What's Left to Talk About?

"However, surely you agree that if I continued this affair with your blessing, it wouldn't be cheating anymore, right? Please, don't divorce me over this. I promise to give you a lifetime of fidelity when it ends and never cheat on you, or even ask permission for another affair. I just want to let this one conclude naturally, on its own. I'll even agree to restrictions and limits. I won't deprive you of anything. I'll do anything in bed with you that I've done with him, and I'll tell you in advance what that has been. All that you have to do is ask me. Please, however, don't leave me or make me give up. I would do the same for you, if the situation were reversed. No matter how angry I'd be over your adultery, I'd allow you to complete it before demanding a return to complete fidelity on your part. As you can tell, I'm desperate here. I don't want to give you up," Susan begged him.

"Leaving aside for the moment the fact that you talked about me to Len and what he said to you, I can't believe this! You might have changed your attitude a bit here, Susan, but it's too little, too late. After admitting that you were in the wrong, you want me to stay with you, be faithful to you, and let you 'complete' your affair with Rich for the foreseeable! I can't do that, Susan! Even if I were the sort to swing, which is not morally wrong in itself, but is not something that I am comfortable with due to my upbringing, I certainly wouldn't agree to a double standard that allows you to have another partner, while I don't. What's more, I wouldn't agree to you continuing an affair with the very man who cuckolded me for the past year! When it comes down to it, while your proposal is an improvement over last night's, it's still unacceptable! Even if I were willing to share you, I can't share you with that man! Never, Susan, never!"

"I didn't mean swinging, dear. This would just be an exception to the rule. I'd understand if you did the same under similar circumstances, though I would hope that you would be more honest with me than I have been with you."

"Still not acceptable, Susan. If you talked to Len, as you say, he almost certainly would have told you that I'd say that, too. You know him. And he knows me! I don't believe for a second that he'd advise you to say what you just did."

"No, he didn't advise. He urged me to drop Rich."

"He was right. You had your last chance to keep me, and that was to drop Rich immediately. You didn't. It's over, Susan. What's more, I don't believe that you'd so understanding in the same situation. I think that you'd be every bit as furious as I am now. You've blown it, Sue. I want a divorce. For once, honor your word and agree to it. And, for the record, my words couldn't possibly have hurt you more than yours hurt me."

"You're right, Jonathan. I'm sorry. I can't promise to drop him now. I did agree to your terms. Just so you know, however, I won't marry him or move in with him. As soon as he and I are done, I intend to wait for you to take me back. I don't know how long that will take, but I'll wait until I know that there is no chance for us."

"What do you mean, 'no chance for us'? You mean if I remarry?" Jonathan demanded.

"No, I mean if that I will wait until I see something that convinces me that you won't take me back. That will take something more than marriage. It will take a clear signal."

"Susan, if and when I should remarry, that will be a clear signal. Unlike some people, I keep my vows. Now, will you sign the divorce or not?" Jonathan stated with a little venom.

"Yes, I will. Just bear in mind what I said. I am truly in love with you and devoted to you," Susan responded, as she signed the paperwork giving them a much quicker divorce than she had previously threatened.

"Yeah, so devoted that you can't give up Rich yet, even after he's cost you me. I'm impressed," Jonathan sarcastically commented.

"Sorry, but I love two men. That's how it is with me. I might lose both of you, but I can't dump either of you. It will have to be your doing, not mine. Same with him," Susan cried, as she left the law office.

Wendy had kept mostly silent during that whole discussion, but she couldn't keep silent anymore.

"Well, the bitch has had her say, Jonathan. We're through with her. It will be final in a month and you'll be totally free."

"'We' are through with her? What does that mean?"

"Revenge, Jonathan. I was Rich's mistress before he met Susan. He dumped me for her, the SOB. Evidently, I was too 'cold' for him, after meeting her. He lost interest in me after meeting your 'warm' wife. Why do you think I took the case 'pro bono'? Now, if you want to celebrate our new freedom, I know a nice hotel suite for two that I rent now and then. I could have accepted if he hadn't dumped me. The damn fool had about 9 girlfriends and decided that I was his least interesting and most high maintenance one, so he dropped me. That's what he got for being too greedy, I suppose. A sensible man would have stuck to 3 or 4," Wendy smirked.

