The Days After My Wedding (Part 3)

The Days After My Wedding (part 3)
by Britney Hoglund

I went inside after reading the letter. It was 11:00 and Jeff was still sleeping. I took the letter into our computer room where I copied it. Then I returned it to Jeff’s flight bag. I put the copy in my purse before sitting on the couch to reflect.

I still was in shock and didn’t know what to think. A million unanswered questions swirling through me. I couldn’t believe Jeff would cheat on me. I always thought he was so in love with me and that he had such a moral, conservative personality. But then, I thought that about myself before I met Todd.

The sex between Todd and me was just an adventure. Through it all, I remained deeply in love with my husband. It was a terrible feeling to think that not only has my husband been having sex with another women, but that he could of possibly fell in love with her. And if so, does he still love me? The thought brought tears to my eyes. I couldn’t bare thinking my husband loving someone else and not me.

A whole hour passed before a thought crossed my mind — a thought that should have come an hour ago. “Who is she?”

I took the copy of the letter out of my purse and held my breath before opening it to read again. I scrolled through the letter, going over the disgusting details again. I had a lump in my throat as I read. I felt jealous and sick when it came to the part about what they did on the night of my wedding.

I finally made it to the end of the letter which closed with, “Your secret lover . . . Lisa.”

“Lisa.” I said aloud.

I guess I read the name Lisa the first time but was in too much shock to contemplate it. There is no way this could be a coincidence.

“This could not be Lisa, Todd’s wife,” I thought.

I just sat there and let the thoughts swim around my head for another two hours when, finally, I heard noise from the bedroom. It was Jeff getting out of bed. I wasn’t ready to face him. I was still so confused about everything. I ran into the bathroom, locked the door, turned on the shower, disrobed and got in. A few minutes later I heard a knock on the door.

“Britney?” said Jeff.

“I’ll be out in a minute,” I replied.

As I showered, I mustered the courage to go out and just pretend everything’s normal. After I got out of the bathroom and dressed, I found Jeff sitting in the kitchen in his shorts and a t-shirt, drinking coffee and reading the paper.
“Good morning, good afternoon, whatever it is, Jeff.” I said.

“Hi, honey,” he said.

I made him something to eat and I was somehow able to put everything in the back of my mind and act like I always do around him. He was going to work on another trip and had to leave at 7:00 p.m. I was looking forward to him leaving so I could think and stop pretending I don’t know anything.

His cell phone rang. He picked it up and looked at it.

“Oh, that’s my captain. The one I’m flying with tonight.” he said to me before answering the call.

Flipping open the phone, he said, “Hello,” and walked into the computer room.

I got up and hid around the corner trying to hear his conversation.

“Yeah, she’s home. I can’t talk to you right now but I’ll call you back on the way to work,” he said.

I could hear a female voice on the phone but couldn’t make out the words.

“I’ll call you back in about a half hour, Babe. Can’t wait to see you tonight,” he whispered.

I heard the voice continue.

“Okay, Babe. Stop that! You are giving me a hard on and I’ve got to go past my wife on the way out of here,” Jeff said, again whispering. “See ya tonight,” he said, shutting the phone.

I went back to the kitchen table and looked in the newspaper, pretending to read it. By the time Jeff entered the kitchen, he had his pilot uniform and was adjusting his tie.

“Sorry. That was Scott, the guy I’m flying with tonight. He was just calling to tell me . . .”

I just sat there and tuned out the rest of his lies. I somehow managed to keep a straight face, kiss him good-bye and exchange “I love you”s.

As soon as I heard his car pull off, I got up and ran down the hall and fell on the bed crying. I cried on and off for hours. In my whole life I had never felt so alone. My body was so weak from all the stress, and from having so little sleep in the past 48 hours. I felt horrible knowing what my husband was probably doing at that moment, and it was about 10 o’clock when I finally cried myself into a deep sleep.

It was 6:15 the next morning when my eyes opened again. I was really groggy and it took a moment for my brain to start functioning. Then thinking of the letter and the phone call, I hoped it was all a horrible nightmare.

I looked over and saw Jeff sleeping. My heart was broken, watching Jeff sleep on the other side of the bed. He usually falls asleep with me in his arms.

I got up quietly and walked into the kitchen. I looked at his bags sitting by the door. I didn’t want to see anymore but I was extremely curious and I needed to find out more. I dug through his stuff looking for more evidence. I pulled out his laptop and turned it on.

I did find something on the computer. It was the most shocking thing I have ever seen. All my questions were answered now. I just swallowed all my emotions that were now flaring even more than the day before. I copied it on a blank CD and put it in my purse with the letter before I got ready for work.

On my way to work I stared blankly at the road ahead, with no plan of what to do next. I just wanted to go through my day as usual.

I walked through the door and there were already tons of people getting off a big corporate jet. There was a line of probably 30 people and Todd was alone taking care of everyone from behind the counter. I hurried behind the counter and started handling everyone’s rental car, hotel, taxi, or other needs.

I went to the copy machine and though Todd was really busy, he stopped me for a second.

“Britney, is everything okay,” he asked with a look of very deep concern on his face.

“I don’t know, Todd.