Another Man’s Wife
Barely a moment after meeting Alice, Tom realized his world had changed forever. He had never felt such a strong attraction before. The trouble was, Alice was married. And that wasn’t the half of it!
Alice’s husband, Ralph, was an old acquaintance from their university days. They weren’t inseparable pals, but they stayed in touch, met regularly, and attended the same parties thrown by mutual friends.
It was at one of these gatherings that Ralph introduced them. “This is Alice, my wife,” he said. Tom was genuinely taken aback as he had no idea Ralph had gotten married.
It turned out, the couple had skipped the pomp and ceremony, opting for a low-key registration at the town hall. It was Ralph’s idea. Why waste money on a party when it could be better spent on a trip somewhere? Ralph was always known for his thriftiness; he preferred saving to spending.
“What about a stag do, the white dress, and family album photos?” Tom asked, genuinely surprised.
“Oh, I can’t stand all that formality, you know that,” Ralph grumbled. “We could have a stag night anytime. Isn’t that right, Alice?”
Alice nodded, though a hint of displeasure subtly crossed her face.
“Don’t you like white dresses then?” Tom decided to delve deeper.
“I do,” Alice replied simply. “But Ralph leads, and he said it’s all nonsense and just a business ploy based on romance. Plus, he read somewhere that the more extravagant the wedding, the quicker the divorce.”
“Well, isn’t he a character,” laughed Tom. “Marrying without a wedding guarantees a stable marriage, then?”
“Time will tell,” Alice smiled, with a dreamy look, as if she could picture herself happily married in the future.
It seemed that this was the moment Tom truly noticed her eyes. And he was entranced. Completely lost.
That evening, they chatted non-stop, discovering numerous mutual interests. Ralph, meanwhile, was constantly absent, handling work issues over the phone. Alice didn’t seem at all irritated by the fact that her husband had effectively left her alone.
The only one puzzled by this setup was Tom. Bringing your new wife to a party and then attending to other things? That was odd.
He even asked Alice, “Isn’t Ralph worried about leaving you like this?”
“I don’t understand.”
“A beautiful woman, on her own all evening… isn’t he afraid someone might whisk you away? Or doesn’t he get jealous?”
“Me?” Alice was taken aback by the question. “No-o-o! Ralph is married to his job.”
“Doesn’t that bother you?”
“What?” Alice still didn’t get it. “That his work is his priority? That’s normal.”
“Care to dance?”
“Why not?”
It was that very evening that Tom felt a spark ignite between them.
No, it couldn’t be called love at first sight. It was more like they were speaking and feeling in sync.
Moreover, Alice was delightful. Not stunning, but possessing an elusive blend of individuality that crafted an unforgettable beauty. Tom simply couldn’t get enough of talking to her.
About two weeks later, Ralph called Tom:
“Hey, can you help us out? Alice and I were supposed to attend a concert tonight, but I’m swamped at work—my ticket’s going to waste. Would you take her?”
“You’re kidding, right? Doesn’t she have friends?”
“Believe it or not, no! She suggested you herself.”
“Where did you find someone like her?”
“What do you mean?”
“I didn’t think they made them anymore: doesn’t complain, no girlfriends. Does she like cooking too?”
“Ha-ha, you just need to know where to look!” Ralph was amused. “I brought her from the countryside. Or rather, ‘rescued’ her. Now she’s eager for some cultural life. So, can you make it today?”
“I can today, but remember—this is the first and last time. You’re lucky I’m free.”
Tom and Alice had a wonderful time. Again, they couldn’t stop talking. Alice managed to persuade him to visit an exhibition the following week:
“Listen, Ralph is always busy, and besides, he doesn’t find this interesting. I don’t know anyone else here yet. Once I find a job, it’ll be easier to make friends.”
What could he do?
By the third time they met (yes, Tom had started thinking of these encounters in such terms), he firmly resolved to avoid meeting Alice at any cost to prevent complications. Another man’s wife was off-limits. End of. He spoke and acted upon it.
Avoiding her altogether was impossible, though—a tradition in their group meant celebrating birthdays together.
