This wasn't how I expected it to end.
I better explain from the beginning.
I was sitting having a coffee in that nice little cafe just off the high street, Helen was walking back from the counter with her cup when she spotted me, dam I thought, it's not that I dislike her but she just goes on about such boring things, still, we socialise so I put my smile on.
"Join me, but I am going shortly, I have a client coming in soon," I said trying to look like I didn't mind.
"Oh, I'm glad to catch you then, I've been trying to see you, I'm sorry to see that you are having problems."
By the look on my face, she could see I hadn't a clue what she was talking about.
"Well when I saw them together and happened to mention I knew that they weren't married to each other the hotel staff laughed, they told me that all the staff knew that, they had been coming here for the last year or so, they have a long lunch and 2 hours in a room upstairs, I thought you knew."
Lying bitch, she was simply having a dig at our marriage, hers had gone to pot 5 years ago and she hated any couple that looked like they still loved each other, bitch. Okay, but I had to hear this out, didn't I!
So she explained that she was running some sort of seminar in the said hotel, she did all the setting up and arranging of whatever was needed, they took place every week on a Thursday and she has been doing these for the last 6 weeks and had another 6 to go.
Whoopee, I thought, not.
Helen loved telling me all the dirty things she 'thought' that 'they' were doing.
I worked at keeping this marriage from becoming stale, made sure we didn't just do the same thing week in and week out, but we both had jobs that taxed the brain, we made time for the other's problems when we brought them home and here I'm learning that I'm married to a cheater.
I can't afford to get someone to film or record their betrayal, I don't think I need it, but I do need to see them, I will need to confront them in such a position that they can't deny what they are doing. I made my excuses and left.
I wasn't quite as on the ball as normal the rest of the day, too many thoughts that had nothing to do with work.
Later, sitting while watching the TV it came to me, how to get to see with my own eyes, not the sex bit, I didn't want to witness that, it hurt knowing, I could do without watching. I could be in the restaurant while they had lunch, but I just needed a disguise.
I looked online for a professional makeup artist, I never knew we had one in town, well just outside, running from a house that I passed most days, I phoned in the morning and made an appointment for that afternoon on my way home.
It was a 30-something woman who answered the door, tall, blonde hair down her back, very little makeup on, dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt, nothing on her feet.
"I'm Jane. Come in, come in let's go straight to the workshop." And led me through a beautiful kitchen into a full makeup room. It had racks of clothes, shoes, and hats, and it looked to me like she had enough things to fit out a full play.
"Ok, tell me exactly what you are after, how real do I have to make you?"
So I told her everything, how I needed to get close but I hoped that I didn't come face to face with them, across a smallish room.
"MMmmmm now let me see. She sat back and appraised me. Okay, how about a hair colour change, a beard, have you ever had one? she said with a smile. I can put a bit of padding in, and make your arms a different shape, if you go pick a set of clothes from the racks that you would like to wear, it will give me a chance to pick what will look different on you, that will not remind them of you, can you do that?"
I nodded and went through the racks found several things I really liked, and made a mental note of where they came from, I might go see if can get my own.
"I'm not sure about dying my hair, it might be noticed at home or something, the beard sounds good, but I'll have to leave the rest to your judgment."
"Oh don't worry about it, you'll change here, I'll make sure that it washes out as soon as we get you back here after you do what you want to do, how long do we have to get you used to wearing a beard?"
I told her I would like to do it next Thursday.
"Ok, plenty of time, how about you come here Saturday afternoon, I can give you a full makeover and you can decide if it works for you?"
So Saturday afternoon and I was back in the workshop, I couldn't believe what she had done in such a short time, looking in the mirror at myself it wasn't me, and when she put the jacket on me, wow that was a change, muscles.... I still wasn't happy when she put something in my hair, but it changed the colour and washed out in a minute, I was sold on that this was going to work, I just had to be brave.
"You going to do this on your own?" I nodded.
"It just so happens that I am free all day Thursday, how about we go to lunch together? It might make you blend in more, a couple having a meal, they won't be looking for you to be with someone, will they? How about it, I think you need a bit of support."
That made me feel better, at least I'd have someone to talk to, tell me that I was doing the right thing.
Thursday morning saw me in the workshop again, Mike let me in this time, he was Janes's other half I presumed, like Jane, tall slim and dressed smartly.
Jane sat me down and we drank a coffee together, she chatted without me having to answer. She calmed my nerves and then she got me to undress a bit more than before.
"I had a thought, let me show you I think it will make you look that bit better as this new man."