The Reality

I didn't want to open the remaining two boxes and I left them until we got home the next day. Arriving at the house, I quickly discerned that Bill and his belongings were gone. Thankfully the kids stayed with me. I knew they were extremely disappointed in me and I had great difficulty in looking any of them in the face. Of course, Bill had informed them what had happened and what his plans were a little over a week ago.

Oh, yes, the other two boxes; box number two contained divorce papers. Box number three contained the rail passes for the planned trip with a note expressing how sad Bill was to find the betrayal of his wife and long-time friend. He suggested that Ron and I might like to take the trip.

Naturally, I was devastated. The kids stayed a week but they had to get back to their children and jobs. I didn't leave the house except for absolute necessities for several weeks. I sat in a darkened house for hours at a time trying to figure out why I had been so stupid. I have never found a reasonable answer.

Ron and I communicated on a few occasions but we never had sex again. Ron went into a depression that he couldn't shake. It was worse than when he lost his wife. And then, just as I was beginning to accept my fate and face life alone, Ron was killed when his car was struck by a train early in the morning. It was written up as an accident at an unguarded crossing. I'm not convinced it was an accident. I believe it was suicide.

Bill was very fair in the divorce settlement and with my Social Security I will be self-sufficient for the rest of my life.

Tomorrow would have been our fifty-fifth anniversary. My children see to it that I am ok, but they obviously lost much of their love for me. What they do with and for me though is obviously more out of duty than love.

What an idiot I was. My stupidity cost me my happiness for the remainder of my life.

What about Bill? I have heard a few rumors, but I really don't know. The night of our fiftieth was the last time I saw or spoke to him. All the divorce proceedings were handled through his attorney.

Not very nice story is it. I wish it had ended like I had wished.

Well, it's too late now.