Chapter 3. The Power of the Coincidence

Beth

I was flying to Calgary, Canada and I was thinking about my life. I lived with a serial cheater bastard husband and I was a model wife and a model mother for two sons. My younger son Ed attended the last year in his High School. Would John continue to be a good provider for me in the future or would he replace me with his younger mistress? Such thoughts were circling in my mind in the plane and I had a bad vision about my family. I did not like this wimp role at all. I drew a conclusion about myself in my mind.

As I had been an athlete earlier and I still had a strong need for exercise, we furnished the basement with fitness machines and I used them frequently. Sometimes I did jogging with my sons. My husband used other "gyms" instead of ours. Sometimes my sons used the fitness machines with me. I did not smoke or drink much and I slept enough, so my body was in good shape. I could deny ten years from my age easily. The problem was the collection of the mate candidates. There were few good mate candidates in the market. Most good husband candidates were attached with girlfriends, mates or wives. To find a good mate was a difficult thing. To find another divorced serial cheater bastard, a violence abuser, an alcoholic abuser, a drug abuser, a gambling abuser was, however, so painfully easy. I was in a trap situation, without any simple solutions.

I arrived at Calgary airport and went by cab to the hotel where the training was to be held. I got surprised at the reception of the hotel. There were two tables with young college student girls, who assisted the new arrivals. The first table was for the participants of a mining symposium and the second table was for the participants of our training. The program firm organized two events for the same time in the hotel with the same timetable and socializing programs as well. The hotel had several bars, restaurants and conference halls. The trip for the Rocky Mountains was common with the participants of the mining symposium. I got special vouchers for meals and soft drinks, but alcoholic drinks had to be paid from our pockets. I got a name badge and the girls told me I had to wear it in the hotel. I got the magnetic key of my room and I went to my floor.

When I stepped out from the elevator with my suitcase, I was almost petrified from the shock.

Joel Jones was about to enter the elevator. I could read his name badge, and he was definitely Joel Jones. He politely greeted me and went to the ground floor. I remembered him from the photos and videos of the PI firm and he did not change with time. He was handsome and he had a few gray hairs only.

I occupied my room, took a shower and went to have dinner in the restaurant of the hotel. I wore my name badge. I found Joel alone at a table. He was handsome and sad. I greeted him and asked whether I could sit next to him at the table. He agreed, so we introduced ourselves to each other.

"We're from same city and I know you," I said to him.

"Oh, do you?" He sounded genuinely astonished.

"My husband's name is John Warden. He's the CEO at the company of your wife."

His pupils became very narrow. I felt the hate in the air. The waitress came to us to take our dinner vouchers and she gave us the menu. We could choose from three types of dishes and we asked for sparkling mineral water. I knew I had to be straight and brave.

I felt I could be honest with him, so I said, "I don't like them either. And neither did I like their affair."

The hate disappeared from his eyes and a funny confusion with a tinge of surprise appeared on his face.

After a short hesitation he asked me straight, "Why do you live with him then?"

"I'm a responsible mom for two sons as you're for two daughters!"

When I said this sentence I flushed and I knew I felt more than simple sympathy for him. Earlier he was embarrassed, but now I was.

He smiled at me and said, "We're in the same boat with the same souls."

I knew we had good chemistry. I smiled back at him. The waitress came back with the sparkling mineral water and asked us about our orders. We chose the same dish.

"We've got the same taste, too," Joel remarked.