Why Him?

While eating my lunch one day I received a text from a phone number that I didn't recognize. Normally I'd just delete but the preview said: 'Look at this, Rick.', which is my name.

I opened the text and there were two attachments. Curiosity got the better of me and I opened one. It was a video of John Crazenford fucking some woman from behind. John Crazenford and I have hated each other since grade school. I paused the video.

Why would John be sending me a recording of him fucking someone? Oh shit! That fucking bastard. I paid my bill and walked out to my car for some privacy to watch the rest of the video. My lunch was now laying heavy in my stomach.

I took my phone off silent and played the video. John was talking to the woman. "Oh, yes stick that ass high in the air." He then pulled the hair of his paramour hard causing her to lift her head up high enough for her face to appear on camera. My fear of watching the video was instantly confirmed. It was my wife Mandy's face now filling the screen.

The video stopped, but it had already succeeded in crushing my soul. "Dammit Mandy! John Crazenford. You know I hate him. Why would you stab me in the heart by fucking that guy?!" I yelled at my steering wheel.

I stared at the other attachment to the text. My marriage was already burned to the ground so I decided to open it, just to make my love for Mandy truly die. Hating her might make the divorce easier.

The next video opened up to Mandy on top of John riding cowgirl. The camera angle was from behind her as she grinded into him so I couldn't see her face. "Mmm, ride that cock, baby." I heard John tell her.

"Fuck both of you!" I screamed at my dashboard, tears streaming down my face. "Five years of marriage down the drain."

The video continued to run for a few more seconds when I saw it. Confusion filled my rattled brain at first, but then I knew. I needed to get home and confront Mandy.

***********************

Mandy wasn't home from work yet but immediately after I'd stepped in the house Mandy's loud muffler announced her arrival. She came through the door looking melancholy, like she had for several months now. I was about to fix that.

"Mandy." She looked at me sternly like she was expecting a fight. "I'm so sorry, Honey. I promise I'll do better."

In a flash Mandy was in my arms crying and apologizing profusely as well. "Why?" I asked her.

"I wanted my husband back and I knew the only way to make you understand was to shock you."

The woman in the video didn't have a butterfly tattoo on her shoulder like my Mandy. It was all fabricated. My neglected wife, with one short video, had made it crystal clear that I'd better change.

Time to fix my marriage. I changed jobs, finding one that required much less of my time and I quit going to the bars with my buddies so much. The last change I made was buying Mandy a new car.

It took some time but Mandy and I went back to being a team, smiling, happy and affectionate, especially in the bedroom.

There was still one more thing that I wanted to do. I knocked on the door and stepped back a few feet. The door swung open and I saw John's scowling face.

"I long time no see, John." I said slowly approaching the still closed screen door.

"Get off my porch!" John snarled at me.

"I just came to thank you." I replied stopping short.

"Yeh, well...Mandy asked, so I did it for her, not you. She's way too good for you."

"You're right about that. That woman in the video was your wife?"

"Yes, please don't tell her." he warned. "I'm a videographer and I can make the untrue seem true."

"I really do owe you one, John. Thank you."

"Well, given our history, it feels nice to have you owe me one." John said smiling.

"Anything you want, John just say the word."

"My wife IS out of town this week and I really don't like eating alone..."

"Mandy and I would love to have dinner with you, anytime John." I replied, tears clouding my eyes.

Maybe hate really is closest to love.