Then he opened the Wife’s last text.
Friday around 5. We should order dinner and talk like adults.
She expected dinner.
The absurdity brought him back.
She had left to sleep with another man.
Spent a week away.
Then scheduled a conversation as though she had attended a conference.
The Husband put down the phone.
Marriage could survive betrayal if both people wanted repair.
What had she asked for?
Permission.
Not repair.
She had wanted him to remain available while she explored alternatives.
He understood the difference now.
Thursday evening, the Other Man called.
The Husband recognized the number from an old work event.
He answered.
“What?”
The man hesitated.
“This is probably a bad idea.”
“Yes.”
“I wanted to talk man to man.”
The Husband almost hung up.
Then remained silent.
The Other Man continued.
“I don’t want trouble.”
“That makes two of us.”
“Your Wife told me you two had an understanding.”
The Husband closed his eyes.
“What understanding?”
“That you were effectively separated.”
“When?”
“She said things had been over emotionally for months.”
The Husband looked toward the boxes.
“Did she tell you she informed me of this emotional separation while packing for your date?”
Silence.
The Other Man sounded uncomfortable.
“She said you knew she wanted to see other people.”
“She told me twenty minutes before getting into your car.”
Long silence.
The Husband continued:
“You thought I agreed?”
“I thought…”
The Other Man stopped.
The Husband did not help.
Finally:
“I thought you had some arrangement.”
“No.”
The Other Man breathed out.
“That changes things.”
“Does it?”
“Yes.”
The Husband almost admired that answer.
“You’re separated from your wife.”
The Husband said.
“So I assume you know marriage can be complicated.”
“Yes.”
“I’m not going to threaten you.”
“Okay.”
“I’m not calling your employer.”
“Okay.”
“I’m not interested in fighting you.”
The Other Man said quietly:
“I understand.”
“But don’t contact me again.”
“Fair.”
The Husband stopped.
Then asked one question he immediately hated himself for asking.
“Is she with you now?”
Silence.
Then:
“No.”
The Husband frowned.
“Where is she?”
“I don’t know.”
That was unexpected.
The Other Man continued.
“She left yesterday.”
The Husband stared.
“Why?”
The man hesitated.
“She wanted to go home.”
The Husband looked toward the front door.
“But she isn’t here.”
“No.”
The Other Man sounded embarrassed.
“We argued.”
“About?”
“You.”
The Husband almost laughed.
The Other Man continued.
“She kept talking about whether you’d be angry.”
“Whether you’d forgive her.”
“How she knew you’d take her back.”
The Husband’s stomach tightened.
“What did you say?”
“I told her maybe she should stop assuming.”
The Husband closed his eyes.
Strange.
The man sleeping with his Wife had apparently reached the conclusion before she had.
The Other Man added:
“For what it’s worth, I didn’t understand the situation.”
The Husband answered:
“For what it’s worth, now you do.”
Then ended the call.