Once Betrayed
Emma considered herself a happy woman: she had a beloved son, Oliver, a loving husband, Michael, and a job that was not too demanding. Michael always earned well, allowing her the luxury of working part-time and spending ample time with their son. Wasn’t that happiness?
Yet all of this could have been different…
“I’ve fallen for someone else,” her adored husband confessed 13 years ago, avoiding her gaze. “We need to part ways.”
“Michael, what are you saying? I love you, and you loved me too. It can’t just end like this!”
Michael had shrugged silently then, adding that she could file for divorce herself if it was more convenient for her. Convenient?! She wanted her husband—not just loved, but truly adored—to be by her side. She spent a week either crying into her pillow or having panic attacks, unknowingly pushing him further away. Then she calmed down, pulled herself together, and suggested a farewell evening to Michael…
In the end, the divorce never happened because they discovered Emma was pregnant. They had been trying for a child for five years without success. At 25, Emma, and 27, Michael, were both healthy, yet pregnancy hadn’t occurred. And now, just one last time, as a farewell, it led to something they hadn’t anticipated. Michael immediately declared he wasn’t leaving—Emma even noticed he stayed with some relief—and he was the happiest when Oliver was born.
They never brought up his infidelity again; Emma didn’t even bother to find out who the woman was. What mattered was that everything became even better! And now Oliver was 12, an incredibly smart boy. Emma had wanted to send him to a grammar school with a focus on math but realized it too late. He attended a regular school yet won nearly all local math competitions. He was also involved in a chess club and learning to play the violin at a music school. He didn’t really enjoy the violin, but Emma was determined for him to have a well-rounded education.
“Maybe he should join a football team then?” Michael grimaced when he heard of his wife’s plan to enroll Oliver in music classes.
“Are you insane?!” Emma gasped. “Do you want our child injured? To become disabled?!”
Michael waved his hand—do as you please. He was dealing with challenges at work, and all his thoughts were consumed by them. Now Michael led a department and was doing well with his career and salary.
It was at Michael’s office that Emma had another stroke of luck. She went to pick him up—they planned to celebrate their wedding anniversary at a restaurant—and struck up a conversation with one of his colleagues. This stunning, smart brunette, Katherine, was quite welcoming. She also had a son Oliver’s age, giving the women plenty to discuss.
“How about I see if Oliver can get into the grammar school where my son James goes?” Katherine suddenly offered.
“Really? That seems unlikely. Even money won’t get you in there,” Emma replied skeptically.
“Money isn’t the main thing—I’ve got connections. I’m an attractive woman, after all!” Katherine winked playfully.
“Oh, I’d be so grateful!” Emma was thrilled. Katherine kept her word, and the next school year Oliver started at the “math” grammar school.
A problem arose, though—the school was in another part of town, and Emma was terrified to let Oliver go alone even to the nearby school, let alone that far. She was fine taking Oliver herself, but after school…
“Emma, our son is grown up, smart, and sensible. He’ll get home just fine! There’s a bus stop right near the school—it’s straight through without even needing a transfer!” Michael cut her off when she tried to get him to pick Oliver up.
“Michael, you act as if you have a backup child! It’s terrifying even for an adult out there…”
“Enough!” Michael interrupted. “When I can, I’ll pick him up; otherwise, he can get home alone.”
Emma complained to Katherine—they occasionally talked on the phone about their sons and the school.
“Oh, come on, that’s no big deal!” Katherine said. “Let the boys come over to ours after school, we live right nearby, and you can pick Oliver up when you can.”
“Are you serious?” Emma perked up. “Really? It’s so inconvenient… it’s such a bother to you.”
“What bother?! I work too. But they’ll be home, and together. Both are calm and responsible—they might even become friends!”
“Oh, Katherine, I’d be so thankful!”
“It’s nothing!”
Oliver took the news apprehensively. He knew James, but they were in different classes and not close. Oliver was generally slow to make friends. He only agreed to switch to the new school gladly because it meant the end of “music lessons”—they were far from the grammar school, and Emma couldn’t take him there anymore.
However, on the second day when Emma picked him up from Katherine’s apartment, Oliver was reluctant to leave.
“Mom, can I stay awhile longer?” Oliver whimpered. “James and I haven’t finished the game…”
“No, you need to do your homework, and it’s not right to impose on our hosts like this. James’s mom is doing us a huge favor,” Emma stated firmly.
“She’s just doing you a favor,” Oliver murmured under his breath.
Emma pretended not to hear.
Michael was initially outraged when he learned of the arrangement—after all, he worked with Katherine, and what would people think? But after hearing his wife’s justification and wanting to avoid a family row, he relented. After all, he’d be away on business frequently with the opening of a new branch—so his wife could do as she pleased!
So, they decided.
Soon, Oliver began asking Emma if he could stay longer at James’s:
“Please, Mom, James and I have so much planned… We’ve done our homework. Oh, please…” Oliver whined.
“Emma, why are you being difficult?” Katherine “joined in.” “The boys have become friends, and they’re not doing anything wrong. Let Oliver stay with us.”
Together, they always persuaded her. It got to the point where Oliver stayed over a few times.
