"Rob, say something, please say something," asked Brenda.
"What's his name?" I asked. "You know, the bastard you fucked."
"Please, Rob, let it go. I promise you it will never happen again. Nothing will be gained by bringing other people into this. I was at fault and I'm paying the price right now."
I was looking at a very scared Brenda. I stared at her face for what seemed like minutes but was probably only a few seconds. "Who is Brian Cooter?" I asked.
Brenda turned white and her mouth opened but no sounds were coming out. I figured I just hit home.
"Where...who...how...oh God," she was now crying."
"Are you going to tell me about your friend Brian or do I need to talk to him personally? I have his cell number and his home phone where he lives with his wife Nancy. Which one should I call?"
"Please, Rob, it's over. Don't bring his family into this. I've been seeing Rob for a few months. Last Saturday I ended it with him. It truly is over, Rob."
She went on to tell me the story on how they met up again. Apparently, he was one of her lovers from State and was a salesman for the company she worked for. He just lived in the next town over, about twenty-five miles away.
She pleaded with me to forgive her and made God knows how many promises. I told her I needed time to think and that I would be staying in the spare room for now. I really didn't want to see her or talk to her. I was still on crutches and wasn't the most mobile.
When the girls came home they saw their mom crying and came to talk to me. I told them that their mother and I had a big argument and that we might be separating. It really hurt them. They kept asking me why? And I told them it was up to their mother to explain it to them, but I told them, "Your mother broke her wedding vows."
I might not have mentioned it but I was a quiet man and held most things in. For the next week, Brenda went to work and came home and tried to act normal but it wasn't working. My sister Betty came over and I told her the story and she cried and asked me what I was going to do? I explained to her that I loved Brenda but I could never trust her again and that I was going to get a divorce.
One day Joyce came over to talk with me. She tried to tell me how broken up Brenda was about her mistakes and she really did break it off with Rob. I, in turn, explained to Joyce that if it had been the one time, I just might have been able to get by it, but I knew that it had gone on for months.
Joyce broke down and cried. "I told her she was so stupid but she didn't listen," said Joyce. "She just had to fall into the old college day trap. God, I'm so sorry, Rob. You two were so great together. I know Brenda loves you more than anything, and just made a few stupid mistakes. Please try to forgive her," asked a crying Joyce. "So you know, she really was breaking it off with Brian the day of your accident. I called her as soon as I heard of the accident and tried to get hold of her. She had her cell phone off."
As soon as my leg healed enough to walk on, I moved out. I stayed with my sister Betty for a week while I looked for an apartment close to home. I wanted to be close to my daughters who were the innocents in this sordid affair.
Brenda and the girls cried. They asked me if I was just getting away for a while to think. I explained to the girls that I had filed for a divorce under irreconcilable differences. It would be final in about four months. I knew of no reason why I would change my mind.
The girls were teenagers and Brenda did tell them about her fling and how wrong she was. The girls loved their mom but really hated what she had done. They didn't talk to her unless they had to for months.
I did get my apartment with two bedrooms so the girls could stay if they ever wanted to. I went back to work but decided to work the day shift as well as work the strip mine as opposed to the deep mine. I was glad to get back to work. It really helped to fill the voids in my life. I had my buddies to hang with after work and I always saw my daughters on a regular basis.
The week before my divorce was final, Brenda showed up at my apartment one evening.
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