they say that the eyes are the window to the soul I saw love in Mandy's eyes starting a month or two after we met through our wedding and two daughters 10 wonderful years eight of them married we were determined almost fanatical to have dinner together as a family every night it was our main thing no matter what we ate there was always a Look of Love at the table heaven on Earth you know how a child grows day by day and you never notice it until a relative or friend stops by year or so later
and says gosh they've grown so much similarly I missed the gradual pulling of the curtains as I call it the love in Mandy's eyes for the kids never changed but the way she looked at me slowly imperceptibly changed over the last year I didn't notice it I just didn't notice the blinds being drawn perhaps because it was happening so slowly until the Christmas party last December her firm she's a 32-year-old paralal at one of the big ball firms in town through it every year since she started working there 4 years ago it's always been a
nice party not overwhelming a chance for spouses to meet colleagues and their spouses as I said a nice spirit of the season this last meeting was no different from the previous ones except for coming back from the bar with drinks for the two of us I saw this bam just like John Madden her enthusiastic gaze in full bloom and shin on someone else not me a smile consuming her face ignoring everything else when I approached Winslow featherton one of her firm's senior Partners was standing at our table resting his hand on Mandy's uncovered shoulder her
eyes were closed the two were laughing at a shared joke probably his and she had that look on her face a look of rapturous love that for years had been mine alone but had gone awall for the last year laser focus only on him the impact almost made me drop our drinks boom in an instant my life was cut short my breathing froze and my heart stopped the first feeling that swept over me was helplessness shock and pain followed a split second later placing the drinks on the table I turned and walked out into the
dark patio to catch my breath I could only shake my head featherton had more money better looks more Prestige more everything than I did he definitely had more expensive cars s clothes and a much swankier house with servants and everything flew around in a private jet he was part of the city party scene and was in all the right clubs he had everything and could have anyone certainly prettier than my wife he didn't have to cook dinner when the lady of the house was late or busy doing something else which come to think of it
my Mandy had been busy doing lately he could play the role of superhero in the boardroom while I dutifully took care of mundane chores like laundry dinner getting the kids to their schoolwork and to the doctor when they had runny noses from Mandy's point of view there could be no competition between me and feather bucks even that was clear even to me in the cool night air The Vapor of my exhalation vanished as did my future she must have been over the moon that someone at whose feet the whole world lay had taken an interest
in her there must be plenty of Kate uptons Jessica Simpsons and the like willing to drool for his dollars so why chase after my wife she was pretty but she wasn't the kind of girl that millionaires usually SWAT away like summer flies on a cow patty so yes I could understand how she might have freaked out at the compliment and the increase in his attention to her but him what to do if I confronted her face to face she'd get political deny deny deny any hint of accusation would only add to the damage already done
this was not a battle I could win an arrogant boss and a traitorous had ruined the best thing in my life so I decided the best way out was to move on with my life as best and as fast as I could damn my hot anger turned into cold calculating anger taking a deep breath I walked back into the house sure enough the two of them were standing where they'd been before and her glow of adoration hadn't diminished I walked over to the table and taking her drink held it out to her she took took
it her trance unbroken with a brief nod to the new Love of her life I handed Mandy the car keys I was just leaving I see you're not ready yet so I'll take an Uber I looked at her new lover and I'm already ready she undoubtedly didn't understand my double meaning distracted she smiled at me okay honey I'll see you at home no I won't see you both of them frowned what was that she asked look I'm not going to make a scene here this I pointed to my eye may be green but it's not
a cabbage I can see that Mr featherton has won your heart why shouldn't he he's richer than I am better looking better connected more successful I'm just a regular guy making regular money doing regular things how can I compete he never had to nurse you through the flu or hold your hand when your babies were born he's never had to clean up your vomit when you drank too much never had to buy period pads take your kids to the doctor or to school place days so it's easy for him to be your new superhero he's
your match made in heaven go ahead and take action if you expect me to compete I shook my head don't hold your breath I don't have to fight for your respect or affection if you have a shred of decency in you you either love me or you don't they both opened their mouths in shock before either of them could come to their senses I finished Mandy you're beautiful sexy and smart sure not the most stylish but nobody's perfect right his poor wife who couldn't make it tonight because he didn't want her to interfere with his
adventures who gives a about her certainly not you he's cheated on her so many times he's earned frequent flyer status and they three kids they can handle it millions of divorced kids right and who cares if our two girls are added to that number certainly not their mother so to answer your question no I won't be there when you get home after letting Mr feather dick get into your panties tonight I'll get my stuff out as soon as I can meet with my lawyer on Monday and you'll be free to have fun with feather fart
here as often as you want and for as long as you want just what you wanted right I turned and headed for the exit pulling out my phone to call an Uber Mark Wait her frantic yell caught me as I stepped outside I turned my phone off stopped and turned around that's not what oh look I'm not going to argue with you and your lies I know you better than anyone else pointing to my eye again I continued I saw what I saw you can spin it all you want but you and I both know
the truth it was the feathery bastard that got your heart not me I can see it in your eyes the next point in his victory campaign is the swamp between your legs everyone has seen the way you look at him just like you used to look at me I've seen you leave me inch by inch over the last few months I'm not going to listen to your lies and Den you know the score as well as I do I took both of her hands and looked into her tear-filled eyes I don't know if you've slept
with him yet but your eyes tell me that if you haven't it's only a matter of time you can ruin your life if you want but there's no way I'm going to stand by and let you ruin mine I'm out of here no Mark please it's not like that he's just Mandy wait are you telling me you have no attraction or affection for feather yes that's exactly what I'm saying her eyes begged me to believe the lie rolling my eyes I took a deep breath we have a difference I've seen something something undeniable and you
say I have nothing to see which makes our differences irreconcilable do you know what happens to irreconcilable differences no why they become the basis for most divorces in this country like I said I'm not going to argue with you only you know what's in your heart only you know if feather dick is worth his kids and our kids losing their fathers your look tells me it is I picked up the phone again no Mark wait please let me go get my keys I'll go home with you no I don't want to interrupt your sex with
feathered he's salivating to get into your panties tonight for the first time Mandy's body language became fiery you in your pity party Mark tell to hell with featherton you're right all right are you happy now is that what you wanted to hear I had a lapse in judgment a big lapse and I let it get to me I'm sorry it's over from now on History right now come with me we'll leave together but not without my purse and coat I love you you're my husband and you're taking me home so what do we do do
you want to wait here like a crying coward or do you want to come with me while I get my things and hold my hand like your wife as we leave it wasn't much of a choice was it we walked in together feathered was standing at another table already Charming another brainless simpleton Mandy walked up to him and calmly said I'm leaving and I suggest you stop harassing her everyone is laughing at you turning she took my hand as we left the stunned audience on the way home she took my hand and cried you were
right oh my God I'm so sorry it's a classic frog in a pot situation as the water slowly heats up I didn't notice it was happening until you opened my eyes tonight you're right you don't deserve this it's all my fault I fell for his power over me like a school girl I fell for his please forgive me it's all on my conscience you're still my true love I don't need anyone else but you you're more important to me than any job or person that's why I quit can you forgive me I never had sex
with him I never even kissed him or anything I'll take a lie detector test if you can't find it in your heart to believe me I'm not saying I wasn't on that path but thankfully you shined a light on my stupidity in time she stroked my arm please forgive me I'll do anything anything yes anything you saw I started by quitting even though it was a great job anything I interjected raising my eyebrows yes my dear anything well almost no other people no hall passes nothing like that just something for the two of us like
a week for the two of us on a lonely beach in the Caribbean oh I don't know I'll have to think about that the veil disappeared from her smiling eyes
