***
That night, Jessica decided to wait up for Jason. He came home not much later than she did.
She padded down the stairs in slippers and a dressing gown, put the kettle on, and sat down at the kitchen table.
Jason sat opposite her.
“I knew you’d find out eventually,” Jason began. “I just didn’t want to hurt you at the time, and then years passed, and I somehow thought I had gotten away with it. Jess, I can’t tell you how sorry I am about this.”
“I feel like you’ve been lying to me all these years.
A lie by omission.
When did you find out about Skylar?” Jessica asked.
“About a month ago,” Jason replied. “Out of the blue, I received an email from her telling me her story.
I hadn’t heard a word from her mother since that night at the conference. It was such a terrible mistake.
Too much to drink, a hotel room within stumbling distance from the conference venue, temptation.”
“Why didn’t you tell me about Skylar sooner?” Jessica asked.
“We could have had it out then. Instead, you lied to me about working late and then went sneaking around with a young woman whom I thought you were having an affair with. Have you any idea how much this hurts!”
“I know.
I should have come clean about everything a long time ago.
I was afraid. I was afraid that you would leave me.
I was afraid that you couldn’t forgive me,” Jason said.
“I can’t believe you kept this from me. We’re supposed to be a team.
We’re supposed to share everything with each other.”
“I know.
I made so many mistakes here. I’m so sorry.”
“I don’t know if I can do this, Jason. I don’t know if I can come back from this,” Jessica finished saying.
She left the table and took herself to bed.
Jason spent two weeks in that spare room before the couple could come to some agreement on a way forward: they would seek counseling together and individually with a therapist.
Jessica sat across from the therapist, her heart heavy with betrayal.
She couldn’t believe that Jason had kept his affair and daughter a secret from her for so long.
“I feel like I’ve been living a lie,” she said.
The therapist nodded sympathetically. “It’s understandable that you’re feeling that way.
It’s a lot to process.”
“I just don’t understand why he didn’t tell me,” Jessica said. “We’ve been married for thirty years.
We’re supposed to be a team.”
“Jason probably thought that you would leave him if he told you about Skylar,” the therapist said.
“But that’s no excuse. He should have trusted you enough to be honest with you.”
Jessica sighed. “I know.
But it’s still hard to forgive him.”
“It’s going to take time,” the therapist said.
“But if you’re both willing to work at it, you can rebuild trust.”
Jason spoke up. “I want to rebuild trust, Jessica.
I love you, and I want to stay married to you.”
Jessica looked at Jason for a long moment. She could see the sincerity in his eyes.
“I love you too, Jason,” she said.
“But I need to see that you can be honest with me from now on.”
Jason nodded.
“I promise.”
The therapist smiled. “That’s a good start. Now, let’s talk about Skylar.”
Jessica’s heart skipped a beat.
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