Chapter 1
JIM
I'm James Thornton. Jim, to my friends. I'm sitting here across from the love of my life, Angela Thornton. No, not at our breakfast table that we've shared for the past fifteen years but at her attorney's conference table. We are looking at each other not in anger or hatred but with extreme sadness. My wife is divorcing me. What brought us to this point in our lives?
Bottom line is she found another whose giving her something I obviously don't. Who knows why? Maybe she got too comfortable and I became like an old pair of shoes. Yeah, they are comfortable but your big toe is sticking out the whole in the toe. Time to trash them for something newer...prettier. I guess he's prettier.
Angela studied the papers in front of her. She hesitated for a moment, looked at me once more, then signed on the line with the yellow tab by her name. Her attorney, Ellen Cassidy, pushed the papers across the table to me to read and sign on the designated line. In ninety days after I sign this, we will go into the divorce statistic column.
It seems wedding vows are only pretty words we are supposed to say to make everyone else happy. The phrase "until someone prettier or more handsome comes along" should be added to the end of the vows. Or maybe when we say "I Do" and add "for now" to the end.
I looked into the eyes of my thirty-five year old wife. "Angie, you're sure that this is what you want? Fifteen years of our lives are invested in our home, our kids and our lives. I know you say you found your soul mate and you're in love with him. I know it happens. I just never thought it would be us at this table because you let another man into your life."
She said, "Jim, we've talked about this. I'm sorry I hurt you. You don't deserve it. I didn't mean for it to happen but it did. I have not been physically unfaithful to you. Allen and I have not been sexually intimate yet. I couldn't do that to you. An emotional affair, yes, I can't deny that. We've talked intimately, held hands and kissed but that's all. I guess I'm trying to follow Dr. Phil's guidelines to some extent who says, "Never begin another relationship until you finish the one you're in. A relationship born from infidelity doesn't stand a chance."
"I guess that's what I'm trying to do. Allen says he loves me and I love him. I'm hoping the kids will accept him in time. You will still be a major part of their lives. I promise."
"Damn right, I'll be in their lives. Unfortunately, Angie, you've already been unfaithful. You're already invested in him emotionally. The fact that he hasn't stuck his worthless dick in you yet, is irrelevant. You ARE having an affair and you HAVE been cheating on me. White wash it all you want but you cheated on me and our family the moment you allowed him into our lives."
My sadness has turned to anger and it was beginning to show.
Her new love is Allen Bridges, stock broker, married twice, a rugged looking Lady's man of forty years old. From what I understand, he's scored with or at least hit on many of the women in his building. The married women are no obstacle to him. It seems that Angie is one of the few that hasn't succumbed to his sexual charms and wound up with his dick buried in her. I think he thinks of her as a challenge to his skills. Well, it won't be long now before he adds her scent to his bed linens.
Our kids, Janet, 14 and Little Jim, 13, are our pride and joy. They are torn between wanting to be in their mother's life with another man or staying with me. I want no other woman in my life but she took that option out of my hands the day she had me served.
I signed the papers, got up and walked around the table to her. I took her hand in mine and slipped my grandmother's rings off her fingers. I removed mine from my finger and dropped it in the trash can beside her.
She said, "No, Jim, please don't do that. You and I picked out your ring together all those years ago. It means something."
"No, Angie, correction. It MEAN'T something once. It was part our our bond to one another. You have broken that bond. You have dirtied every thing that was us including that ring. My ring no longer has the meaning it was intended to have."
"Just a quick question before I leave, Angie. Are you moving him into our house?"
"He has asked if he could move in with us but I haven't given him an answer yet."
"So, you and your lover are going to play house with our kids in our house. I don't and won't approve of that, Angie. Most of our friends have already distanced themselves from you because of your "emotional" affair. You haven't kept it much of a secret apparently. I heard you have been bragging about how wonderful he is. That he makes you feel alive and young again. I guess we'll see, won't we. You see, I know things about him, that you either don't know or choose to ignore because you've got your head in the clouds and his dick all but inside your pussy."
"You're wrong about him, Jim. He does so many little things that make me feel important, not just a mother of teenage kids, a wife, and a housekeeper. He sends me flowers at work, buys me gifts that say "I love you."
I said, "Angie, What are you...sixteen? Infatuated by pretty words and little gifts? You're an adult and a mother of teenagers. I hope you come to your senses at some point even though you've made it too late for us. I'm sure that's all very special to you in some short term way but he hasn't been through the hard times with you, has he? He hasn't rubbed lotion on your swollen pregnant belly awaiting the arrival of our children or put polish on your toenails because your pregnant belly wouldn't let you reach your toes."
"He wasn't there when I held your hair out of the toilet and bathed your face while you puked your guts from food poisoning."
I looked at the scar on her ankle and said, "He wasn't there when you came out of surgery after you broke your ankle. He hasn't carried you through the house so you wouldn't have to use those crutches you hated. We have a lot of history, Sweetheart."
"I hope it's alright if I call you that one last time. Your his "Sweetheart" now. Good bye, Angie. I'll try not to disturb you and your man when I pickup the kids. I still have some things at the house I'd like to retrieve if it's alright. I'll stop by when his car's not there."
As I turned to walk out, Angie grabbed my arm. "Jim, wait."
"For what, Angie? We had a good run. The T's are crossed and the I's are dotted. You made your decision when you signed those papers. You have what you want. Enjoy your new exciting, younger feeling life."
I didn't let her see the tears as I walked out the door.
Chapter2
ANGELA
I reached down and picked up his ring from the trash can and put it in my purse with tears in my eyes.
Ellen, my attorney said, "You don't have to go through with this, you know. It's obvious to every one but you, that you have unfinished business. I've handled enough divorces in my time that I know that this one shouldn't be happening. I see it written all over you. Some guy has turned your head with pretty words and flowers. He wants in your panties and you're falling for it. Angela, make sure this is what you want. You have ninety days to fish or cut bait. But remember, your husband will be moving on too."