Showdown at the Christmas party

Thanks for editing, Kenjisato.

They say the eyes are the window to the soul. I could see the love in Mandy's eyes, from a month or two after we met, through our wedding and two daughters. Ten lovely years, eight of them married.

We were determined, almost fanatical, to have dinner together every night as a family, that was our 'big thing.' No matter what we ate, the 'look of love' was always around the table. Heaven on Earth.

You know how a child grows day by day and you never notice it until a relative or friend stops by after a year or so and remarks, "My, how they've grown?" In the same way I missed the gradual 'drawing of the blinds,' as I call it. The love in Mandy's eyes toward the kids never changed, but the way she looked at me slowly, imperceptibly, changed over the past year. I missed it, simply missed the drawing of the blinds, probably because it happened so slowly.

Until last December's Christmas party.

Her firm--she's a 32-year-old paralegal at one of the city's large law firms--did it every year. Since she started there four years ago, it had always been a nice affair, not over the top, a chance for spouses to meet coworkers and their spouses, like I said, a pleasant spirit of the season kind of thing. The last one was no different, except... returning from the bar with drinks for the two of us, I saw it. Bam! Just like John Madden used to do. Her raptured look, in full bloom and shine at someone else, not me. Face-swallowing smile. Oblivious to all else.

As I approached, Winslow Featherton, one of her firm's senior partners, stood at our table, his hand on Mandy's uncovered shoulder. Eyes locked, the two were laughing at a shared joke--probably his--and her entire face had that look, the captivated look of raptured love, the one that had been only mine for years, but had gone AWOL sometime during the past year. Laser-focused only at him.

As the impact hit me, I almost dropped our drinks. Boom. In one instant my life ended. My breath froze and my heart stopped. Helplessness was the first emotion that hit me. Shock and hurt followed a split second later. Setting our drinks on the table, I turned and stepped outside to the dark patio to catch my breath.

I could only shake my head. Featherton had more money, better looks, more prestige, more everything than me. Definitely had more expensive cars, clothes and a much fancier house. Complete with maids and stuff. Flew in a private jet. Part of the city's in-crowd and belonging to all the right clubs, he had everything and could have anyone--certainly prettier than my wife. He never had to fix dinner when the woman of the house was late or otherwise occupied. Which, come to think of it, my Mandy had been lately. He could play the boardroom superhero, while I faithfully labored in the mundane, like laundry, dinner and shuttling the kids to school activities, and the doctor when their noses sniffled.

From Mandy's point of view, there could be no contest between Featherbucks and me. Even I could see that.

In the cool night air, my exhale vapor disappeared, much like my future.

She had to be over the moon that someone with the world at his feet would show her interest. There had to be scads of Kate Uptons, Jessica Simpsons, and the like who'd give him slobbers for his dollars, so why chase my wife? She was pretty, but not the kind millionaires routinely swat away like summer flies on a cow patty. So, yeah, I could understand how she could flip out over the compliment and boost his attention gave her, but him?

What to do? If I confronted her, she'd go all politician--deny, deny, deny. Any hint of accusation would simply add to the damage already done. This wasn't a battle I could win. The arrogant boss and traitorous bitch had ruined the best thing in my life.

That being the case, I guessed my best option was to move on as best I could, as quickly as I could. Fucking bitch.

My hot anger turned cold, calculating. Taking a deep breath, I went back inside. Sure enough, the two stood exactly where they were before, her glow of adulation undimmed. I approached the table and, after picking up her drink, handed it to her. She took it, her trance unbroken.

Nodding briefly at the new love of her life, I handed Mandy our car keys. "I'm leaving now. I can see you're not ready yet, so I'll get an Uber." I glanced at her new paramour, "I'm done, though." She no doubt would miss my double meaning.

Distracted, she smiled at me. "Okay, honey, I'll see you at home."

"No, you won't."

A frown crossed both their faces. "What was that?" she said.

"Look, I'm not going to make a scene here. This," I pointed at my eye, "may be green, but it's not cabbage. I can see Mr. Featherton here has captured your heart. And why shouldn't he? He's richer than me, better looking, more connected, more successful. All I am is an average guy, making average money doing average things. How can I compete? He's never had to nurse you through your flu, or held your hand when your kids were born. He's never had to clean up your puke when you drank too much, never had to buy pads for your periods, take the kids to the doctor or school plays, so it's easy for him to be your new superhero.

"He's your match made in heaven. Go for it. If you expected me to compete," I shook my head, "don't hold your breath. I should not have to fight for your respect or affection, not if you have an ounce of integrity in you. You either love me or you don't."

