It was on her fifth drink that she muttered the words that changed our marriage forever.
We were sitting in the Hopetoun Hotel in Bourke St Surry Hills washing down the last of our Mexican dishes with a few Corona and the odd Tequila. In the public bar, an acoustic duo massacred a few Neil Young tunes.
Neither of us are particularly big Mexican food fans and Lisa's decision to bring us here for my 40th birthday had me thinking something was up.
The entire night had been a surprise. I arrived home from work at 5.30 to find that the kids were already at her mum and dad's, Lisa was all dressed and she had our bags packed for the night.
She told me very little about what we were up to for the night and even after we checked into the five star accommodation, she still didn't let on about what she had planned.
The view from the apartment was spectacular. The room was so huge that it had two queen sized beds in it.
Lisa was wearing my favourite dress. A simple short black number with a plunging neckline that was nicely emphasised by the Celtic symbol she had draped off a chunky silver chain.
At 36 years young, Lisa had spent the past six months working on reversing as much of the damage that having three children could do. She had become a gym junkie and was even rising at 5.30 to go for a 10 kilometre run. With that and a visit to a Weight Watcher's class every week, she'd lost countless kilograms and apart from some stretched skin around her belly, you'd barely know she'd had any kids at all. Our children were now 13, 10 and 7, and for tonight they were safely in the care of her parents.
"You remember how all those years ago," she said, "back before we started having kids?"
I nodded and snapped the head off a disturbingly soft prawn.
"How we used to, you know, party with Andy and Leanne."
I nodded again, this time with a wide grin and let the prawn juice dribble down my chin. "How can I forget." I recalled all those weeks we spent fucking each other before they went overseas.
"Well, I'm kinda thinking that we should," she reached over and grabbed my prawn-free hand, "start doing it again."
I was gob-smacked. I didn't think this was coming.
"But aren't they separated now?" I asked, "Andy and Leanne."
"On again, off again," she said. "Now back on."
I smiled at her. Images of her sucking Andy's cock as she bounced on mine and Leanne licking my balls flicked in my mind's eye. "Are they coming here?"
"No they're going to meet us at the club."
"What club?"
"The Couple's Club."
"I take it that they don't have a room full of pokies at this club."
Lisa laughed. "Maybe a different kind of pokies."
I had to laugh too.
I sat back in the chair, breaking the physical contact with her.
"I suppose so." I said. "We don't really have to do anything if we don't want to do we?"
"Of course not," she smiled at me, "It's couples only as well."
"What time are we meeting them?"
"8.30."
"Where is it?"
"Just around the corner apparently," she pulled an address from her handbag. "Leanne was a bit confused about the address but it's just over the road."
I looked at Lisa's scrawled address that read 414 Bourke St, Surry Hills.
"Well, we have another hour to get fortified." I said holding up the beer.
"I bought something else as well," Lisa said.
"What?"
"Leanne is still baking those special brownies."
"You're kidding me."
She fished a small foil square out of her bag. "Yep, these are those brownies that we remember."
"I'm not having too much." I said recalling how badly they wiped me out 15 years ago.
"Fair enough,"
We surreptitiously nibbled on the enhanced chocolate slice and I soon noticed that it was all gone, and I'd barely had any at all.
"Just in case you get shy," Lisa said, "You might like to take this."
She handed me the familiar blue diamond of a Viagra.
"Where did you get this?" I asked, although I half knew the answer.
"Leanne."
"Thought so." I washed it down with another swig of Corona.
"Hash, booze and Viagra." I said, "Now that's a combination."
We adjourned out into the public bar where the duo were now desecrating a Radiohead tune. The eyes of the young men all took in my sexy wife. As we sat feeling the effects of our substance abuse take effect, Lisa's phone flashed a message. "It's mum. The kid's are all good," she said. "They are going to a movie."
We sat and endured the duo until 8.30 before we grabbed our gear and stood up. Standing up probably wasn't the smartest thing to do. The brownies had begun to kick in and that familiar calm wooziness descended upon me. I looked at Lisa and that stoned, glazed look was beginning to appear.
"I'm as stoned as a Christian," I said.
"I'm OK," Lisa said smiling.
The club was, as Lisa said, just across the road.
The world had slowed down as we waited for the lights to change, and the dim red light above the door of the club let us know our destination.
The brass doorbell made no sound as I pressed it but it was only seconds before a tall middle aged lady, dressed in a short black dress, suspenders and a singlet top, opened the door.
"Hi guys," she said, "Welcome."
We just stood their smiling like loons.
"It's $120 for a couple, including drinks."
"Oh yeah," Lisa finally spoke, "Of course." She slid an envelope out of her bag and handed it over. The lady checked it out, smiled and ushered us up the stairs.
When we got to the top, directly in front of us was a small bar where three men, all with towels wrapped around their waists, stood drinking. Another two men were talking to a youngish topless girl at one of the tables and in another room there were about five men and another middle aged lady having a chat.
"Andy and Leanne must be late," I said.
