Cheating Wife Went On Vacation w/ Her Boss. When She Got Back I Changed Locks. Revenge Audio Story

[Music] I never imagined I'd find myself facing a life without my wife it seemed so unlikely so unlike her Shelly and I had built our lives together from college sweethearts to parents of two amazing kids we navigated hardships celebrated successes and created countless memories over more than 20 years it's hard to grasp how quickly things can fall apart when You' poured so much into a life you thought was Rock Solid I can still recall how normal everything felt just a few weeks before it all fell apart we were planning a trip discussing our kids progress

in college and juggling our busy schedules sure I'd been consumed with work especially a trial that took up most of my attention but shell had always been supportive and understanding of the demands of my job that's why when I came home one afternoon to find her note it hit me like a ton of bricks her note was hauntingly simple Joey I'm leaving for a while I don't know how long I'll be gone none of this is your fault I've met someone please don't try to reach me I need to do this with love Shelly it

was a total shock to me just like that my wife of 21 years was gone poof I'm Joe Mason and my wife is Michelle Shelly for short we've known each other since elementary school because our parents worked together but we didn't start dating until College we went to different schools growing up but reconnected in college and by senior year we were living together we got married the summer after we graduated shell is a vibrant energetic blonde of average height and build with blue eyes I'm also of average height and build with brown hair and eyes

I run my own law firm and Shelley works as a nurse manager at a local hospital we're both 42 and we stay in shape by going to the gym hiking and playing volleyball shelle loves aerobic dance while I take self-defense classes and hit the heavy bag we have two kids in college James 19 and Susan 18 a freshman the day I got the note a bright April afternoon I called James right away and read it to him James your mom left she's gone I said my voice trembling he paused what what do you mean gone

she left a note I replied she's left me just like that James was silent for a moment before speaking again I can't believe this I'm shocked Dad I'll keep you updated son I said trying to stay calm then I called Susan she wasn't as surprised when I told her Susan did you know your mom was planning to leave I asked she hesitated not exactly no but I did notice something what do you mean Susan who is this guy she met I asked pressing for details Susan sighed I saw her having lunch with a guy from

work a few times I asked her about it and she said he was just a friend his name is William Connor but you had suspicions didn't you I asked Susan sounded regretful I didn't think much of it Dad she seemed a little off when I asked but I let it go I should have told you I'm sorry it's not your fault Susan I'll take care of it I said trying to comfort her after after making those calls I went online to research William Connor he's a doctor who recently left the hospital where Shelly Works according

to his bio he's 40 divorced and a cardiologist although he's been in administration for the past 2 years I found an incident from three years ago where a patient died during surgery he was involved in he's tall stocky and fair-haired but when I tried to find his current job or address I came up empty I reached out to a friend who's skilled with computers to help track down Shelly and Connor bill I need your help I said when he answered what's going on Joe Bill asked Shell's gone and I think she's with a guy named

William Connor I need you to help me find them I explained all right I'll dig into it and let you know if I find anything Bill assured me later I checked our bank accounts Shelly hadn't touched her checking account but her direct deposit hadn't gone through this month and she withdrew nearly all of our savings over $200,000 from our joint Vanguard account I called bill again and gave him the account information to trace the transaction I'll get right on it Bill said I decided to visit Shell's parents Mark and Sally Benton who live about 30

Mi away when I arrived both of their cars were parked outside Mark answered the door and led me into the kitchen where Sally was seated at the table hello Sally I greeted her what do you know that I don't Mark spoke first sounding resigned we knew Shelly was heading down a risky path Joe she confided every everything to Sally but she didn't want to hurt you Sally added we agreed not to say anything until she had a chance to talk to you herself she didn't give me any chance I exclaimed she took all our savings

too maybe I'll have her arrested if she doesn't return half of it soon I'm not happy with her or her friend Joe please don't use that kind of language Sally said trying to keep calm Mark jumped in she believes he's her future husband I stared at him stunned do you believe that too because I consider him a Thief at least of money Sally sighed we met him once about a month ago she introduced him as a colleague but it was obvious there was more going on you knew and you didn't warn me I asked my

anger Rising we thought she'd come to her senses and talk to you mark replied I'll find her in a few days I said coldly and shek right I will react badly just then my phone rang it was Bill Joe I found them shelle and Connor took jobs at a hospital and Pittsburgh they're renting an apartment near the hospital and have a joint checking account with some money in it Bill explained but the $200,000 hasn't shown up yet I suspect they moved the money offshore can you track it if that's the case I asked it'll be

