The five of us sat in the living room of our cozy apartment. This little scenario had played out several times before as Lisa, my lovely bride of three years, and I hosted our parents. Unfortunately, this time it wasn't a pleasant Sunday dinner.

My soon to be ex-wife sat on our couch, bookended by her parents, while my mother sat beside me on our love seat. I felt her squeeze my hand, reassuring me of her support. However, I knew she was struggling with her promise to me.

I'd asked her not to speak during this confrontation and to allow me to handle it my way. Begrudgingly, she'd agreed after I'd warned her about what was coming.

The only thing she'd said after everyone arrived was in greeting them. However she had plenty to say earlier. I remembered her words before my guests arrived.

"I wish your father was here."

I just nodded. I didn't have the heart to tell her I was glad he wasn't. No son wants his father to preside over his dying marriage. Added to that, I knew that he and Margaret, my mother-in-law, despised each other and this meeting would've escalated into World War III. There wouldn't have been any chance my plan for handling this would've worked.

I could almost hear his voice.

"Son, do what you gotta do, your mom and I will stand by you."

Then he would've given me that I told you so look and smile. All right, I lied. I missed him not being here. But I needed things to go as smooth as possible if I was going get through this without losing it. If he was here that wouldn't have been possible.

Of course for this to go the way I hoped, I'd have to remain cold and emotionless. A week of stewing on the events of the past seven days had taken me through the emotional wringer. I hoped I was numb enough to pull this off.

It was my father-in-law who broke the awkward silence.

"Danny, thank you for meeting with us."

I looked at him and noticed he seemed tired. All three of them did. Apparently there'd been a few sleepless nights in the Thomas household. I actually felt sorry for him. I liked my father-in-law. He was basically a pretty good guy even though at times he could seem spineless when it came to his wife and daughter.

On the far side of the couch sat my mother-in-law, the evil Dragon of the North, perched, ready to swoop down and attack. Margaret, don't call me Marge, could barely contain her contempt for me. Too say that I was her least favorite person for stealing one of her babies would be a gross understatement. The fact that I'd defiled her innocent daughter before the wedding just added to her reasons that I should be publicly drawn and quartered.

Of course the fact that Lisa wasn't a virgin when I met her ... well let's not let the facts get in the way of a good reason for a witch hunt.

I knew this meeting would be extremely difficult on her and that thought kept a small smirk on my face. She'd be forced to swallow her venom if they had any hope this marriage could be saved. It couldn't be, but they weren't convinced of that yet.

In between her parents sat Lisa, dressed in jeans and a blouse. I thought she looked beautiful. She wasn't model material but more girl next door pretty. Even with her eyes, bright red from crying, I could still see the girl I'd fallen in love with five years ago.

When I looked at her I found it suddenly hard to breathe and my heart pounded against my ribs like they were an anvil. I may have appeared cold and calm on the outside but inside the pain was still raw. It appeared she wasn't doing any better.

Of course, I didn't have much sympathy for her since it was her actions that brought this on us. It was my reaction, however, that disrupted her little sister's wedding reception last Saturday. No doubt the guests would remember Stephanie and Mike's wedding for a long time. Since then Lisa had been staying with her parents.

This is the first time we'd met face-to-face since the wedding. The few times I'd talked to her over the phone were pretty much a disaster so I stopped taking her calls. I'd asked her why and her responses were basically pathetic excuses. I realized I may not have ever really known my wife.

"I know this has been a very difficult time for the both of you," my father-in-law continued. "But hopefully we can talk a few things out and begin trying to heal your marriage."

"Thank you, Mr. Thomas. I appreciate what you're trying to do but there's really no reason to try resuscitating something that's dead. Thankfully we hadn't had kids yet. The only thing left to do now is to figure out how to bury it and begin the divorce."

"Danny," Lisa whispered with tears running down her face. "I don't want a divorce."

I studied her and clench my jaw in an attempt to say calm.

"And I didn't want to catch my wife fucking her ex-boyfriend at her sister's wedding reception!" I spat.

I guess I didn't hide my anger well.

"We don't need that kind of language, Daniel," the dragon stated in a condescending voice, making my skin crawl.

"This isn't your home, Marge," I growled, "and you're welcome to leave anytime you want."

I could see her actually gag as she choked down her response. She shocked me though and didn't say anything. Hell must've frozen over.

"Danny, I'm so sorry," Lisa whimpered. "It was a mistake—"

"A mistake?" I said, trying not to sneer.

Given the response of those on my couch, I apparently failed.

"Tell me, Lisa, what exactly was the mistake? Was it getting so drunk at the reception you thought it was okay to show everyone how well you could dirty dance with your supposed ex-boyfriend? Or was it when I pulled the two of you apart and you told me and everyone watching, you don't own me and you'd dance with whomever I damn well choose?

"Maybe it was my mistake for taking my eyes off of you. An hour later, I turned around and you'd disappeared. Then when I finally found you, you're just merrily humping away with that little shit!

"I sure as hell know it wasn't a mistake when I hit him and kept hitting him until you started screaming that I was killing him. I might've been wrong to stop though because when I turned to face you, the little coward ran.

"So tell me, Lisa, just where exactly was the mistake? Were you dancing so close that when you looked down you went oops look what accidentally got stuck in me?"

"Danny, it was just..." she sobbed, "I was drunk! I'm so sorry. I don't know what happened."

"Don't know what happened? It's pretty simple. I'm sure Marge told you about the birds and the bees. That's when the guy puts his thingy in your thingy. Of course after you're married, there's not supposed to be any other guy's thingy in there other than your husband's!"

"Please, Danny, I'm sorry. It'll never happen again."

"Danny," her father interceded. "I know this seems really, really bad."

I started to respond but he put up his hand and continued.

"All right, I know it is that bad," he continued. "But it was a one-time thing. Son, I know you two can get through this. You're strong enough to be able to forgive her for this."

"Well, Mr. Thomas, I don't know if I could get past a one-time thing or not. But this isn't a one-time thing, is it, Lisa?"

I watched her face turn even paler as I turned back to my father-in-law.

"It seems your daughter was such a thoughtful big sister at Stephanie's bachelorette party that she took it upon herself to show her little sister the proper way to give a blowjob. Apparently Stephanie was a quick learner.

"I received a great video earlier this week. Surprising how good cell phone videos are nowadays. It might not be porn site quality but it was good enough to make out the Thomas sisters giving two male strippers a couple of killer blowjobs!"