«Vicky, honestly, nothing truly terrible happened! Men get carried away sometimesthey cant always stop themselves in time. Be the wiser one. Would you really hand your husband over to some girl? Shed think shes won! Fight for your family!» pleaded her mother-in-law.
That Saturday morning, Vicky drove her son to her parents’. Theyd agreed Dennis would stay with them for a while.
Back home, Victoria fetched cardboard boxes from the balcony and began packing. First, the nursery. She folded clothes, tucked away toys, stacked books, sealed the boxes with tape, and labeled them. Soon, only the furniture remainedthings she wouldnt take with her.
At noon, her phone buzzed. Mother-in-law.
«Hello, Margaret.»
«Good afternoon, Vicky. Jeremy told me everything. I know youre hurt. But must you rush? Cool off, think it over. Is it worth tearing the family apart?»
«Im not the one tearing it apartJeremy is,» Victoria replied.
«Vicky, Im not absolving him! But could you forgive him, just this once?»
«Once? Your sons been seeing his colleague for half a year, lying to me. And you say forgive? No.»
«Vicky, please reconsider. Youre taking Dennis away from his father. Jeremy adores him!»
«Margaret, Jeremy can see Dennis whenever he likesI wont stop him. But I refuse to stay married to your son. Lets end thisIm busy packing.»
She taped the last two boxes, then moved to the bedroom, filling suitcases with her clothes.
Her mother-in-law arrived precisely an hour later. Margaret had somehow convinced herself a face-to-face plea would change Victorias mind.
The conversation looped:
«Vicky, honestly, nothing truly terrible happened! Men get carried away»
«Be the wiser one. Would you really hand your husband over»
«Margaret, Jeremy isnt some trophy to fight over! Should I challenge this Jane to a duel? A boxing match? Whats she got to do with it? If not Jane, itd be Ella or Christina.»
«Listen, between usJeremys father, Arthur, strayed in his youth too. But I was wiser. I kept the family intact. Thirty-five years married now. Soon, our coral anniversary.»
«And what was this wisdom?» Vicky smirked.
«No scenes. I became sweeter, cooked his favorites, asked about his day. Changed my hair, lost weight, greeted him with smiles. Even when I knew hed just left *her*. I wanted to clobber him with a frying panbut I smiled. And lookI kept him. Our son had a father, our grandson a grandfather.»
«Youre remarkable, Margaret. I couldnt do that. My gag reflex is too strong. What youre suggesting is like eating from a bin.»
The older woman flushed, stood abruptly, and stormed out without a word.
Victoria kept packing. She knew this wasnt the endJeremy and Margaret would still plague her. So she hurried.
The next day, her father helped load the boxes into a van. En route, she stopped at Margarets to return the flat keys.
«Can you believe it?» Vicky told her friend Rebecca the next day. «Yesterday, Margaret spent an hour begging me to forgive Jeremys little slip and not divorce him.»
«Whatd she say?»
«The usual: Youre robbing the child of his father, All men cheat, Women must be wiser. Then shared how *she* won her husband back.»
«How?»
«I wont repeat it. Its utter madness. Youd never do it.»
«Filed the papers yet?»
«Yes, last Friday.»
«Finally free of that Casanova. It was painful watching that hoofed creature,» Rebecca muttered.
«Painful? You *knew* about him and Jane?» Vicky stiffened.
«Not for certain. But I suspected.»
«And you didnt tell me? I thought we were friends.» Vicky stood to leave.
«Wait! First, I *didnt* know. I saw what you sawjust drew different conclusions. Remember the office party? Jane orbiting Jeremy? How she coincidentally replaced coworkers on his trips? I suspected, but wasnt sure. What if Id been wrong? Youd think I was stirring trouble. Remember Sarah Bell?»
«The one who told a friend shed seen her husband with another woman? Even showed a photo of them hugging?»
«Exactly. They reconciled, and Sarah was branded a jealous homewrecker. She quit. So dont be cross. Though if Id had proof, Id have told you. Where will you live now?»
«The flats in Margarets name. Were at my parents. But next week, well move into Grans old placetenants left last month. Two bedrooms, enough for us. Then sort nursery transfertoo far now, but Mums friend promised a spot nearby. Divorce, file for child support. Done.»
«Will Jeremy agree?»
«Says he doesnt want divorce, swears hes learned. One time was enough for me. He begged me not to file for supportpromised hed pay voluntarily.»
«And you?»
«No. I wont meet him again. Make it official. He threatened to take Dennis: My flats better, my salarys higher. I didnt answerjust tallied his business trips last year. Eight. Saved it for court.»
«Whatd he say?»
«Nothing. If he claims Dennis, Ill ask who minds the boy while hes away. Ive got a job, a flat. Hell lose.»
Jeremy did petition for custody:
«My ex-wife cant provide our son the necessary standard of living,» he declared.
Margaret accused Vicky of hiding the child:
«She vanished after a week at her parents! Wheres my grandson? He should be in nursery, not some shady flat!»
Victoria clarified: they lived in her two-bedroom flat, Dennis attended the local nursery. She noted Jeremys frequent trips hindered parenting.
They lost.
Vicky found a new jobshe was skilled, it wasnt hard. Soon, Rebecca brought news:
«Jane quit. Left town.»
«Why?»
«The office hens made life hell. She lingered a month, realized the game was up, and fled to London. So your ex is alone.»
«Doesnt trouble me,» Vicky said.
And she meant it. For no matter how deep the well, once its been spat in, you cant drink from it again.
What would you have done? Was Victoria right? Share your thoughts.
