Short story by: H. C. Chipangura

"So do you wanna meet for lunch?"

At this point even the sound of his voice irritated her. She made an effort to keep the irritation out of her voice and face. She watched him in his brown suit as he considerately put the dishes into the sink. God even his choice of clothes irritated her. "Surely there is more to life than' this, Margot thought. Ryan started wiping the counter and asked her again.

He was working on a new building for a very important client and it was the biggest project he had ever had and wanted to do his best. He had planned to worked late and as he had been doing for the last week and knew he would be late home and it would be a quick supper then strait to his home office. He wanted to have lunch with his wife.

"Hello? Earth to Mar"s"got. Babe are you listening? Lunch?" His rather lame joke fell on deaf ears. Margot was now mentally going through his closet and pointing out all of his clothes with she did not like, even some of the stuff that she had picked out and bought for him.

"Margot. Margot hello!"

"Oh ah sorry I kinda spaced out. What did you say?"

"I said do you wanna meet for lunch later?"

"Ah. Okay. But let me call you. If I'm busy I'll just have a sand-witch at my desk if I'm free we can go out?"

"Okay. I guess." Ryan said failing to keep the disappointment completely out of his voice.

He hated the way she always said yes then BUT. Why didn't she just say maybe?

On her way to work Margot went to the family planning clinic she had always passed every day. She just went to her own doctor for any health related issues. Today she wanted to see what it was about. She had read some motivational article on the internet which prescribed trying something new regularly. Margot had decided to see what this place was about. She was on the pill and wanted to talk to someone about maybe getting off the pill... Maybe a baby would be nice. Raising a whole other person with his or her own eccentricities. She would like a boy Margot thought as she sat down in the crowded sitting room.

There were a lot of women in the room. But there were two couples. She wondered what Ryan would have thought about coming here? She always fancied him to be a bit of a prude and a bit stuck up.They had been mariried for two and a half years and talked about having children at least five years into their marriage but it occurred to her that he did'nt know what kind of birth control she used. She was on the pill.

"Ryan could never handle hearing about birth control it would be too much of a shock for his cultured mind." Margot thought mean spiritedly. Then she felt bad for thinking such a thing about him. Ryan was a lot of things but a snob was not one of them. When she met Ryan he had seemed a regular guy, he was handsome, kind and successful as an architect and made a good living. She also did well as a graphic designer. They had clicked. Two hard-working people trying to make their way in the world.

When he had taken her home to meet his family for their first Christmas holiday together it, unbeknownst to him, changed their relationship. Ryan came from money. Serious money. She felt inadequate. His family was frighteningly elegant and expensive. They were privileged, had traveled the world, had had and did have all the extras. For all that Ryan's parents were sweet down-to-earth people who had made sure that they raised their children that way. Despite everything she felt intimidated and out of place. She made an effort to become "one of them". When she got married to Ryan she did feel like the cat who had gotten the cream and a whole herd of cows with overflowing udders. She dropped any old contacts she felt did not match her new station in life. She used her new name and influence to get a job at one of the best firms. She had always been a beauty but with the extra money she became an Ãber-glamazon. She didn't realise it herself but she had began to over compensate and ended up becoming the very snob she accused Ryan of being.

There was a sudden scream. Everyone looked at a woman was sitting with her two children. One of the kids had spilt juice on the lady who was sitting next to her. And quite a commotion had started. The woman whose clothes had been stained stood up. Purple juice had been spilled on her white skirt. The woman had fake prada bag and shoes. Margot laughed inwardly as she thought that it was the type of crappy dress that not even the purple stain could make took uglier than it already was. She tore up the form she had been given to fill in and walked out of the clinic. This was not a place for someone like her to be seen in.

As she walked to her office she passed the lounge room where they had coffee and hung out and brainstormed. She could have simply had some delivered to her office but she thought it wisest to spend as much time as possible with the creative team. Money or no she enjoyed her job and didn't want to lose her edge. Also there was a new guy, Mark. Mark was just edible. They flirted a lot. Only when alone. They had kissed a couple of times. When lunch rolled by she called Ryan told him she was swamped and went to have some chillie with Ryan and a couple of others.

Whilst at the restaurant she went to the ladies room. It was not their first time coming to this restaurant. There was a waiter there she had a bit of a flirtation going with. His name was Andrew. He was kind of a sleazy womaniser and she could see it clearly. But it added to the excitement of it all. On the way to the ladies you had to pass a corridor that could not be seen from the tables and there she bumped into him. On an impulse she grabbed him and began making out with him. But it was short lived and she couldn't bring herself to prolong the kiss. He tasted heavily of garlic and some other spice she couldn't quite place.

Margot decided to catch up on her favorite shows. By the time she was ready to go to bed Ryan was too. They went to bed as usual. Then suddenly Margot felt a pain in her stomach. Perfect. The gas still wasn't finished. She had spent the rest of the day in her office and had even avoided Mark. She didn't want to fart in the bed with Ryan there to hear and smell all. She tried to lie back and ignore it but it was just too uncomfortable. The gas wanted out.

