My Wife Cheated But I Took Her Back

It's been about two months since I took my wife back after she cheated on me. But there was something about her heartfelt confession that didn't ring true.

It was a Saturday morning after a girl's night out that my wife left her cell phone on the kitchen table as she went to do some laundry. Her phone buzzed with a text from Mark. I knew her passcode, I didn't know Mark who was telling my wife that last night was the best sex he's had in forever, so much better that his wife and he couldn't wait to get together again.

I texted him back, "My husband just headed to the golf course, come on over if you're ready for another round."

"Let me make some excuse to my wife and I'll be over in 30 minutes. Send me your address."

I sent him our address and added, "Just come in."

A dozen different plans went through my head, mostly dealing with physical violence and then a more palatable plan emerged

Taking my wife's phone. I shouted out I was heading to Home Depot and drove around the corner and parked my car and waited.

I prepared a text for Mark on her phone, "Holy shit, his tee time was cancelled, he's on his way home." I watched the BMW pull in my driveway and a middle-aged man approached the door, just before he reached for the door, I hit send. He had started entering my house when his phone pinged. The look of oh shit on his face was priceless. I made sure the ring cam doorbell caught it all. He headed back to his car, and he raced out of the driveway.

His initial haste made it difficult to follow him discreetly. I stopped being discreet once he pulled into his driveway and I parked right behind him, raced to his front door and started banging. A woman answered about the same time the cheater caught up with me. The cheater ended up in a headlock and the wife was freaking out.

I told her, "I'm sorry but your husband fucked my wife last night and I thought you should know."

The husband was trying to say something, but I tightened my headlock.

"If you reach into my pocket, you will find my wife's cell phone and the texted he sent this morning."

The husband was begging her not to look but she did anyway. After reading the message she started hitting him. I held his face up so she could get some good shots in. It didn't take her long to start drawing blood from his mouth and nose.

She was running out of steam, "I'm on my way back to my house, my wife doesn't know that I know about her infidelity yet. I would never hit a woman, but you could."

"Let's go," she said. She turned to her husband, "Give me your keys shithead. The baby is in his highchair. Keep an eye on him while you pack your shit. I want you ready to leave when I get back from kicking some slut's ass. We'll see if she's so much better than me when I'm done with her."

On the way to our cars I said, "I'm Jack, my wife's name is Jesse, what's yours?

"Vicki," she said.

I gave her my address but let her follow me. She walked in right behind me as my wife was yelling out if I saw her phone. Jesse came into the front room and didn't see Vicki behind me until it was too late. Vicki closed the distance in seconds and led with a roundhouse right to Jesse's left eye. Jesse was still staggering as Vicki slapped her hard with her left. Jesse crumbled to the floor and Vicki pounced on top of her. Vicki grabbed two handfuls of Jesse's hair and used it to bang Jesse's head against the tile floor. I stopped Vicki from killing Jesse.

"I have a six-month-old baby at home you stupid slut. You ruined fucking everything."

Vicki collapsed on top of Jesse and started sobbing. I helped Vicki to the couch, Jesse curled into a fetal position and started sobbing.

"Vicki, would you join me for a cup of coffee. I'm thinking you should calm down a bit before you drive anywhere."

Vicki mumbled okay.

"Jesse, I'm going to take Vicki out for a coffee, please find some place to stay for at least a few days. I hope you're not here when I get back and here's your phone. Good job, destroying two marriages in one night. I hope you're proud of yourself."

As Vicki and I were at the door, Jesse yelled out, "Please Jack, can we talk about this?"

"Jesse, you should be thankful I stopped Vicki from killing you and that I didn't kill you myself. Don't be here when I get back."

Vicki didn't want to go into the coffee shop with the way her eyes looked so I went in a grabbed a couple of cups to go and drove her over to a little park.

Vicki looked like she was going into shock as she stared into the distance.

"Would you take her back," Vicki asked.

"I can't see that happening, but people have given me second chances, especially at work. I picked up a little alcohol problem ten years ago. My number one goal was to make sure they never regretted it. I haven't had a drink since, but the next few days will be rough. What about you?"

