Chapter 3: Mike Speaks

I've known Linda for quite a few years. She's about as nice a woman I have ever met. There was just something special about her. She had the looks and personality, besides being an excellent teacher.

I'm the school Superintendent in our district. I had been married for ten years when my wife was killed in an auto accident last year. I was devastated. We had a good marriage which had given us two daughters who are now eight and six.

It was hard for the girls, without their mother. My sister did her best to help out when she can but she had a family of her own. I knew my girls needed a woman in their life, someone they could look up to. I wanted only the best for them.

After my wife's accident Linda volunteered to help out anyway she could. That's the kind of person she is. A couple of nights a week she would come over and make the girls dinner; she said kids needed good home-cooked meals. So whenever her husband was away for a day or two she would help out with the girls.

I want you to know up front that she did it for the girls. Linda and I were just friends. I wished it could be more but she loves her husband and would never think of cheating on him. My girls looked forward to the days that Linda would stop over. They said she was like a mom to them.

Linda never had any children of her own but she treated all her students in a caring manner. I've received more complements on her teaching than any other teacher in our district. She is a jewel.

Whenever my girls had any school events she would be there for them. For class trips she would always chaperone. I have to say that Linda was like an angel, she was one special woman.

We talked sometimes and I asked her if she thought it was all right for me to start dating. I wasn't sure, but it had been over a year since my wife's death. Linda told me that it would probably be good for me to move on with my life, and it would be good for my daughters to see that life goes on after a tragedy.

If I had had a choice, Linda would have been the woman I asked, but it wasn't an option. She would never cheat on her husband and I wouldn't want her to. Besides, she loved my girls and they would miss seeing her if I upset the apple cart. Nor did I want to ruin a good friendship.

I think I should mention that I travel from time to time and I've been in other cities and have seen Paul with other women. At first I thought he might just be with clients. I know he does insurance claims adjusting but once I followed him and I'm pretty sure you don't kiss your clients and take them to your room. I wanted so bad to bust his head open for cheating on Linda. In one sense I wanted to tell Linda but, I didn't want to be responsible for her possibly divorcing Paul.

For all I knew she might know about him and have her own way of dealing with it. One thing for sure, if she ever divorced him,. I'd be there for her.

One day in October, Linda came to school looking upset. I asked her if there was a problem and she gave me a smile and told me that maybe she would talk to me later.

That evening she came by to see the girls. I could tell she was still upset. After the girls ate dinner I asked Linda if she wanted to talk; I told her I was a good listener and it bothered me to see her upset.

My girls sat down to watch TV and Linda poured us a cup of coffee and we sat in the kitchen to talk.

"I left Paul. I found out he was cheating on me and I have had enough. He moved out a few days ago and I saw a lawyer yesterday. I'm divorcing him." She started crying.

I gave her a shoulder to cry on. I held her gently but didn't want to overdo it. I couldn't believe a man would risk a marriage with such a wonderful woman. We talked for awhile and I asked her if there was any chance for reconciliation.

"No, I already saw a lawyer and he has sent a copy of our dissolution papers to Paul. Because of the waiting period I have to wait till the end of January. Paul was going to fight it but I told him if he did I would file for a divorce instead and his whole cheating story would come out."