The years of snarky comments and selfishness that Jolene dished out to Joe flooded his mind. He felt entitled to give her a piece of his mind, and he knew that it would satisfy him. But his wife’s feelings overpowered his desire to hurt her further. He knew that his confession had wrecked her, and he didn’t want to inflict more emotional scars.
“Jolene, our marriage has been a facade. We’ve been putting on a show for family, friends and even some business associates. It’s an image that we’ve portrayed to the world, but the patterns and the shading of that image have become marred.
He continued, “Look at us. We’re in our mid-forties, no children because you wanted to focus on your career, and we’re out dining again.”
“What’s wrong with having a meal at a nice restaurant? I thought you liked that.”
“No, you like that because it relieves you of the burden of cooking for me. I can count on my hands the number of times you prepared us a meal.”
She lowered her gaze to the table, understanding that the cooking example served as a metaphor for how he felt about her contributions to their marriage.
Becoming accustomed to suppressing his feelings about Jolene throughout the years made him feel odd about sharing them, yet he knew it was the right thing to do. He felt the tension in his head ease, and his heart was unburdened.
Jolene swallowed the lump in her throat to restrain tears from pooling in her eyes. She felt a load lowered onto her, becoming heavier as Joe continued to speak. The entire night seemed surreal. At the office, she couldn’t wait to see her husband, hoping that dessert would be a lovemaking session. Instead, her whole world turned upside down within a few sentences.
Silence loomed. Joe gave her a chance to absorb his statements, and Jolene felt flabbergasted, uncertain of how to save her marriage. An image of her in old age, sitting on a sofa and feeling empty, flashed into her mind. The thought of that reality terrified her.
“I know that all of this is unsettling, and it changes everything, but you knew that the foundation of our marriage was unstable from the beginning, Jolene. This outcome was inevitable. We could keep up the act for others only for so long.”
“I wasn’t acting. I really love you, and I want our marriage to continue.”
“I think you enjoy what our marriage represents, and I don’t doubt that you have feelings for me. It’s just that a woman who truly loves her man unconditionally will go out of her way to please him. She’ll try in every way possible to add value to his life to make it easier for him. I never felt that you offered me what I wanted. In all honesty, you took much more than you gave.”
“I’ll change. We can talk about what you want and come to a compromise.”
Joe snorted a laugh and slightly shook his head. “You see, right there. You want to know what I want and then negotiate the things you’ll offer me, which, of course, will suit you.” Joe paused briefly. “Unconditional love, Jolene. Unconditional love—those were my words. I didn’t say convenient love. It’s unconditional.”
She knew that she couldn’t offer him unconditional love. The arrangement had to suit her.
Joe stood up, pulled out a hundred dollars from his wallet and placed it on the table. Although the conversation with Joe wounded her deeply, Jolene didn’t want him to leave. She knew that his departure would be permanent.
“I’ll be in touch,” said Joe before walking away.
His words felt like a precursor to finalising an unfavourable business deal.
Jolene placed her elbow on the table and pressed her hand on her forehead. The time she spent with Joe, signing the divorce papers and starting her new life, flashed into her mind. The jumbled thoughts made her frown, a vein protruding from her head. She felt an impending migraine.
She leapt up and scampered to the exit, a few patrons turning their heads.
Instead of heading to his car, Joe strolled on the bridge, looking out at the ferry and thinking about his new life. He dreaded breaking the news to his family and friends about the divorce because he wanted the ordeal to be over when the papers were signed, but they wouldn’t let him off the hook without an explanation. The last thing he wanted was for them to harp on the details of their separation.
He considered packing his bags that night and taking a trip to gather his thoughts. He decided against it because he wanted to meet up with his lawyer the following day to finalise the divorce immediately. His lawyer had connections to judges who could expedite the process.
Joe’s phone rang. He thought that it was Jolene, wanting him to return to the restaurant, but it was his mother. He placed his phone on silent and carried on strolling. Starting over seemed daunting, but Joe felt excited about his future. For the first time, he would live his life the way he desired and not build it on expectations from others. Everything would be on his terms.
In her car, Jolene clutched the steering wheel, trying to summon emotional stability to get her home without causing an accident. Feeling completely defeated, Jolene shuddered as the tears poured out of her eyes. She squeezed her eyes shut and stretched her lips as pain seeped into her heart, making her want to squeal.
Wanting to regain composure, she tried to convince herself that she would deal with the pain later. She wheezed, trying to catch her breath as tears coursed down her cheeks.