"What about your husband?" Jonathan asked.

"He's a little kinkier than you, dear. As long as he knows that it's just sex, it's fine with him. Think he's not busy with some hooker right now? We have a deal, he and I. Marriage is good for business and sex, that's all. We both get laid more married than we do single, so we decided that our infidelities shouldn't lead to divorce. In fact, our sex life is better now."

"Well, as tempting as that sounds, I'll have to take a rain check on it. I have some matters to deal with, including family to explain things to. I thank you for the help," Jonathan informed her, not too eager to jump into bed with a woman who acted too much like Susan, though he didn't say that to her face.

The only difference was that Susan was more selfish and deceptive about it. Jonathan couldn't bring himself to be part of an open marriage, even as the other man. Sharing a woman just wasn't for him.

The next few weeks were very awkward, as Jonathan found a new place to stay. Per the agreement, Susan got the house, while Jonathan took the truck. He also began working out a great deal, when he could. Susan's attempts to take back her words didn't change the fact that they undercut his ego and he now felt that he had to reclaim his manhood. That included a manly physique.

Susan was on eggshells around Jonathan a lot of times, so the tension only got worse toward the end. Conversation was limited to the most urgent issues. As little as possible about the divorce and Jonathan's departure was mentioned. Susan understand by now that she had forfeited any right to expect a future with him. She still didn't know why she had been so harsh and callous toward him the other night. She would never forgive herself for that, as well as her affair.

Despite that, with her marriage ending, Susan had no reason to end her affair with Rich in her mind. She had to salvage something for herself. She even began to think that perhaps she could make it work with Rich, long-term, if she couldn't have Jonathan. Why not try, at least? Sure, she had told Jonathan that she was devoted to him, and she would probably take him back on any terms, but she shouldn't hold her breath for that, should she? The odds favored her needing a new man, so why not Rich? She had thrown everything else away for him, aside from the kids, so it made sense to see if they had a future together.

Her hopes were dashed rather quickly, when it became evident that Rich wasn't interested in marrying her. In fact, he was quite busy with another woman when she went to discuss it with him. Susan had never really thought about Rich with other women, but he had never promised her fidelity. Nor had she bothered to ask it of him. She had no right to expect it, which she knew right off the bat. Still, she felt disappointed.

The disappointment grew when she bravely brought up the subject of marriage anyway, in the hopes of starting over. She thought that perhaps he might give up his other woman for her. She was wrong, of course, not that he was an evil man for that. She understood as much. After all, how could he sure that she would be faithful to him, when she had betrayed her husband with him? Even so, it was clear that his obsession with her was an act, and on that score, she felt deceived. He wasn't going to be suicidal if he lost her. He had other women, possibly several, lined up to satisfy his needs.

"Sorry, babe, but let's face facts. I like ladies. You're still in love with Jonathan. You just had an affair with me, that's all. You still love him, and I can't live my life waiting for you to leave me whenever he decides to forgive you, if he should. It's too much suspense, Susan. Besides, I'm not cut out for just being with one girl," Rich told her.

"Then, why the hell did you give me that BS about Jonathan not being able to find someone else and needing to be faithful to me, while I was unfaithful to him with you?" Susan angrily demanded to know.

"That was a useful thing for us. I figured that it might fun for both of us to see if he'd buy it. Frankly, though, I'm not surprised that he didn't. In fact, I respect him for refusing to do so. I know that I would have reacted much the same way in his shoes," Rich chuckled, thinking that this woman was clearly taking things too seriously.

"And that business of being able to take him to the cleaners?"

"That was a bluff. Yes, this is a no-fault divorce state, but almost every state is these days. It doesn't mean that judges won't look askance at infidelity on either spouse's part. Look, I needed a ruse to keep you. If that mean that you had to find a way to keep Jonathan too, all the better. It would prevent silly ideas like the one that you just had. The last I need is to have to marry one of my girlfriends."

"What about the suicide threat?" Susan thundered, now furious.

"That was another ruse, but it worked. You fell for it. All that you needed is an ethical excuse to supersede your wedding vows in your mind, and I gave you one. Otherwise, I'd have lost you much earlier."

