Married - With Hall Pass

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Here I am sitting my car in front of my house waiting for Peggy to get home from work. With an hour to kill I waded through the emails I'd missed. I could almost feel the heartbreak as Peggy begged me to come home. Gone was threat of the hall pass. The most recent email she even told me that she'd never bring up my cheating or hall passes again and that it could be part of a post-nuptial agreement.

Her voicemails were dripping with angst. They brought tears to my eyes. Reading her texts confirmed my feelings that she really wanted to work things out.

Quitting time came and still no Peggy. I was about to drive away when a tire company truck stopped at an angle in front of my car. Peggy leaped from the passenger seat and opened my door. To say that I was confused was an understatement. Is this her new boyfriend? We're all of her messages a sham?

"YOU'RE BACK! I LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU! I LOVE YOU!"

"Then who's that?"

"You said my tires needed replacing so I dropped my car off after work. They offer a courtesy drop-off and pick-up. They'll come get me when it's completed. Who did you think it was?"

"Never mind. Can we talk?"

"YES! Here? In the house? You name it!"

"How about on the porch>"

Peggy raced up to the porch swing and was beaming as I approached.

"I'm so sorry that I drove you away. I was wrong and can only hope that you'll forgive me" as her eyes reddened.

"We're two screwed up people. I need help understanding how I could have ever hurt the one that I love. Would you consider seeing a marriage counselor with me?"

If Peggy was any stronger her hug would have broken some of my ribs.

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Epilogue:

Marriage counseling, alone and together, opened some scabs but this time we stitched up the wounds and applied the appropriate medication. I explained my downfall in minute detail and Peggy detailed how she never did anything other than phone calls and video chatting before shutting down that account. We cried. We hugged.

We're going to survive. I had my attorney pull the application for a divorce.

True to her word Peggy has never mentioned my cheating or a hall pass again. Neither have I. I'm a frickn saint around other women now. I've learned my lesson.

Three years later we decided to become a family, and in a few months we'll welcome our first child. My mother still says she's never seen two people more in love. Flawed people capable of making mistakes, but still very much in love.