'm your wife. What is it with these people?"

Dale lit a cigarette. "For crying out loud. It's just a party. That's all. A party."

There was silence for a few moments while Kathy reviewed the things that had made her suspicious. "A party. That's all," she mimicked him. "Then what about those dirty magazines? That letter, writing to swingers. The way Irv had his hand on Liz's butt so obviously and her husband not saying a word. Well, tell me Dale, what kind of a party is it? Where have you taken me?"

Dale was still not ready to divulge anything. He was frightened of Kathy now. He feared her anger and feared even more she wouldn't go along with it.

She was mad, very mad. He could tell by the pink flush on her face. That's the way she always got when she was angry. But they were in it now and there was no turning back. He said, "Aw Kathy, stop making a big deal out of it. They're friends. They've been friends a long time. Is there anything wrong with that?"

Kathy stared into Dale's eyes and he couldn't hold the gaze. "Stop being so upset."

"You know damn well what they are-what's going on. I'm not stupid, Dale. Maybe a little naive. But not stupid. I know what they are."

Dale decided to bluff it through. It had worked many times before. Maybe it would work again. He put out his cigarette as if he had an answer of finality. "Oh, cut it out. You just got a wild imagination. All because Irv pats Liz on the can. Christ, I see that everyday in the office. It's nothing." He smiled as if everything was all settled.

But Kathy was like a bloodhound who had gotten a scent. She was not to be fooled or dissuaded. She said it as if thinking back on the evening, "Now I remember. You were edgy all evening. I was silly that I didn't smell a rat. I thought something was amiss. I thought it was something at the office. But what bothers me is-why didn't you tell me? Why?"

Dale could feel it all coming to a head. He was on the defensive. Maybe he should have told her. He put out a feeler. "Supposing I did tell you? I mean if there was anything to tell. Would you have come?"

Kathy just stood there frowning, not saying anything.

That made Dale angry. He masked his guilt with a show of strength. "Damn right you wouldn't have. I certainly know you after three years. Look Kathy, I'm the breadwinner of this family and there are some things I have to do to make a living-to get somewhere. Mitch Burnett is a big man in the town. All I have to do is get along with him and his crowd. This is the opener. Tonight. This could mean a lot for us. Notice I didn't say me, I said us. In case you didn't know it I'm not the only guy selling insurance. So now I answered you. That's what it's all about." He felt a surge of righteous indignation. Women, they didn't know what a jungle men had to fight in. It wasn't all paychecks and vacations.

Kathy looked at Dale as if she was seeing him for the first time. Things were getting clearer by the minute. The nerve of him. The nerve of her husband. "I don't believe it," she said in measured tones. "I really don't believe it. I'm your wife, remember? If you need a whore to help you sell insurance, get one. I'll even lend her my wedding ring. What have I done to give you the impression I would do this?"

Dale had never seen Kathy so angry. Now he was frightened. "Would you please keep your voice down," he pleaded. "I don't want them to hear you. Just do me that little favor."

But Kathy was wound up now and she wasn't about to give ground. "I don't care if they do hear me. I hope they can hear me."

Dale tried another tack. He spoke softly as if doing so would bring her voice down a register. "Please try to be reasonable, Kathy. I beg you. Kathy, you know the insurance business. It's contacts. That's what it is. Make or break-contacts. Whether you like it or not. That's the reality. Without contacts I'm dead. All I'm asking you is to please play along with it. Play the game. The chances are nothing will happen."

Kathy was not to be pacified. No more camouflage. She wanted to know everything. No more deception. "I get it now. When in Rome you do as the Romans do. Is that the idea? How nice. How convenient for you to be married. Sorry, husband dear, I'm not going to be a tramp for you or any man."

The argument was now on solid ground. Not much hidden anymore. Dale felt the worst was over. Now he could talk. She knew and he didn't feel guilty anymore. "Boy, you're something." He put his hands on his hip and said slurringly, "What makes you think you're so much better than Liz or Natalie?"

