Trust And Respect

Once marriage vows are broken it's hard to regain trust and respect in a relationship again. Hopefully, this story describes what could happen when that trust is lost and describes a means of restoring it with irreversible consequences if lost again.

A thanks to fdkman for his editing assistance.

CHAPTER 1. The Discovery

The lake was calm without a breeze to disturb the glassy surface in the hour immediately after day break. The sun was just starting to come up over the hills to the east transfiguring the lake into a place of serenity and peace. Just what I needed to think about my problem. The quiet hum of the electric trolling motor pushed my fourteen foot boat along the shore line at a steady pace as I trolled in my quest for a bass or walleye. I was really hoping I wouldn't catch either as I needed time to think without interruption.

My name is Mark. I'm 45 years old and I'm married to Lois, my 42 year old wife. My problem revolves around my wife. I caught her cheating with my best friend, Phil last night. I hadn't confronted her or him yet and had only just found out about the affair by accident. So now I had to figure out the best way to handle the situation.

We will have been married 25 years next month and our two kids; a son Jeff, 23 and a daughter Jill, 21 are out on their own so they will only figure slightly in whatever I decide to do. Jeff is newly married and Jill is engaged. I knew I could not continue to be cuckolded, especially by my best friend, without doing something.

First, let me describe my wife. She's very pretty and at 5' 7" and 140 lbs has a mature but shapely figure. Her measurements I estimate at around 36", 28", 40" with no sign that she's starting to lose her figure too badly as many of her girl friends have. This is especially noticeable with Phil's wife, Penny. Phil has always had a roving eye but in recent years, as Penny has started putting on weight, I noticed that he has becoming more prone to wander. However, I never suspected he would go after Lois although I should have known that her looks would have attracted him. I wondered why she would have responded to him. Like most women, who start getting hit on when they first gain breasts and other female characteristics, she had endured her share of groping, inappropriate comments and suggestions for a date during our marriage. However, she'd endured them without being unfaithful as far as I know. So what had happened to make her break our wedding vows? Didn't she respect me anymore? Was she in love with Phil? Did she want a divorce? Did Phil want to divorce Penny? How long had it been going on? Only she could answer those questions.

Those were questions for them. What about me? What questions did I have to get answers to? Did I love Lois? I thought I did. How would I feel if she left me? Would I be devastated or did I even care? If we stayed together could I trust her again? But the most obvious question of all; how did I feel? Was I angry or just disappointed at her betrayal? It was all so confusing.

Most cheating wives stories I'd read indicated that the husband was always devastated and drank a bottle of bourbon to forget. I didn't think that appealed to me. Twenty five years is about a third of a lifetime and that's a pretty heavy investment of ones life to give up without some concern. I guess I would have to confront her and get some of those questions answered that only she could provide. Then I would go from there to determine the best course of action but I thought that I would like to salvage my marriage if at all possible.

As I continued to glide across the lake surface I heard the sound of high powered outboard coming down the lake and in a few moments a bass boat skimmed by across the surface of the lake kicking up a rooster tail of water behind it. A quick wave to the driver and his passenger and they were gone. I noticed too that riffles were beginning to break up the glassy surface as a breeze started and the sun rose higher in the sky. I would have to be heading home soon as it would shortly be getting too hot to continue so I turned back toward the launch ramp.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I had been on a four day business trip and had finished up a day early and headed home, catching an evening flight that would get me in to home late. Lois didn't like me to travel. With the kids gone she was alone in the house and I thought she would appreciate my early return. I decided to surprise her and not notify her in advance. Maybe I should have.

Arriving home at ten in my truck, that I'd left at the airport, I didn't open the garage door, deciding instead that it would scare her as she was probably in bed sleeping or reading. I could see that there was a light on in the living room and our bedroom as I drove up. I slipped in the front door with my luggage and dropped it in the front entryway thinking I'd take care of it in the morning. Looking in the living room I saw two empty wine glasses on the coffee table. I stopped in the kitchen for a glass of water then went upstairs to our bedroom. I saw a light coming from the partly open door to our bedroom and heard the sound of voices.