tough but I can try it'll cost more though Bill warned keep me posted I said before hanging up I looked at Sally and Mark who were watching me jot down the details Bill had given me Sally spoke when she wants to come back will you take her back I stared at her why would you even think she'd come back it seems like she wants a clean break no contact tears welled up in Sally's eyes I think she'll want to return Joe if she came back now and apologized maybe we could go to counseling I said

but the longer she stays with him living as his wife well you get it Sally started crying and Mark comforted her I said goodbye and left heading back to my office just as I was about to walk in bill called again he said Vanguard had delayed the $200,000 transfer due to concerns about potential fraud he explained that they were now refusing to release the money even though the account was joined apparently there were some issues with the transaction I told him what Vanguard had said when I called earlier I called them back insisting the withdrawal

was illegal they explained that the transfer was blocked because of multiple anomalies in the method used I asked one of my colleagues to quickly file a trro against Vanguard as well as against Connor and Shelly he spent about an hour on it and then I sent it electronically this should hold off the theft for a while a TR is a temporary restraining order typically filed alongside a request for a permanent injunction I called my family in Oregon who were retired to let them know what had happened they were shocked and very sympathetic then I sat

down and thought about what else I could do and more importantly what I wanted to do I did a quick search and found out that infidelity isn't a crime in Pennsylvania but in Virginia it's a misdemeanor I filed that away in my mind I decided to do what I often did when faced with difficult situations call My Mentor Uncle Jed Jed is my mom's older brother and lives nearby in DC he's a retired lawyer although now he works as a lobbyist to me though he's always been a source of wisdom not so much in legal

matters but in life I asked if I could come by and we agreed on dinner I'd bring some fancy pizza and beer to his place while waiting I called a private investigator I knew and asked him to find out how long Shelly had been involved with Connor this might have been going on for a while who knows I tried to think back was there anything about Shelly recently that should have raised red flags I had just wrapped up a long and difficult trial that lasted 4 months we won and were negotiating how much the settlement

should be reduced maybe during those 6 months between preparing for and handling the trial I hadn't paid enough attention to Shelly we were still having Zex at least until about a month ago when it suddenly stopped I should have noticed something earlier there hadn't been any change in how she responded or how often busy or not I always enjoyed being with her this wasn't my first extended trial after a few weeks I settled back into a routine and at home I wasn't as distracted anymore on the way to jeds I made a stop at the

clinic and took a series of tests for physically transmitted diseases then I picked up the pizza and beer when I arrived Jed greeted me at the door just like I remembered from when when I was a kid the house hadn't changed his last wife left him about a year ago he had been married to Ellen a wonderful woman for 40 years but she passed away from pneumonia 5 years ago since then he's had a few relationships but none had lasted today it was just him at home what brings such a busy lawyer to this quiet

place he asked I told him everything showed him the note and explained what I had done so far it's clear this doesn't sound like her he said I want you to sit here for a while and just think about your life with her what it's been like I'll get you something to drink and be back in a bit he left and I did what he suggested I thought about all the good memories we had together we laughed raised our kids had ZX and communicated well we shared everything as a couple As I reflected I found

myself crying silently she had been the most important person in my life for over 20 years yes we had children but she was the one I loved and trusted above all tears flowed as I remembered our life together and now she was gone how could she do this to me I sobbed quietly into my sleeve overwhelmed by the memories Jed came back with two drinks and a bottle of whiskey and let me cry it out I poured the whiskey into our glasses as I watched him down his drink I did the same it was a

welcome distraction he looked at me and said you're so damn smart thanks do you want her back I want my old life back but that feels impossible I'm not sure I want her back she might do this again if I even survive it this time I think you need time to process everything you might need help to do that all I did was help you release some of the pain but you need more help than I can offer I'm not exactly a great role model since Ellen passed well you're still having Zach I said yeah

but that's not enough when you've had everything he replied we talked for 2 hours about what our marriages had been like we went back and forth and I noticed tears in his eyes too Ellen wasn't coming back but Shelly who knows I was starting to realize I might not be able to be with her anymore after that long conversation I felt an overwhelming surge of righteous anger so intense that I thought I might collapse I stood up and stumbled outside to the backyard where Jed had an old heavy bag hanging from a tree I began

