I anticipated conflict when I went to see my ailing mother-in-law to give my weary husband a respite. However, I couldnât have been prepared for what I discovered. She wasnât even ill. And my world fell apart when she told me the truth. Because where had Jacob gone if he wasnât spending every night with her?
I had been married to Jacob for six years. Although no marriage is ever flawless, I believed that we were a good couple. Even when work got in the way, we always made time for one another, laughed a lot, and shared a comfortable little house. I trusted Jacob, who worked in IT for a medical company and frequently stayed late at work. I never had an excuse for not doing it.
I didnât dispute it when he began to explain that his mother, Linda, had become unwell and needed assistance. I respected Jacobâs dedication to taking care of his mother, who had always been his baby. Every night after supper, he would say, âBack soon, babe,â pack a little bag, and give me a forehead kiss. He claimed to be taking care of her washing, cooking for her, and ensuring she took her meds. He wouldnât always arrive home until after midnight.
He would say, âJust trying to make sure sheâs okay.â She reared me by herself. Thatâs how much I owe her.
His extreme self-stretching crushed my heart. He always had a weary look in his eyes, and when he entered the room last week, he almost passed out on the couch.
He said, âJust need an hour, babe.â âThen Iâm going to Momâs.â
However, he never stood up. With his arm over his face and his shoes still on, he went out cold.
My heart simply wrenched for him at that very time. The poor guy was exhausting himself.
I therefore made a choice.
I got some supplies and food while he was sleeping, including fresh fruit, soup, medicine, and even some flowers to make her space more cheerful. I would handle things that evening if Jacob was unable to find a job. For them both, it was the least I could do.
When I arrived at Lindaâs place that evening, it was cold. It had been a month or two since I last saw her, but I assumed she would be too ill to come visit. Jacob had stated that.
Concerned that I could wake her or catch her in a bad time, I knocked softly. But the door opened and instead of a weak, exhausted woman, it showed Linda, wearing a black dress, with her hair done, makeup applied perfectly, and nails newly painted a rich burgundy.
Like a fool, I stood there with a grocery bag in my hand.
Her grin changed to bewilderment and then worry. Carol? God, oh God! What took place? Is everything in order?
I blinked. âI just came to drop off some stuff for you,â I said. Jacob informed me that you have been rather ill.
Her face was devoid of color.
âUnwell?â She let out a gasp. âI havenât seen Jacob in three months, sweetie. What is happening?
I almost forgot the bag.
âThird months?â
Her eyes widened as she slowly nodded. âI believe his last visit was in early January. He claimed that work was quite busy. Perhaps he was simply enmeshed in something, I reasoned.
The globe seemed to slant to one side.
Every night, Jacob had assured me that he was present. looking after her. I even saw him go. On certain nights, I packed him supper. He would bid me farewell with a kiss and explain that she required assistance getting out of bed.
âYouâre not sick at all, Linda?â
âNo! What made him say that? Twice a week, I have been attending Pilates!
I had the feeling that I would get sick.
As I pulled away and headed home, I gave her a bland thank you, hardly paying attention to her anxious inquiries. I spent a considerable amount of time sitting in my car in the driveway, observing the soft glow of our homeâs lights as they passed through the drapes. My husband, the man inside, had just been exposed for the largest, most complex deception of our marriage.
However, why?
Every night, where did he go?
And what could be so important that he would spend months pretending his mother was ill?
That evening, I refrained from confronting him. I waited.
Jacob took a shower the following night, got dressed, got his backpack, and planted a kiss on my lips.
âBaby, Iâll be back in a few hours. Tell me if you require anything.
I almost kept my composure as I nodded.
I followed him as soon as he left. My heart thumped so loudly that I was scared it would give me away, so I kept three vehicles behind him the whole time.
He didnât visit his mother.
I didnât recognize the peaceful suburban neighborhood where he turned into after driving to the opposite side of town. I waited, biting my lip until it bled, and parked far enough away.
Then I caught sight of her.
A woman in her pajamas, with long dark hair in an untidy bun, appeared to be in her early thirties. Before he knocked, she answered the door, grinned as if she had been expecting him, and embraced him.
Not merely a hug.
A kiss.
Not very fast. Not chaste.
Long, recognizable, and close.
The door closed behind him as he entered.
How long I sat there is a mystery to me.
I donât recall taking the car home.
However, I still recall how oppressive and thick the betrayal felt, like a stone in my chest.
I refrained from screaming.
I havenât cried yet.
Rather, I began to collect evidence. I documented the timings, took photos, and followed his whereabouts for a few more days. As it happened, he had been dating Alyssa for about a year. She was employed in one of his companyâs satellite offices. separated. One child. He had been using our money to assist her with groceries and rent.
He informed her of his separation.
He informed me that he was caring for his ailing mother.
He only revealed enough facts to maintain the falsehood.
But he didnât think I would go see Linda.
A few days later, the altercation took place.
Like evidence in a courtroom, I placed the pictures on the kitchen table. Jacob entered, glanced at them, and stopped.
âIâI can explainââ Carol
I responded icily, âNo.â âYouâre able to pack.â
He spoke up about how he had felt undervalued and how the excitement of the affair had taken his mind off of our marriageâs daily routine. He said he didnât love her. It âjust happened.â He vowed to continue loving me.
However, I had finished listening.
He hadnât simply betrayed me.
He had spent months lying to the lady he had promised to be honest with, betrayed his mother, and used her as a cover.
Itâs not an error.
Thatâs a decision.
Iâve moved into a new flat a few months later. Unexpectedly, Linda and I have become closer and speak more frequently. She admitted to me that she also addressed Jacob and expressed her shame at him using her as a scapegoat.
Jacob gave a call. He pleaded for pardon. He sobbed.
However, I had shed enough tears for us both.
Not only did I lose my husband, but I also lost the false sense of who I believed him to be.
And I found a new person to replace it.
Me.
more powerful. Sharper. And far more cautious about who I allow into my life.