Intro from the Author
Hello everyone. This is the first story I've ever written, so my apologies for any plot or grammatical errors. I have not used an editor.
I've tried to write a short story about cheating that has a novel ending. The story will feel incomplete, intentionally so, and will undoubtedly disappoint both BTB and RAAC fans. While I have read many stories in the Loving Wives category, I tried to be as original as possible with the storytelling and plot. Anyway, I hope that you enjoy it. I appreciate votes, emails, and comments—even the negative ones if they include an explanation. Please do not post your comments anonymously if you want me to take them seriously.
Legal Caveat - This is a work of fiction. The characters, plots, narratives, etc., have all been created from my imagination and are in no way intended to represent real people or situations.
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Hi, I'm Katie. I'm not really sure how to begin. How do I put down in words the emotional turmoil that changed everything in my life? I tried hiding from the world for months, but nothing I did, and nowhere I went, could hide me from myself. My therapist said writing down my story in a journal would help me heal. I'm not sure that's true, but I'll try anything at this point.
I decided that if I do this, I will share it with you, dear reader, in the hope that it helps you in some small way. I can't promise you'll like or even accept me--I certainly don't--but I promise to give you as honest and raw of an account as I can—no more secrets.
I'll give you a little background and then start with the day everything changed—my 27th birthday.
Tom and I met at the University of Michigan six years ago. He was a first-year law student, and I was a junior in the undergraduate program. I had barely turned 21 and was just beginning to explore the bar scene. My friends were constantly pushing me to break out of my shell. As a small-town girl from the Midwest, I never felt comfortable in large gatherings or near boys. So, it was no small concession on my part when I agreed to go with friends to a frat party one chilly Thursday night. It wasn't long before I was very uncomfortable with the loud music and drunken partygoers. I walked outside and sat on the porch swing while I decided whether to bail on my friends or wait it out in the cold to be sure they got home safe.
Within minutes, Tom came out and introduced himself. He was dashingly handsome, standing 6 ft. 3 inches tall, with dark hair, broad shoulders, and a chiseled jaw. He said he saw me inside and came out to ask if I was okay. He seemed genuinely concerned. My voice betrayed my nervousness talking to a cute boy as I told him I was fine but that the party was a bit much for me. I needed a break while I waited for my friends. He asked if he could sit next to me and keep me company while I waited, even offering me his jacket. That night, we learned a lot about each other. He came from a wealthy Connecticut family who expected him to become a prominent attorney in New York and eventually run for governor. He shared that the pressure from his family was a lot but that he worked hard to live up to their expectations. He admitted that he'd had his fun as a frat boy during his undergraduate years but had abandoned that life and wanted a life partner he could connect with on a deeper level.
It's hard to describe why, but I felt so comfortable talking with him... like we had known each other forever. Over the next two weeks, we went on five dates, and perhaps most surprisingly, he didn't even hint at sex. I eventually asked him to make love to me that winter night when my roommate was visiting her parents. He was so tender and reassuring that I almost melted. Despite my lack of experience, I could see that he was not overly equipped as a man, but I was in love and was excited by everything he did. I was happy to allay his insecurities and reassure him that he was the perfect size for me. A little over two years later, we were married, settling in a 16,000 sq. ft. home owned by his family and excitedly planning our future.
Sure, there were challenges over the first four years of marriage, but we shared a good life and considered each other our best friends. Tom worked hard at his law firm, trying to impress the partners. He also had a long commute, which didn't help. I admit I was often lonely in such a big house, away from family and friends, and without a career of my own. But I knew I was living a life many girls could only dream of. I had maids, gardeners, two gorgeous pools, a sauna, and even a yoga studio. On balance, I was happy and looking forward to starting our own family. I was even beginning to get to know some of our neighborhood's wives, who would invite me for lunch.
It was at one of these lunches that the first seeds of doubt in my marriage took root. Cindy was married to a stockbroker, who was also away more than home. Over a glass of Bordeaux, she shared that she knew her husband had been cheating on her with a girl from his office. She said he had been acting differently with his phone... texting late at night and quickly turning his phone off afterward. Cindy noticed these behaviors were a change from his routine. A few days later, she hid a camera in a fake smoke detector on the master bath ceiling. It took nearly two weeks before she had enough video and angles to piece together his phone passcode. The rest was easy. He had not tried to conceal the texts and photos proving multiple affairs. But Cindy didn't confront him. She felt she had too much to lose and all but admitted she didn't marry him out of love. Instead, she decided she'd get her revenge by sleeping with anyone and everyone she desired. I told her how sorry I was, and she told me not to feel bad as she had gotten over the betrayal years ago. However, she did caution me to keep a close eye on my husband for any changes that didn't appear to have an explanation. I assured her that Tom was my soulmate, and I knew he was faithful.
But Cindy's words of caution lingered in my mind over the next few days. I had a lot of time to think about it and imagine awful scenarios. While I couldn't think of anything unusual, I vowed to keep a close eye on Tom's actions. It was another month before I saw the first evidence that something was amiss. Tom arrived home at 9 p.m., as usual, saying he was tired, wanted to shower, and then go to bed. I waited for him to shower and then went into our bedroom to see if he wanted any company. He was lying on the bed in his boxers and clearly typing on his phone when I entered the room. I asked him who he was texting, and he said no one. Instead, he claimed he was searching for something on his New York Times app. I wouldn't have thought much of it if I hadn't heard the telltale signs of an incoming text on his phone. Sure, it could have been a coincidence. But subsequent days yielded similar late-night texting with repeated responses from someone. Finally, I confronted him and asked who he was texting. He lied and said he didn't know what I was talking about. I asked to see his phone, and he refused, saying there was client information on it and that he couldn't believe I didn't trust him. I'm not sure why he didn't just say the texts were from a client, but he either didn't think of that lie or had decided not to use it.
