“Oh, Victoria, love, nothing truly terrible happened, did it? Menthey get carried away sometimes, cant help themselves. Be the bigger person. Are you really going to let some girl steal your husband? Shell think shes won! Fight for your family!” her mother-in-law pleaded.
Saturday morning, Victoria dropped her son off at her parents place. Shed arranged for Daniel to stay with them a while.
Back home, she pulled cardboard boxes from the storage and started packing. The nursery first.
She folded clothes, packed toys and books, taped the boxes shut, and labeled them. Soon, the room would be empty except for the furniture she wasnt taking.
Around noon, her phone rang. Mother-in-law.
“Hello, Margaret.”
“Good afternoon, Victoria. James told me everything. I know youre upset, but maybe dont rush things? Take a breath, think it over. Is breaking up the family really the answer?”
“It wasnt me who broke itit was James,” Victoria replied.
“Im not excusing him! But couldnt you forgive him, just this once?”
“Once? Your sons been seeing his coworker for six months, lying to me the whole time. And youre telling me to forgive him? No.”
“Victoria, please, think again. Youre taking Daniel away from his father. Jamie adores that boy!”
“Margaret, James can still see DanielI wont stop him. But I wont live with your son anymore. Now, Ive got packing to do.”
She sealed the last two boxes, moved to the bedroom, and started filling suitcases with her clothes.
An hour later, Margaret showed up unannounced, convinced she could talk sense into her daughter-in-law.
The conversation went in circles:
“Victoria, honestly, its not the end of the world! Men slip upthey dont always think straight. Be wiser than this. Youd really hand your husband over to some girl? Fight for your family!”
“Margaret, James isnt some trophy I need to wrestle over. Should I challenge this Jane to a duel? A boxing match? Whats she got to do with it? If it wasnt her, itd be someone else.”
“Listen, Ill tell you a secretJamess father, Robert, strayed when he was young too. But I was wiser. I held the family together. Now weve been married thirty-five yearscoral anniversary soon.”
“And what was this wisdom, exactly?” Victoria smirked.
“I didnt make scenes. I was sweeter, cooked his favorite meals, took an interest in his work. I even changed my hair, lost weight, greeted him with a smile after work. Sometimes I knew hed just come from *her*, and I wanted to whack him with a frying pan. But I smiled instead. And lookI kept my husband. My son grew up with a father, my grandson has a grandfather.”
“Youre an impressive woman, Margaret. I couldnt do that. My pride wont let me. What youre suggesting is like eating from a bin.”
Margaret stormed out without another word.
Victoria kept packing. She knew this wasnt overJames and Margaret would make this harder. So she hurried.
The next day, her dad came to help. They loaded the car and left. On the way, she asked him to stop by Margarets to drop off the keys.
“You wont believe it,” Victoria told her friend Emily the next day. “Margaret spent an hour begging me to forgive Jamess little slip and not file for divorce.”
“Whatd she say?”
“The usualyoure taking Daniels dad away, all men stray, women have to be wiser. Then she shared how *she* got her husband back.”
“How?”
“I wont repeat it. Trust me, its bonkers. Youd never do it.”
“Did you file?”
“Friday,” Victoria said.
“Finally free of that Casanova. Couldnt stand watching that two-timing git,” Emily muttered.
“Waityou *knew* about Jane?”
“Not for sure. But I had my suspicions,” Emily admitted.
“Were supposed to be friends. Why didnt you tell me?”
“Hold on! First, I didnt *know*. I just saw what you saw and drew different conclusions. Remember the office party? Jane hanging off James? How she always volunteered for his business trips? Im in accountswhy else would she swap last minute every time? I suspected, but I wasnt sure. If Id been wrong, youd have hated me. Remember Sarah Bellows?”
“She told a friend she saw her husband with another womaneven showed a photo. Huge row, they made up, and *Sarah* got blamed for trying to ruin a marriage. She quit after that. So dont be mad. If Id had proof, Id have told you. Where will you live now?”
“The flats in Margarets name, so weve moved in with my parents. But Grans place will be free soontenants left last month. Its only two bedrooms, but itll do. Sorting nursery transfer tootoo far otherwise. Once divorced, Ill file for maintenance.”
“Will James agree?”
“Says he doesnt want to split, swears hes learned his lesson. I dont care. Once was enough. He begged me not to file for child supportpromised hed pay. But I want it official. Then he threatened to take Danielbetter flat, bigger salary.”
“I counted his business trips last year. Eight. Saved it for court. If he tries for custody, Ill ask who looks after Daniel when hes gone. Ive got work, a home. Hell lose.”
James did file for custody, claiming Victoria couldnt provide for Daniel. Margaret even accused her of hiding the boy”He should be in nursery, not some shady place!”
Victoria proved they lived in her two-bed flat, Daniel attended the local nursery, and Jamess travel made him an unfit primary carer. They lost.
She found a new jobgood professionals always do.
Soon, Emily brought news: “Jane quit. Left town.”
“What? Why?”
“The office ladies made life hell. She hung around a month, realised the game was up, and bolted for London. So your ex is alone now.”
“Doesnt bother me,” Victoria said.
And she meant it. Because some wells are too poisoned to drink from twice.
What would you have done? Was she right? Let me know your thoughts.
