Surviving Corona

On reflection life had been pretty good to me. 50 years old two beautiful girls off at university and my wife Jade and I about ready to celebrate our twenty fifth wedding anniversary things were going well.

We owned most of a very nice home in an upmarket suburb and drove almost new cars.

My job as regional sales manager for a national company was going strong. Jade who had only gone back to work five years ago was also in a good place. She had taken a position with Greg a friend of ours as his PA but soon found her feet as part of their promotional team, Three years in and Greg offered us a proposition, he wanted to grow the business but needed capital. He offered us a share in the business and Jade would take up a senior role in their sales and business development team.

To say she took to it like a duck to water is an understatement. Two years later and she was making more money than me. So what did I have to complain about? Well I suppose it would be that Jade and I were so busy we didn't see much of each other. In many ways we had slipped into living different lives, ships passing in the night. Don't get me wrong our marriage was strong loving and nurturing, it's just I would have liked to see more of her.

That was about to change and we were to have no control over it.

The world was hit by a virus so virulent that the only action was to lock down entire countries using draconian control measures compared by some to martial law. It was a full blown pandemic and the actions reflected the danger to humanity.

Country and state borders were closed. Schools, churches, universities public forums were all shut.

In fact all non-essential businesses were shut and employee's ordered to stay home. Those able to work from home were forced to, and only those workers assessed as essential were allowed to work. All shops aside from supermarkets and pharmacies were closed. To support those actions the police were out in numbers to enforce the new laws.

So there we were locked up, imprisoned in our own home with nobody other than ourselves to talk to.

For me it was the shot in the arm we had been searching for, it was in fact a blessing in disguise. Working from home was like a bit of a holiday. Jade unlike me was worried about the business being such a new venture they didn't have the cash reserves of the big players.

We set up separate office areas so we didn't interfere with each other. We brightened the day with light hearted banter about who was making the coffee, or making lunch and it was somewhat of a renaissance period for our happy marriage.

For the first couple of weeks it was like being on honeymoon. We cooked together, we shared the cleaning and household chores. We slept in on weekends and we cycled. I had been a fanatical cyclist my whole life and now Jade saw it as our one chance to get out of the house. At the time people were only allowed out if they were exercising in some fashion and still had to maintain social distancing of at least two metres. Cycling seemed the perfect answer.

It grew into our daily break from work and escape from household chores. Over that two week period Jade actually got into it and grew to look forward to it as much as me.

The break from our regular routines provided us with the opportunities to dabble in activities we would otherwise have missed due to travelling and long work hours. I took an online massage course as a treat and Jade was the happy beneficiary of my nightly massages. That in turn led to the most amazing sex of our lives it was like a magical switch had been flicked and we had been transported back to our first years together. We made love every day often twice a day, oh god it was incredible. Jade was even at 48 still a very attractive fit, active and sexual person

She decided to fill in time by taking an online course in aromatherapy which had delivery vans arriving daily and the house smelling wonderful. Coupling the aromatherapy and massage produced surprising results.

As good as life was the flip side as we slipped into the third week things slowed down, it's hard to maintain that level of excitement and interest, we were getting tetchy, cabin fever had started to set in and we needed a lift. To try and get the magic back I cooked a great meal, Jade seemed impressed with my culinary skills however as soon as she finished she thanked me for the meal and went straight back to work leaving me sitting by myself. The lockdown had started to bite on their business I'm not stupid I realised that but opportunities like this don't come along very often, a chance to kick-start our marriage and I felt it slipping away. She was spending to much time on the damn computer or phone, chasing customers and clients.

I needed to get her back away from that damn computer. I ran a hot bubble bath and filled the bathroom with scented candles and selected some smooth sleazy jazz, turned the lights down low.

When I walked into her office she was hard at work typing away like a mad thing. She looked up with a strange expression as I reached out my hand for hers. She stared back at me. "Mark what are you doing?"

I pulled her up out of her chair reluctantly she stood. "Mark.... Honey..... I have work to do..." Putting my finger up to my mouth I shushed her and led her begrudgingly into the bathroom. She groaned the whole way. "Mark please honey I have work, it's important."

