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He drove me to the inn in Brewster where we always celebrated. A fire sputtered in the fireplace although it was summer. He ordered coquille St Jacque and tournedos Rossini. I did too. It was the meal we had ordered at Maxims, on our honeymoon in Paris, 20 years before.
His blue eyes were clear as ever, but now edged with crinkles. His beard was turning gray around the sideburns and along the edges. But to me he looked more handsome than when we had met in high school, when he was class president and I had interviewed him for the school paper and he had talked about his goldfish, Peachy and I had fallen for him then and there.
Votive candles flickered on the table. One thornless red rose separated us in a glass vase, shorn like a declawed cat.
He held my hand and passed me a silver-wrapped package. His presents were always better than anything I would pick up myself. My presents to him were banal: silk ties from Sulka, a leather briefcase.
Sure enough, I unwrapped the paper and discovered a shimmery purse with a chain handle, just big enough to hold a comb, a lipstick and a few credit cards.
“From 1915,” he whispered.
I held the purse in my hands and it felt even softer than it looked.
“Thank you, honey. It’s so lovely.”
“Happy anniversary.”
I thought about our sons sleeping a few miles away, the older one about the age we were when we first met. A child, as we had been. I thought about the support my husband had given me through the years, and the way he still bragged about me to his friends.
Tears glistened in his eyes as he watched me touch the purse.
“I love the way you watch what I do," I said.
He hesitated, and I remember everything in those seconds: the yellow candlelight, the creaking pine floors as the waiter passed, the off-white tablecloth, the lingering smell of garlic and wine, the diners whispering at other tables.
And then he spoke, words that hung in the air and remained there long after he released them, long after the fireplace cooled and the inn had closed its doors for the night. Words that would change my life.
“Lea. I’m sorry. I want a divorce.”
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Comments
Un. Fucking. Believable.
holy canoli.
And littlewillie and dave, blindsided is the word, and definitely no style. But we are ok with each other today.
You were meant to move on.
Kathy, the best ties I do think, but they can't buy love I guess.
I am praying that he gave you a LOT more that that mere purse could hold after you got the papers.
What a story.
It made me sweat.
p.s. I do hope there were some credit cards in that purse!
If someone did that to me, it would be my proudest accomplishment to have gotten over it. The anger and emotional stew that he dumped you into having evaporated like water. And it seems you have, in leaps and bounds!
It has wrong written all over the place, I mean, who does that? I am so sorry it had to be that way.
Whatever did you do with the purse?
(Before the end, I was going to tell you about how gifted you are with imagery:
"Votive candles flickered on the table. One thornless red rose separated us in a glass vase, shorn like a declawed cat.")
yalebno, missed you back there. I got over it!
Roger, actually I was born in August ... first chapter. ;)
Vanessa, gave away the purse.
Dina, my thoughts exactly or see above in early comment.
Steve, he was a nice guy. Like you. Only his timing was really, really bad.
Sarah, hope you let it go -- I did.
Delia, thanks about the image. I felt declawed and that's why I used it.
Lisa, I wrote about a breakup by answering machine. But this takes the cake, or the coquille.
ABlonde, I think he felt more secure there. No scene.
Acacia, funny. Darkly.
Mary, yes, classic passive-aggressive.
Owl, we have long ago patched things up. He got me out of a terrible childhood and we have two fine sons. Forward, ho.
Though I too blind-sided my now-XH--not that he didn't deserve it.
Please elaborate further; I'm riveted! What on earth did you do after?
Great writing. R
I'm sorry this happened to you..... his loss, I might add!
- Millstein
I just want to say that some of us, most of us, wander around here in this thing called life. We play different roles with different people some times, all really are ourselves, just different versions of how we think at the time. We believe what we want to, what we need to, we gain strength and grow. Sometimes, things change and we must make change to continue to be ourselves. We believe so much about love, but it is not what people see on the outside, it is what it is to us. No one understands but the two people it is between. I am glad you are here, writing about this. You made us feel that pain and shock in that moment, but knowing your writing, you have moved on in remarkable, healing ways. BRAVO! R
I'd hug you if we were in person.
But you really should be Superman's girlfriend anyway!
(R)ated for gritty realism and breast-baring!
Rated (and more please)
Cm, I got two husbands. My late, great Chaim. And my wonderful Bill (we are still happy newlyweds).
sophie, there will be more. There is much, much more.
Maria, do you mean where the sun don't shine.
lemon pulp, another great idea, as was Maria's above.
froggy, yes, dowser.
Deborah, you are actually right. There was a lot of good there.
Mimetalker, you have a fine sense of irony.
Elsma03, we stayed together another six months. My boss swooped in and I went right into another relationship. But I stay single for 15 years. He got married in a couple of years.
froggy, yea, dowser.
Now, I'll be the first to admit, there's never a GOOD way, place, or time to say "I won't be staying on this tram; I'm transferring in a few stations at most."
But still.
Oy.
Natalie, when I wrote this I gave no clue at all. The editor gave a tease, otherwise you may have expected nothing.
