A Holiday Ended

She blushed and turned away from me. I could hear her voice break, as she said, "Sorry," before she walked back into the room, and sat on the couch without telling me the new passcode.

About an hour later, she came back to ask me where we were going for dinner. My reply was simple, "Anywhere Felipe and his band of sluts aren't." When I looked around, her eyes were red, like she had been crying, but it was clear she had made a decision--and I was not going to change her mind. Again, she turned into the room, but this time, went to the bathroom.

A thought quickly occurred to me, did she have her iPad? I went to her carry-on bag, and her iPad was in it. I quickly took it to the balcony, and opened it. It still had the same passcode as before. She had WhatsApp Messenger on the iPad, and I synced it to her phone, giving me access to her messages. I scrolled through the messages with Felipe, and found them coordinating times for dinner, the beach, and other locations around the resort.

As I looked, it was clear they were messaging each other right then--talking about me, and how she felt I would not join their group. Felipe was grooming her, saying it would enhance our lives, and that all married men had a fantasy to see their wives 'play' with others. I really hoped she wasn't buying this crap, but I feared she was.

As I watched, another message came in on an unknown number but with a French dialing code. It said the best option was to ask for forgiveness, rather than permission. Clearly, this was Elizabeth, as she went on to say she would keep me satisfied on Friday, and in her opinion, I would never divorce her for a bit of fun. My suspicion that our last night would be the big play was confirmed, and I knew our marriage was in serious trouble. I was able to download the two message histories, and email them to myself, then deleted the sent messages.

Joanne left the room before I was ready, saying she would get a table for our meal. When I arrived at the restaurant, she was already sitting with Felipe and the others. She called over to me, but I turned and walked out.

Elizabeth came running over, saying, "Please join us."

I just looked and said, "No thank you, that is not my party."

She followed me to another restaurant, and when I was seated, came over and asked to join me.

I looked at her, and flatly said, "No."

She sat anyway, and said, "You might as well enjoy what we have to offer because you know Joanne will sleep with Felipe, and there is nothing that will stop that now."

Without lifting my head from the menu, I replied, "Well, that will be the end of our marriage, because I don't do forgiveness."

She visibly flinched, then said, "You would not divorce such a beautiful woman for a holiday romance."

I looked her in the eye, holding the stare until she looked away, then said, "The process has already started, her actions on Friday night will dictate the conclusion; now, please leave me alone. Your presence will ruin my dinner." It was very rude, but I was not in the mood to be nice to this woman, who was happy to destroy my marriage for what appeared to me to be validation of her own lifestyle choice.

Elizabeth got up and walked away with her back very straight. Five minutes later, Joanne came and sat down. She picked up a menu and asked what I was having. Just then the waiter appeared, and I ordered. She turned to the waiter and said, "I will have the same, please." We sat quietly for a while, then Joanne said, "What did Elizabeth say?"

My reply was intentionally crude. "Just that you will be fucking Felipe on Friday night and there was nothing I could do about it."

She looked down at the table, and I got the distinct feeling Elisabeth was right. Joanne then said, "Did you tell her you had started divorce proceedings?" Her head was so low, I could not she her face, so I decided if my marriage was to survive now was the time to go all in.

"I have been in contact with a divorce attorney and have asked for the papers to be prepared. If you sleep with him, I will proceed; if you don't, I will scrap it. Be very, very clear--you will not get permission from me, nor will I forgive you, if you go ahead with it. Now you know my position, the ball is in your court."

The meal was delivered to the table, and as I ate she quietly sobbed.

Eventually, she said, "If you loved me..."

I quickly hissed, "Stop, clearly I don't love you enough, so does that mean we would be better getting divorced?" I stood up, and walked away before she could reply, but safe in the knowledge my marriage was probably over, as she clearly had made the decision.

Monday was much the same. Just before 3:00pm, I went back to the room and sat on the balcony to speak to the attorney. The attorney went through the rules, and said the quickest and simplest route was an Irreconcilable Differences application, with a request for no counselling on the grounds of no children and a desire for 'other relationships' by my wife. I instructed the papers to be prepared. I could sign them next Monday afternoon, and my wife could be served that evening.