Emma, with a heavy heart, agreed, but then she would call to check on Oliver—she was used to having him close.
Michael, indeed, was often away, and Emma felt quite lonely at home, so she increasingly hesitated to let Oliver stay over “longer.”
“Mom, why are you like this?!” Oliver burst out one day when Emma wouldn’t let him visit James.
“Like what?” Emma was surprised.
“Like this! You hover around me like a hen with a chick! I’m grown, and you won’t let me take a step on my own?!”
“Oliver,” Emma said in a stern voice, “explain to me right now where you heard… these phrases? Who taught you them?”
“Nobody taught me!” Oliver grumbled. “I don’t live in the middle of nowhere.”
“I’m your mother and care only for you. I want what’s best for you,” Emma declared.
“Katherine is a mom too, and she cares for James! But she doesn’t hover over him, lets him do everything, and never scolds!” Oliver responded.
“Well… And what does she let him do?”
“Nothing bad,” Oliver mumbled. “I’m going to bed, goodnight.”
Emma was tense. Oliver was usually a calm, even somewhat reserved child, but he’d suddenly raised his voice to her.
Surely, Katherine hadn’t turned her apartment into chaos—it was just that Oliver lacked male guidance. When Michael returned, he would have a word with him! But Michael sided with their son:
“Emma, really, you’re smothering Oliver with your care. Give him a little freedom. James seems like a good kid, they do their homework and play together. It’s normal.”
“Yes! But speaking to his mother like that isn’t normal!” Emma was indignant. “Or do you disagree?”
“I agree. But I’m telling you—settle down a bit, or you’ll end up with your own son hating you. You have all this free time now. Go to a beauty salon, why not?”
“What?! Are you saying I look bad?!”
“Let’s say—it wouldn’t hurt to pay a little attention to your appearance…”
Emma couldn’t handle any more. She didn’t talk to Michael for a whole week until he left for business, and afterward, she was curt when answering his calls about her and Oliver. She was doing her utmost to raise a good son and take care of her husband, keeping their home welcoming, and now this—telling her to go to a beauty salon, of all things!
On his return, Michael apologized, and she, of course, forgave him—she loved him, after all. Then the boys planned a camping trip. Fourteen kids from two classes wanted to go, and parents needed to be involved. Initially, Emma didn’t want Oliver going on “such a horror trip,” then wanted to go along but couldn’t. Work wouldn’t allow it, and Oliver persuaded her not to.
Unexpectedly, Michael agreed to go on the trip:
“Why not? I’ve got a couple of days off and haven’t had a break in ages—outdoors, with a tent…,” he said dreamily.
“Well, if that’s the case…,” Emma said reluctantly. “Alright, go! But stay in touch!”
Father and son exchanged glances and rolled their eyes in unison—mom, as usual!..
During the three days they were camping, Emma was a wreck. They only had sporadic reception, and they called her just a couple of times. Unable to bear it, she drove to James’s house—they were dropping him off first—wanting to meet her husband and son there.
The yard was filled with cars, and Emma had to park on the street.
In the dim light, she saw a couple hugging and didn’t immediately recognize them. Their voices gave it away.
“Mike, how long can this go on?” a softly demanding Katherine asked. “When are you going to get a divorce?”
“Katherine, let’s not get into it today. We’ve had such a wonderful three days, don’t spoil them,” Michael responded. “I love you, that’s for sure, and I’ll definitely divorce soon.”
The couple clearly kissed.
Whom does her husband love? Were they together on the trip? Is Mike planning to divorce her? Questions swirled through Emma’s mind…
“What is going on here?” she asked loudly, voicing what thousands of betrayed people before her have said.
“Well, thank God,” Katherine said quietly. “It’s been exhausting to keep hiding.”
“And how long have you… been hiding?” Emma asked with a sneer.
“Almost a year,” her rival answered calmly. “I’m so tired of it.”
“I wouldn’t know! But I do want to know why you took such an interest in my son!”
“Well, Mike was a model father, only Oliver kept him with you. So I decided to become friends with him. You know, you have an excellent boy! Though you’ve really stifled him.”
“I am in no way allowing you to think he would live with you!”
“What?! Don’t count on it! My son is staying with me! And so is my husband, right Mike?!”
“That sounds threatening,” murmured Michael, who had been silent until now. “I propose we discuss this at home in private.”
“No! You’ll say right now you’re staying with your family! And by the way, where’s Oliver?!”
“They and James carried the camping gear inside, they’ll be down shortly,” Michael explained calmly. “And Emma, let’s not go making a scene. It so happens I love Katherine and want to be with her.”
While Emma searched for words to respond, Oliver appeared at the door:
“Mom? What are you doing here? So you wouldn’t believe what happened?…”
“Let’s go home,” Emma cut him off mid-sentence. “Quickly!”
She grabbed her son’s hand and pulled him towards the car, ignoring his protesting cries.
Michael did indeed leave for Katherine. They attempted to take Oliver from Emma, but perhaps after seeing his mother’s tears—she cried almost non-stop from that evening—Oliver decided to stay with her.
A year later, Michael wanted to return, but Emma didn’t accept him—she couldn’t forgive a second time.