The moment she saw the bath and the candles she smiled broadly. "Oh you sexy beast, this looks incredible but honey I have work..."

"My love I am sure that your customers will still be there tomorrow, so tonight relax, enjoy the champagne and soak that gorgeous body."

I helped her out of her clothes and held her hand as she climbed into the hot tub. As she reclined back in the tub I passed her the glass of champagne. She sighed deeply. "Thank you darling I can't believe how thoughtful you are. I am spoiled."

I chuckled. "Don't worry my love, I will be seeking repayment later, I might take it out of your body."

"Oh god I hope that's a promise." She whispered.

I left her lying covered in suds her head back, eyes closed as she listened to the music and enjoyed the relaxing waters.

I walked into the lounge and as I walked past her office I heard her phone beeping. Shit it was sure to distract her if she heard it. I ran in and went to turn it off, when I saw it was from Greg I opted to open the message in case it was important. As I flipped up the message I was stunned. There was a message alright.

'Fuck I can't wait to taste that juicy pussy again."

Jesus Christ, what the hell, was it a joke?

I started to scroll down the thread of messages.

'Greg you sexy bastard it's not fair I need to feel your beautiful big cock in me again.'

'I want your pussy, I want to taste it, feel it wrapped around my cock.'

'I loved you bending me over the desk, god your cock is so big and hard.'

As I scrolled down there were literally hundreds of messages and even a couple of photos and videos. One of which was Jade giving him a blowjob. Several pictures of his cock and several of Jade wearing nothing.

Jesus this was a long running affair, it wasn't a joke or a prank this was real.

As I sat there stunned my heart racing Jade called out. "Darling my glass is empty."

I carried her in another glass and as I stared down at her beautiful smiling face I didn't know what to say. She sighed smiling blissfully. "Thanks sexy."

"No worries love." I walked back to her office lost, the pain was so deep. How could she do that after everything we had been through, raising the kids, building a life for twenty-five years we had stood side by side.

Overwhelmed and with a wild burning rage building, I walked outside into the cold night air trying to calm the rising wave. With the anger unabated I wanted to hurt her, I wanted her to feel my pain, the humiliation, the burning shame. It was crazy and irrational but a plan surfaced. I searched through her phone excluding the video and photos and I forwarded the messages to everybody in her contact list, over three hundred contacts would be getting a surprise message, friends, family, clients all of them. I plugged the phone into my laptop and downloaded everything.

Wondering what she had been doing that was so busy I opened up her computer. She had been emailing him as well, so that's what was so important... I found a ton of other emails much like the messages. I repeated my earlier action and again forwarded them to her contact list.

I got a thumb drive and again downloaded everything, I wanted all the evidence I could muster.

I knew right then my marriage was over. I wanted to just walk out but the bloody virus had us locked together, there would be no escape.

We had converted a room over the garage into a bedroom for our daughter before she left for Uni to give her some privacy. I started collecting all my stuff and carried it up there, it would be my hangout until this thing was over. I was on my third trip when Jade walked out wrapped in a towel. When she saw me carrying armfuls of gear she stuttered questioningly. "What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm moving into Chanel's room until this bloody virus thing is over."

"Mark what is going on? You're scaring me, you are acting crazy."

"Piss off Jade, as of right now our marriage is over, I will be filing for divorce as soon as I can."

I pushed past her roughly as she cried out. "Mark... Mark, talk to me, what's going on?"

"It'll become obvious, just leave me alone, I recommend you find a solicitor as soon as possible."

She called out after me as I walked away, leaving her staring open mouthed at me.

I locked myself in and waited for the shit to hit the fan. It didn't take long and there was ferocious banging on the door. Jade was crying and screaming hysterically. "Mark you fucking malicious prick... Oh my god why didn't you talk to me? Bloody hell you have destroyed everything... Christ all mighty... Say something you fucking prick."

"Fuck you Jade, Why don't you see if Greg and his beautiful big cock can fix it for you."

Silence... then the crying, frantic agony filled sobs. "Mark I am sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you."