Joanne and I were very distant for the rest of Monday, all Tuesday and Wednesday. I didn't go near Felipe and Elizabeth. Joanne stayed with me most of the time, but I knew she found time during the day and in the evenings, to join them for short periods, usually when I was in our room, while avoiding the heat, or at night when I watched a baseball game. By this stage, I did not care what she did.

Wednesday evening, while waiting for Joanne to change, I had another look at her WhatsApp on her iPad. The last message told me it all. It read, 'Make sure you don't go off your pills, you can reward Brandon when you get home with the immense pleasure of impregnating a new, sexier you.' I downloaded the messages, sent them to my phone, and copied to the attorney, just for backup.

On Thursday morning, I gave Joanne her anniversary card and present. Then I said, "Right, let's put this Felipe business behind us, and flush those pills, so your mum gets her sixtieth birthday present."

She stuttered, then quickly said, "Okay, but I thought we would do it later." She produced her strip of pills, and I noticed the one for today had not been taken. We each pushed one after the other into the toilet, laughing as we did so. It was the most friendly we had been since we arrived.

I then said, "What about the extra packet you brought?" The look on her face was one of fear, as I went to her bag and took out the packet. The pill for today was missing. I held the pack up and looked at her, and said, "Oh look!"

She turned and walked out the door, I did not follow.

I went to play golf on Thursday, and did not return until nearly 4:00pm. She was waiting in the room for me. She tried to hug me, but I stepped back, and she recoiled. I just looked at her, and with a deadpan voice said, "Do you and Felipe want the reservation for tonight?"

She started to cry and said, "What is happening to us, I wanted to be with you all day and all night." I just walked past her without speaking. She followed me saying, "Please take me for our anniversary dinner." We went, but it was a very tense affair, and neither of us made any move to be intimate that night.

Friday dawned, and Joanne was full of nervous excitement from the moment she woke. She was constantly on WhatsApp, and each message brought a bigger smile to her face. I didn't speak to her. At breakfast, Felipe was at his usual table, with the rest of his group. Joanne didn't even notice that she went to the table to sit with him, and I walked outside to sit on the balcony.

No one came to me.

I spent most of the day in the computer room. I split the bank accounts, putting fifty percent into my old current and savings accounts. I then printed out the divorce papers, and took them up to our room to read.

At 6:00pm, Joanne came up and said, "I haven't seen much of you all day."

I continued to read my book, and said, "You haven't seen any of me all day? I have been in this room, you just didn't notice."

This didn't even phase her, as she went to her wardrobe and took out some clothes. She said, "I am going to get dressed now; I am having dinner with Felipe, and you are booked to go to the balcony restaurant at eight with Elizabeth."

I stood up, and said, "So, the 'inevitable' is happening, is it? Well, what flows from this is also inevitable." With that, I took off my wedding ring, and put it in her hand, saying, "You can put that back on my finger when you and I are eating dinner together, or it becomes a meaningless trinket, and you can throw it in the bin when Felipe has finished with you."

She put on a smirk, and said, "Elizabeth said you would try one last time to stop this, but it is happening. I have to do this before we start our family. If you try this macho crap, I will never forgive you and our marriage will be finished. So accept it, go and enjoy yourself with Elizabeth, and when we get home tomorrow--we can start making that baby."

I do not know where the belly laugh came from, but it was from deep in my stomach. Then I shook my head and said, "If you do this, you will be a cheating slut for the rest of your life, and I will divorce you. If you don't do it, you will divorce me for being macho. Well, it looks like our marriage is over, either way. One thing is for certain, I will not be putting any baby in you, and your mother will have to do without her grandchild for her sixtieth."

She picked up her clothes and said "God, you make a mountain out of a molehill. Make up your own mind if you want this hall pass, but I will see you tomorrow to start the rest of our lives." With that, she walked out of the room carrying her clothes for a night out with another man.

