Hey love, grab a cuppa and settle in cause Ive got a story thats been stuck in my head all day.
Emilys husband, James, has a lover whos stunningly beautiful. If shed been a bloke, hed have chosen her in a heartbeat. You know the type women who know their worth, walk with poise, meet your gaze straight on, listen till you finish talking. Theyre not rushed, they dont flail about, they dont feel the need to flash their shoulders or thrust their chest out to get noticed. Instead they carry a quiet, almost regal confidence and never lose their composure.
Hed probably pick her precisely because shes the opposite of his wife. Emily, on the other hand, is always in a rush. Shes the sort who raises her voice at the kids or at James, drops things from her hands, cant seem to sit still, and is constantly lagging behind at work while the boss sighs in frustration. She favours jeans and tees or pullovers because who has the time to iron a dress or a blouse? She cant even remember the last time she ironed lace or satin the modern tumbledryer’s been her saviour.
But the mistress, Victoria, is flawless. Long legs, sleek silhouette, rich hair, clear eyes, a face that could stop traffic. From the moment James first saw her, he couldnt breathe easy. It all kicked off after a work trip to a suburb of Manchester. Exhausted and famished, he ducked into a tiny café by chance. It was packed, but there was a lone table in the corner. He sat down, glanced over the menu andboomhe recognised the man sitting behind her. And then his eyes landed on Victoria.
James slipped his hand between his palms, lingering on her fingers as if they smelled of basil. It felt like a scene from a painting. He tried to keep his cool, but he knew she was something else entirely.
A strange, burning feeling washed over him, like seeing red marks on skin after a sunburn you know the pain is coming, but youre stuck waiting for it. You try to breathe through the ache, hoping to soften whats to come.
He knew the sting would come, yet inside he felt hollow. Nothing more.
James got home right on time, as he usually does. Hes normally calm and balanced, whereas Emily is the one who lights up at the slightest sparkimpulsive, quicktempered. Hes a moderate sanguine, with a dry sense of humour, the exact opposite of her.
You can imagine how his humour would have landed in this messtotally wrong for the situation.
All evening Emily wanted to confront him, tone flat: So, whats the story with the mistress? I saw you yesterday at The Green Café, she was gorgeous. I get it, I wouldnt have held back either. She could picture him sweating, his forehead beading, turning a shade pink as he tried to stay composed.
She might have kept going: Right, and now? Should the kids meet her? Should I move in with her? Does she bring her own flat or do we ship her over to ours? She said nothing. As usual, James wrapped his arms around her and they drifted off to sleep together.
Maybe they hadnt even gotten that farhe was already halfturned on the other side of the bed, laughing silently in his head, thinking of a woman who sees the betrayal with her own eyes yet still swears shes surprised.
Perhaps they were only at the stage of lingering glances, hearts beating in sync. James knew how to hide his gaze, his movements, never betray a thing.
He tossed and turned, slept in fragments, dreaming of colourful flowers and strangers in scarlet dresses.
Morning came, his head heavy, his steps slower than usual. He got the kids ready for school with a calm that surprised even him.
The whole day he wondered what to do. What do women usually do when they catch their men with someone else? Google it? The internet gave him nothing. He had no plan. Should he try to move on? He didnt need to tryhe was already living the same old routine: James home on time, no foreign perfume on his shirt, noisy, cheerful kids, Sunday cinema trips. The same weekly affairstwo, sometimes three, if you were meticulous about details.
Maybe the mistake was that café?
No, he hadnt messed up. He called her at lunch; she didnt answer. He hopped into a cab and went back to the same café, telling the driver he was waiting for an important parcel for work. Jamess car was parked opposite. He saw Victoria and James exit together and climb into the vehicle.
He paled, asked the driver for a bottle of water, pretended to make a call and shouted into his silent phone: Shame on you and your little package! Im not staying, Im off to work! Even then he didnt care what the driver thought.
When you discover a mistress, your world flips upside down. Divorce? Maybe. But how do you live differently? Put up with it? For what, for whom?
He remembered a pair of friends whod been through the same. The husband had a lover, hid it, lied, and eventually his wife found outscandal, accusations, messages on the phone, claims of being hacked by jealous rivals. The wife said, Id never lie. Itd be pathetic to deny. If you do something, own up to it. Choose: cut the affair and stay with the family, or leave and look after your own.
Emily thought that was admirable. What a solid bloke shes got beside her! she mused. Easy to dish out advice from the sidelines, but when life thrusts you into the middle and everyones waiting for your decision and balance, the courage and steadiness just evaporate.
She walked back into the same café, took the table theyd used. Victoria lifted her eyes, surprised. James froze, his hands clenching under the table. Silence. It was oddly fascinating to watch. Victoria got it instantlywho he was, maybe even before.
James tried to speak, but she raised a hand and said, Im not blind, am I? She whispered, Nothings abnormal here. It happens. But please think about the kids, the flat we share, the elderly parents. Youre both adults, you can manage. She stood, her freshly pressed dress looking sharpsad she hadnt worn a proper one in ages.
Sometimes bravery is about telling the truth and then moving forward with dignity, no matter how hard it gets. A womans dignity isnt measured by shoes or ironed dresses, but by the calm with which she gathers her strength and keeps on living her life.
Thats the whole saga, love. Thought youd get a kick out of it. Catch you later!
