My lunch break was over, and I was on my way back to work. I walked quickly so as not to be late. I didn’t want to get reprimanded by my boss. I did not immediately notice the woman who was catching up with me.
– “Are you running away from me? I can barely keep up with you! Wait a minute. I’m thinking whether you are or not…,” said the woman who was following me.
I stopped to look at her.
– “I’m sorry, I didn’t see you right away. I’m in a hurry because I don’t want to be late for work,” I said, “and I often don’t notice anyone. You’re not the first person to tell me that.
– “I think we’re on the same road,” Melissa, my former classmate, whom I hadn’t seen in more than seven years, continued, “how are you?
– I’m fine, I live in my own house, I work at my job. My children have their own lives, they have grown up and moved away. That’s all,” I continued.
– And your wife?
– Everything is fine. My wife is like a wife. Nothing new. You better tell me how you are.
– I’ve decided to get a divorce. I’ve already filed for a divorce. It was hard for me.
– How so? And the children? What happened?” I asked.
– “I have been trying to save my family for five years. But it’s all in vain. People don’t change.
Melissa’s eyes immediately filled with tears. She lowered her head and then continued.
– “My husband did not recognize our first son. He said he was not his. Meanwhile, he was cheating on me with another woman. I knew about his mistress from the beginning, but I kept silent. I didn’t want to make a scandal. I loved him very much. Although at first everything was fine with us. Later, he was no longer ashamed of anything. He would drive her around the city, come home late, or not come home at all. And I spent all my energy on creating comfort at home. Washing, cleaning, ironing, cooking. I gave all my care to my children. They were always well-groomed and well-fed. He would come home drunk and sleep all day. We had to walk around the house as quiet as water so as not to wake him up. My husband used to laugh at me and call me names. I lost a lot of weight after my second child. The bruises under my eyes showed my fatigue.
– “And you endured all this?” I asked.
– “I did,” Melissa answered and exhaled heavily.
– “I read in one newspaper that when a woman puts up with her husband’s tricks, he starts to take advantage of her and makes her a victim. He makes her humiliate herself, make concessions, and endure. It is very difficult for a woman to put an end to this, and she endures it. It is only possible to escape if a woman is strong. I didn’t believe in it until I was in such a situation myself. I realized it only now, and for a long time I endured, thinking that everything could still be saved. By doing so, I took a step toward him, and he moved even further away. I tried everything: begging, crying, humiliating myself, looking for all his women. I finally told one of them that my husband had a wife and children, but she just laughed at me.
Melissa was silent for a while longer and then continued:
– “It’s been a month since he left. He went to live with his parents. The children ask me every day where their dad is, and I don’t know what to tell them. Do they deserve this? Two days ago we met him in the city. The children started running to their father, and he started running away. That’s how a father runs away from his children.
– Calm down. You’ve given up on him. It’s not worth it. It will pass. It just takes time. He is no longer in your life, which means there is room for something better. And after all, you have two beautiful children. You’ll be fine, you’ll see,” I hastened to reassure Melissa, “and your true happiness is yet to come.
– Eh… I’m used to living like this. Sometimes, something will knock in the apartment, and I already think it’s him coming back. I still hope that he will realize his mistakes.
– And she still hasn’t gotten out of the victim role,” I thought and looked at the emaciated woman who was slowly moving away from me.