"Oh Phil. Fuck me! Fuck me!"

What the hell I thought. Is she watching a porn movie? But that sounds like her voice. I looked around the corner into the room and saw my best friend Phil's hairy ass between my wife's legs thrusting his cock into her as she thrust back at him. I stood there quietly, mesmerized by what I was looking at. They were so involved in their fucking that they didn't notice me watching from the door way.

"Oh god, Phil! That feels so good. I'm going to come soon. Don't stop."

Wakening from my stupor I thought about rushing in and confronting them in anger but reason returned and I turned instead and went downstairs and returned with my new digital video camera. Setting it on low light I stood back in the dark hallway and began videoing their activities in the dimly lit bedroom for about fifteen minutes. During that time they both orgasmed and afterward she started sucking his cock to get him hard and then they went at it again. When I was satisfied that I had enough I took the camera down to the computer room and downloaded it into a secure file. Then I burned two discs and hid them in separate places.

Going back upstairs I heard him ask, "Can we do this again? I've wanted to make love to you for a long time and I don't think I can stop now."

"I don't think so. He'll be home tomorrow. I want you to understand that as far as I'm concerned, we weren't making love. We were just fucking. I only make love with Mark."

"He and I are scheduled to play golf on Saturday morning. If I played sick and got a sub would you do it then?"

"What about Penny?"

"She'll be still at her mother's."

"Maybe. I'll let you know."

"My cock is still hard."

"Don't let it go to waste. Fuck me one more time."

I went and took my luggage from the entryway and moved it out to the garage hiding it behind some cabinets. Then I changed into the old fishing clothes I kept there and slipped out the side door of the garage to my truck. Starting it I turned it around and backed up to my fishing boat next to the garage and moved off toward the lake three miles distant. I slept in the truck that night at the launch ramp. Waking at first light I launched and went fishing. I was still numb from what I'd seen but and hadn't sorted out my feelings yet.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

As the sun gained precedence in the sky I pulled the boat up on its trailer and departed the lake for home. After parking the boat and trailer by the garage again I went into the garage through the side door again and was surprised to see Lois' car still sitting there. She was usually at work by this time. I changed clothes again taking slacks and a shirt from my luggage and then went into the kitchen.

She was sitting at the kitchen table looking at me without expression. It looked like she's been crying. I went in and sat down opposite her.

"I thought something was funny when I saw the empty glass on the counter top in the kitchen. When I saw your boat gone, I knew."

"Why?" I asked without other preliminaries.

She suddenly began to sob.

"I don't know."

"Do you love him? I love you and want you to be happy so if you love him I'll give you a divorce and let you go. However, I will not be a cuckold while you have an affair with him

"No no no. I don't love him. It was just sex. I love you."

"Do you want a divorce?"

"Oh god, no, no, no!"

"Again, why then?"

I was getting mad. A rage was building up in me. For the first time I was beginning to feel some emotion about her infidelity and it scared me.

"I don't know. I wanted something but I don't know what. It might be that I'm getting older and I don't feel that I'm attractive anymore."

"You're very attractive to me. Doesn't that count. Don't our wedding vows count?"

"Oh god! Please. I'm feeling so bad about it. I don't want to lose you."

"How long has it been going on?"

"That was the first time." she sobbed out.

"How do I know that? How can I trust you again?"

"I'll never, never, never do that again."

"Was that only because I caught you?"

"No, I'd already decided it was a one time thing."

"Weren't you thinking about doing it again with him Saturday morning?"

"Oh god, you heard that?"

"Yes, and I heard you begging him to fuck you. So, again, how do I trust you if we stay together? I'm not going to spend the rest of my life being your jailor. By having sex outside our marriage you broke our wedding vows 'to forsake all others' and you showed a total lack of respect for me. Now, I have lost my respect for you and my trust in you. How do we overcome that if we stay together?"

"I don't know what to say. Can I say that you have to trust me that you can trust me? That really sounds crazy. You're right, I did show a disrespect for you by doing it with him and please don't talk about not being together."

