Marcus believed he had made all the right choices when he decided to divorce his wife, Izzy. However, the appearance of his new girlfriend at his daughter’s 15th birthday celebration led to unexpected chaos, including hearty laughter, a shocking slap, and a revelation that blindsided him. I was confident I was heading in the right direction when a new and thrilling chapter entered my life.
It was spontaneous and swift, but it felt justified, and it ultimately shattered everything. After two decades of marriage to Isabel—whom everyone lovingly referred to as “Izzy”—I thought life had grown stale. There were no fresh experiences to be had.
Then, unexpectedly, I crossed paths with Jenna during a game night hosted by a friend, which Izzy didn’t attend. For context, I’m 49; my wife is 47, and Jenna is 46. This isn’t the cliché narrative of a man abandoning his wife for a younger woman.
Meeting Jenna reignited a spark within me that I hadn’t realized had dimmed. We connected instantly, and I wish I could convey it in a less clichéd way. One thing I was clear about, though, was that I would never betray my wife.
This led me to the challenging decision of choosing between two decades of commitment and fatherhood versus the allure of new love—a choice that would be straightforward for many. But it felt right, especially after coincidentally running into Jenna multiple times, whether at coffee shops or even at the supermarket just days after the birthday party. It felt like fate, which propelled me to act on impulse.
I told Izzy I wanted a divorce, and the memory of that day still stings, making me wish I could rewind time, just like a moment in “Interstellar.”
“MAKE HIM STAY, MURPH!”
It was late when I returned home from work, and the house felt unusually desolate. Our daughter, Maya, was at volleyball practice, and our son, Caleb, had his own college dorm but occasionally visited. Not tonight, though.
Jenna occupied my thoughts throughout the day, and guilt washed over me as I saw Izzy. She was sorting through work emails, and upon my arrival, she greeted me with that familiar warm smile. I wished she hadn’t.
Without thinking, the words escaped my lips: “I think we need to talk about us. About…me wanting a divorce.”
The joy on her face faded, and the light in her eyes dulled to nothingness. A heavy silence filled the room for an agonizing stretch, leaving me almost grateful for the quiet.
The story doesn’t end here –
it continues on the next page.
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