(Writers note: This is the third and final chapter in this series. Unlike many BTB readers I do accept some couples can and do stay together after couples have had marital problems. I am putting it in the Romance category. Sorry no burning here. Yes I know its not my style, maybe its the time of year, I'm feeling generous.
Can a one time mistake be forgiven? The wife in this story has never cheated before in all the years of their marriage, she did have many opportunities to do so, she is a beautiful woman and gets compliments every day, and she gets hit on most days however, she did not have any sexual or emotional relationship with anyone outside of her marriage until meeting 'Karl'.
I know this because I am the writer of this story. I created these characters. The husband is very flawed and a product of a messed up family life. And probably not the most easiest person to live with. But somehow their marriage worked.
The wife is also flawed, as has been proved. So two flawed characters in a story, in a marriage. Okay, enough, time for the third chapter. Just so you know there is mostly dialogue and not much sex. If you are after a BTB story stop reading now, you won't find it here.)
(The scene: A restaurant in the middle of a town. A place the couple know well, the staff know them by name, they also know Luisa has had at least one date with another man in this restaurant.
Many of the staff wanted to contact Gary and tell him about his wife's dates, but the manager, David, told them it was nothing to do with them he does not get involved in customers personal life.
So on the wife's first date, it could have been stopped if one of the staff had told Gary but no one did, at least no one on the restaurant staff.)
I agreed to see Luisa after her email to me, she seemed sincere in her apology, and some of her reasoning is well founded. I am a very calm and collected person, I am very understated, some might and in fact have told me I am a bit boring. I never lose my temper, it is tightly controlled.
I hardly ever show my emotions to anyone the exception is Luisa, she has seen all my emotions good and bad.
Only Luisa has ever broken through the ice around my heart. Many women have tried to break the ice around me when I was young, and even now certain women at work try it on.
But with patience and love Luisa broke through my emotional barrier, that is what makes this so hard, she knew what would happen if she did anything with anyone else.
I am probably the most understated person you are likely to meet. I never boast about anything, I accept things with a smile or a frown, sometimes both. I know it annoys people in general, it annoys me when they keep telling me to "Lighten" up.
However, I am a successful General Manager of a warehouse, I am respected by the staff under me and the people higher up. I am on a good salary and my prospects are good, despite my emotional failings I am good at what I do, so my staff tell me, and once people get past my lack of emotions, apparently I'm a likeable person, again not my words.
I am serious and unemotional because my parents were serious, and unemotional my early years were difficult and my family life was not happy, I don't laugh out loud very often, but I have been told my deadpan way of telling a joke is highly amusing. I can and do have fun and I can be the life and soul of a party, or I can sit in a corner quietly drinking a beer or coffee, depending on how I feel.
So this is me, my wife knew my character before we got married, and she has done very well to hide her annoyance with my character, if that is what drove her to Karl.
I will point out that Luisa in all this time of us being girlfriend/boyfriend then engagement and then husband and wife to my knowledge she has never given me any clue about wanting to go outside of our marriage so it a surprise and shock to know she felt strong enough to test me devotion to her.
We are sitting in a booth with my wife opposite me. We have had a meal and coffee and now we are sitting in companionable silence.
I'm waiting for my wife to start talking, do far we haven't really said anything apart from how we are how the children are and what we wanted to eat.
She looks tired as if the last six months have indeed been hard on her, there are a few more wrinkles and her hair appears to have a few grey hairs, she has lost weight as well, not unhealthily, but I prefer her with more body but she is still a beautiful woman.
She is appraising me too, I haven't really changed, maybe less weight maybe more wrinkles, but basically the same me. No hair, a small goatee, broad shouldered, slim body, dressed as always in black jeans and black jumper and black t-shirt underneath.
My wife is wearing her customary blue jeans, boots and a blue t-shirt and a short leather jacket.
She is not here to seduce me, not dressed like that although the jeans do fit her perfectly and her t-shirt shows off her ample chest.
"Gary, can I start by saying I'm so sorry I hurt you, I know you like no one else ever will. I can see your outward shield is in place. I know you are trying to hide your hurt and hide your emotions, and it makes me feel so sad and its the fact I did this to you. I have caused this pain, and you are trying to hide it from me, the one person in the world who knows you to be a warm, caring and loving man. This is killing me Gary, please talk to me."