punching and kicking it in a fit of rage more Furious than I had ever been all my anger was directed at Shelly I imagin punching her face kicking her body you heartless insensitive evil witch I screamed Jed watched from the porch and later told me he almost called emergency just as he was about to dial I kicked the pear tree and one of the pears flew over the fence into the neighbor's yard I collapsed on the ground sobbing Jed helped me back inside and did his best to calm me down I was completely exhausted like

a pile of wet noodles though I'm in good shape I had gone way past my limit after some time I'm not sure how long he laid me on the couch and covered me with an oriental robe I slept through the night in the morning I woke up to the smell of bacon and coffee I rolled off the couch and stood still a bit shaky but hunger got me moving we had bacon eggs and toast after breakfast I took a shower I threw off my old clothes and put on a tracksuit Jed lent me I shaved

shampooed and pulled myself together my hands were swollen and red I put antiseptic on them and bandaged them something Shel had taught me to do as a nurse my whole body hurt and I had a small cut above my right eye I used a butterfly bandage and realized I looked like I'd been in a fight and lost about 24 hours had passed since I first read shelle's note Jed gave me the contact info for a marriage counselor he had seen Mary Stevens he said he believed she could help me get my life in order even

noting that marriage counseling didn't have to involve both people I took the card drove home got dressed for work and headed to the office the staff noticed my rough appearance their eyebrows shot up I called a team meeting there are 12 of us including four other lawyers besides me I explained what had happened and told them I probably wouldn't be coming in much until things were resolved we agreed on a replacement lawyer for my upcoming cases then I sat down in my office and miraculously got some work done I stayed focused and had lunch at

the office at 5:30 I left and went home Shelly had taken some clothes and personal items but most of her belongings were still there I went to Lowe's bought boxes and tape and started systematically packing up all her things clothes books photo albums shoes everything I stored it all in the garage shelle's car wasn't there so there was plenty of space I called Bill and let him know Shel had taken her car then I went through the house and gathered up all the photos of Shelly from every room I threw them all away frames photo

albums everything afterward I sat down and thought about everything that had happened I microwaved some dinner and went to bed just as I was about to fall asleep it occurred to me to check our home computer and her phone which was still on the charger I went through her email but found nothing helpful her phone however had calls from a number in Virginia dating back about 6 weeks up to today there were also text messages to Connor AKA bill later Billy the texts were about setting up lunch and meeting before work nothing too incriminating then

I finally went to sleep on my day off I went back to work it had helped the day before and it worked again after lunch the private investigator called he said he was at a cafe where women from shelle's Department often ate he just listened in unsurprisingly The Disappearance of their boss and the attractive doctor had become a hot topic of Gossip even before they vanished there had been a lot of speculation about them one woman had seen them leaving a motel during the day and another had spotted them kissing near a nearby restaurant the

staff was pretty convinced they were lovers the investigator found rental records records for motel rooms in the weeks leading up to shelle's departure she rented a room for half a day three times paying in cash he had copies of the receipts and car license numbers twice it was her car once it wasn't I decided I needed to check out Connor's finances why wasn't he covering his share so I called bill again it took him about 2 hours to figure out that about 10 months before they left Connor had been facing serious financial trouble he had

mortgage car and credit card debt after his divorce the hospital had been garnishing his wages for for a and he wasn't paying child support it hit me that for Connor this might all be about the money specifically the $200,000 I felt sorry for Shelly for about 10 seconds before I punched a nearby office chair knocking it over and sending it flying across the room my assistant poked her head in to see what had caused the noise and I had to apologize I called and made an appointment with a marriage counselor then I walked down the

hall to the family law firm and asked to see Mildred Hoover Mildred is the best divorce lawyer around she had time to see me and immediately took me to her office I explained the situation to her I learned that the trro hearing was set for next Monday and that Shelley had been served at her job in Pittsburgh I didn't need Mildred for that my firm could handle it but I asked her what to expect in the divorce she gathered some financial data and spent a bit of time on her computer she doesn't appear to be

doing very well financially because of the prenup your Law Firm is off the table she'll get half the house and half the assets you accumulated during the marriage which I assume is the bulk of your joint assets she'll be comfortable enough let's see what happens at the trro hearing but be ready to provide documentation on the infidelity and everything else that evening I had a microwave pizza and went for a long run around 9:30 I called Susan she picked up just as she was about to send me to voicemail hi Dad how are you I'm