We had a strained relationship for the next few days, with me refusing to sleep in the same bed with him. It was particularly painful as my 27th birthday was only a few days away. Tom always did something special for my birthdays, and I had seemingly childish hopes that we would do something fun. Unfortunately, I wasn't sure how to fix our relationship; this had been our longest fight since we married.
I was almost convinced I had overreacted when I caught him dead to rights. After another long day, he had pulled his Audi S8 into the garage, and I happened to be walking into the garage to get a shopping bag from my trunk. I paused in the dark, frozen in place, as I heard him talking to a female voice on his phone. Then I heard him say, "I'm looking forward to seeing you again. No, don't worry. My wife doesn't suspect a thing." A few more words passed before he hung up, but I was so gutted that I could hardly stand, let alone move. If he hadn't left the garage to check our mailbox, he surely would have found me in a very vulnerable state. With the unexpected reprieve, I retreated to the house to process what I'd heard and felt. I hid in the theater room, hoping he wouldn't seek me out. But realizing that wouldn't be a viable solution for long, I went to tell him a friend needed my help and that I was heading over to her house. I had called Cindy and told her I needed to see her, and she had invited me over... so I wasn't completely lying. Tom might have asked more questions if we weren't on the outs, but he seemed to accept my pointed notification by saying, "Okay, have fun."
Cindy was surprisingly reassuring and challenged whether there could be any other explanation for Tom's actions and statements. Cindy encouraged me to return home to be sure this wasn't all some big misunderstanding and that he wasn't just secretly planning a day out with me for my birthday. I think she was afraid her earlier warnings had made me paranoid and didn't want to be responsible for any mistakes I might make. It took much convincing, but I couldn't deny her logic. I returned home after 11 p.m., and Tom was already fast asleep. I went to the guest room I'd been sleeping in and waited out the night. I didn't sleep, and my mind raced. I was still awake when I knew Tom would be getting up for work. I walked into the master bedroom to give him the opportunity to wish me a happy birthday and see whether he was getting dressed in a suit for work. He appeared to be running late, but he stopped buttoning his dress shirt to kiss me on the head and say happy birthday. He said that while he might not always like me, he always loves me.
He apologized that he had to go to work but said he hoped we could take a weekend trip in a few weeks when a case at work was resolved. I'll admit it; I almost bought it. I so hoped he would still be the man I wanted him to be that I was filled with self-doubt. That was until his phone rang. He glanced nervously at the number and hung up on the caller. Seconds later, his phone rang again, and he struggled before managing to turn his phone off. I had seen the name "Stephanie" on his caller id and asked him, "What the hell?" He said he knew it would be a long work-related call and would rather wait until he was driving to his office to start the conversation.
Dumbfounded, I watched as he finished getting ready and headed to his car. When his car left our driveway, I collapsed in the marble foyer. I felt so stupid, betrayed, and worthless. I must have laid there for over an hour. I'm certain I was out of tears by the time my feelings turned to anger. Looking back, it's hard not to marvel at how fast my feelings turned to wanting him to suffer for his infidelity. I quickly thought through my options and went to look at the prenup he, with his parents' insistence, had me sign. I never paid much attention to the fine print as my actions were honest and my feelings true. But now I needed to remind myself how it addressed infidelity. So I opened the safe in our closet and pulled out the papers. Sadly, Tom's parents must have expected he might cheat and didn't leave me a loophole.
It's not an overstatement to say that my anger turned to rage. I was compelled to hurt him, to punish him. If I could put his balls in a vice and squeeze them until they ruptured, I probably would have. But I recalled how Cindy thought sex with other men was the best revenge, and I vowed right then and there to cuckold my husband. I quickly settled on the perfect option. I picked up my phone and dialed Darryl.
Now, I want to be as precise as I can about what happened next. I promised you I'd be as honest and raw as possible. With that in mind, a first-person narrative of Darryl's visit might be the most candid approach.
"Hello? Hello Darryl? It's Katie. I'm sorry to call you so early, but I'm wondering if you might still be available for our regular fitness training session today?"
"Today?"
"I know, I know... I canceled this one... but only because it's my birthday, and I thought my husband might have made some plans for us to go out today."
"I take it he didn't?"
"No, that didn't happen. But, listen, I could *really* use a good workout right now."
"Sure, Katie. Anything for you. Can I come a half-hour later than usual?"
"Great! A half-hour later will be fine. I'll leave the front door to the house unlocked, and you can meet me in the yoga studio."
A couple of hours later, Darryl entered my house and came upstairs to find me doing warm-up stretches on the mats.
"Oh, hi, Darryl. Thank you so much for coming over. I knew I could count on you."
"Oh, my Katie...you look great! That outfit doesn't leave much to the imagination."
"Oh, thank you... all this hard work you've been putting into me must be paying off. I didn't want to parade around the big house in black thong panties and a cut-off shirt. The gardeners or neighbors might see me! That's why I had you meet me up here."
"Don't worry. It's not like I haven't caught you staring at my ass before. At least now you'll have something to see!"