She went to the bathroom several times and tried to let it out as low as she possibly could. The first fart had a whoosh sound like someone blowing. She began to burp again too. The gas came out of her mouth as well. She got back into bed and tried to ignore it but soon more gas was demanding to be released. She didn't let herself fall asleep for fear of farting and possibly waking Ryan. Whilst in the bathroom she tried to force it all out. Why didn't it just come out all at once. Her second visit was louder. It was a trip she was fated to make several times more. Finally she felt like it was finally hopefully over. She got into bed feeling light and free.

Ryan woke up. "So how was your day?".

"Fine. Sorry I did not mean to wake you."

"Thats okay. I wanted to tell you earlier but I forgot. Ben and Mandy invited us to their place in the hills for the weekend. A few other will be there. Its their anniversary party."

"I"d love to go." Margot answered. She had bought a couple of new gowns which she hadn't had a chance to try out yet.

"Great we can take it as an opportunity to have a mini holiday." Ryan said kissing Margo.

"Yeah I could use a break', Margo said bending her legs while turning over, and something escaped a whooshing one like air escaping out of a tyre but unmistakably a fart, 'I haven't seen Ben and Mandy for some time now..."

"Yeah and it would be..." They keep talking like nothing had happened. Margo wasn't sure whether he had heard it or not. She just kept still hoping the smell would remain in the covers and eventually die its natural fart death.

Whilst they were talking Ryan moved closer to her to put his arm around her. He shifted the covers and she felt cool air on her back. He made as if to cuddle her closer and again he lifted the covers and she felt cool air on her back. He was actually fanning her ass. There was nothing for it so she too kept talking and pretended that the fart had not happened. Eventually the sun came up, after a bit more gas had escaped of course, they woke up, bathed, dressed and had breakfast went to their jobs and went on as if nothing had happened at all last night.

As she drove to work she drove past the family planning clinic again. This time she did not stop by. She did think about what new thing she should try today.

Later in the morning Mark come into her office. They talked casually for a bit naturally the talk turned to work. They were at a table looking over some graphics. Today Mark hadn't said or done a single flirtatious thing. That is was Margot was so shocked when he suddenly reached under her short skirt and started squeezing and caressing her ass. The door was open and she immediately looked at the open door. No one came in, a few people passed by but no one noticed anything. She wanted to protest and she did make a half hearted token protest. Which he ignored as she had hoped he would. His hand moved further. Margot felt so excited her knees nearly gave out. She almost really did protest when he stopped. He took her hand and placed his hand on his crotch and felt what she had to admit was the biggest she had ever felt. He did not let her feel it for long.

"I'll see you later. I think you and I will be working late tonight." He left before she could reply.

She closed her door and went into her office bathroom. She leaned against the rounded corner of ht sink which was level with her crotch. She had not expected the pleasure she got from it. She moved away from the sink. She needed to think. What was she doing? She looked into the mirror and asked her reflection what she thought she was doing. She had never let her flirting go this far. She had seen Ryan look at other women when he thought she wasn't looking. And she knew he had been to stir clubs with his friends. Though she didn't think he cheated on her she assumed he touched. Thus she justified her own flirting to herself. She looked at her reflection and look deep calming breaths. How she ached to have that bit thing in her, to have Mark touch her again. After all she had said she would try something new today. The need became like an itch that had to be scratched. She wished she had a vibrator at that moment. All sorts of adulterous images flashed through her mind. Her hand snuk into her knickers.

Mark, as promised, came to her office after the work day was over and they "worked late." In the middle of all that work her phone rang. When she picked up her cell and she knew the number.

"Its my husband." Mark had offered to stop while she took the call but she practically growled at him to continue.

It excited her to be bent over her desk being pleasured by another man while she spoke to Ryan.

"Hi baby."

"Hi. Are you still at the office?"

"Yes."

"I wont keep you long hurry up and finish soon and come home."

"Okay."

"Oh. Can you pick up a bottle of wine? I'm making you my chicken and pork surprise. I want it to be perfect. Do you think you will be able to come come any time soon?"

"Yes. I"ll be coming very soon." Margot answered trying not to laugh and putting her free hand on the desk to brace herself.

"See you soon then love you."

"You too. Bye."

Mark left before her. She picked up the wine on her way home. On the way home she thought over what had happened and as she neared home her feeling of smugness altered. She felt the full weight of what she had done and a bit of emptiness but she cast all those negative thoughts out of her mind. It was not the best sex she had ever had but it was good. Honestly if another opportunity presented itself she would take it. She wondered what Andrew was like in bed.

When she got Ryan had set the stage for a romantic meal for two. Candle light, incense, red roses, strawberries, chocolate... the works. For a moment, a very brief moment she felt the need to confess. But it was a very brief moment and the food smelled wonderful and she was hungry. Because of the gas she had felt bloated most of the day and had had a packet of crisps and an apple for lunch. Besides, all that hard work had worked up an appetite. After an delicious desert she got a nice relaxing massage to take out all the knots that had been caused by her earlier desktop gymnastics.

They went to bed and made love.

The next morning she was giving Ryan his breakfast and couldn't help wondering why he loved that ugly shirt and hideous tie.