The New Year was approaching, Tatiana walked around the mall for an hour in search of holiday gifts. I bought a beautiful handbag for my mother, because the old one was worn out. I bought a toy set “Fire Station” for my little son – Artemka had been dreaming about this for a long time. I chose a warm jumper of a light blue shade for my dear husband. Just under his beautiful gray eyes!
Tatiana did not forget about her close friends and colleagues. I bought a lot of funny souvenirs for them. As a result, there were two whole packages of gifts, and they were quite heavy. Crowds of shoppers scurried around, multicolored advertisements flashed, my head was spinning from fatigue and fuss. It’s time to take a break and have a cup of coffee. My mother will pick up my son from kindergarten today. So you can take your time!
Tanya looked around and noticed a small cozy cafe behind a glass partition. Great, the tired girl thought and sat down at the nearest table. She put the bags next to her on a chair, closed her eyes and exhaled with relief. The legs that were buzzing with tension relaxed, life seemed beautiful.
A smiling waitress immediately came up and put a menu on the table. Tanya asked for coffee and her favorite dessert “Tiramisu”. While waiting for the order, she looked dreamily at the garland hanging on the glass partition. Cheerful twinkling lights reminded of the upcoming holiday in a warm family circle. And suddenly, through this garland, she saw her husband. What a coincidence, I probably also came for gifts! I’m going to call and tell you that I’m here. The happy spouse grabbed the phone, but immediately realized that her husband was not alone. An elegant, long-haired stranger stood next to him. They were talking animatedly and clearly enjoying the conversation.
Maybe it’s just an employee? And they met by chance at the mall, decided to go shopping together? Alas, the self-deception did not last long. The couple sauntered into the cafe. Confused Tatiana did not know where to go. They’ll notice now! But then she realized that she didn’t have to hide. After all, she came here alone, she has nothing to hide. And the husband is with another woman. How so? Their family life has been going on for eight years. And not once over the years has Tanya doubted the loyalty of her beloved man.
It seemed like this could happen to anyone, but not to her. Friends often shared with Tatiana their sad family experience. They told bitter stories about how unfaithful husbands disappeared somewhere for whole evenings, lied, and left on weekends. And then compromising correspondence was found in their phone. Tanya tried not to even think about the possible infidelities of her husband and never followed him. There should be trust in a family, she always believed. And in general, the less you know, the stronger the nerves. Why spoil your health with worries?
Tanya continued to cling to the hope that this was just a colleague. Now they will sit, take a break, go shopping, buy gifts for loved ones and say goodbye. But the reality turned out to be cruel. The husband sat his friend down at a table in the most secluded corner, the waitress handed over the menu. No one even looked at Tatiana. She was closely monitoring the situation. Coffee and cakes were brought. The husband was saying something at this time, and the stranger was laughing coquettishly. Then he took her hand, brought it to his lips and began to kiss her fingers. There was no doubt. A couple of lovers were sitting in front of the deceived wife. And they kept themselves at ease, as if they had known each other for a long time. Well, it probably was. And Tanya had no idea about anything.
She wanted to run up to the table and throw a huge scandal. Tears welled up in my eyes, it became difficult to breathe. I didn’t feel like eating or drinking anymore. Tanya pushed the dessert plate away and sat with her fists tightly clenched. “We must control ourselves! Hysteria can’t fix anything. I’ll look like a pathetic, faint-hearted fool. It’s better to leave right now, otherwise I won’t be able to stand it. They’ve probably been having an affair for months. And I, so simple-minded, trusted my husband in everything. Then he has a lot of work, then a friend needs help. Of course, so responsible, and so responsive! I was just blind! And now it’s time for the truth. No matter how much you close your eyes, you can’t hide from fate. I’ll come home now, cry, and then I’ll figure it out. I’ll listen to him start making excuses. The main thing is not to be noticed now.”
Tatiana gestured to the waitress, paid the bill and quietly left. On the way out, she once again looked back at her husband. The man did not take his enthusiastic gaze from his laughing companion. On the way home, Tanya was overcome by terrible thoughts. She tried to remember how her husband usually looked at her. Was his gaze the same in love, even if not now, but earlier, when they were just starting to meet. Jealousy made me uneasy, my heart was squeezed with pain. And for a minute she thought that an accident would be a release from these mental torments.
But, fortunately, nothing happened. Tanya drove home without incident, entered the apartment, left bags of gifts at the door.
She didn’t want to sort out the purchases. It was even difficult for her to undress.
Shedding bitter tears, she fell on the bed. And suddenly another painful guess flashed by. Tatiana remembered how she had recently returned from work and noticed that the bed was made a little differently. Then I didn’t attach any importance, I thought I just showed up. Now she understood. The estranged woman was here, in this bedroom, on this very bed. The woman jumped up as if she had been burned. “How disgusting my soul is now! There will be no return to the usual life. What a cynical deception! And how long does it last? However, it doesn’t matter, even a month, even a year.”
Tatiana couldn’t find a place for herself. She walked restlessly around the kitchen and thought about what to do. “To keep silent and pretend that nothing happened? Convince yourself that it’s just a friend? Self-deception again? No, that won’t do. Should I tell him that I know everything? Listen to ridiculous excuses and forgive? But he wasn’t even hiding. Came to the mall with her, walked in front of everyone? I wasn’t afraid that I would meet acquaintances. Have you lost your head completely from passion? Or are you ready to confess?”
My thoughts were driving me crazy, I wanted to close my eyes and imagine that this was a dream. At this time, the key moved in the lock, the door creaked, footsteps were heard in the hallway.
– hello! I had a snack at work and I’m not hungry yet. I’m going to get some rest,” the husband said, smiling.
– Wait! If you have time to rest, we need to talk.
– What happened? Something serious? Maybe we’d better discuss it in the morning.
– No, sit down and listen.
Tatiana pushed back her chair, he sat down and looked at his wife in surprise.
– Well, come on, tell me what happened.
– I know all about you. How could you?
– I don’t know what you mean.
– I saw you at the cafe today. I was at the mall too.
– You just misunderstood.
He tried to stall for time, but he couldn’t find an excuse. It was all so obvious. Tatiana smiled bitterly. Many men cheat, it’s a fact. Listening to the sad stories of her friends, for some reason she thought that it would not affect her. And now Tanya is faced with reality.
– Now I’m going to my mom, I’ll pick up Artyom. When we arrive, don’t let you be here. Go away, leave me alone. We will not be able to return to our previous life.
– Wait, please, I’ll explain everything, – he desperately grabbed his wife’s hand.
– Leave me alone, I’m going to tell you a lot of nasty things. Let me come to my senses. Then we’ll discuss everything.
Tatiana resolutely pulled her hand away, put on her coat and abruptly slammed the door. I came to my mother, I wanted to calmly tell everything, but instead I burst into tears. The frightened little son became quiet, realizing that his mother was ill.
Gray, joyless days dragged on. Tatiana was no longer crying. But the boy saw that something was wrong with her. Sometimes she froze with a spoon in her hands, looked out the window for a long time, did not hear the children’s words, sat clutching her head. Artyom really wanted to know where Dad was. But he didn’t dare ask. I was afraid of upsetting my mother even more.
The husband moved in with his mistress, and a few months later he returned.
But you can’t bring back lost happiness, you can’t glue a broken cup. There will be no more trust. Without thinking about the consequences, millions of people make the same mistakes. Is there really no such concepts as sincerity, responsibility, decency in the world? Is a new hobby so much more important than close people? Why does a man leave his wife and child for his mistress? When a happy family is destroyed, male polygamy seems a dubious excuse, agree.
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