8 Weeks (Time for Love 1)

I wished momentarily that I could lie to her. That I could just forget what happened and enjoy my wife and our anniversary, but I knew I’d never be able to live with myself. So I allowed myself the comfort of her body and kissed her lips softly before pulling away and saying, “Oh, baby, I’m so sorry.”

Chapter 4 – Shelly

It’s crazy how much things can change in an instant.

One moment, I was eagerly awaiting my husband’s arrival. I was feeling excited and sexy, and anticipating an evening filled with love and great sex.

Then, with a few words, my whole world came crashing down around me, and my life changed.

I went from being a whole person, to having my heart shattered into a million fragmented pieces.

I was looking into my handsome man’s face, my lips still tingling from his kiss, when he started to apologize.

I’d known something was up when he walked in, but I’d never imagined the depths of what was wrong.

“Sorry about what?” I asked tentatively, unsure if I wanted to know the answer.

“Let’s go sit down,” Cal said, but I shook my head.

“Just say it.”

“I don’t remember what happened last night, apparently I got really drunk and left the guys in the casino and headed back to the room. The last thing I remember is them razzing me about being a lightweight.” I smiled at him; he’d always been kind of a lightweight. The look on his face caused the smile to fall from mine. “When I woke up this morning, I was naked with a killer hangover, and there was someone else in the room.”

“One of the guys?” I asked, suddenly filled with dread.

Cal shook his head slowly, and my arms dropped from around him. I stepped back, the look in his eyes telling me what he was going to say before he said it.

I shook my head in denial.

“It was a woman,” he said softly, his voice strained. “I don’t know who she was or how I met her, but I’m pretty sure I slept with her.”

“No,” I replied sharply. “You wouldn’t do that.”

Cal brought his arms up as if to touch me and I stepped back farther. He dropped his ar

ms sadly and responded, “I know. I wouldn’t consciously sleep with someone else; you’re the only one for me, Shel, but I was so messed up …”

A hot ball of tears began to form in my throat and I turned on my heels, walking back toward the bedroom.

I had to get out of there.

I walked into my closet and pulled my backpack down from the shelf. I was stuffing clothes into it when Cal came into the room.

“What are you doing?” he asked, his voice filled with desperation.

“Going to my dad’s,” I said stiffly.

“Shelly, we need to talk about this.”

I stopped what I was doing and glared at him. “What is there to talk about? You cheated on me. On us.”

“I know, baby, but I didn’t know what I was doing. You have to believe me.”

“Is that supposed to make it okay?” I asked, tears falling freely down my cheeks. I had the sudden urge to punch him in the face.

“No, of course not, but you can’t just walk out. We need to talk this through.”

I zipped my backpack and threw it over my shoulder, then walked purposefully past him and out toward the garage.