When I didn't respond she snarled. "Christ it was just sex for god's sake." How she could feel and sound affronted after her actions was beyond me.

"Well I hope it was good because it's ended our lives together, everything we worked for. Why Jade, tell me why?"

Her sobs started again and they suffocated her words as she blubbered. "Mark it was just sex, it wasn't important just sex, it was wrong I know that but it was harmless, if you will just talk to me, we can get past this."

"Harmless my arse, it's been going on for months looking at those texts."

"Mark please open the door so we can talk properly, let me explain, let's talk about it."

"No Jade the chance for talking is gone. Now it's just a matter of cleaning up the mess."

"Yeah well you have certainly created that." She snapped through the sniffles. "Christ Mark you have probably destroyed Greg's marriage as well."

"I didn't do anything, you created this fuck up, where was your concern for his family while you were fucking him... Don't cry to me about his marriage."

"Mark if you had just talked to me we could have tried to fix it, found a way past it, but now.... Now... Jesus everybody knows. God knows what the girls will say or mum and dad for that matter. Shit I never realised you could be so malicious, so evil."

"Evil... Evil... Oh my god Jade you carry on a six month affair with our friend and tell me I am evil.... For the love of god woman you are now being ridiculous."

"Mark honey, nobody needed to know we could have fixed it ourselves, it's not the end of the world."

"Like hell, it's the end of the road for me."

"Mark open the door honey please, let me make it right."

"Leave me alone Jade, I just want a good night's sleep and a chance to clear my head."

It took her a half an hour of banging on the door for her to realise I wasn't answering. Finally she walked back inside leaving me and my anger to boil. I plugged in my laptop and sorted out her texts into a file that I could send to a solicitor. In the morning I was filing for divorce, I didn't have to think about it, I didn't have to battle with my conscience, our marriage was over. As I worked collating all the evidence my phone buzzed relentlessly as I had turned it to vibrate. I was not ready to face anybody, I guessed it was our daughters or parents. I wanted a chance to calm down before speaking to them.

It was a long night, tossing and turning drifting in and out of sleep. I woke about nine and wandered in for a shower and some breakfast. As I walked in the back door Jade was at the bench making coffee. She turned and glanced quickly at me. "Morning Mark, do you want some?" She looked terrible, her eyes were bloodshot, red and saggy.

"No thanks I will get mine when you're finished, I am going to shower."

"Suit yourself, be like that."

I locked myself in the bathroom as I showered and tried to fortify myself for what was going to come. As I walked into the kitchen Jade passed me her phone. I didn't want to take it but in the end whoever it was I was going to have to face today one way or another. "Hi Mark, its Greg, I just want to say I am sorry for what happened, it's not Jade's fault, it is me you must blame."

I cut him off mid-sentence. "Forget it Greg, it's over. You and I will be seeing each other once this virus thing is over and we will finish it like men." I disconnected before giving him a chance to say anything else. Jade stood there staring at me.

"Mark he was just trying to apologise, say sorry."

"Bollocks... He can shove his apology where the sun don't shine. The next time I talk to him he better be ready."

I walked past her and noticed she had made me coffee. I tipped it out and made a fresh one.

She glared angrily at me. "I made that for you."

"Yeah it was probably laced with rat poison. Jade I don't want to see or talk to you. I am going to ring my solicitor as soon as I have made coffee, I suggest you do the same."

She tried to grab my arm and turn me back. "Mark please honey if we could just sit down and discuss this calmly, we can fix it. We have been through so much, this is just a bump in the road, if you let me explain, I'm sure we can straighten it all out."

"OK then Jade tell me... Tell me why..."

She leaned back against the sink. "I don't know honey I guess it was the big five O racing towards me and recently I have been feeling unattractive. It's different for a woman, all my life men have noticed me, I'm not blind I know I'm attractive but as I have got older the looks have stopped, I started to feel invisible, the young guys no longer see me and I felt old and then Greg flirted with me, flattered me, made me feel desirable. Then one day I told him how I was feeling and he kissed me, and I let my defences down but honestly it was just sex."

