Three Little Words

Continued from yesterday:

Dear Marge, I texted.
You'd better do some homework on that guy I met last night.

Her reply spelled out the 3 words every girl wants to hear:

Single and Loaded

Dear Harry,
Do you remember too?
I played it cool and sent you a text the next day,
"Thanks for a nice evening x"
You replied minimally: "It's ok."

10 days later, when I had almost given up hope you texted:
"Fancy getting together some time?"
"OK." I cooly responded.

We arranged to meet, it was a beautiful autumnal day.
We walked and talked, and talked and walked. We laughed - a lot.
"Are you married?" I asked, feeling smug at the forthcoming answer.
"Yes," you replied, "But she?s abroad."

It was like being punched in the stomach. Hard.

Me: "I don't do the married man thing."
You: "We're not together."

How had the host of the party, where we met, got it so wrong, I wondered? Marge did a bit more homework and found out you two played cricket together and you never mentioned or socialised with your wife.


We had a couple more dates and then you phoned to tell me you wife had come back.
You told me she has ongoing health issues that are getting worse.

(And I know what you're all thinking, but somehow I never did.)

"What do you want to do?" I asked.
"I don't know."
"Well, only you can decide. "

Three weeks later you called: "I would like to keep in touch"

That was six years ago.
Since then you have phoned at least weekly, we talk only about the moment, never the future, never the past. Very occasionally we meet for lunch, when we shower each other with rose tinted compliments and tentatively hold hands under the table.

I think of you each day, being the best husband you can. I respect and admire your decision to see it through.

We continue living our separate lives, each carrying a little insurance policy, that there is someone who really cares.

Last week for the first time, I dreamt of you. You were walking from your office towards me as I waited, smiling. You put your hands round my waist and said the three little words.

I woke with tears streaming down my cheeks, just as they are now as I write.

Bye now, and speak soon!!

For those of you that have just arrived on this pageThe Harry story starts here