"I have our son to think about and I'm not sure Mark and I could afford to live separately. We agreed I would be a stay-at-home mom until the youngest entered school, thinking we would have two or three. I can't see having any more children with Mark, after all I must be horrible in bed anyway." Vicki started crying again.

"It's just not that he cheated on me, but it really hurts when he said sex with your wife was so much better than sex with me. My self-esteem has taken so many hits this morning. I need to head home and thank you for telling me. Time to start my life as a divorcee."

"Vicki, I'm not talking romantic stuff but please call me if you need anything else. And thank you for smacking Jesse around."

"Thank you for holding Mark so I could get a few good shots in. That felt so good."

We parted ways and she rarely called me. She had taken Mark back; the baby made her situation so different. Vicki also said she would never let him in her bed again.

Jesse was gone when I came home, there was a tear-stained letter on the kitchen table which I ignored. When I sat down, I felt like I was hit with a truck, she fucking cheated on me, my marriage was over. Vicki was right, it's time to start my life as a divorcee. But first a nap.

Trying to sleep was fruitless so I got up and started researching divorce in my home state. Even though she was a cheater, things would split down the middle. I found a checklist and started locking credit card and squeezed into the bank before they locked the door and opened my own accounts and split the balance in our joint account. On my way home I called my sponsor, it had been years since I talked to him last, but I needed him now. He was the only person to see me cry since I was a kid, and I felt a good cry coming on. He invited me to meet him at a local Denny's.

Over coffee and some eggs, I took him through my day. He asked a few questions here and there and finally asked what my long-term plan was. I stuttered; the word divorce was on my lips but I couldn't get it out. He knew what I was going to say.

"It's okay Jack, I'm sure you had no idea we would be having this conversation when you woke up this morning. I'll send you the name and number of my ex-wife's divorce lawyer. She's pretty good. Keep the ball moving Jack, divorces take forever and will make your 30-day pin look easy. Just because you start the process doesn't mean you need to follow through with it. I'm also going to send you the number of a counselor. The person you saw when we first met has retired. You'll like this woman, she's blunt and I know you'll like that."

There was always something about listening to him talk that made me feel like I was in control, not that I could control everything, but I was in control of how I reacted.

Sunday was downright horrible. Jesse kept texting me, she wanted to talk, she was at her mother's, she needed stuff from the house for work on Monday. I told her I was heading to the store at three, she could come over then and to be quick. At three I headed to Home Depot and then the grocery store. I knew how to cook but had no desire, so I picked up a rotisserie chicken.

Jesse had come and gone while I was out. She sent me a text asking if I read her letter. I didn't respond. I installed the new locks before stuffing my face with the chicken. As I climbed into bed, I was proud of myself for not even thinking about a drink.

Monday was a little better during the day, I had something to distract me and made appointments to see the lawyer on Wednesday and the counselor on Tuesday. I kept the ball moving.

Monday evening sucked when I found Jesse sitting on the front steps. Her left eye was still swollen as well as her lips.

"You changed the locks Jack? Why? We can fix this, please talk to me."

"Jesse, I recognize that at some point we will have to talk but I'm not ready and the more you pressure me to talk the less you're going to like the outcome. By the way, I locked our credit cards."

"Jack, please stop, I need to explain what happened. It's not what you think."

"Jesse, I can't believe you just said that. You're living in a fantasy if you really think that or think I would believe it. I have a meeting with a divorce lawyer on Wednesday, I suggest you find one."

"Please Jack, don't divorce me. I can't live without you." She ended up in a fetal position again on our front steps. I scooped her up, brought her into the house and laid her on the couch. She continued to cry for a while until she fell asleep.

While I was I the shower she had gotten up and left. There was another note on top of the previous note, begging me to read them. I didn't and instead went out to eat again with my sponsor.

The lawyer's meeting went as expected and she would have the papers ready by Monday. But in between, my sponsor reminded me of all the people who had given me a second chance and although I had quit drinking before I met Jesse, she had been a rock that helped me maintain my sobriety. He added that he wasn't trying to influence my decision one way or the other, but I need to envision life with and without Jesse. Divorce generally leads to people picking up a drink, more out of loneliness than anything else. My counselor gave me a similar message, not to act out of anger from the betrayal but what was best for my overall mental health.