Her breathing slowed down, her chest expanding less as more oxygen entered her lungs. She opened her eyes and stared at the steering wheel for some time.
Thinking about seeing her husband at home to get a chance at redemption gave Jolene the courage to pull off. She drove slowly to maintain control of her vehicle, although she had the urge to step on the gas to get home fast.
Fortunately for her, all the traffic lights accommodated her urgency by not stopping her.
She pulled up to the driveway and noticed that the light wasn’t on. She got out of the car and scampered to the front door. It was locked.
Inside, she switched on the kitchen light and headed towards the corridor. She hoped that the light was switched off because Joe was sleeping.
She swung the bedroom door open and flipped the switch down. Her energy depleted as she stared at the empty bed. Jolene leaned against the door frame and lowered her gaze to the carpet. The consequences of the divorce had dawned on her. She would never share a bed with Joe again.
With her back pressing against the door frame, Jolene slid down it until she sat on the floor. She clutched her hair with both hands, head bowed, and she let the pain flow out of her eyes.
Joe opened the door. He stepped inside and looked at a bed with a silky sheet without a single crease. He drew the curtains open and looked at the skyscrapers surrounding his hotel room. He never enjoyed being cooped up in an apartment and preferred the abundance of space that his suburban house offered.
Much like Jolene, he felt uncomfortable being alone. He had gotten used to sleeping next to his wife, even though he felt alone while with her. Jolene wasn’t affectionate with him, and she attributed that flaw to her parents being that way.
Joe took a shower, hoping to ease the torment that had gripped his mind. With his hands pressed against the tiles and above his head, he bowed his head, and the water cascaded off his neck.
He raised his chin, eyes closed, and the stream pulsated against his face. Joe parted his lips, and several drops entered his mouth. Feeling like his dying thirst had been quenched, he curled his lips slightly. Although he was fraught with fear to start his life over again, he felt that was exactly what he needed.
After showering, Joe lay on the bed and reached for the menu on the nightstand. He called room service and ordered a rump steak with mashed potatoes, vegetables and gravy. Although inappropriate, the dinner was a celebration. He didn’t delight in Jolene’s pain. Instead, he focused on satisfying himself for the first time since getting married. He had reserved that privilege always for Jolene.
A thought about Jolene’s selfishness had snuck into his head. He chose not to entertain it because he could string an entire chain of events of such deeds. Jolene wasn’t perfect, but neither was he.
Several years into his marriage, he slowly started falling out of love with Jolene. Her lack of affection, unwillingness to provide for him what he wanted and her career orientation distanced him emotionally from her and prompted him to think about making love to his secretary, Courtney.
Courtney worked as a bar lady before she applied to be Joe’s secretary. Not having experience, she got the job because she uplifted Joe’s mood. Of course, the reason for her effect on him was because of her striking looks—blond-streaked hair, perky tits supported by a push-up bra and a tight ass.
The office was Joe’s refuge from his dull marriage. Seeing Courtney made him forget about his troubles because he fantasised about bending her over his table and banging her so hard that the people in the office building next to his would hear them.
Although she wasn’t skilled at her job, often forgetting to pass messages to him from clients who called, Courtney always smiled at him, brought him coffee without his request and complimented the way he looked in suits.
She boosted his ego and penis. Of course, the latter was without a physical touch, although Joe wanted her to get on her knees, jerk him off while smiling at him and then shove his dick into her mouth and suck it like a lollipop.
He pictured her swinging her hips as she raised her body upright while cheekily smiling at him. She would taunt him by turning her back to him and rubbing her groin against his table while raising her skirt to show him her thighs.
He’d ogle at her muscular thighs and want to grip them, squeezing them with all fingers and then clawing up to her tight ass. He’d shove his face into her ass and ravage it with his teeth and tongue, biting her cheeks and even licking her anus.
She would bend over the table, and he would hastily unfasten his belt and pull down his pants. Watching her ass open up to reveal her pussy, Joe would grit his teeth and smirk, eager to shove his hard dick inside her and make her convulse so aggressively that she would feel like she is falling apart.
He would spank her ass hard, leaving a red handprint on it and then yank her hair, snapping her head back. She would love his aggression and beg for more. He’d gladly indulge her in it by sticking his index finger into her ass as he continued pounding her from behind.
Although enjoying her wet pussy, Joe wanted to stick his dick inside her ass. She screeched as he slipped it into her anus, stretching her. Courtney enjoyed the pain, and she wished he would punish her more.
