Someone Else’s Wife
Upon meeting Sophie, Tom realized the world would never be the same again. He had never felt such a strong pull towards a woman. The trouble was, she was married. And that was just the start of it!
Tom had been good mates with Sophie’s husband, Mike, since their university days. They weren’t practically joined at the hip, but they kept in touch, met regularly, and attended parties thrown by their mutual friends.
It was actually at one of these parties that Mike introduced them. “This is Sophie, my wife,” he said. It was a shock to Tom; he had no idea his friend had married.
Mike and Sophie hadn’t thrown a big celebration, opting instead for a simple ceremony at the registry office. This was Mike’s decision. In his view, it was a waste to spend money on parties; better to save or go somewhere. He was well known for his thriftiness, preferring to save rather than splash out.
“What about a stag do, a wedding dress, and lovely photos for the family album?” Tom asked, genuinely surprised.
“Oh, you know me, I’m not into all the fuss,” grumbled Mike. “We can have a stag do anytime. Right, Soph?”
Sophie nodded, though a barely noticeable shadow of displeasure flitted across her face.
“Don’t like white dresses?” Tom probed further.
“I do,” Sophie replied simply. “But Mike’s the boss here. He says it’s all nonsense, a business built on romance. Plus, he read somewhere the larger the wedding, the sooner the divorce.”
“Well, that’s something,” Tom laughed. “So getting hitched without a wedding is a guarantee for a strong marriage?”
“We’ll see,” Sophie smiled dreamily as though envisioning a future where she was a blissful wife.
It seemed that in that moment, Tom saw her eyes and was smitten. He was lost.
That evening, they chatted endlessly, discovering many shared interests. Mike was often absent, handling work calls. Sophie didn’t seem annoyed that her husband left her alone.
Tom was bewildered by this situation. Coming to a party with a young wife and ignoring her seemed strange.
He even asked Sophie:
“Doesn’t Mike worry about leaving you like this?”
“Like what?”
“A beautiful woman, alone all evening… someone might steal you away. Or isn’t he the jealous type?”
“Me?” Sophie was taken aback. “No! Mike is married to his work.”
“Doesn’t that bother you?”
“What?” Sophie asked again. “That his work comes first? That’s normal.”
“Shall we dance?”
“Why not?”
Already that evening, Tom felt uneasy. There was an immediate spark between them.
No, it couldn’t be called love at first sight. It just felt like they spoke and felt in harmony.
Moreover, Sophie was enchanting. Not a classic beauty, but there was an elusive blend of traits that created an incredibly beautiful image. Tom physically couldn’t get enough of talking with her.
Two weeks later, Mike called him:
“Hey, can you help out? Sophie and I were supposed to go to a concert today, but I’m swamped at work – ticket’s going to waste. Can you go with her?”
“You’re joking, right? Doesn’t she have any girlfriends?”
“Believe it or not, no! She suggested you herself.”
“How did you even find such a gem?”
“What do you mean?”
“I thought they didn’t make them like that anymore: never disagrees, never offended, no girlfriends. Does she even enjoy cooking?”
“Haha, you have to know where to look!” Mike enjoyed the joke. “I brought her from a remote area. Now she craves the cultural life. 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 Sophie had a wonderful time. They couldn’t stop talking. She even convinced him to join her at an exhibition the following week:
“You know, Mike is always busy, and he’s not interested in this stuff. I don’t know anyone else here yet. Once I find a job, it’ll be easier to have company.”
What else could he do?
After their third outing (yes, Tom had begun thinking in those terms), he firmly resolved to avoid meeting Sophie to prevent problems. Another man’s wife – off-limits. Period. He stated it, and he meant it.
Avoiding her completely wasn’t possible – birthdays in their group were celebrated by everyone together.
At one such event, Sophie sat beside him and asked with disarming frankness:
“Tom, are you avoiding me? Did I upset you? Say something wrong? I thought we got along well.”
“We do. It’s just… I don’t have the time. And it feels a bit awkward. My natural shyness keeps me from entertaining another man’s wife too often.”
Sophie laughed:
“Mike doesn’t mind!”
“What?” Mike, hearing his name, pulled himself away from a fishing discussion with their neighbor.
“For Tom to accompany me to exhibitions and the theater,” Sophie replied unphased.
“As much as you like!” Mike said, looking Tom straight in the eye with a grin. “She’s not interested in fishing – I’ve asked.”
After that, Tom and Sophie occasionally spent time together. “We can just be friends,” Tom told himself. “I’m not pursuing anything, not interfering with their family.” It wasn’t easy to stay disciplined, but Mike’s trust did help.
Two years passed. Tom remained friends with both Sophie and Mike. He tried to start new relationships, but they never quite worked out.
One day, Sophie called him in tears and asked to meet up.
It turned out that things hadn’t been going well in her marriage for a while. Sophie wanted a child desperately, but Mike didn’t. It wasn’t just about timing; he was completely against having children. As a result, they had grown distant:
“He yelled at me so much yesterday, the walls shook,” she lamented. “And he’s started to get jealous, even of you. Thinks I might leave him. Honestly, I’m a bit scared of him.”
“Does he hit you?” Tom tensed.
“No, it hasn’t gone that far, but he shouts at me all the time. Drinking almost every night, he says it’s to relieve stress. Work’s tough. I don’t know how much longer I can take it.”
Tom listened silently, with one persistent thought hammering in his mind: “What if Mike and Sophie do split up?” Then he could confess his feelings.
But then Sophie said:
“Why are Mike and I so different? It would be easier if I loved someone like you.”
Her words mercilessly shattered Tom’s illusions. He almost laughed out loud. Of course, he had only ever thought about himself, his feelings. It never occurred to him that Sophie didn’t share them. She was just a friend.
When Sophie calmed down, Tom promised to talk to Mike. Walking her home, he felt a strange relief. It was like having a diseased tooth pulled. Painful, but you know it will be better tomorrow.
The conversation with Mike didn’t go well. He had indeed become quite jealous.
“Mind your own business,” Mike snapped. “And enough with the exhibitions.”
A couple of months later, Tom unexpectedly received a message from an old school flame who had returned home from London.
They started a flurry of messages, as if ten years hadn’t passed. Tom forgot about Sophie. Conveniently, there was a friend’s birthday they were invited to, and they went together. Unsurprisingly, they met Mike and Sophie there.
Tom didn’t stray far from his date, but it was in vain. When he tried to kiss her goodnight, she backed away:
“Don’t. I saw how you look at her. There’s something between you and Sophie. You might fool others, but I’ve known you since childhood.”
He was almost asleep when the phone rang:
“Tom, please come over, I need your help,” Sophie pleaded fearfully. “Mike’s gone crazed. He’s drunk, I’m hiding in the bathroom, and he’s threatening to break the door.”
Tom grabbed a cab. He feared Mike wouldn’t let him in, and he might have to call the cops, but it wasn’t necessary.
“The hero’s arrived,” Mike sneered, aiming a punch at Tom’s face. Tom effortlessly dodged. He didn’t want to brawl with a drunk man.
“I’m sick of it!” Mike yelled. “It’s always Tom this, Tom that, so much in common with you… To-o-o-om, damn it… Take her!”
Tom looked at his friend with pity:
“You’re such an idiot. Sophie never loved me.”
Mike took another swing…
Tom shook his head:
“Drink less. Sophie’s leaving with me tonight. Call me when you’ve sobered up.”
In the car, he asked the frightened woman:
“Do you have somewhere to stay?”
“Can’t I stay with you?”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Yes, you’re probably right,” Sophie sobbed. “But you’re wrong about one thing. I love you. I feel so good with you.”