"Look, Rich. I understand if you're not a one-woman man. Not everyone is. However, plenty of men are also not monogamously inclined and don't lie to women about it. Len MacDougal, for starters. He's honest enough to tell women that he's a lecher. Evidently, you're not. Both he and Jonathan are better men than you'll ever be. You knew that I prefer monogamous men, and you played the part. You never said anything, but you acted the role of a lovesick, hopelessly obsessed paramour. Goodbye, Rich. I can't believe that I threw away my marriage over a liar like you. You're so full of shit," Susan rebuked him.

"Now, now, sweetie. Don't go. Stick around. Jenny is very bi-curious. She'd love to taste you," Rich urged her.

"You damn fool! You think that because I was stupid enough to do other things for you that I didn't do for Jonathan, that I would have a threesome with you and another girl! If I did that with anyone now, it would be with him! It wouldn't be with you and some slut that you found, who's probably married too, given your track record. From now on, we're finished. I'll find someone else, so you just keep fucking that tramp! I don't give a damn about you anymore, since it's clear that to me that your sob story was just an act! You're just a filthy asshole who likes to sleep with other men's wives!" Susan slapped him, right before walking out on him.

Rich shrugged and resumed his tryst with Jenny, remembering to stay clear of Susan from now on. She might turn vengeful bitch at any point, after all. He didn't want any part of that business.

When Susan went home, she realized in a moment of solitude that she really was alone now. She had lost her husband because of her lover. She had lost her lover because of his other lover. She was a hypocrite and understood that much, but her main sorrow was pure lack of company. Where would she go to find a man? How could she replace Jonathan? He was irreplaceable, wasn't he?

She began downing a few drinks and muscle relaxers to drive it off her mind. The next thing that she knew, there were too many in her system and she woke up in a hospital bed. There were doctors and nurses all around her. They no doubt thought it a suicide attempt, when it was just an effort to kill the sadness. One gray-bearded doctor noticed that she was awake at last and approached her.

"Mrs. Freemont? I'm Dr. Josiah Rush. Are you able to hear me? You took an overdose of pills and alcohol, a very bad combination. Your husband thought quickly and called 911. We pumped your stomach, but you need to rest a bit. We might have to observe you for a while too, since you seemed to be engaged in a suicide attempt," the doctor explained.

"Actually, it was just an overdose. I went too far, trying to kill my sadness. I'm going through a divorce, Dr. Rush. It was my fault. I had an affair and now I've lost both my husband and my lover. Is Jonathan here?" Susan explained, quite embarrassed.

"Yes, I'm here, Susan," Jonathan answered, his voice not really any kinder than before, but still showing a bit of concern, "For God's sake, Susan! I know that you're depressed and lonely, but this is not the time to try to end it all. We have kids to think about, you know. Try to move on with your life."

"I know. I'm sorry. It wasn't a conscious suicide attempt, but I was upset. I'll try to let you, Jonathan. It just won't be easy. This isn't what I wanted, but it's the price of my actions. Goodbye, Jonathan. I imagine that by the time that I get out of the hospital, you'll be finished moving out. I'll miss you, honey," Susan's voice broke at last.

"I'll miss you too, but I can't go through that again. I can't take another chance of it happening again. The fact that you're capable of such things makes it impossible for me to trust you anymore. Goodbye, Susan. I'll see you when dealing with the kids, but that's it. We're finished. We're divorced now. Just find a new man and see if you can have a fresh start," Jonathan said, as he left the hospital room for good. He didn't see her again while she recovered.

This is the end of Chapter 1. Chapter 2 will involve Jonathan's new beginning with another woman, as well as a few adventures between his old marriage and his new romance. Chapter 3 will have Susan find a new man and start over, as well as touch base with Jonathan.

As you can see, I won't tell you everything, but I can promise you that there will be no reconciliation of the sort that restores a marriage. They've been through too much to repair things in such a case. Susan will have to accept the loss of her marriage and also the sight of Jonathan meeting a new woman. She'll have to find a new start for herself and try again to live according to her own standards of fidelity. As you can see, the end of her affair with Rich was written that way for her to get a taste of her own medicine.