I thought I had it all figured out. I was happy, looked forward to a great future and I thought I married a loving, faithful wife. I was wrong. My marriage was over almost before it began. We didn't make it through the honeymoon.
My name is Luke. My wife's name is Jill. We're both 24. We've known each other most of our lives. Jill is my sister's best friend. My sister, whose name is Amy, is my fraternal twin. Amy and Jill have been BFFs since Jill's family moved across the street from us when we were all four or five.
Jill's father is a drunk and a mean one. As far as I know, he's never hit Jill or her mother but life in that household was not fun once Jill's father started drinking. And he started drinking a lot. The good news is that Jill's father left her and her mother, Ann, when we were in sixth grade. Jill saw him maybe two or three times a year for a few years. That stopped and she hasn't seen him in years.
Jill spent most evenings and weekends in our home and even went on some vacations with us. I think Jill slept at our house as much as she slept in her own home. My parents came to see Jill as another daughter. Jill was always welcome in our home. For me, growing up, she became as big a pain in the butt as my sister. Another pest I avoided at all costs.
My parents are both schoolteachers. My father teaches high school English. My mother teaches middle school math. They earned enough when Amy and I were growing up so we didn't feel poor but there was a lot my parents couldn't afford to buy us. We had a small three-bedroom house. When Jill slept over, she slept in Amy's bed with Amy. When it became clear that Jill was going to become a regular fixture in our home, my parents bought another single bed for Jill for Amy's room.
Ann had Jill when she was sixteen. Ann and Jill's father dropped out of school and married. They were miserable together. Jill spent so much time at our house because of his drinking and their constant fighting. Ann worked, still works, at a high-end woman's clothing store. She works Saturdays through Wednesdays from 11am to 8pm. Once her father was gone, Jill came to our house most nights after school. Ate dinner and did her homework with us. And she was with us on Saturdays and Sundays when her mother was working. If Ann had a date, Jill slept over.
My mother's brother, Uncle Jake, is the wealthy one in the family. He owns a construction company. We see him as a second dad. When Jill was added to the mix, Uncle Jake considered her another part of the package, another niece. He was married once but divorced years ago. Whenever we needed something my parents couldn't afford, he would step in and pay. Uncle Jake has been a constant presence in our lives. He has no children of his own so he spoiled the three of us. We love being with him.
When we became juniors in high school, something changed with Jill, Amy and me. Instead of the petty childhood arguments and fights, the three of us became friends. We started going to parties together and even ate lunch together at school.
Amy settled on one boyfriend in high school, Alex. He's our age and has been my best friend since elementary school. During the summer between 10th and 11th grades, Amy and Alex became inseparable. The gang of four. Jill and I became closer and closer and were together even when Amy and Alex wanted to be off on their own.
By Christmas of 12th grade, Jill and I were sleeping together. We were in love and began to discuss our future together. Our future was set: college, marriage after college, careers, a family. Everything according to plan. As I said, I thought I had figured everything out.
Amy and Jill went to the same university. I went to a different one. We all saw each other during semester breaks and summers. A few weeks before leaving for college, I told Jill we had to talk, "Do you want to be single again while we're away at college?"
"Are you breaking up with me? Why are we talking about this?"
"I don't want to see other girls, but we won't be seeing each other very much for the next four years. The temptations at college may prove irresistible. I don't want you to feel as though you have to lie to me, go behind my back, if you want to see other guys. If we decide to pause our relationship, you can do what you want and not feel guilty."
"I don't want to see other guys. I love you. I'll be at school to learn, not to hook up. No, I don't want to be single again. Ever. I don't want any pauses. Is that what you want? To be single again?"
"No." Jill would have broken my heart if she said she wanted to be single at college. But I felt it was important to ask, to reestablish that we were exclusive and would remain so.
So that was our arrangement. We were basically promised to each other and would remain faithful during our time away from each other at university. I did remain completely faithful to Jill. Jill told me she remained faithful to me as well. I had no reason to suspect otherwise.
Alex did not go to college. His father owned a garage and Alex stated working full time there after high school. He's a terrific mechanic and is learning his father's business. It will be his someday. He made enough to buy a starter home. Alex and Amy married right after Amy graduated from college. Amy became pregnant shortly after they married. They have a son, Tom, who will be one next Spring.
After college, I started working for my uncle at his construction company. I majored in accounting and was employed in his bookkeeping department, keeping track of his A/R and A/P. His accounting procedures were antiquated so, with his encouragement, I revamped his receivables and payables. It turns out you can learn something in college.
Jill wanted to be a schoolteacher like my parents and, after graduation, began teaching at the elementary school we all attended. I was making enough money to buy a house. Jill moved in with me and we married last June.
As a wedding present, my Uncle Jake paid for our honeymoon. We went to Guadeloupe, an island in the eastern Caribbean, for a two-week honeymoon. The island is still attached to France and most of the people at the resort were French. Jill took French in high school and college, and she was pretty good. But she didn't need her French. At the resort, everyone spoke English, resort guests and staff. The resort was terrific. The place had three restaurants, two bars, a spa, shopping and two pools. We stayed in a two-story cottage right on the beach. The beach and the water were amazing.
We arrived at the resort late afternoon on Sunday, the day after our wedding. The ground floor of our cottage had a bedroom and bath. There was a front porch overlooking the water. The top floor had another bedroom with huge balcony, also overlooking the beach and the water. The balcony was private enough for us to fool around without being seen.
The night we arrived, after dinner, we decided to take a walk on the beach. It was a beautiful night. This place was truly paradise. It was light enough to enjoy the beach and the water.
Not far down the beach, we saw about 25 people sitting in a circle around a bonfire. We walked up to within a few feet of them to see what was going on. They were all in various stages of undress. Most of them, men and women, were not wearing shirts or tops. They girl who checked us in when we arrived at the resort was there wearing only bikini bottoms. She was passionately kissing some guy but saw us when she came up for air and waved. A lot of couples around the fire were in various stages of intimacy. One woman was lying back kissing one guy while another guy was pulling off her bathing suit. One couple was a few feet outside the circle fucking. No one seemed to notice or care.
They were passing around joints and the smell of marijuana was strong. When they saw us one guy, not wearing anything at all, walked up to us and asked, in French, if we wanted to join them. Jill translated. I shook my head no. We headed back to our cottage. Jill said, "That was weird."
I'm a big golf nut. I could do eighteen or thirty-six every day and never get tired of playing. Jill knew I would spend time during our honeymoon at a golf course on the island I was excited to play. Sitting all day sunbathing was not for me. I made a tee-time for 1pm that Monday. Jill and I would hit the beach in the morning then have lunch. I'd go play golf. Jill was happy to spend the day on the beach, reading, listening to music swimming and sunbathing. Vegging out on a beach was her idea of a good time. I'm always happy golfing.
