The Proverb Stories: Alea Iacta Est

John.

PS, I will not turn on my cell phone, no need to ring or text me. J.

As a last gesture, I removed my ring and put it on top of the note. If I had been a nice guy, I would have unlocked the connecting door before leaving. I did not; I wanted her to experience the embarrassment of calling the reception desk for assistance. I wondered what kind of excuse she would use.

---

She did as asked, no phone calls or text messages. However, when I came into my office and booted up my computer, there was an E-Mail from her:

Dear John,

I am so sorry about what I have done with Peter and I am so disappointed in myself for being so stupid. It may be too much to ask forgiveness, but I have to try to hope you can forgive. I will do as you ask and expect you at noon Saturday. Why you want Peter there, I don't understand. He is also devastated and understands he has inflicted hurt, which is difficult to undo. He will be there.

Yours, Claire.

---

I entered our house Saturday afternoon. The door was unlocked and I found both Claire and Peter in the kitchen. They looked like they hadn't slept for days. Claire especially looked worn and destitute.

They both stood up and I expect, waited for some kind of signal from me how to proceed. Claire moved towards me for a hug, but I stopped her. Tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Please sit down; I want to play a short sound file for you before we talk." I opened my laptop and started the recording of their conversation, the file I had transferred from my phone.

Both of them started to talk immediately after it was finished. I stopped them and said, "From this short recording of what you talked about when I came to Claire's room tells me a lot. Firstly, it tells me, Peter, that you love your wife. Secondly, it tells me that Claire loves me. It also tells me that the sex you have together is for fun and not love. I can infer that you two were planning to continue the affair for the next six months and that you both thought what your partners do not know won't hurt them. This in itself is a severe lack of honesty and demeaning towards your significant other."

I took a sip of the coffee Claire had poured me, before continuing.

"I asked you to be here, Peter, so you could hear yourself and fully understand the disrespect you have shown your wife. I am forgiving Claire and you, not for your sake, but for my own. I will not go on using mental energy to hate and seek revenge. However, I can't go on being with Claire; I do not trust her anymore. I hate what you two did, but I do not hate you. To you Peter I say this; go home, love your wife. I will not say anything provided you never do anything like this again, that you honour and respect her. In addition, I expect Claire to agree to an even split and no fighting. We have only one life, let us not use a lot of effort to fight for something that cannot be. So if Claire goes along with this I will not need to use this sound file and you are safe Peter."

"Please John, if you mean you forgive me, can we not work something out and still be together? I have given Peter my resignation; I will not travel with him anymore."

"After Peter leaves we will talk," I told Claire. I turned to Peter, "You are not to accept her resignation. If Claire quits your company at the same time as we separate, your wife will put two and two together. No, wait awhile before letting her go. Moreover, you are going to give her a bonus. You are the main cause, not the only, but the main and should therefor pay compensation."

Peter expressed his regret for the role he played destroying what we had together and left.

When we were alone, Claire tried again to reason with me, she cried and begged.

"Claire, listen to me for a moment. I forgive, but I cannot forget. There is no way I will lie awake wondering what you are up to of late, or who you might meet when you are by yourself, I cannot live like that. I need to have unconditional trust in my partner and you have let me down. Even if you give me your absolute assurance, it doesn't matter. You have broken the 'forsaking all others' once, why should I believe you this time?"

"Is there nothing I can do?" Claire sobbed.

"No, I'm sorry. Let me explain, when Julius Caesar defied the order from the senate to step down from his military leadership in the year 49 BC, he marched with his legion towards Rome. As he crossed the River Rubicon, he said according to the legend 'Alea Iacta Est', which translated means 'the die is cast.' Claire, this phrase as we understand it; does in fact say that he passed the point of no return. In your case Claire, you have crossed the River called Fidelity, and there is no turning back. I'm sorry Claire, I grieve, but we have to part.

I thought Claire had given up her fight for our partnership, but no, she had a last desperate attempt: "Please John, have mercy on me, you know that if we part, the adoption we have worked for so long will not go through. We have at last been accepted as a suitable couple and you know I will be a good mother. If we part, I will never have a second chance. You know they will not approve of me as a transsexual mother again. Please John, it's my only chance of becoming a mother." She cried.

"You should have thought about that before you started to fuck Peter." Was my laconic and sad response.

With those last words, I gave her a hug, leaving a miserable woman behind me.

The End.