fine just wanted to know if you've heard from your mom well I have but I promised her I wouldn't say much damn it she says you're trying to get her in Connor in trouble she's supposed to be in court or at least have a lawyer there on Monday she's upset what's happening dad money someone tried to pull it out of our joint investment account I filed a suit to stop it so we can work things out I'm not sure if your mom even knows about it all right is she safe with this guy Susan sounded

concerned I don't know it's up to her really she can leave if she feels threatened why do you ask there was some yelling in the background a man's voice I couldn't make out what he said but he sounded angry mom said it's nothing to worry about I hope she's right nothing I can do from here we talked about her classes and a new friend she had made then we hung up I had a busy weekend the big day was Monday TR Hearing in the morning and a meeting with the counselor in the afternoon I spoke

to James who hadn't heard from his mother at all and then I headed to the gym while I was there I ran into shelle's close friend Clara Barton another nurse she saw me and tried to slip out through the back door but I caught her before she could leave I don't want to talk Joe it won't help anything she said you knew she was cheating Clara why didn't you tell me I asked she said you'd react badly maybe even become cruel I'm her friend Joe and I don't know you well enough to judge if she

was telling the truth and what about Connor isn't he trouble because that's the vibe I'm getting yes he is trouble I warned her about him but she was in too deep she liked the X thought she was in love and believed he was her future yeah I heard that from her mom I wish she had just talked to me about it instead of sneaking off I think she'll come back soon he's not her future and this could blow over if you're patient no it won't she made her choice and she can't come crawling back to

me Clara Shrugged and returned to the treadmill she looked great in her tight spandex outfit as she resumed her workout I watched her openly she noticed and looked back at me in the mirror smiling I smiled back she increased the speed on the treadmill which accentuated her figure especially her curves I blew her a kiss and left the gym but I couldn't shake the memory of our exchange it made me realize that I could soon be free and there's nothing wrong with starting fresh that conversation with Clara lifted my spirits just thinking about her made

me excited it had been a long time since I'd been engaged physically with anyone especially since shell and I hadn't had ZX I was wearing loose gym shorts and feeling a bit flustered I headed to the leg press machine I set the weight high and started doing reps three sets of 12 then I added more weight I noticed Clara had stepped off the treadmill and was walking toward me we made eye contact and she stood close watching me lift it wasn't easy but I pushed through after finishing the last set I lowered the weight and

lay there Breathing heavily looking up at her she noticed I was clearly excited she glanced down and said I feel bad but I'm willing to overlook it want to come shower at my place across the street deal I'll grab my things and meet you at the entrance I replied no need to grab anything you can come back afterward she said smiling and licking her lips I hope you're not too tired Clara was around 30 of average height with a thick curvy figure she had brown hair hazel eyes and was attractive in the traditional sense she'd

been married but was now divorced she was without a doubt the perfect distraction for me I got up and followed her out of the gym there were only two other people there a man and a woman and they both smiled as we left all four of us exchanged Smiles Clara led me across the street to an apartment building and up to the second floor The View as we climbed was quite a sight with her swaying and giggling seductively she opened the door and stepped aside letting me enter first I glanced around briefly but before I

could take it all in she grabbed me from behind spun me around and pulled me toward her she lifted my face and I responded by by kissing her deeply it was one of the most passionate kisses I'd ever experienced we finally broke apart and she sighed I've always wanted you but you were my boss's husband now you're mine I'm all yours I laughed took a step back and started undressing shirt shoes shorts and underwear all gone Clara removed her sports bra revealing her perfect bosoms and then kicked off her shoes before sliding out of her

spandex shorts her body was stunning smooth toned and curvy in all the right places she pushed me into the bedroom laying me on the bed and leaned down on my chest with her elbows I began giving her affection and soon she gasped reaching a strong climax take me hard Joe strong and long we threw ourselves into it she climaxed first and I followed her shortly after both of us reaching intense highs exhausted I collapsed next to her after a few minutes she asked how soon can you recover I can't say for sure I replied though

it was the best Zex of my life it turned out the answer was about 6 seconds as she started working to restore me once I was ready round two began but this time she took the lead I didn't mind at all we climaxed together again and she collapsed on top of me I passed out for a bit and she woke me later go grab your stuff and come back you can shower here she said it was already dark I got dressed ran to get my things and packed them quickly on my way out the woman

who had been there earlier smiled at me had a good time she asked oh yeah thanks for asking I replied when I returned Clara had already showered I took one too then put on a fresh pair of sports shorts I had in my bag that's all I wore Clara meanwhile was in a terry robe which I knew I'd be taking off later we'll need food and beer she said she pulled two bottles of light ale from the fridge in a frozen pizza from the freezer placing it in the oven and setting the timer for now