On top of this, Jesse's mother started calling me, pleading Jesse's case. She was never one of my favorites and I was never one of hers. It must be killing her to beg me to give Jesse a second chance.

Jesse sent me a text, "Jack, please come to counseling with me."

"Have you contacted a lawyer yet Jesse."

"We don't need lawyers Jack, we need counseling."

"You're the one who cheated so I understand why you need counseling, and I am seeing a counselor plus my sponsor to make sure I don't pick up a drink. I have also seen a lawyer and had divorce papers prepared. I can have you served, or I could drop them off."

"Please Jack, come to counseling with me."

"Please Jesse, go see a lawyer."

"I'll go see a lawyer if you come to counseling with me. The court would probably order counseling anyway."

My lawyer had already warned me about the court ordered counseling, so I agreed, but she needed the divorce papers and she needed her lawyer to contact mine before I met with her counselor.

Jesse was on my doorstep a week later.

"Jack, can I please have a key, I've had to pee since I got here. You have the doorbell cam, so you'll know if I come in without your consent."

I gave her a key and she went flying in. I was at the kitchen table holding out the manilla envelope when she finished her business. She took the envelope as her face turned pale white and started to wobble. I grabbed her before she hit the floor. She started sobbing on my shoulder.

"I'm sorry Jack, I can't believe we're talking divorce, and the worst part is it's all my fault. If the roles were reversed, I would not even consider giving you a second chance, but I have to fight for it or I wouldn't get out of bed in the morning. Please read the letters I wrote to you Jack, at least before we see the counselor. My appointment with the lawyer is tomorrow morning."

I was still holding her, she was looking up at me like she normally would expecting a kiss. Letting her go was heart wrenching for both of us. She didn't say another word on her way out.

Two weeks later, we had an appointment with her counselor. I did read her letters before counseling, there was no explanation on why she let him fuck her, only her instant regret as soon as they were done. She cried all the way home in the ride share and then spent another hour on her front steps crying. Most of the letter was Jesse begging me to forgive her. It left me with more questions than answers. I did go back to the ring cam and Jesse did spend the better part of an hour crying out there.

The first counseling session went as expected and he asked Jesse what she wanted out of these sessions.

"I want Jack to find a way to forgive me, to give me a second chance, to let me come home. I fucked up, I know I fucked up and if there was any doubt in my mind, a jealous wife beat it into me. I can swear I'll never let anything like that happen again."

Jesse was on the edge of hysterics and then threw herself at my feet begging my forgiveness. I helped her back into her chair.

"What do you want Jack?"

"Before we can talk about forgiveness or any of the other things Jesse wants, I need to know how we got here. She wants forgiveness for what, for getting caught, for fucking up, what about the pain she's caused me. I had to call my AA sponsor for the first time in years. Does she want me to forgive her for all the dreams she destroyed. Where's the fucking explanation as to why she ruined two marriages. Her lover had a six-month-old son at home while he was fucking my wife."

I may have said other things, it's hard to recall. By the time I was done ranting, Jesse was curled up in a fetal position in her chair, sobbing in hysterics.

I scooped up Jesse, told the counselor I think we should end here and ended up driving her to her mother's. Jessica didn't seem able to uncurl herself, so I ended up carrying her into her mother's house. After dropping her onto her bed, I tried to leave without a conversation with her mother Joyce.

"Looks like counseling started off with a bang Jack."

"Joyce, we have never gotten along, and I don't feel comfortable discussing this with you. Talk to Jesse in the morning."

"No one gets along with me Jack, you're not special or different than anyone else. I don't get along with me. Jesse barely tolerates me. How many times have you seen her call me or visit me when I live 20 minutes away. As far as why she's here, all she said is she cheated on you and you asked her to leave. I don't blame you; I would have done the same."

Joyce left me confused. She just stood there looking at me. I could smell the vodka in her drink, and I was sure vodka and some ice were the only things in the glass.

