A Time to Keep, A Time to Cast Away

This went on for about a year. In fact, exactly one year to the date that Jake walked out of the house, he called. I had been home from work for about an hour and was about ready to fix some dinner. My cell phone rang.

"Hi Laura, it's me, Jake."

"Oh my God Jake! Are you ok? Where are you?"

"I'm fine Laura. In fact, I'm sitting in my car out in front of the house."

I ran to the front door with cell phone in hand. Sure enough there was a car parked out in front of our house.

"Please get out and come in Jake. I have missed you so much."

"Is Rob there Laura?"

"Jake, I have not seen or talked to Rob since the day you left. Rob meant absolutely nothing to me. Please come in Jake."

"Alright. I will hang up now and come in."

I guess I was expecting to see the same old Jake get out of his car and walk towards the house. It wasn't. His hair was long, but well groomed. He had sort of a scruffy beard, but it was well groomed also. He had lost some weight, and filled out with more muscle. He looked rugged in a sexy sort of way. He was kind of like that "most interesting man in the world."

I stood in the doorway as he walked up the sidewalk. When he got to me I couldn't help it, I threw my arms around him and hugged him. I was surprised that he hugged back. We held the embrace for over a minute.

We walked in and sat next to each other on the couch.

"Jake, I have missed you so much. I come home every night and cry hoping you would call. My only information came from Mandy or Jen when they would call. They said you went to Europe."

"Yes, I have been there all this time. I'm sorry Laura, but it was the only way I could make sense of what happened. I started in Rome. I loaded what I would need in my backpack, and travelled across Europe. I met a lot of interesting people, and had some interesting experiences. I also thought a lot about us."

"I have to ask Jake. Did you sleep with any European women? Did you feel the need for revenge against what I did?"

He laughed and said, "Believe me Laura I certainly had the opportunities, but no, I have always been faithful to you."

"Oh Jake, I am so sorry"...

"Stop right there Laura. No more apologies. I know you are sorry for what you did. It took me awhile to figure it out, but I did. I also saw the same thing in Europe. People are the same everywhere. We are all human, and humans can make mistakes."

"I bet you still hate me Jake. I was so stupid."

"No Laura, I never hated you. In fact, I never stopped loving you. You are not stupid, but you did a stupid thing. I believe that at the time, for some reason, you were vulnerable, and he took advantage of that."

I started to cry because I am married to the most wonderful man in the world and I risked all that I had for a cheap night of sex with another man.

"How about you Laura? Have been with any other men while I have been gone?"

"Absolutely not Jake. I did my job, came home, and worried about you every night. I prayed every night that you were safe, and would some day come back to me."

"Well Laura, I did a lot of thinking and soul searching while I was away. I knew I had to make a decision. I could either forgive you and put this all behind us, or if I couldn't, then we would need to divorce and go our separate ways."

I nervously asked, "What did you decide Jake?"

"First off, I can tell you that I still love you very much. It was a very difficult year away from you. I missed you terribly. However, I also knew that I might have some trust issues with you. I had to figure out if I could trust you again."

I started to say something but he raised his hand for me to be quiet and listen.

"I know I could never go through that again if you were to cheat on me a second time. So I had to figure out if I loved you enough to be able to trust you again. I have forgiven you, but it has to be more than that."

I guess this was the moment of truth. Would I get my husband back, or not?

Jake got down on one knee in front of me. He took my hand.

"Laura, this was the position I was in when I asked you to marry me. I am asking you now to let me come home, and let's be husband and wife again."

I dove into his arms as we fell to the floor. We kissed passionately as we ripped our clothes off. He fucked me hard and fast right there on the living room floor. It had been over a year for both of us. Yes, I had been using a vibrator some, and I'm sure he jacked off when needed, but this may have been one of the best fucks ever. So much pent up passion and energy. We both came quickly. We laid there holding each other afterwards for about fifteen minutes. His dick stayed inside me the whole time.

We broke our embrace and smiled at each other. I made Jake a promise that I would be faithful to him until the day I died. He told I had better, because I would be history if I didn't.

I fixed us some dinner and we ate, and caught up. He told me all about his adventures in Europe. We made plans to go travel Europe together in the near future. We drank two bottles of wine, then took a shower together. For the next two hours we made slow passionate love in our bed. It was good to have my man next to me in our bed. It was good to have my life back.

Epilogue:

The next day I quit my job. Jake had more than enough in his annuity from the sale of his business to take care of us. A month later we left for Europe. We spent the next month traveling around Europe. Jake knew where to go and what to see. We travelled a lot of back roads.

When we got back home we found out both daughters were engaged. Nine months later we had a double wedding. Jake was so proud as he walked both daughters down the aisle. So was I.

Eleven months later we had two grandchildren born three weeks apart. I knew our daughters were close, but I have to wonder if they planned all this. Jake and I were awesome grandparents. We had a boy and a girl, and we spoiled them rotten.

We are getting older now, but our sex life is still alive and well. At least once a week. Of course Jake has a little help from a blue pill, which I think is the best invention ever, but we are as passionate as ever. I lost a year from Jake. I have been making up for it ever since. Jake was right. Humans can, and will make mistakes. I made a huge one. I beat myself up over it. Jake forgave me, but it took awhile for me to forgive myself. I did, and it is all behind us.

"Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope."

Maya Angelou