Have you ever had one of those nagging thoughts that you can't quite recall something? Something you're sure is important but simply won't come to mind? Well, next time you do pay attention to that thought and sit down till you remember what is was. Had I done that I would have saved myself a great deal of trouble.
My husband of 18 years was having an affair. I couldn't believe it but I knew it was true. All these years and two beautiful teenaged daughters and the whole thing was coming apart. I should have seen it before tonight but I didn't want to believe it. The furtive phone calls and the sneaking out of the house at different times with only lame excuses as to where he was going. They were covering for him at work too, telling me he was in "meetings" when I knew he wasn't. He had never had that many meetings. I was even more upset because his boss is a woman. You would think she wouldn't act like this, aiding and abetting him like that.
I had wondered who it was. Early that same day I had picked up the phone to make a call and caught them. He was talking to Kay. Kay? I just couldn't accept it. Kay and I had been friends for years. And besides, with all due modesty I knew doggone well I was better looking than she was. Kay was sweet but she and her husband both were overweight from running their bakery. Good lord, I wondered if Stan knew what was going on. My husband and his wife. I still wanted to doubt, but I had heard them both so clearly.
"Has she any suspicions at all?" I had heard Kay ask my husband.
"None, she's completely in the dark and I want to keep her that way. I'll be over there at 8 and we'll have plenty of time. She always works late on Tuesday," that son-of-a-bitch I was married to answered.
I gently hung the phone up. Must have been the Tuesday working late I was trying to recall, I decided. Well, I knew exactly how to get even with him. I had briefly thought about confronting them, or going to Stan, but decided the best revenge was to find some young stud who would appreciate me and show me a good time. I knew just where to find one and I knew just what bait to use.
I smiled sweetly at my husband later that morning as I headed out to work. He kissed me and it was all I could do not to slap the smile off his cheating face. However I behaved, knowing I would get even and more than even.
Work never seemed to pass so slow. Near quitting time my boss Lorrie came in with a sad look on her face. I braced myself for the lie.
"Karen, I hate to do this but we just got this in. Could you look over it tonight? It should only take a couple of hours."
I managed to control myself. "Why sure I will Lorrie. Let me call John and tell him I'll be a little late." I did and then waited. When all the others had left the building and cleared the parking lot I left too. I was going to give him another chance before I paid him back. I drove carefully to Kay's house. Sure enough, there was John's truck in the driveway. I parked around the corner and slipped through the backyards to the house. The blinds were drawn but I could hear murmured conversation.
"Oh Kay, that's so beautiful." I heard John say.