we drank the beer so were you serious about not taking Shelly back she asked I might have been a little Hasty when I said that but now with you maybe this feels serious well if she did it now you've done it too having Zex with you could be a pretty convincing argument for moving on anyway why does everyone think she'll want to come back she must have thought hard about leaving soon enough she'll realize how foolish she was maybe she'll have the guts to ask me to take her back but maybe not she could be

too ashamed I'll tell you this Joe she's been with this guy for a long time I don't think I could forgive that your relationship is probably ruined I can't imagine her asking you to change your mind well big guy whatever happens you know where to find me I'll do my best to drive you crazy I promise I finished my beer just as the oven beeped and Clara served the pizza we ate it in 15 minutes drank more beer and then enjoyed each other again it was incredible I realized I was falling for her we had

Zex all night in the morning I woke up next to her both of us unclothed my movement woke her up and she got out of bed to brush her teeth hey handing me a spare toothbrush after that we took a shower together I pressed her against the wall and we had zeex standing up I'd never experienced anything like the wild passion we shared in that shower later we cooked and ate a big breakfast still unclothed why bother getting dressed after breakfast we lounged on her sofa digesting our food and soon had Zex again ending with

our usual intense release she said I'm not sure what to do with all this I've always been drawn to you and yesterday when I saw my chance I jumped on it so to speak like a tigress I have to say I never expected anything like this it's incredible we just had Zex but I already want you again right now she laughed at the look on my face don't worry I know you might need a little time maybe I wasn't sure how long it would take me it felt like an experiment 10 minutes 20 we needed

answers she said I'm trying to make sense of all this she looked down at me noticing I was ready again you're like a machine can we talk after this next round yes 20 minutes later she went to the bathroom maybe we should get dressed otherwise we might die or have a stroke or something fine but only for a little while I threw on my gym shorts and a t-shirt she slipped into a dress but I knew exactly what was underneath and I couldn't stop thinking about it Jesus Christ what's going on here Clara asked seriously

it seemed like she was having trouble processing everything that had happened I think we might be the most physically compatible people in the world I said this was my genuine belief I'd been thinking about it while brushing my teeth I'd read about Zex talked about it with friends even brows Dan Savage's advice columns but I'd never encountered anything like what was happening between me and Clara it felt like we were in uncharted waters how long could this last and would we survive it Clara smiled at my comment but her concerns were valid we don't know

the answers to those questions there's only one way to find out I think we should head to my place so I can change and check my email if you sit a little farther from me in the car maybe we'll make it there she laughed and I couldn't help but join in we ended up rolling on the floor with laughter once we settled down we decided to give it a try our fiery energy cooled slightly we got dressed and headed to my house as far as I knew Clara had never been inside and she started looking

around while I managed to get a bit of work done I went upstairs and changed into fresh shorts and a new shirt it was Sunday so I turned on the baseball game I found out Clara was a huge fan so was I we watched for nearly an hour before I started getting affectionate this time we made our way upstairs to the master bedroom I made love to her gently taking our time and we reached another Mutual climax it was incredible something that rarely happened between Shelly and me Clara looked at me with tears in her

eyes and said Joey I've fallen in love with you I just want to thank you for everything now she was crying and I started crying too eventually we dried our tears I said I wonder how the game's going we went back downstairs and watched the last two innings she really knew her stuff calling out when a player would steal a base or attempt a hit and run she was fully invested in the game and so was I afterward I made us aeal roasted chicken we ate drank some wine and shared light touches caressing each other

looking into her eyes I realized that I wanted her by my side for the long run she said I'm in love with you Joe and I'll fight to keep it you don't need to fight I'm all yours we went back upstairs for another round of Tender Love Making we kept going even into the next morning including during breakfast I said it's time for me to head to court and therapy maybe I don't need therapy as much now but I'll still go if you're here when I get back I'll cook dinner again I'll be here I'd

say fully dressed but more likely I'll be unclothed we laughed then I kissed her and took her home I stood in court with a lawyer from my firm when Connor and Shelly arrived with their attorney vanguard's lawyer was also present judge Coulson took his place on the bench Shelley didn't look at me and Connor glanced my way briefly before turning away vanguard's lawyer began by explaining why the money transfer had been blocked the transfer request came from an unrecognized computer at 3:00 a.m. and the email linked to this request also came from this unfamiliar device

the computer had never been used for the account before and the account where the money was supposed to go didn't belong to either Shelly or me the firm system flagged the transaction and the transfer was blocked until both account holders were notified the lawyer emphasized that Vanguard wanted the trro to avoid any liability over the dispute my lawyer argued that the money was joint property and had been moved without my knowledge or consent and now against my objection he pointed out that Shelley left me unexpectedly quit her job relocated to Pittsburgh and moved in with