MAWB, what is it with these guys? A farewell tour? A glam goodbye?
consonantsandvowels, perfect!!
Sheila, thank you for the great comment.
Faydali, whah?
rita, there will be more. There is always more...
Myriad, I agree with your theory. And the meal was delicious. :)
Just Thinking, he was that kind of man. Didn't express his real feelings. Will write more about it.
Fred, I didn't become Superman's girlfriend, but not because I wasn't trying!
sueinaz, exactly.
Duane, I wouldn't recommend it.
Gordon, I. Agree.
Dorinda, eat your bananas and heal well!
John, what did she say? It is so far up I can't find it. :)
Steven, you storyteller, you. I promise to fill in. But there is time, and I have no intention of flouncing.
R
desert_rat, perhaps we can start a cohort: people dropped at meals.
Blu Speck, he was better at proposing.
bluestocking babe, I have had many great memories, and made many since. Two husbands later, I am happy and with a guy who communicates!
readwillet, I'm with you! No looking back unless necessary.
Donna, thank you!! What great revenge.
Amanda, he knows. I have managed just fine since, whether solo or not.
You haven't said anything about what led up to the good-bye; but I guess that's all personal. You call it a bombshell, so I'd imagine you were expecting just an anniversary dinner.
Funny. But I think it was the slammer she would have gone to, not Hawaii.
Oh Men!
OH, you're so much better off now.
These days there are some reeeeeaaaaalllly good undetectable drugs to cure what ails you!
Am I the only person who thought that the "bombshell" was going to be his coming out to you?
But can you tell us WHY he wanted out--or is that TMI?
Chuck, you and me both.
Bonnie, he cried. I didn't. Too shocked. Didn't believe him. It took several months more to realize it was over. He stayed in the house until I finally asked him to leave.
Connie, that is so correct.
Leah, we walked out together and he cried all the way home.
Adequate Parent, that was not the case.
I'd write the Birkin into the divorce settlement.
Without taking any "undetectable drugs" at all, one thing I was clearly able to detect was that you look a lot like Shirley Maclaine.
Elsmac03, he "wasn't happy." There was an epidemic of divorce going on at that time. I don't think there was another woman, but who knows?
Jonathan, that's what polishing can do. I probably wouldn't have written of this if it weren't for the workshop.
HospiceH, well said!
L, I have no idea what the man was thinking. He only said nice things.
The Good Daughter, MEMEME.
ame i, so very sorry. Unfortunately I had that too, with my second husband Chaim. A very different loss.
Foolish Monkey, another succinct appraisal.
Sally, both were shockers. Who knew?
ladyslipper, very funny. But please be careful about your laptop.
On your 20th anniversary? Wow. That's pretty harsh.
My 1st wife and I get along great. She evens gets along with wife #3. She also says that some people are better off as friends that married. Maybe she is right, but I would marry her again tomorrow.
I think I'd call it asshole
You kept the purse right? :)
Rated.
You are with wife#3 and you say you could get back with wife#1 tomorrow. Just wondering if you too are planning an anniversary dinner?
Crank, he was waiting for a big one I guess.
LifeinTexas, better than "cut the cheese."
Hells Bells, I will.
Catnlion, I too have come to have a good relationship with my ex. But I wouldn't want to marry him
I SO miss having the time to check in on OS and read your posts!!!
Tink, the purse is long gone. (Happy Birthday!)
dustbowldiva, I didn't see it coming either.
Abrawang, as they used to say, "It was a doozy."
David! So good to hear from you. Please come back more often!
Him, not you.
Sorry, I'm not in a forgiving mood when it comes to men blindsiding their wives about divorce. Long, personal story.
Now youre free, enjoy !
Burgess Dillard
07/17/2010
Trilogy, that might be my new mantra.
Writer to the Stars, you sure have a way with words.
Yeah, Little Kate. If it were my 19th it wouldn't have felt quite so bad.
Bill, see comment above.
Antoinette, at least he waited until the end of the meal.
Gail, yours is one of several suggestions as to what I should have done. I was too shocked to do much of anything.
Glenn, glad to see you think it was as awful as I did. Do like you males coming here!
Clever theory, Chameleon. It worked.
sweetfeet, I guess "being happy" is really, really important.
Thanks, Gianna.
Nope. She left me for another woman. I'm just guessing here, but I don't think it would work out the second time either.
But what fucking LOUSY timing he had!
I want to hunt the man down and SLAP him good!
rated.
Gabby, I hear you, sort of.
Shiral, the reactions have varied but all seem to conclude he deserves a kick in the butt.
Lisa, what a difference a day makes? Not.
Julie, just hang in there, don't settle, and you will.
Thanks, smalltownwriter.
Wendy, stunned is an understatement.
Deb, you are right.
Jimmy, well-put!
Reason? Explanation? Anything? (Not that it would have helped, but it would have been nice to know...)_r
I am so-o glad though that you moved on to other things and can thus talk about this hopefully with a wry grin.....Rated