I’ve figured out where she’s taking me for dinner. I scoped it out for, well, I have my reasons… It’s a swanky place in Portland, right near the downtown district. Close enough to feel urban, yet far enough from the city center to avoid the traffic and the extortionate cost of parking. COVID-19 still ravages the community, so dine-in is allowed, but in very limited numbers. I’ve also made another reservation for another couple at the same time. A reservation that my wife is blissfully unaware of. Upon arriving, I speak with the host in private and inform him that some friends of mine are having a special night out. They’d really like the same table they had last time they were here. I point to the one and slyly hand off a $50 bill; a tip to make sure it happens. The host responds with a smile and a slight nod of his head. An unspoken recognition of what can only be described as a bribe. I’m surprised with how comfortable I am with doing this. Then again, over the past few months I’ve done things I never imagined most men get to do. Especially married ones. The ease with which the handoff occurred makes me wonder how often similar situations take place here. I suppose the crowds that tend to partake in this level of fine dining would certainly have the secrets and affluence to warrant bribing the staff here and there. I return to my table and take the seat across the small booth from my wife. She looks lovely this evening in her modest navy blue dress. She even styled her hair differently for me tonight – in an attempt to make my birthday dinner special. Her way to try to spice things up between us. But my mind wanders tonight, and I can’t help but to wonder what she is wearing right now. The one who truly occupies my thoughts. A pang of guilt briefly crosses my mind. The love I have for my wife remains, but no matter how many times I try, I can’t get her to understand that a new hairstyle isn’t what I crave in my sex life. I glance around the dining room as I suppress the negative thoughts that are building in my head. High-backed booths covered in dark brown leather upholstery and deep mahogany tables with freshly polished surfaces are positioned along opposite walls. The lighting is rich and warm, projecting softly from wrought-iron lighting fixtures which hang on long chains from the vaulted ceiling. A well-stocked bar takes up one wall of the room. An array of colorful liquids glisten and sparkle brightly from bottles stacked on glass shelves behind the bar. Wait staff and bartenders are dressed impeccably in freshly starched white shirts with black trousers and black neckties. I have never eaten here before, but the online reviews of this restaurant are stellar, to say the least. Five star cuisine created by world class chefs,…