Happy to give her what she wanted, Joe commanded her to drop to her knees and face him. He shoved his dick into her mouth, poking her throat with it. Her eyes broadened and watered while she gurgled. He clutched her hair and pulled it back while devilishly sneering at her.
He slapped her gently, and she smiled at him.
“You dirty bitch, you like that?”
She nodded, so Joe slapped her again, slightly harder. He pulled her head towards his crotch, making her gurgle as his dick poked her throat. He kept her head there for a few seconds before pulling it back to allow her to catch her breath.
Joe clutched her arms and raised her to her feet, then told her to bend over the table. He slowly inserted his dick into her ass, grabbed her shoulders and thrust. Courtney squealed, clutching onto the edge of the desk, her entire face crunched up.
He increased the pace, forcing her to squeal louder, sounding like pain infused with pleasure. Joe was certain that she loved the way he gave it to her and planned to pound her harder.
“Oh, my God. That’s it,” said Courtney.
Joe loved that she liked dirty sex and planned to explore more of his fetishes with her.
He thrust faster, making Courtney convulse and scream loudly, begging him to give it to her even harder. Gritting his teeth, Joe smirked, delighted to hear her response.
He maintained that pace for some time, eventually feeling his load bubbling up. Abruptly, his entire body tensed up and his shoulders raised as he unloaded in Courtney’s ass.
He smiled as his balls emptied.
That was one of the fantasies that Joe had about Courtney. He had several others, yet never acted on them, even though she gave him plenty of hints that she was open to his charms. Joe resisted his urges out of respect for his wife.
Thinking about those times now, he regrets not having an affair with Courtney because Jolene didn’t provide him with the affection he sought.
A few weeks ago, Courtney accepted an offer from an airline as a hostess. She loved that she could travel, but she hinted to Joe that she wanted to stay and give him a chance.
Not seeing a future with her because of his wife, Joe encouraged her to pursue her dreams—a decision he regrets.
Seeing Courtney every day at the office gave Joe the boost he needed to get through a tough day. But after Courtney left, he felt a void in his life. The energy recharge she provided was no longer available, and he felt emotionally exhausted. Work didn’t feel the same without her.
At their home, Jolene wept on the bed. She had no desire to fall asleep because it would be the first time she would lie in her marital bed without her husband. The mere thought of it would prompt her to bawl her eyes out.
She considered calling her mother for consolation, but she looked at the clock and saw that it was past ten. Her mother was an early bird. The only other viable option was her best friend, Stephanie.
But Stephanie had given birth a few months ago and was probably attending to her baby. Jolene didn’t want to bother her, especially after Stephanie told her about her lack of sleep after having the baby.
Feeling completely alone, Jolene palmed her face and cried harder. Thinking about living that way for the rest of her life cut her deep.
She looked at her phone and wanted to call Joe more than ever before. He was the lifeline she needed to recover from the tremendous pain that she had suffered for the last few hours. Only he could direct her back to the path they were meant to lead for the rest of their lives.
Emotionally fatigued, Jolene rested her head on the pillow and thought about the magnificent memories she and Joe had created. She thought about them skiing in the Swiss Alps, kissing in front of the Eiffel Tower, dining in Tokyo and taking selfies at the top of the Empire State Building.
Although she had the finances to travel wherever she pleased, exploring new places was more fun for her with her husband. She hoped that Joe would change his mind, but she knew that rarely happened, especially about important decisions.
That wasn’t going to stop her from trying to convince him to stay with her, but her chances were slim. Considering that, Jolene thought about entering the dating market again. It was easy for her to meet a handsome, rich man in her twenties, but now that she was forty, it would be much more challenging.
Also, starting over with somebody would be risky for her. She would have to invest time, effort and emotions into making it work. And there was no guarantee that it would, even if she exhausted all her resources.
At her age, the pool of men available to her would be those in their forties and fifties. Most of them would likely be divorced and have children. Neither of those types suited her.
Thinking about Joe, she realised that she had won the lottery by marrying him. When she met him, he was thirty years old, handsome, knocking on wealth’s door and madly in love with her.
The times she shut down his sexual advances during their marriage popped into her mind. She also thought about never surprising him with a home-cooked meal when he got home after a hard day’s work.
Jolene closed her eyes and cringed as she recalled the times that she criticised him for leaving his towel on the floor after stepping out of the shower. That was a bad habit he had developed, but she regretted not picking it up every time and not mentioning it. She realised that her perfect man had flaws, and instead of reminding him of them every day, she should’ve cleaned up after him as a gesture of love.