William Conor shelle's lawyer countered stating that shelle had as much right to withdraw funds from the account as I did and money should be transferred where she had intended the judge asked the Vanguard lawyer where was the money supposed to go to a local bank account in the name of William Connor have you identified whose computer was used for the transfer attempt no that's beyond our current capabilities the lawyer responded the judge then said I'd like Mrs Mason to take the oath please Shelley seemed to shrink into herself as Connor grabbed her hand the clerk

asked her to raise her right hand which she did hesitantly when asked if she swore to tell the truth Shelley answered yes Mrs Mason are you married to Joseph Mason yes do you jointly own an account with him at Vanguard yes she replied did you attempt to withdraw $200,000 from this account last week I I no Shelley looked around nervously and Connor let go of her hand and stepped aside did you give anyone permission to withdraw that money not exactly explain please the judge instructed bill Mr Connor asked to borrow $220,000 to pay off some

overdue debts I reluctantly agreed he asked for my password because my computer wasn't working after we moved I gave him the password and he used his computer I used it to check my email while he was on it for a few minutes then he closed it I didn't know anything about the $200,000 when did you learn about the amount when I got the written notification the judge looked at Connor and made a note Mr Connor could you state your name and address please I'm not here to be a part of this Connor responded I just

came to support Michelle please comply the judge said firmly Connor reluctantly gave his name and address I already knew this information the judge then turned to my lawyer and asked is Mr Mason planning to file for divorce yes your honor the paperwork has been prepared and will be filed this week the judge ordered Vanguard to freeze the account until a Family Law Court could review the assets he told my lawyer that the divorce papers had to be filed by the end of the day tomorrow or he would reconsider the freeze order I saw Shelly slump

into a chair at the table her head in her hands Connor hurried out of the courtroom shelle sat there silently completely withdrawn the courtroom was almost empty just the two of us left the BFF motioned for us to leave so he could lock the doors I guided Shelly into the corridor Connor was nowhere to be found and only a few people passed by you came here with that idiot I asked staring at her yes she mumbled barely able to meet my eyes I think you should take the bus back to your new life Joey I'm

sorry this happened she said tears welling up I thought he was mine my betrothed that's what I told my family looks like I was wrong I feel like such a fool you have no idea how deeply you hurt me by ending a long marriage with a short note Joey our marriage isn't over I see that now I was stupid I want to come back and be your wife again tears screamed down her face sorry Shelly it's too late you've been sleeping with that idiot for months behind my back you left without even talking to me

you lived with him like he was your husband you have to face the consequences can't we go somewhere more private what about the kids she pleaded they're unhappy with you and you know it do you have any real reason for throwing me away like a used napkin no if you had asked me earlier I would have told you I thought he was my soulmate I thought a clean break would be easier for you but now I can't explain why I was so foolish she said crying even harder I hated seeing her like that but I

kept my distance I was done with her at least as my wife there's a limit to everything yes I said quietly and Clara she's my soulmate at the very least she's the best zexual partner I've ever had and I like her beyond that it feels real to me I asked Shelly what she planned to do next I have a job in Pittsburgh I have a shift tomorrow I need to pay rent I signed a year lease I'll kick bill out and see what happens maybe after some time you'll miss me let me know if you

do sure I said I'll probably miss you but I still want to understand what went wrong I'm shocked and confused I thought things were fine between us I didn't see this coming when I can figure it out I'll let you know she said hugging me before she left I didn't know what to think a deep sadness settled over me and I cried openly after she left but underneath the sadness there was a knot of anger twisting inside me I decided I needed to see a therapist so I went to my appointment that afternoon after grabbing

lunch at Subway a hot tuna sandwich with melted cheese Mary Stevens the marriage counselor made it clear she wasn't a therapist her Focus was on troubled marriages and their outcomes if necessary at first glance she looked like a typical gray-haired grandmother but as she crossed the room to shake my hand she moved with an athletic Grace and her smile was warm and genuine I liked her immediately what brings you here Mr Mason please call me Joe my wife suddenly left me she wrote a short note and moved to Pittsburgh with her new man before that