"Let's try it this way. What would you do if I had cheated on you? Think about it before replying."

After a few minutes she exclaimed., "Oh god! I would have asked you to leave our home and would have gotten a lawyer. But, I don't want you to do that with me. I'm so confused."

She went back to sobbing and I constrained myself from going over to comfort her. My rage began to abate. I decided then that I sincerely cared for her and hoped we could work through this and get back together The question was, did I love her enough to forgive her? She was the mother of our children and we had lived together for a long time and knew one another intimately. Could I get past this and resume our relationship no matter how flawed? She was a good looking woman and had always turned me on. I would miss her if I left and I knew she would find someone else soon. However, I felt we needed some breathing room.

"Lois, I think we should separate for awhile until you can figure out what you want and you're no longer confused. I'm going to pack a few things and go live in a motel until you make up you're mind what you want to do. Also, I think you should know that if we do get back together I will never again sleep in the bed you cuckolded me in."

"Oh no, Mark, don't leave. I'll get rid of the bed immediately and have a new one delivered this afternoon."

"I'm sorry but I see this as a period of adjustment in our marriage. Please give it a lot of thought and call me on my cell phone when you're ready to discuss what we're going to do. You should be aware that as soon as Penny gets home I'll be informing her about what you and Phil have done. I don't think she should be kept in the dark on this and I don't think Phil should get away with it. He's no longer my friend. As long as we're married he'll never set foot in this house again."

I got up and went out to the garage and got my luggage and took it upstairs to repack. Within a few minutes I came back downstairs and headed for the door.

"Please, Mark. What will I tell the kids?"

"That's up to you but don't place the blame for this on me. I don't think we should let this go too long. I think you should call within a week."

She was still sobbing as I closed the door and headed to my truck. In about twenty minutes I had a room at the Holiday Inn near the interstate. It was only noon so I went into the restaurant and had lunch then headed to my office. They were surprised to see me back early but I buried myself in work to help forget my personal problems.

I called my golf partners, except Phil, and canceled out my Saturday morning date with them. Also, I told them that I probably would not be playing with them for the foreseeable future. They wanted to know why and I just told them there were some personal problems that had to be worked out.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Two days after I moved into the motel I received a call on my cell phone at work from my son, Jeff.

"Dad, what's going on? Mom says you've moved out of the house and she's almost a basket case. She hasn't been to work in the last two days."

"Did she tell you why?"

"She says she did something stupid. Can you tell me what she did?"

"You'll have to get that from her Jeff. But, I can tell you if it doesn't get resolved in the next few days your mother and I might be heading for a divorce."

"Oh, dad, I hope it doesn't come to that. I'll talk to Jill and see if we can't work with you both on this."

"OK son. Bye."

"Bye dad."

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Saturday morning while I was having breakfast at Denny's I received a call from my daughter Jill on my cell phone.

"Dad, can you meet with mom this afternoon? She told us what she did and we're really mad at her but I don't think what she did is bad enough for a divorce."

"Jill, I agree with you and Jeff that a one time slip is not enough for a divorce but I want assurances that it will never happen again. I want her to tell me how she can restore my trust and respect for her. My guts are in a turmoil over this. I feel betrayed and disrespected. I've also lost my respect for her. "

"I hear you dad. We'll pass on your words to her. Do you think you could talk with her today?"

"This afternoon at 2 o'clock would be fine."

"Good. We won't be there. It'll just be the two of you. By the way, I think you should know she's had your whole bed room suite replaced, the walls repainted and new carpet installed. She's really sorry and I don't think what she did ever will happen again."

"OK honey. Thanks for your and Jeff's help in this."

"We're family dad and we want to stay a family."

I was so proud of our kids.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Two o'clock and I was ringing the front doorbell.

"You didn't have to ring, Mark. This is your home too." she told me as I entered.

"Lois, until this is resolved I'm not living here."

"Alright, I understand. Where do you want to talk?"