"How shallow are you Jade? All this because you were feeling your age... We all get old, you are supposed to talk to me, you are supposed to let me help, let me make you better."

"Oh yeah its easier for you, shit Mark you look better now than when we were younger. We go out somewhere and I see the pretty young girls staring at you. You have got better looking and I look old beside you."

"Oh for fuck sake, we were supposed to get old together that's what live is about. I wanted to grow old with you, spend the rest of my life with you. God damn it I love you!"

Sobbing she mumbled through her sniffles. "We still could, Mark I love you, I always have that hasn't changed."

Shaking my head I moaned. "Ring your solicitor Jade, you will need all the help you can get."

With my coffee poured I walked out to the room and flopped back on the little sofa. Jeez what a flaming mess. All I wanted was to get away but here I was locked up, imprisoned with the crazy bitch.

As I sipped my coffee I got another call. It was Melissa Greg's wife. "Hello Mark." She had obviously been crying. "I am sorry I don't know what to say, but thank you for letting us know."

"That's fine Melissa, I needed to for my own sanity. What are you going to do?"

She sighed. "I don't know, god everything is so messed up. I want to kill him, divorce him, cut his friggin dick off, but it's not that easy for us, our children are so young, everything we have is tied up in the business, we are mortgaged to our bloody eyebrows. If I walk out now it will be going home to my parents place and that would be hell."

"You have to do what you see is right."

"What about you... What are you doing?" She asked.

"I am ringing my solicitor the moment I hang up from you and I am filing for divorce."

"Shit, shit, shit I am so sorry Mark, is there no way you can work it out?"

"No as far as I am concerned it's over."

We talked for a while longer before hanging up. Arthur my solicitor was shocked when I told him the story, he had been a large part of all the major decisions of our lives especially the refinancing and investment in Greg's business. He asked me what I wanted to do and I informed him that I wanted to file for divorce. I offered to send him the files but he laughed. "It doesn't matter maybe she is in the wrong and adultery is grounds for divorce but it won't help you, there's no escaping the marital act. She will get half of everything even though she's in the wrong."

Accepting his news I mumbled. Just send me the paperwork and I will fill it out, but I am definitely filing under adultery, I want everybody to know."

"Mate the only advice I am going to offer is go easy pal... You are angry now, I will send the paperwork but please give it a bit of thought, the decisions you make now you have to live with for the rest of your life."

Later the paperwork turned up and I was filling it in when my phone rang, checking the name it was my eldest daughter Katie. "Dad what the hells going on? I just spoke to mum and she is in hysterics, I couldn't understand one single thing she said, is all this stuff true? The emails and texts, is it real or is it some stupid prank?"

She was totally disbelieving, this was her mother, her beautiful caring loving mother who she was so close to. I heard the disbelief in her voice.

Sucking in a deep breath I groaned. "Yes, it's true, I only found out yesterday myself, same time as everybody else."

"Flaming hell, who sent it out? It came from mums email."

Feeling a little guilty I spluttered. "It doesn't matter who sent it, all that matters is that we found out."

"Well what are you going to do?"

"I am filing for divorce of course.... What did you think I was going to do?"

A sharp intake of breath preceded her frantic scream. "Dad no please, no, no, no!" then there was silence before she followed with. "Divorce shit, that's a bit much isn't it? Surely you can try to get past it or something, this is mum we are talking about, dad it's just a mistake it has to be, you've been together forever and she loves you, you know that."

"I used to know that buttercup, I would have bet my life on it but now, all I can do is try to stop myself from killing her."

"You don't mean that dad, that's just the anger, slow down and take a breath, surely divorce isn't the answer. Maybe you could try counselling or something?"

"Sorry buttercup but I have made my mind up, I want out she has humiliated me enough."

The conversation dragged on and on as she tried to get me to change my mind, we went over and over the same old words. In the end she hung up as confused and frustrated as me.

July my other daughter wasn't far behind Katie and again the afternoon disappeared as she tried to get me to change my mind. Unfortunately she didn't believe it was true and tried to convince me it was just some weird hacker or something.