Their mouths both hung open in shock.

Before either could recover, I wrapped it up. "Mandy, you're beautiful, sexy and smart. Certainly not the classiest, but hey, nobody's perfect, right? His poor wife, who couldn't come tonight because he didn't want her to hinder his philandering, well, who gives a shit about her? Certainly not you. He's cheated on her so many times he's earned frequent flyer status. And their three kids? They'll get by--millions of divorced kids out there, right? And who cares if our two girls get added to that number? Certainly not their mother.

"So, to answer your question, no I will not be there when you get home after letting Mr. Featherdick into your panties tonight.

"I will get my stuff moved out as soon as I can, see a lawyer on Monday and you'll be free to fuck ole Featherfart here as often as you want and as long as you like. What you wanted, right?"

I turned and headed for the entrance, pulling out my phone to call an Uber.

"Mark, wait!" Her frantic cry caught me as I stepped outside.

I killed the phone, stopped and turned around.

"It's not what--"

"Oh, bullshit. Look, I'm not going to argue with you and your lies. I know you better than anyone else." Pointing at my eye again, I continued, "I saw what I saw. You can spin it as much as you want, but you and I both know the truth. Featherfucker in there has captured your heart, not me. I see it in your eyes. Next up on his victory campaign is the swamp between your legs. Everyone in there saw how you look at him. The way you used to look at me. I saw you leaving me, inch by inch these past months. I am not going to listen to your lying and denying. You know the score as well as I."

I took both her hands and looked into her tear-filled eyes. "I don't know if you've fucked him yet, but your eyes tell me if you haven't, it's only a matter of time. You can destroy your life if you want, but there's no way I'm standing by and letting you destroy mine. I'm outta here."

"No, Mark, please. It's not like that. He's only--"

"Mandy, wait. Are you trying to tell me you have no attraction, no affection for Featherfuck?"

"Yes! That's exactly what I'm saying!" Her eyes pleaded with me to buy the lie.

Rolling my eyes I took a deep breath. "We have ourselves a difference. I saw something, something undeniable, and you say there's nothing for me to see. Which makes our difference irreconcilable. Do you know what happens to irreconcilable differences?"

"No, what?"

"They become the basis for most divorces in this country. Like I said, I'm not going to argue with you. Only you know what's in your heart. Only you know if fucking Featherdick is worth his kids and our kids losing their dads. Your look tells me it is." I picked up my phone again.

"No, Mark, wait. Please. Let me go fetch our keys. I'm coming home with you."

"No. I don't want to break up your Featherpecker fuckfest. He was frothing at the mouth to get into your panties tonight."

For the first time, Mandy's body language turned fiery. "Oh, fuck off with your pity party, Mark. Fuck Featherton. You are right, okay. You happy now? Is that what you wanted to hear? I had a brainfart, a big one, and I allowed him to get to me.

"I'm sorry.

"That's over as of this moment, history. Right now.

"Come with me, we're leaving together, but not without my purse and my coat. I love you. You're my husband and you're taking me home. So. What's it going to be? You wanna wait out here like a crying coward, or come in with me while I get my stuff, and hold my hand as your wife while we leave?"

Not much of a choice, was it? We walked in together. Featherpecker stood at another table, already charming the next witless suckerette. Mandy walked up to him and calmly said, "I quit, and I suggest you stop harassing her. Everyone's laughing at you." Turning around, she took my hand as we left a stunned audience behind.

On the way home, she took my hand and cried. "You were right. Ohmigod, I'm so sorry. It's that classic frog in the pot thing, the water heating slowly. I didn't see it happening until you opened my eyes tonight. You're correct, you do not deserve that. It's all my fault. I got caught in the whole power thing he threw over me. Like a high schooler I fell for his crap. Please forgive me. This is all on me. You are still my true love. I never want anyone but you. You are more important to me than any job or person, that's why I quit. Can you forgive me? I never had sex with him, never even kissed him or anything like that. I'll take a lie detector test if you can't find it in your heart to believe me. I'm not saying I wasn't on that path, but fortunately you shone the spotlight on my stupidity in time." She stroked my hand. "Please forgive me? I'll do anything."

"Anything?"

"Yes, anything. You saw I started by quitting, even though it was a great job."

"Anything?" I asked again, wiggling my eyebrows.

"Yes, my darling, anything. Well, almost. No other people, no hall pass, nothing like that, but anything between the two of us."

"Like a week for just the two of us on a lonely beach in the Caribbean?"

"Oh, I dunno. I'll have to think about that one."

The blinds were gone from her smiling eyes.