She realised that she could have made more of an effort to do the things that Joe enjoyed. But the epiphanies had dawned on her when it was too late.
The following day, Joe called his lawyer and told him to file the divorce papers. His lawyer charged additionally for expediting the process.
Joe’s phone rang. He saw that it was Jolene. Not wanting to decline the call if she was possibly in danger, he answered.
Jolene started with small talk, making Joe realise that she was safe and wasting his time. He knew that she would try to change his mind about the divorce, but it was futile. Nothing irked Joe more than somebody wasting his time. That was one of the reasons that pushed him over the edge with Jolene.
Realising that Jolene wanted to say her peace, Joe listened to her. Not one word impacted his decision.
After she finished, he thanked her for calling him and told her that his lawyer had processed the papers. She remained silent, realising that it was over between them. She didn’t stand a chance of saving her marriage.
Two weeks later, she received the papers to sign. Her hand shook as she held the pen, hovering over the signature line. In her most frightening nightmares, she never dreamt about this day. Everything that she had built with Joe had ended. She felt as if they had reached the mid-point and stopped. All their effort felt pointless.
She thought that they would have children in a few years when she finally became the CEO of the company where she worked. The compass of their marriage depended on her desires to determine the direction. It was always about her.
Thinking about his value in the dating marketplace, Joe realised that he was the cream of the crop. He was in his early forties, handsome, rich, smart and looking for a serious partner. What woman wouldn’t be interested in him?
He considered creating a profile on a dating app, but he felt that the pickings would be rotten or subpar. Wanting only the best, he scrolled through his phone book.
The phone rang.
“Hello.”
“Courtney, hi. It’s Joe.”
“Hi, Joe. How are you?”
“So, so.”
“Everything okay?”
“Um…I…went through some things and had a few realisations.”
“I hope everything’s okay?”
“I think it will be. I’m starting over from scratch…with everything.”
“O-kay. I’m not sure what you mean.”
“I asked Jolene for a divorce. It’s already been finalised.”
“Oh. Okay. I’m sorry.”
“It wasn’t easy, but it was the right thing to do. We weren’t for each other, and there was no point in going on when you hit a dead-end in every direction.”
“I don’t know what to say. If you need anything, let me know.”
“I appreciate that. Actually, that’s the reason I’m calling.”
“Okay.”
“You and I never got to know each other. At least, not the way I would’ve liked. I always kept you at arm’s length, not because I didn’t want you to be close to me. I was married. I hope you understand.”
“I do. I respected you for honouring your vows to your wife. I mean, ex-wife. That was one of the reasons I admired you.”
“Really?”
“Absolutely, Joe. As much as I wanted you to make a move, I also hoped that you wouldn’t. If you had and we got together, I would worry that you would do the same thing to me. Your restraint was bittersweet to me. I wanted to be with you, but only under the right circumstances.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes.”
“Wow. I don’t know what to say.”
“You’re an amazing man. I always had strong feelings for you, and in some twisted, wicked way, I hoped that things wouldn’t work out for you with Jolene so that I could be with you.” Courtney remained silent for a few seconds, hoping that Joe wouldn’t reprimand her. She added, “I know that doesn’t sound nice, but it’s how I felt. I hope you understand.”
“I had no idea.”
“I didn’t think it was fair for you to have to deal with that had I confessed. Besides, you had to focus on your marriage with Jolene. The last thing I wanted was to be the reason for your fights with your wife or to cause any kind of trouble. I wanted you all to myself without feeling guilty.”
“I’m shocked. I don’t know what to say, except that I would love nothing more than for you to give me a chance because you’re the most amazing woman in the world, and I would be honoured to spend the rest of my life with you.”
Courtney smiled. “I never thought I’d hear those words from you. I thought about you every day, and I wanted to call you so badly numerous times. You have no idea.”
Joe dropped his head, feeling relieved that Courtney felt the same about him as he did about her. He looked up, smiling, looking forward to the future. He felt excited about it and couldn’t wait to take the first step towards it with Courtney.
“Joe, I’m in Dubai.”
“I don’t care if I have to fly around the world to get to you, I’m coming.”
Courtney smiled.
Joe added, “I’m booking a flight right after we get off the call, and I’ll text you the details.” A warm silence fell between them. The moment was theirs. It represented the wait they had endured to finally be together. They couldn’t believe that moment had arrived.
“I can’t wait to see you,” said Courtney.
“I can’t wait to be with you and spend the rest of my life with the most amazing woman in the world.”