At one such event, Alice sat beside him and asked frankly:
“Tom, are you avoiding me? Did I upset you or say something wrong? I thought we had great conversations.”
“We do. It’s just… a lack of time. And it’s a bit awkward. My natural shyness makes it uncomfortable to be frequently entertaining another man’s wife.”
Alice laughed:
“But Ralph’s totally fine with it!”
“Fine with what?” Ralph’s name caught his attention amid a fishing discussion with a neighbor.
“With Tom taking me to exhibitions and the theater,” Alice replied, unfazed.
“Whenever you like!” Ralph said, looking straight at his friend. “I invited her fishing, but she turned me down.”
After that, Tom and Alice spent time together from time to time. “We can be just friends, right?” Tom convinced himself. “I’m not intruding on their family life.” It was challenging to maintain boundaries, but Ralph’s trust played a part.
Two years passed. Tom remained friends with Alice and Ralph. He tried dating other women, but nothing ever felt right.
One day, Alice called him in tears, asking to meet.
It turned out that trouble had been brewing in her marriage. Alice desperately wanted children, but Ralph didn’t. He wasn’t even concerned about the timing; he just didn’t want kids at all. This led to the couple growing apart:
“He was shouting so loud yesterday, the walls shook,” Alice complained. “He’s even started being jealous of everyone, including you. He thinks I’ll leave for someone else. Honestly, he scares me.”
“Does he hit you?” Tom asked, alarmed.
“No, it hasn’t gotten to that, but he’s always yelling at me. He’s drinking almost every night, saying it helps with stress. Work is really getting to him. I don’t know how long I can take this.”
Tom listened silently, and suddenly a thought struck him with terror: “What if Ralph and Alice do split up?” Then, he could finally tell her how he felt.
But Alice interrupted his thoughts:
“Why are Ralph and I so different, huh? It would be so much easier if I loved someone like you.”
She crushed his fantasies, shattering them all at once. He almost laughed. Of course, all this time, Tom had only been thinking about himself and his feelings. It never occurred to him that Alice didn’t feel anything similar towards him. She just liked him as a friend!
When Alice had calmed down, Tom promised to talk to Ralph. As he walked her home, he felt relieved. Like a painful tooth had been extracted. It hurt, but he knew it would feel better tomorrow.
The conversation with Ralph didn’t go well. He really was becoming increasingly jealous of his wife.
“Stay out of our business,” Ralph snapped. “And enough with those exhibitions of yours.”
A couple of months later, out of the blue, Tom received a message from his childhood sweetheart, who had unexpectedly returned home from London.
They rekindled their connection through lively correspondence, as if the ten-year separation had never happened. Tom stopped thinking about Alice. Coincidentally, a shared friend’s birthday came up, and they attended it together. Predictably, Ralph and Alice were there.
Tom stuck by his date’s side, but it was in vain. As he was escorting her home and leaned in for a kiss, she recoiled:
“Don’t. I saw how you look at her. There’s something between you and Alice. You can fool others, but I’ve known you since we were kids.”
He was almost asleep when the phone rang:
“Tom, can you come over, please?” Alice was whispering fearfully into the phone. “Ralph’s completely lost it. He’s drunk, I’m hiding from him in the bathroom, and he’s threatening to break down the door.”
Tom called a taxi. He feared Ralph might not open the door, and he’d have to call the police, but it didn’t come to that.
“The rescuer has arrived,” Ralph grumbled. He swung a fist at Tom’s face. Tom easily dodged it. He had no desire to fight a drunk.
“I’m fed up!” Ralph shouted. “It’s all Tom this, Tom that, you two have so much in common… Tom… damn it… Take her!”
Tom looked at his friend with pity:
“You’re a fool. Alice never loved me.”
Ralph swung again…
Tom shook his head:
“Stop drinking. Alice is definitely leaving with me tonight. Call when you’re sober.”
In the car, he asked the frightened woman:
“Do you have somewhere to stay?”
“Can’t I stay at yours?”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right,” Alice sniffed. “But you’re wrong about one thing—I love you. I feel so good being with you.”