"Oh, you get me mad," Kathy said. "I didn't say that. What they do is their business. I'm not condemning them."

Dale stepped on her explanation. "Jesus, stop acting like the Virgin Mary. I wasn't the first guy to get you between the sheets."

Kathy blanched. She felt destroyed. This was her husband speaking. The man she loved and who loved her. All she could say was, "That was childish, Dale."

Dale stuck to his guns. He was in it now and there was no retreating. "Maybe it was childish. But-it's the truth."

There were tears in Kathy's eyes. "Thank you."

Dale wouldn't relent. He needed to win at any cost-yes, at any cost. "You come on as if this whole deal is a big surprise. Do you remember how we talked about making it with other couples and how interested you were? There was no blushing that I remember."

Kathy was crying now. She felt humiliated. "That was in bed," she sobbed. "People say lots of things when they're making love. My God, we're married. We were just talking about maybe's and if's. But there's a big difference between talking and doing. All the difference in the world. Dale," she said softly, voice full of reconciliation, "you do understand that, don't you?"

He made no move toward her. There was no softening.

"Dale, I'll say anything you want. Do anything you want, with you. But this-just to help you sell someone an insurance policy. It makes me feel dirty. I can't help it. Filthy."

Dale felt he was in command now. This wife of his was just brushing off the making of a living. As if anyone could sell an insurance policy at any price. She would say and do for anything but not to sell an insurance policy. His jaw hardened. He nodded grimly. He reached into his pocket and brought out a ring of keys. "Okay, if that's the way it is, go. Take the car. I understand."

He tossed the keys to her. She looked at them as if she couldn't believe his actions. He strode to the door. He grabbed the knob and stern-faced turned to look at her. He was angry-very angry. He believed now he was right and Kathy was insulting his career. "Don't wait up for me," he said. "I'll check into a hotel."

They had never been apart a night since they married. Yet he was so cool about it all. As if it were nothing. Kathy was destroyed. "Dale," she begged, "it can't be that important. There will be a thousand opportunities, clean ones. You're exaggerating the importance of all this. Please listen to me."

Dale remained aloof and strong. "It is important. I've been a nothing long enough. I'm going to be something. You watch. I'm going to make something out of my life and now. I'm going to make it with you or without you. I mean it, Kathy. You decide."

Completely on the defensive and backed into a corner Kathy could only say, "I love you. You know how much I love you, Dale. Please try to understand. Please."

Dale's voice became even harder. "I understand all right. I had the damn fool idea a wife would help her husband. Go all the way for him. I mean no matter what. But I was wrong. I hate to admit it because I love you too. But I was wrong." He started to open the door and looked back at her.

Her look stopped him. "I've got to know one thing, Dale. It's terribly important. Is this what you want? Are you really sure this is what you want? Because you're going to have to live with it the rest of your life. In fact, we both are."

At this point Dale felt Kathy had capitulated. He couldn't believe it. Now he realized he hadn't believed Kathy would ever go for it. It was a wild stab. Amazing. Now she was ready. And he needed her desperately. He walked to her and held her in his arms. "Believe me, Kathy, I know what I'm doing. All I ask is that you trust me. Will you?"

Kathy wiped her eyes. "I'll try to be just what you want me to be. OK?"

"Good girl," Dale said and kissed her. "You won't be sorry." Then he worried a bit. "You mean it? You won't change your mind? I mean later on if something happens?"

Then Kathy hardened again. She looked Dale straight in the eye. "You just watch me. That's all I ask." It sounded like a warning.

Dale kissed her again but she gave nothing. She had consented to do something against her better judgment. Her body was taut, resisting.

Dale paid no attention to her starched backbone. As long as she played along, he really didn't care how she felt. He just needed her to be a woman. "That's my girl," he said. "You won't be sorry, honey."

Before he could start for the door, Kathy strode out, head erect before him. She was a person about to walk the plank. Dale frowned.