Another Man’s Wife
The moment Tom met Emily, he knew his world had shifted. He’d never been so captivated by a woman. The problem was, she was married. And that wasn’t all!
Tom had known Emily’s husband, James, since their university days. They weren’t exactly inseparable best friends, but they kept in touch, met up regularly, and attended mutual friends’ parties.
In fact, it was at one of these gatherings that James introduced them. “This is my wife, Emily,” he said. Tom was taken aback; he had no idea his friend had gotten married.
It turned out they had chosen not to have a big wedding celebration; they just registered quietly at the registry office. That was James’s decision. Better, in his view, to save money for something else rather than spend it on a party. He’d always been known for his thriftiness, preferring to save rather than splurge.
“What about the stag do, the white wedding dress, and beautiful photos for the family album?” Tom asked in genuine surprise.
“Oh, I can’t stand all the formal stuff, you know that,” grumbled James. “We can have a stag do anytime, can’t we, Em?”
Emily nodded, though there was a fleeting shadow of discontent on her face.
“Don’t you like white dresses?” Tom pressed the topic.
“I love them,” Emily replied honestly. “But James is the boss. He thinks it’s all nonsense and just a business made of romance. Besides, he read somewhere that the bigger the wedding, the quicker the divorce.”
“That’s a new one!” laughed Tom. “So, getting hitched without a wedding is a guarantee of a lasting marriage?”
“We’ll see,” Emily smiled, and her expression became dreamy as if she pictured her future as a happy wife.
It seemed it was at that moment that Tom noticed her eyes. He was mesmerized. He was lost.
They chatted away without pause that evening, sharing many interests. James was constantly absent, dealing with work issues over the phone. Emily didn’t seem bothered about being left alone.
Tom found it odd. Bringing your young wife to a party only to leave her alone? Strange indeed.
He even asked Emily:
“Isn’t James worried about leaving you like this?”
“Pardon?”
“A beautiful woman like you, alone all evening… someone might just snatch you away. Does he not get jealous?”
“Me?” Emily was taken aback. “No-o-o! James is married to his job.”
“Doesn’t it upset you?”
“What?” Emily looked puzzled again. “That his work comes first? No, I think it’s normal.”
“Could we dance then?”
“Why not?”
That very evening, Tom felt a twinge of fear. Something sparked between them instantly.
No, it couldn’t be called love at first sight. It just felt like they spoke and felt in sync.
On top of that, Emily was enchanting. She wasn’t a conventional beauty, but there was a unique blend of features in her that created an extraordinary image. Tom was simply drawn to her presence…
A couple of weeks later, James called:
“Hey, could you do me a favour? Emily and I planned to go to a concert tonight, but I’m snowed under at work – she has an extra ticket. Can you go with her?”
“Are you kidding? Doesn’t she have friends?”
“Imagine, no! She actually suggested you.”
“Where did you find such a wonder?”
“What do you mean?”
“A girl who doesn’t argue, doesn’t get offended, has no girlfriends. Maybe she even likes to cook?”
James roared with laughter. “You have to know where to look! I brought her from a tiny town, gave her a taste for the cultural life she craves. So, can you help us out?”
“I can today, but this is the first and last time. You’re lucky I’m free.”
Tom and Emily had a great time. They couldn’t stop talking. She even managed to convince him to go to an exhibition with her the next week.
“James is always busy, and he’s not interested anyway. I don’t know anyone else here yet. Once I find a job, I’ll have more company.”
What else could he say?
After the third meeting (yes, Tom had started to think of them as dates), he decided firmly to avoid any further encounters with Emily under any pretext to avert trouble. Another man’s wife was off-limits. Period. He said it, and he meant it.
It wasn’t entirely possible to avoid her, as they celebrated each other’s birthdays as a group.
At one such get-together, Emily sat next to him and bluntly asked:
“Tom, are you avoiding me? Did I upset you somehow? Say something wrong? I thought we had a great time together.”
“We did. It’s just… I’m really busy. Plus, it feels awkward. My natural modesty doesn’t let me entertain another man’s wife so often.”
Emily laughed:
“Oh, James doesn’t mind!”
“What?” James, overhearing his name, paused his fishing discussion with the neighbour.
“That Tom takes me to exhibitions and the theatre,” replied Emily without any embarrassment.
“As much as you like!” said James, looking straight into his friend’s eyes. “She doesn’t want to go fishing – I offered.”
After that, Tom and Emily occasionally spent time together. “We can just be friends, can’t we?” Tom convinced himself. “I’m not intruding on their marriage.” Keeping a cool head was challenging, but James’s trust also played a role.
Two years went by. Tom remained friends with Emily and James. He tried dating other girls, but nothing ever seemed to work out.
One day, Emily called him in tears, asking to meet.
It turned out there were growing issues in their marriage. Emily wanted a child, but James didn’t. It wasn’t even about when but the fact that he simply didn’t want them at all. The couple had drifted apart.
“He yelled at me so loudly yesterday that the walls shook,” Emily complained. “And he’s started getting jealous, even of you. He thinks I’ll leave for another man. Honestly, I am a little scared of him.”
“Does he get violent?” Tom tensed.
“No, not yet, but he yells at me a lot. He’s drinking almost every night, saying it helps with stress. He’s having a tough time at work. I don’t know how long I can keep this up.”
Tom listened silently, suddenly realizing a single thought echoed in his mind: “What if Emily and James split up?” Then he could tell her how he felt.
But then Emily said, “Why are James and I so different, huh? It would have been much simpler if I loved someone like you.”
And with that, she demolished all of Tom’s illusions. He nearly laughed. Of course, he’d spent all this time thinking only of himself and his feelings. It never occurred to him that Emily didn’t feel the same way about him. She was simply his friend!
After Emily calmed down, Tom promised to speak to James. As he walked her home, he felt a sense of relief, as though a painful tooth had been pulled. It hurt, but the promise of feeling better tomorrow was there.
The talk with James didn’t go well. He was intensely jealous of his wife.
“Mind your own business,” he snapped. “And stop with the exhibitions.”
A few months later, out of the blue, Tom’s childhood sweetheart contacted him, having unexpectedly moved back from London.
They struck up a lively correspondence, as if the ten years apart hadn’t happened. Tom stopped thinking about Emily. Perfect timing – they were due to attend a shared friend’s birthday, and they went together. It wasn’t surprising to find James and Emily there too.
Tom was inseparable from his date that evening, but it was pointless. When he tried to kiss her on the way home, she leaned back:
“Don’t. I saw how you looked at her. There’s something between you and Emily. You might fool others, but I’ve known you forever.”
He was nearly asleep when the phone rang:
“Tom, can you come, please? I need help,” Emily whispered fearfully down the line. “James has gone mad. He’s drunk, I’ve locked myself in the bathroom, and he’s threatening to break the door down.”
Tom called a cab, fearing James wouldn’t open the door and police might be needed, but it didn’t come to that.
“So, you’ve come to the rescue,” James sneered, trying to hit him. Tom easily dodged. Fighting a drunk wasn’t appealing.
“I’m fed up!” James shouted. “Tom this, Tom that, you and he have so much in common… To-o-o-om, for crying out loud… take her!”
Tom pitied his friend:
“You’re an idiot. Emily never loved me.”
James swung again…
Tom shook his head:
“You need to drink less. Emily’s coming with me tonight. Call once you’ve sobered up.”
In the taxi, he asked the frightened woman:
“Do you have somewhere to stay the night?”
“Can’t I stay with you?”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“You’re probably right,” Emily sniffled, “But you’re wrong about something else. I do love you. I feel so good when I’m with you.”
