Friday afternoon found me sitting across the desk from a man who had just said, "I'm sorry" as he slid his report and the envelope full of photos across the desk to me. "I'm sorry too" I said as I wrote out the check for the balance of his fee.
I took the report and the photos and headed for home. Laurie had already told me that she would be working late so I'd be alone and could go over the report and look at the pictures. It spelled out in detail what the detective had already summarized. Her evenings working late had been spent at Wycliff's condo. I didn't have any pictures of them "doing the deed" but I did have time stamped photos of her entering and leaving. I didn't really need explicit photos to know what they were doing and truth be told I'd rather not see explicit photos.
I stuffed the report and the photos back in the envelope and put it in my briefcase. I made myself a stiff drink and then sat there in the den and thought about what I needed to do next. Confrontation followed by forgiveness was not an option. I loved Laurie, but she had betrayed my trust. It was as simple as that. It didn't matter what her reasons were for doing what she did, it was still a knife in my back. The trust was gone and there was no getting it back.
I wondered what made her do what she was doing and then I thought of all the chances I'd had to stop being a faithful husband. Chances I hadn't taken because I'd meant what I'd said when I spoke the words "Forsaking all others." I wondered if some of those chances were still available.
But first things first. I needed to get through the weekend and then see an attorney on Monday. I knew that we lived in a no fault state and that unless I could prove fraud or some other criminal activity everything would end up being a fifty/fifty split. The house would have to be sold and the proceeds split and that would hurt. I'd put a lot of myself into that house and had quite a bit of ‘sweat equity' in her. On the plus side, Laurie loved the house and she would be forced to give it up.
I checked the clock and saw that it was almost time for Laurie to be getting home so I headed up to bed so I could pretend to be asleep when she got there.
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I had a standing golf date for Saturdays and I was up and out of the house early. It was two in the afternoon when I got home and Laurie wasn't there. She'd left a note in the kitchen saying that she had gone to get her hair done for a party we were going to that night. After reading the note I wondered if Wycliff did hair. I wonder if she left early enough to swing by his condo for a visit before she got her hair done. Maybe the hair appointment was early enough that she could get her hair done and then swing by Wycliff's so he could see her new ‘do' before coming home.
I was in the garage changing the oil in my car when she got home. She stuck her head out of the connecting door to the garage and reminded me of the party and told me that I should really start getting ready. I wanted to scream "Fuck off" at her but of course I didn't. It was going to have to be life as usual until after I'd talked to an attorney.
Laurie looked absolutely stunning and it brought to mind the reason I had pursued her in the first place. I wonder what she thought when I didn't comment on how good she looked like I usually did. In the car on the way to the party Laurie said:
"Is something wrong Alan? You seem so out of it lately."
"Nothing wrong Laurie, just some problems at work that are grinding me down."
"Well just put work out of your mind tonight sweetie and relax and have a good time. When we get home tonight I'll try and make it all better."
There was silence for several minutes and then she said, "It isn't me and the hours I'm working again is it?"
"Let it go Laurie."
"That's it isn't it?"
"Just let it go Laurie, just let it be."
The rest of the drive was in silence. Once at the party I wandered off in search of the guys who would be talking sports and left Laurie to her own devices.
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