A one time thing

Jake turned around and looked at Laila with a worried and clueless expression. "Of course. What's wrong?" Laila braced herself as she let out a deep sigh and started a difficult conversation that would seal the fate of her marriage. She thought that when she finally saw him after a whole night of fretting and her talk with Maria, that she would come in guns blazing. But now that she was actually standing face to face with the person that had betrayed her and hurt her so bad, she couldn't do it. No matter what, she had loved this man and at a certain point, in his own way, he had loved her. So, she started in the only way she knew how.

"I don't really know how to say this. Or better yet, ask this. Though I kind of already know the answer, I still feel like I need to hear it from you."

When Jake heard these words, he began rambling a spree of words of worry. "What do you mean? What's wrong honey? Why are you talking like that? Did I do something wrong?"

But Laila ignored his words and just lifted a single finger to silence him before she continued speaking. "I went for a walk today, a walk to the old part of town. I went there to see Maria, hoping that she would tell me that the worries I had were all in my head. But to my surprise, she confirmed the suspicions that had kept me up all night and turned my nightmares into reality. Do you know where I am going with this Jake? Do you know what she told me?"

Despite Laila's words, telling him she already knew and only needed him to confirm, Jake insisted on playing innocent and denied knowing what she was talking about. In a stammering tone he said, "Come on honey, stop speaking like this. You are making me worried. What nightmares do you mean? You know I would never do anything to hurt you?"

Laila let down her head as she let out another sigh. This time it was one filled with disappointment. "Really Jake? You want to do this dance again? Maria showed me pictures, messages and I personally smelled her on you last night. So, who are you trying to fool here?!"

With eyes like a deer caught in headlights, Jake started to sing another tune as it was clear to him that there was no use in denying things any more than he had already done. But since he didn't know what pictures she had seen, there was always the option of lying. Accepting the blame for a little in order to deny the rest. "Calm down honey. I am sure that whatever you saw was pulled out of context. Okay, fine. I admit I made one mistake. I can guarantee you that it was a one time thing. Before I came home last night, I was at one of those business events you hate so much and you weren't with me, so all I could do to entertain myself was drink the boredom away and chat with some business partners.

I ended up drinking a bit too much and before I knew it, some woman had wrapped her arms around me. I tried pushing her away but it was clear that she was even drunker than I was. I couldn't just abandon her there. So, I ended up supporting her to a hotel nearby where I got her a room. I took her upstairs, placed her on the bed but that was all I did. I left immediately after I saw that she was okay and headed home to you. Even though I tried to do the right thing, I realize now that I didn't think it through properly and I hurt you by not communicating about what had happened properly. I am sorry for that and I promise that I will think twice before doing something like that ever again and I will be sure to tell you these things upfront the next time. If there ever is a next time."

As Laila listened to Jake's excuses, she felt the anger built up inside of her. Even though he was clearly in the wrong and she had every right to yell and scream at him. To cut up all his clothes and call him all kinds of names. Out of respect of what they had once been and for their long history, she tried to deal with it in a mature way and give him a chance to tell his side of the story. Whatever side that may be. But instead of telling her the truth, he had decided to treat her like a fool and tell her this stupid story as if she was still some gullible teenager.

"Are you kidding me!? Do you honestly expect me to believe this story? What kind of idiot do you think I am?! Before you tell me anymore of this nonsense, let me tell you that I saw multiple pictures, taken on multiple different days. So, lets say I believe this ridiculous story for whatever picture might come out from last night, how do you explain the five other pictures I have seen? What? Don't tell me you started out a new business of assisting helpless drunk girls and women into hotels and restaurants? Or did the cat get your tongue?"

Jake had thrown oil onto the fire that had been raging inside Laila's heart and the flames were ready to burn him alive. So, he finally did what she had asked him at the beginning of this conversation. He told her the truth.