Her Husband's Confession

Stephanie sits patiently in the upholstered armchair in the dark living room, awaiting her husband, Victor. This is the seventh time in the past four months she awoke in the middle of the night without Victor in bed beside her. It is well after two in the morning, and he still isn’t home. She knows that he’ll use the same tiring excuse about driving his intoxicated brother, Martin, home from Flip’s bar like he has done the last couple of times. But Stephanie is not stupid. Recently, she has realized her husband’s strange behavior, and him staying out all times of the night doesn’t help. Victor seems more agitated, distant, and anxious around her these days.

It’s another woman. Must be, she believes. It makes perfect sense. Victor’s midnight disappearances, him smelling like cigarette smoke and sweaty when he comes home, using Martin as an excuse, their recent money problems. It all adds up. Yes, there had been a time in their marriage when Stephane felt close to Victor, but now it’s like she is losing him. What troubles her even more is the thought that of losing her husband to another woman.

Stephanie hears keys rattling. He’s finally home. The door opens as she watches Victor’s silhouette worms into the house. As soon as he closes the front door, she turns on the lamp to her left, illuminating the living room. Victor freezes in his tracks like a child getting caught by his mother. 

“Stephanie, honey” he says, startled. “What are you doing still up?”

“The better question is, what are you doing coming home this time of night? Or should I say morning?”

               He chuckles nervously then says, “I went to Flip’s to pick up Martin. You know my brother treats a glass of whiskey like Lays potato chips. He can’t have just one.”

               There is the lie right on cue. She laughs mockingly. She’s really not in the mood for Victor’s dry sense of humor. “See, I’d figured you’d say that. So, I called Martin a couple of hours ago. And guess what? He told me that he was home all night. I guess you’re gonna have to come up with another lie.”

               Victor walks towards his wife who is still seated with a scolding expression on her face. He opens his mouth to speak. But she wags her index finger in the air. “Let me stop you right there,” Stephanie begins. Victor closes his mouth. “You know what, Victor? How about we bypass the lying and go straight to the truth for a change? Now, where you been?”

               “Flip’s. Honest,” Victor says holding his hands in the air in surrender.

Men! Here Stephanie is giving him the chance to be honest, yet he insist on lying.

“Who is she, Victor?”

“Who is who?” he answers, confused.

“You know who I’m talking about. Don’t play dumb.”

“I’m not playing anything, Steph.”

So, it’s like that, thinks Stephanie. She nods repeatedly, then stands to her feet. She tells Victor that he is not welcomed in their bed until he’s ready to be honest, then storms into their bedroom slamming the door behind her. Feeling defeated, Victor sighs walking to the leather three-seater couch. Just like that he’s back in the doghouse. Laying on his back, he stares at the painted ceiling, wondering how could Stephanie be cold to him? And how can she believe he would ever entertain another woman? Sure, he has come home late a few times, but kicking him out of their bedroom, Victor believes is a bit drastic. Shutting his weary eyes, he rolls over to his side. He tries his best to get comfortable. Unfortunately, the cold leather will not allow him the luxury of comfort.

Stephanie enters the kitchen the following morning to the aroma of blueberry waffles, bacon, fried eggs, and freshly brewed coffee. If Victor thinks making her breakfast is going to fix things, he is sadly mistaken. She strolls past him at the stove, flashing him the evil eye before sitting at the kitchen table. He says good morning and hands her a plate of food. Remaining silent, she begins to eat reluctantly, knowing how much Victor hates being on the receiving end of the silent treatment. That’s why it is her secret weapon and Stephanie won many arguments with it.
“Steph, please. You know I can’t stand when you do this.” Victor speaks stooping before Stephanie.

“And you know I can’t stand when you lie, yet you do it.” She replies.

He stands and goes to the opposite side of the square kitchen table. “I didn’t lie.” She scowls at him. “Really, I was at Flip’s.”

“Okay, let’s say you were there. What were you doing all night? And don’t say drinking because we both know you’re a light weight.”

“Well, it is a bar.”

“Don’t get cute.”

He sighs deeply. Victor slides away her plate and takes the knife and fork from Stephanie’s hands. “Hey!” she shouts.

“Steph, I don’t think I want you to have sharp objects once I tell you this.”

Stephanie sits up in my chair, preparing herself. Yes, he is finally going to tell her the truth, she thinks. Who the other woman is, her name, age, where she and Victor met, how long they have been seeing each other. Everything. But what she really wants to know about is the money he must be spending on his little girlfriend. Lately, Stephanie has been noticing the sums of cash withdrawn from their savings account. Sometimes up to five or six hundred dollars. It would not be surprising to Stephanie if some woman is walking around it on her neck or wrists right now.

 “Okay so, a couple of months ago when Martin first called me from the bar, I went to get him,” begins Victor. “Well, the plan was for me to take him home and come back here. But when I got there, Martin was in this back room with his drinking buddies. Some of them were playing Poker, and somehow, he convinced me to stay and let him have one more drink. While I was waiting, the guys invited me to play so they dealt me in.”
“Okay,” Stephanie motions her hand, encouraging Victor to move the story along.

He continues, “At first it was just clean fun, you know. Then they wanted to put money on it. Going against my better judgment, I went along with it. I won a little that night, so I didn’t think nothing of it to go back and play some more.”

“Victor, fast forward to part where you meet her.”

“You don’t get it, do you? There is no other woman. Steph, the only woman for me is you.” he pleads.

“What about you sneaking out all hours of the night? Your sweaty clothes? And what about the money? You think I haven’t noticed the money missing from our accounts?”

Victor runs his hand through his hair in frustration. “That’s what I’m trying to explain to you. Steph, I have never stepped out on you! I’ve been playing cards with the guys at the bar. The last few times I haven’t been doing so hot. Not like the first two nights.”

Stephanie can see the shame on her husband’s face. A part of Stephanie is relieved learning that Victor’s secret does involve another woman. But the other part of her is fuming. Victor isn’t a cheater, but he is a lair. And it seems his foolish actions could pull them down a path of financial ruin.
“Last night I thought I could win it all back. Then I could put the money back into the accounts and I could pay back Martin for the cash I borrowed from him. But I lost even more.”

“My God, Victor. How much have you lost?” Stephanie questions.

“A few thousand dollars in total. I’m so sorry, Steph. I don’t know how this happened.”  
 
Victor goes to Stephanie. He rests his head in her lap and begins to sob. She had never seen Victor so apologetic. She gently strokes his cheek whispering, “Listen honey, I understand you didn’t mean get this deep in the hole. But I wish you would’ve come to me sooner. A husband and wife are supposed to be a team, right? You’re supposed to be able to tell me anything.”

“I know. But I knew how upset you would be.” he replies.

“You know what, Victor? I apologize too. I’m sorry you felt like you couldn’t come to me as your wife.”

“I guess we’ll have to figure something out.”

               “Yes. And we will. Together.”