she'd been sleeping with him for about a month I see and how did you respond I explained that at first I was completely overwhelmed then I talked about my session with Jed and the time spent punching the heavy bag I said I was heartbroken and then I got angry now I felt like I was experiencing both emotions at the same time I think you've quickly gone through several stages that often occur when marriages end depression sadness and anger Mary Steven said these feelings can alternate for quite a while how are you feeling now I'm confused

to be honest I was at the gym lifting weights to vent my anger I guess there was a nurse there Clara Barton someone I knew through Shelly believe it or not I cornered her and asked what Shelly had been up to at work with that doctor she didn't want to tell me at first but eventually she did then I noticed her in spand on the treadmill we made eye contact through the mirror and the next thing I knew we were in her apartment across the street having Zex and I've never done anything like this before

we didn't leave each other's side all night and then the next day it's been several days now and I barely made it to today's court hearing Mary looked surprised at first but then smiled which I'd already mentioned how much I liked so you're clearly attracted to Clara Barton the nurse she asked nearly laughing there was a glimmer in her eyes how did she end up with a name like Maron it's a man's name and she became a nurse I felt a little embarrassed and said I didn't ask her about it we haven't done much talking

so far I'm tempted to ask for details but no that wouldn't be appropriate she said tilting her head slightly we were sitting on opposite sides of the table and she crossed her legs still smiling I felt myself starting to react she didn't seem at all like the grand motherly figure I had initially perceived something felt off so I said it seems like you're trying to show show me something maybe to reflect what I've been experiencing I'm not sure how else to explain it Mary looked at me a bit surprised but impressed that's insightful especially for

a man you caught on quickly I must be losing my touch oh no you've definitely had the intended effect I replied crossing my legs and turning slightly away from her the point I was trying to make she said is that you're especially vulnerable right now physically speaking you could easily become prey to women who see an opportunity I'm not saying Clara's feelings aren't sincere and I'm not doubting yours even if they seem a bit one-dimensional but I think it's important for you to get to know her better when you two have time to actually talk

I'm sure we'll find the time I said she laughed you're quick Joe I understand you Clara said she always found you attractive but you were forbidden fruit well Joe Mary continued I don't want to spoil our professional relationship and I can't but what you've described goes beyond typical casual Zex it's it's possible this is something real as there are rare cases of extreme sexual compatibility maybe more common than we think but for now I want to help you separate this new relationship with Clara from your marriage why isn't a new relationship part of moving on

yes it is but I want to focus on understanding your marriage first because that will influence how you approach future relationships got it I said well as far as I can tell you had a good solid marriage I began I loved her I thought she loved me we raised our kids together and didn't argue often I'm a trial lawyer so I worked hard but I always made time for our relationship especially for Zach before she left I had just finished a long trial we went about a month without Zach apparently she was getting it elsewhere

and I didn't even notice that's on me so Shell's youngest her daughter went off to college you were busy and maybe she felt old that could have been a factor Mary suggested maybe but she should have talked to me about it instead she decided to run off and marry some complete idiot a thief no less what would you have done if she had told you she felt lost or was tempted or worse that she had already given into temptation if she felt lost or tempted I would have helped maybe we would have come to you

but if she'd already cheated then it's too late that's a line I don't cross cheating means it's over I kept my promises until she walked out that's a pretty hard stance what if it had been a one night mistake while she was drun Mary asked same thing well maybe not it depends on what she did while drunk but these are all hypotheticals in reality she did what she did and it's unacceptable all right I'd like to continue this next week Mary said of course you're an interesting woman completely unexpected I look forward to seeing you

again as long as you're not too tired I replied trying to lighten the mood she smiled and we scheduled our next session since it was already 400 p.m. I decided to head home when I arrived Clara was sitting on the porch reading we didn't say much just exchanged greetings before we spent 90 minutes in bed together afterward we cooked dinner fried potatoes spring onions minced lamb and spices the hot spices really brought out the flavor while cooking and eating Clara wore shorts but no top I tried not to focus on her bare bosoms fine just

a second Clara said grabbing a T-shirt and putting it on thank you maybe we can talk now that we're full and dressed maybe she replied I think we need to talk about something important about what I saw a psychotherapist today after the court hearing I told her about what we've been experiencing and how intense it's been she called it zexual hyper compatibility meaning we might be physically obsessed with each other she said it could be part of my recovery but she wasn't convinced because Zex during recovery doesn't usually look like this I've wondered the same