She saw me looking at her glass, "Yes Jack, I have a drinking problem. Jesse told me long ago about your problems with alcohol so I'm sure you can recognize the signs. But it's the only thing I have left, that and this house."

"There's other options Joyce; AA has saved my life."

"Really Jack, I don't want to save my life. I'm looking for a drunken end."

"Joyce, there isn't a person at an AA meeting who hasn't said the same thing. Please come to a meeting with me."

"Why, so I can alienate a whole room full of people Jack?"

"Maybe, but I'm sure there will be other people there who specialize in alienating other people. There's a meeting tomorrow at 8:00. I'll be here at 7:30 and please be as close to sober as possible."

"What about Jesse?"

"Joyce, you'll have to talk to her. Maybe you can start by telling her you're going to an AA meeting with me."

There were texts the next day from Jesse asking how I got her mother to go to an AA meeting. I didn't respond, that was between her mother and me.

Jesse chose to meet the counselor by herself at our next appointment two weeks later. Another two weeks elapsed before our next meeting, Jesse had a pile of wrinkled paper in her lap with scribbling and tear stains. The counselor nodded and Jesse began reading:

"I have known Mark for several years. He works for one of the other companies that have offices in my building which he visited occasionally. Up until recently, there was nothing between us beyond polite hellos in the elevator. Several times, groups from different companies would end up at the same bar for happy hour. At one of those happy hours, Mark sat down next to me, and we chatted. Nothing special or noteworthy. He spent most of the time talking about how much he was in love with his son."

"There was another happy hour where Mark showed up again, he immediately came over and talked to me. I don't remember anything different than any conversation I had with the other people who were there, whether they were from my company or one of the others. I think there may have been another happy hour before the girl's night out when I fucked up."

Jesse started sorting through the papers and finally settled on one that appeared to be mostly scratch outs. "The girl's night out was more of a wedding shower than anything else. I dressed nicely, nothing sexy but a few steps up from what I normally wear at work. I knew I would be drinking so I took a ride share to the bar. Mark ended up by my side. I danced with some of the women from work and with Mark. Knowing I wasn't driving, I wasn't watching how much I had to drink. One of the older women pulled me aside in the ladies room, telling me my admirer was getting handsy on the dance floor and I had too much to drink. I got angry with her. I was an adult and knew what I was doing. I couldn't have been more wrong. I apologized to her when I went back to work."

"Most of the rest of the evening was a blur. I know I was enjoying Mark's hands on me and did not object when he kissed me. I don't think any of my work friends were still there. Mark suggested we get some fresh air, and he took me for a ride in his car with the top down. We ended up in a little park and sat down at a picnic table. I remember being in the car, but I don't remember getting in the car, I remember sitting on the picnic table but not getting out of the car. I remember Mark kissing me and playing with my tits and then his hand was playing with my pussy. The next thing I remember was laying on my back while Mark was entering me. And then he was done. He found my panties and helped me get them back on. He drove me back to the bar and waited with me for my ride share to come. By that time, I sobered up enough to realize I fucked up my life and was sobbing. Mark helped me into the rideshare and as I said before, I cried all the way home."

"I laughed when I read his text telling me how great the sex was, I was almost passed out."

Jesse looked at me for the first time in the session. "That woman tried to warn me, but I was too obstinate to listen. Maybe I was already drunk and beyond rationale thought."

Our session was almost over, and he asked me if I had any response to Jesse. "I need time to process this."

I saw a look of hope in Jesse's eyes.

Joyce attended the next AA meeting, her second. I was surprised when she stood up and did the 'Hi, I'm Joyce and I'm an alcoholic.' It took me six meetings to get there, I knew I was an alcoholic but to say it in front of a room full of people takes balls, or guts in this case. I was surprised when she admitted that she had been cheating on her husband for a long time and the stress started her drinking. He found out and she promised to stop seeing the guy but picked up with another man a few years later and started drinking again. Her husband wanted a divorce, there were no more chances. Fortunately, her daughter was away at college and missed all the fireworks. Her husband was killed in a workplace accident before the divorce was finalized. After that there was no reason to stop drinking."