"The living room will be fine.," I responded. I wanted to keep this as formal as possible so it wouldn't degenerate into a crying jag for her and myself giving in to compassion for her. I sat down in a chair and she sat on the sofa facing me. She looked drawn and lifeless and I was secretly glad that she was suffering about this.

"Where do you want me to start?"

"I guess you can start by telling me how you and Phil got together."

"Well, you were gone and Penny was gone to visit her mother. I'd met Phil at the grocery store and and he was bemoaning the fact that he was having to cook for himself or go out to restaurants and he would love a home cooked meal. I think back now that he was just fishing for an invitation. Anyway, I bit on his hook and invited him over for dinner. I don't like to just cook for myself and I don't like to eat alone. It just made sense that we solve our problems together. I didn't even think about the impropriety of it at all. He and Penny are such good friends I just thought about him as I do about my brother, Dan."

"Before dinner we had cocktails and during dinner we had wine. We were having such a good time talking that I didn't notice that we'd almost consumed the whole bottle of wine. I think he was keeping my glass full the whole time we sat there. After dinner he helped clean up the kitchen and the dirty dishes and then we went into the family room. He sat next to me on the couch and we had some more wine. I was really out of it from the alcohol. I remember he put his arm around me and when I turned to him to tell him no he kissed me. It was like some dam was released and I found myself responding. That eventually led to the bedroom and I guess that's where you found us I just never thought about you or the our family."

"I am so sorry it happened but I can't turn back the clock. I don't want to lose you. I love you and I need you with me. I have tried to analyze why I succumbed so easily to him and maybe it was the alcohol, my concerns about growing older and combined with the fact I was horny without you. I don't know, but I'm willing to see a psychologist or marriage counselor about it if it will get you back home. I don't know whether I could handle you having revenge sex with some other woman, but if you insisted I'd go along with it if it would help you trust me again."

I was so glad she was looking at what she'd done more analytically than emotionally. It was a good sign.

"OK, based on what you've told me, this episode with Phil was just a one time thing. There have been no other men in your life since we married. Is that right?

"Yes, yes. No one but you. Please believe me.,"she sobbed.

"All right, but I hope I never discover otherwise. I will move back home this evening and we can try to re-establish our marriage. You realize that it will not be easy. I have the memory of seeing you fucking another man in our bed and your words burned into my brain and its going to take time to erase that memory. I will be staying in the spare room until I feel comfortable with you again."

She looked visibly relieved as she responded, "All right, I understand. I just want you back home and we'll work this out."

I moved back in that evening and the weekend was spent in cautious attempts of reconciliation. I was pleased that she acted contrite and remorseful. . +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

CHAPTER 2. A Revelation

Monday morning at work I called Phil and Penny's house to see if she was back from the visit to her mother's. As I'd hoped she was home and Phil was at work. I wanted to meet in a public place.

"Penny, are you available for lunch today? I'd like to talk with you privately without our spouses around."

"Sure Mark. We can meet at TGIF at noon. Is this about a surprise for them?"

"You could say that. I'll see you at lunch."

At noon I was seated in a booth in the back when Penny arrived and sat across from me.

"Now, what's this all about, Mark?" she began after we had our drinks.

I couldn't see anyway of sugarcoating the situation so I started right in.

"While you were gone, I came home early from a business trip and found Phil and Lois in bed together. Lois and I have had a brief breakup but now we're back together and we'll be seeing a marriage counselor."

She just stared at me emotionlessly. I was surprised as I'd been prepared for some sort of outburst. Finally, she spoke. It sounded that she was forcing the words from her mouth and I was devastated.

"So, Lois is the one."

"What do you mean, Lois is the one?"

I knew Phil has been cheating on me for some time but I never knew who it was With your help I'd like to start divorce proceedings against him."

I was stunned. Lois had lied to me. They had been doing it more than once and it sounded as though, many times. It was as though I was kicked in the gut. I was in a white hot fury when I thought about it. Jumping up I threw money on the table for the drinks and told her, "I'm sorry Penny, I've got to get back to the office and think. She told me they only did it the one time, but I'll be glad to help you with your divorce if I can. I need revenge and I have video confirmation."