thing how we can keep going like this I'm sure of how I feel but if you took off your shorts I'd be on my knees in no time it's strange I admitted Clara smiled but her tone was serious I need to make a decision about Shelly the divorce all of this she went back to Pittsburgh but not to that guy she said she had work and rent to deal with which was after I told her we were done sounds like she might be trying to find something in Pittsburgh I don't know all I can say

is if what we have is real I'm not giving it up but it hasn't been that long since I thought I was in a happy marriage I'm confused before making any permanent decisions I want to get to know you in a non-biblical way I said trying to express my uncertainty sounds like a plan Clara responded what would you like to know Clara opened up about her Suburban upbringing college and past relationships after graduating she broke up with her College boyfriend she became a nurse got a job here and married a doctor a gynecologist I was

happy with our life but he cheated on me she said he had an affair with a woman nearby and wasn't discreet I found out confronted him and he apologized I tried to save the marriage but it was a mistake a year later he cheated again after our divorce I got a good settlement he moved his practice to New York and I haven't seen him since that was 5 years ago I've had a few short-term relationships since then last year I had a friend with benefits until he moved to Thailand are you thinking about going abroad

I asked no she replied when we met at the gym how long had it been since your last relation ship I asked almost a month and it wasn't great I do have a vibrator though she added with a smile well now you have me I said leaning in to kiss her I didn't want to interrupt the conversation but it ended naturally later in bed we continued she asked about my life and I gave her a pretty complete overview she already knew a lot about the recent years so I focused on earlier events eventually we fell

asleep I guess our bodies needed the rest over the the next few days our intense physical relationship continued though at a slightly slower Pace I saw Mary Stevens again she asked about my new relationship and I told her that while the Ze was still great it wasn't as constant as before I also mentioned that Clara loved basball and knew a lot about it I shared how we'd been talking about our pasts and that I thought it would take a long time to truly get to know Clara but I was eager to try we then delve

deeper into my marriage Mary mentioned that I would need time to process my emotional response to everything that had happened she asked about my feelings toward Dr Connor and I realized I hadn't given him much thought but now my feelings could be summed up in three words drawn and quartered Mary smiled I've always liked that phrase but it's so barbaric that's exactly how I feel as a concept drawn and quartered has a certain appeal I said I believe it was originally done to a living person oh yes now I'm curious how you know so much

about it she replied with a grin we're not talking about me I'm just an ordinary person with emotions I said trying to steer the conversation back still smiling she added you know if it weren't for Clara I might have asked you out on a date I understand what you were doing but it was a very effective demonstration just so you know I smiled I think you already did yes I've always had that Talent if you weren't a patient I could use it on you but now it's off limits she teased we finished the session and

I scheduled another appointment in 2 weeks I also asked Shel to file for divorce she had a lawyer and since there were no minor children involved the divorce went smoothly it took about 8 months shelle stayed in Pittsburgh and we occasionally talked on the phone she told me she was dating and I told her about Clara Shelly sighed when I brought her up that girl has always wanted you Shelly said I could see it I'm such an idiot there was a bitterness in her voice as for Clara she moved into my house and I bought

out Shell's share ours seual compatibility settled into a more normal Rhythm I told Clara I loved her and wanted our relationship to continue but I wasn't interested in getting married again I'd been burned once Clara didn't have children but wanted at least one we discussed it she was 37 and I approached the topic with a mix of hesitation and excitement one day Clara told me she had stopped taking birth control she knew I had some internal conflict about it but after she stopped She practically made love to me until I gave in I ended up

feeling happier than ever when she announced she was pregnant I already knew before she said a word her pregnancy made our bed life even more thrilling for both of us a few days after Clara and I tied the knot in the office of a judge I knew well our daughter Linda was born both of our parents my kids everyone was there Shelley remarried too this time to a pediatrician from Pittsburgh whom she met at a convention in Dallas I hope she's happy she made a huge mistake and I still hold some blame but everything worked

out so well for me that it's hard to hold on to much resentment maybe just a little as for Connor I didn't have to do anything he self-destructed from what I hear he went bankrupt lost his medical license and now works at a gas station in Johnstown Pennsylvania Clara and I now have two kids Linda and Steven named after her father who was a great man our compatibility never faded and I believe it never will [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music]