Chapter 1

JIM

I’m James Thornton. Jim, to my friends.I’m sitting here across from the love of my life, Angela Thornton. No, not at our breakfast table that we’ve shared for the past fifteen years but at her attorney’s conference table. We are looking at each other not in anger or hatred but with extreme sadness. My wife is divorcing me. What brought us to this point in our lives?

Bottom line is she found another whose giving her something I obviously don’t. Who knows why? Maybe she got too comfortable and I became like an old pair of shoes. Yeah, they are comfortable but your big toe is sticking out the whole in the toe. Time to trash them for something newer ... prettier. I guess he’s prettier.

Angela studied the papers in front of her. She hesitated for a moment, looked at me once more, then signed on the line with the yellow tab by her name. Her attorney, Ellen Cassidy, pushed the papers across the table to me to read and sign on the designated line. In ninety days after I sign this, we will go into the divorce statistic column.

It seems wedding vows are only pretty words we are supposed to say to make everyone else happy. The phrase “until someone prettier or more handsome comes along” should be added to the end of the vows. Or maybe when we say “I Do” and add “for now” to the end.

I looked into the eyes of my thirty-five year old wife. “Angie, you’re sure that this is what you want? Fifteen years of our lives are invested in our home, our kids and our lives. I know you say you found your soul mate and you’re in love with him. I know it happens. I just never thought it would be us at this table because you let another man into your life.”

She said, “Jim, we’ve talked about this. I’m sorry I hurt you. You don’t deserve it. I didn’t mean for it to happen but it did. I have not been physically unfaithful to you. Allen and I have not been sexually intimate yet. I couldn’t do that to you. An emotional affair, yes, I can’t deny that. We’ve talked intimately, held hands and kissed but that’s all. I guess I’m trying to follow Dr. Phil’s guidelines to some extent who says, “Never begin another relationship until you finish the one you’re in. A relationship born from infidelity doesn’t stand a chance.”

“I guess that’s what I’m trying to do. Allen says he loves me and I love him. I’m hoping the kids will accept him in time. You will still be a major part of their lives. I promise.”

“Damn right, I’ll be in their lives. Unfortunately, Angie, you’ve already been unfaithful. You’re already invested in him emotionally. The fact that he hasn’t stuck his worthless dick in you yet, is irrelevant. You ARE having an affair and you HAVE been cheating on me. White wash it all you want but you cheated on me and our family the moment you allowed him into our lives.”

My sadness has turned to anger and it was beginning to show.

Her new love is Allen Bridges, stock broker, married twice, a rugged looking Lady’s man of forty years old. From what I understand, he’s scored with or at least hit on many of the women in his building. The married women are no obstacle to him. It seems that Angie is one of the few that hasn’t succumbed to his sexual charms and wound up with his dick buried in her. I think he thinks of her as a challenge to his skills. Well, it won’t be long now before he adds her scent to his bed linens.