As the marriage was now over, I went to the computer room to email the attorney to confirm the appointment for Monday afternoon, to sign the divorce papers so they could be filed in the court and served. My next stop was the website of a local real estate agent, where I picked up a short-term, fully furnished apartment on a rolling rental contract. I paid one month plus a deposit in advance, and would be able to pick up the keys tomorrow when the office opened at 9:30am.

As I left the computer room, Elizabeth, dressed to kill in a LBD, came up to me and said, "Where are we going?"

I just said, "We are going nowhere; I am going home."

She looked shocked, and said, "But you leave tomorrow."

To which I replied, "Plans change."

A strange look came over her face, and she said, "What have you done now?"

I turned and walked to the elevator, and over my left shoulder said, "What I promised."

She stood and stared at me as the elevator door closed.

I packed my suitcase, took my passport out of the safe, but decided to leave the safe door open--Joanne did not know the combination. I just wanted out, not to make her life a misery. I noticed she had left my wedding ring on the table, so I set it on top of her passport in the safe. I took my suitcase down to the reception, and asked when the shuttle was leaving for the airport. I was told in fifteen minutes, so I left my suitcase and walked to the balcony.

I saw Joanne and Felipe in a very close conversation, and when Joanne saw me, she flipped me the finger. I held my phone up and took a picture of her and Felipe, then WhatsApp'd her mum saying, "This is Joanne's new boyfriend, sorry but there will be no grandchildren from me."

I waited at the door for the shuttle. As I got on, my phone rang. It was Joanne's mum.

Without even a hello, she screamed, "What the fuck is that photo?"

I just said that she was going to sleep with her boyfriend tonight because she believed it would be good for our marriage. Her mum was shocked, and after a brief run through of the holiday and what had happened, she asked if our marriage had a chance. I gave her a one word reply, "NO!"

I heard her cry, and she replied, "I understand and we will miss you."

I told her I was leaving tonight, and Joanne would need to be picked up from the airport tomorrow.

The flight to Atlanta was uneventful, and I had about an hour-and-a-half wait for my connection. I switched on my phone, and I received three messages from a French number.

One was a picture of Joanne sleeping naked; the second was a video of her clearly riding someone cowgirl. The text with the video said, "I hope you like what you see, she will certainly be more energetic for you tomorrow." I forwarded all three to the attorney, then switched off the phone.

When I arrived at the apartment, I switched my phone on. There was a message from Joanne saying, "We are going to the balcony restaurant for breakfast in 1 hour, why don't you join us. I can't wait to reclaim my place at your side!"

I just ignored the message and started to pack. I was on autopilot and had two suitcases and a grip bag packed in less than an hour. I then opened my mail and collected my new debit card. I finally wrote letters to the landlord and utilities, to cancel my part in those, and paid half of all the bills until cancellation took effect. I also copied the letters into Joanne's name, so she could do the same if she wanted to.

Just as I was leaving, my mother-in-law arrived. She asked me to make her a coffee so we could talk. She asked if there was any chance of reconciliation, and again, I told her no chance. We were done, and Joanne knew that when she walked out. She cried.

As she was leaving, my phone rang. It was Joanne.

I answered it, and a breathless Joanne said, "Where are you? Why is my mum asking about who I slept with? And why is your phone ringing as if you are back in the US?"

I said, "Hello, there is someone here who wants to speak to you."

I handed the phone to her mum, who took it and said, "You stupid idiot, you have destroyed everything good in your life and for what!"

I heard the scream from Joanne, followed by a plea to, "Please put Brandon on."

I took the phone and said, "You didn't believe me, now it's over. You will be served on Monday. I left your ticket and passport in the safe, the reception will direct you to the shuttle. Just make sure you go to the right gate for the transfer in Dallas. Your mum and dad will pick you up at the airport. I am sorry, but the only way I can forgive you is by knowing you will never do it again, and the only way I can guarantee that is by leaving. The settlement is fifty-fifty. I have left termination letters for you, if you want to leave the apartment. We have an option on the house, so if we do not do anything, that option will lapse in three months."

