Jessica tucked the kids into bed and headed to the kitchen for a cup of tea. Tom wasn’t home yet. Recently, he’d been overwhelmed with work and often stayed late. Jessica felt for him and tried to shield him from household duties. After all, he was the sole breadwinner.
Right after their wedding, they decided that Jessica would take care of the home and their future children, while Tom would provide for the family. Their three children arrived one after the other. Each arrival was met with Tom’s joy, and he often remarked he wouldn’t mind having more.
Jessica, on the other hand, was exhausted from endless nappies, formulas, and sleepless nights. She decided she’d had enough of having children for now.
Tom returned past midnight, slightly tipsy. When she asked why he was late, he replied, “Jess, we were so worn out at work, we decided to unwind somewhere.”
“Oh, my poor thing!” she smiled, “Come on, I’ll make you something to eat.”
“No need. We had some chicken wings at the pub – I’ve ruined my appetite. I’d rather go straight to bed.”
Mother’s Day was around the corner. Jessica asked her mum to watch the kids so she could head to the shopping centre. She wanted to celebrate the day with a special romantic dinner for just the two of them. Her mum agreed to take the children.
Besides groceries and gifts, Jessica wanted to get something for herself. It had been ages since she bought clothes, feeling guilty about using Tom’s money for outfits, and besides, there was nowhere to wear them. Her last purchase was a set of homewear, which wasn’t fitting for the planned evening. She headed to a clothing store, selected a few dresses, and stepped into the fitting room.
As she tried on the second dress, she heard her husband’s familiar voice coming from the adjacent fitting room, “Mmm, I already want to get you out of that!”
A peal of feminine laughter followed.
“Be patient, you rascal! Go pick something for your wife instead!”
“What for? She’s knee-deep in kids. They don’t care what she wears, as long as they’re fed, changed, and the toys are picked up. I’ll give her a slow cooker! Or a bread maker – she’ll be thrilled!”
Jessica felt as if she’d been splashed with cold water. She mechanically tried on the dresses, while eavesdropping on the nearby conversation.
“What if she asks where you’ve spent all that money?” the woman giggled.
“Why should I account for MY money? I work, she’s at home with everything provided! I give her a set amount for the household, and that’s enough! Let her be thankful for that.”
The fitting seemed to end, and the voices faded. Carefully peeking out, Jessica saw her beloved husband at the register with a blonde, paying for the purchases. After paying, he turned and unabashedly kissed her on the lips.
“Ma’am, are you okay?” Jessica realized she’d been sitting in the fitting room for quite a while, staring blankly.
“Yes, yes, I’m fine!” Swiftly, she drew the curtain back, handed the dresses to the sales assistant, and said, “I’ll take them all.”
At home, she sent her mother off and put the kids down for a nap. Jessica pondered her next move? Such a betrayal from her husband was unexpected. It wasn’t even just that he was cheating, but his attitude toward her and her efforts. In a moment, he devalued everything she’d done for their family.
Part of her wanted to immediately file for divorce, but she made herself pause and consider.
“If I file for divorce, he’ll go to his blonde, and I’ll be left with the kids without support. Child support? Probably just pennies… How will we live?”
By evening, her decision was made. Tom hadn’t stayed late at “work” as usual. “He had his fill during the day,” Jessica thought indifferently. Her feelings for him had evaporated, and he was just a stranger. The only worry was him wanting intimacy, which she couldn’t bear to give. It was repulsive.
But it seemed Tom was satiated with his mistress and didn’t make advances.
The next day, Jessica crafted her resume and sent it to various companies and agencies. All she could do now was wait. Days dragged on with anticipation. Each day began with checking her email. Finally, a long-awaited reply arrived. She was invited for an interview at one of the local firms. Tom’s workplace.
Jessica pondered long and hard about whether to go but ultimately decided: yes!
Asking her mum to watch the kids, Jessica went for the interview. After almost two hours of discussion with the firm’s management, they offered her a decent position with flexible hours. Initially, the salary wouldn’t be large, but it would be enough to support her and the kids.
She went home on cloud nine. Her mother bombarded her with questions upon seeing her so happy.
“Mum, Tom’s been cheating on me!” she exclaimed gleefully. Assuming her daughter’s joy was driven by temporary madness, her mum took Jessica by the hand and guided her to the sofa.
“Jessica, what on earth are you saying? How could Tom cheat? He works all day!”
“He’s not working, Mum, he’s with his woman!” and Jessica recounted the fitting room debacle. Her mother listened and asked:
“So, what are you going to do?”
“I’m filing for divorce! Oh, and I got a job with flexible hours. As soon as the kids are settled in childcare, I’ll start full-time work!”
“Alright then! I won’t try to dissuade you. Betrayal is unforgivable! This is just the start. He doesn’t even see you as a person anymore. I’ll help with the kids!”
“Thanks, Mum!” Jessica hugged her mother tearfully.
On the seventh of March, Tom came home in the early hours again. Jessica didn’t question him. Surprised by her indifference, Tom tried to explain himself:
“Jess, we got caught up with the boys again at work…” but Jessica cut him off, telling him to sleep.
The next morning, as she sat at the kitchen table feeding the children, Tom ceremoniously presented her with a bread maker.
“Here, my dearest, to lighten your household chores!” He tried to kiss her, but Jessica pulled away, not even glancing at the gift as she rose.
“I have a gift for you too!”
Taken aback, Tom, with the box in hand, followed her. She walked to the hallway and pointed to two large suitcases.
“I’m divorcing you! Now you don’t need to come up with excuses for your little escapades!”
“How did you find out?” Tom stammered.
“In the fitting room, while you chose a gift for your blonde. By the way, you can give her the bread maker too – I don’t need it!”
Caught and losing his family, Tom fumed:
“Are you upset that I have someone else? A beautiful, passionate, well-groomed woman, unlike you! You’ve forgotten how to dress up! You’ve settled like a hen with kids and live off my earnings! What does it matter who I spend on? I do what I see fit! And you have no right to count my money! You’re just jealous because I spend on someone else! You’re a money-hungry cow!”
“I’m not upset,” Jessica said calmly, “just leave.”
The next day, Jessica filed for divorce and child support. A week later, there was a knock on the door. Her mother-in-law stood on the doorstep. Without greeting Jessica, she yelled:
“You greedy witch! You kick out your husband and now want to bleed him dry! Refuse the child support immediately! He doesn’t owe you!”
“It’s not for me, it’s for his children, whom he wanted so much!” Jessica retorted. “If he can’t support his mistress, that’s his problem! He’s as much a parent as I am!”
“And what will you do without his money? You had children hoping to mooch off him forever! But that’s not going to happen! He’ll ask his boss to cut his official salary, and you’ll get peanuts! You’ll come crawling back!”
“I doubt that!” Jessica replied, pointing to the door. “Get out of my home before I call the police!”
Shouting curses, the mother-in-law left.
Months later, the children, one by one, got spots at nursery. A month after the youngest started, Jessica began working full-time.
“Hi!” a familiar voice sounded by her desk. “Can we talk?”
“Sorry, Tom, I’ve got a lot of work,” Jessica replied without looking up.
“How about lunch then?” Tom lingered. Jessica lifted her head and looked at her ex-husband. He appeared tired and worn. She knew that the blonde, upon learning half of his salary would go to child support, had kicked him out. But she didn’t care anymore.
“No, Tom. We’re not talking or having lunch.”