I heard an enormous sob, and then a very quiet, "Okay, can we talk when I get home?" I held the line open, but did not speak, and she asked, "Is there no chance for us?"

I replied simply with, "No," then said, "Goodbye Joanne, I am sorry about the holiday," then I hung up.

I left her mum and drove to the real estate agent, collected the keys, then to the phone shop to change my number, which would take effect the following Wednesday. When I arrived at the new apartment, I collapsed on the bed and slept for five hours straight.

I was awoken by my phone ringing. It was Joanne to say she was back in the apartment and would I come home.

My reply was a cutting, "I am home, Joanne. That apartment is your home now."

She hung up because she was crying so hard; she could not speak.

On Monday, I went into work, and found an email offering me a new post in a branch in Texas. I completed the application before I started work, and handed it into HR. At lunch time, my boss came in and asked why the change of heart on the move. I told him the story. Two hours later, I received an email from HR advising the post was mine. I would be starting in one month.

My boss called me in, and said, "They wanted you for that post, but didn't think you would apply. It was agreed within ten minutes of your application being submitted!"

I had an appointment with the attorney at 3:00pm. She advised that Joanne was being served at 4:30pm, all I had to do was put original signatures on all the documents. Joanne was at her mum and dad's and the attorney told me to expect my phone to blow up. At 4:35pm, my phone rang.

It was Joanne's mum, telling me Joanne had been served, and that she was now curled up in a ball at the front door. She asked if I could come round and talk to her. I said I was sorry, but I could not do that; we were over, and I was moving on.

The next month was hell. Joanne was outside work in the morning and in the evening. She tried everything to find out where I was living, and what my new number was. The attorney had advised me to also get a new phone, so Joanne did not have 'find my phone' available. I worked a lot from home, and from a sub-office as all my work was handed over to new staff, but it also had the benefit of avoiding her. Security kept her away from the office and parking lot, but she caught me once going into the attorney's one afternoon. She literally hung onto my leg, and pleaded with me to stop the divorce, and come home to her. A security guard at the office had to pull her off.

She would not get an attorney, and at the first hearing, the judge said he would grant the petition. She pleaded with him to throw it out, but he said I had a right to choose and that I had chosen divorce. She hired an attorney for the next hearing, but she was told she had no case, and the divorce was granted--it would be final in six months.

Before the divorce was granted, I had moved to Texas. I found an apartment and moved in, staying very much to myself. About four months in, I was walking through a grocery store, and was tapped on the shoulder. I turned to see a small woman about my own age, who I vaguely recognized.

She said, "Hello, my name is Elaine; I work for your main supplier. You never even look at me, but I want to get to know you. So, put that basket down, and let's go for coffee!"

Epilogue

It was eight years after that day in the supermarket. I had just been promoted to VP responsible for Texas, and my picture was put on the company website. Elaine and I had been to a scan, she was carrying our third child, and was a week from her due date.

We walked into the office, as she had left her car in the company parking lot, when the receptionist said, "Mr. Michaels, there is a woman waiting over there for you."

As I turned around, I saw Joanne coming over to me, with her arms outstretched.

She was crying when she said, "Brandon, I have come to bring you home."

Just then, Elaine stood between us, and said, "Are you Joanne? I'm Elaine, and Brandon is home."

Joanne stopped, looked at Elaine's pregnant belly, and stood stock still. To my surprise, Elaine went to her and gave her a gentle hug.

Joanne looked at her, and said, "Is that Brandon's child?"

Elaine said it was. "And it's our third."

Joanne stood up straight, hugged Elaine, and said, "Please look after him, he needs it," She walked to me, and said, "I am sorry, I really messed up, but I never gave up hope that I would be the one with the big belly carrying your child. I promise I will never contact you again."

I leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, and said, "Thank you," before taking Elaine by the hand, and walking her to my office.