Concerned about her husband\u2019s suspicious behavior for some weeks, a loving wife arranges for a caring cab driver to follow the man, whatever the cost and wherever it leads.<\/p>\n
But everything is not as it seems when she eventually uncovers the truth and exposes a long-hidden secret.<\/p>\n
Jessica and Jason sat silently across each other at the dinner table, picking at the lasagne Jessica had half-heartedly prepared.<\/p>\n
True to his form over the past few weeks, Jason had arrived home late from the office with the now oft-repeated excuse that his team was working overtime on the Simmons project.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is nice,\u201d Jason remarked nervously and unconvincingly about the dinner.<\/p>\n
\u201cIs it?\u201d Jessica replied sarcastically. \u201cI\u2019m so glad you like it.<\/p>\n
I slaved away at it all afternoon.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIs something bothering you?\u201d Jason asked his wife of thirty years, whom he loved dearly.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know, Jason, you tell me.<\/p>\n
Is there something wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLook, honey, I\u2019m sorry I\u2019ve been working late. This project is crucial to our business right now.<\/p>\n
If we lose the account, we\u2019ll go out of business. We\u2019re busting a gut to ensure we get this one right.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, is that it then?<\/p>\n
Whatever you say, Jason.<\/p>\n
Do what you must. Who am I to stand in the way of your business.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jason grimaced at the animosity in his wife\u2019s tone and feared that what he was about to say next would send her through the roof. \u201cUh, babe,\u201d he said, \u201cI know you\u2019re going to kill me, but unfortunately I have to go back to work now, it\u2019s just\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
Before he could finish his excuse, Jessica sprang to her feet, angrily seized her half-empty dinner plate and the lasagne dish, and stamped off into the kitchen without a word.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh dear,\u201d Jason whispered to himself.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is bad.\u201d He stood up, shouldered the jacket on the back of his chair, picked up the laptop bag at his feet, and exited the front door as quietly as possible.<\/p>\n
Jessica was ready.<\/p>\n
As soon as she heard the front door close, she made the call she\u2019d been planning for days\u2014maybe even rehearsing in her head without admitting it to herself: \u201cWhere are you?\u201d she asked the person on the other end of the line. \u201cOkay, good.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m coming out through the back gate now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wrapping herself in a dark maroon shawl, Jessica shoved quickly through the backyard and out onto the street. The yellow taxi cab was exactly where she had asked it to be: on the curb right in front of the back gate.<\/p>\n
Jessica jumped in.<\/p>\n
\u201cGo around the block to the front of the house, fast,\u201d she instructed the driver, who nodded and stepped on the gas.<\/p>\n
They swung around, making a quick right and then another.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere up ahead,\u201d Jessica said, her voice tightening, \u201cthe black Audi, follow that car.\u201d<\/p>\n
The driver nodded. \u201cYes, madam,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot too close,\u201d Jessica said. \u201cHe mustn\u2019t know he\u2019s being followed.\u201d<\/p>\n
The driver nodded and said nothing.<\/p>\n
\u201cSir, what\u2019s your name?\u201d Jessica asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am Musa,\u201d the driver replied.<\/p>\n
\u201cMusa, how much will it cost for you to drive me everywhere that car in front goes?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMadam,\u201d Musa said, pointing towards the dashboard, \u201cthe meter is running.<\/p>\n
Whatever that says is what you pay.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay,\u201d Jessica said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll pay you five hundred dollars on top of the meter if you keep driving me for as long as it takes for me to figure out what the man in that car is up to.\u201d<\/p>\n
For the first time, Musa glanced at her properly in the mirror.<\/p>\n
There was no wildness in her face. No drunkenness. No revenge fantasy.<\/p>\n
Just heartbreak, tightly folded into determination.<\/p>\n
\u201cSuits me, madam,\u201d Musa said, carefully navigating a stop signal and following the Audi left onto a main street.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you don\u2019t mind me asking, madam, who is this person we are following? I don\u2019t want any trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThere won\u2019t be any trouble, Musa.<\/p>\n
The driver is my husband. He\u2019s a mild-mannered accountant.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy are we following him, madam?\u201d<\/p>\n
Jessica was silent momentarily, unsure whether to take this taxi driver into her confidence.<\/p>\n
She studied his reflection in the rear-view mirror.<\/p>\n
He had kind eyes, soft features, and was cleanly shaven.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think he is having an affair,\u201d Jessica said. \u201cHe has been behaving oddly for at least the past two weeks and says he\u2019s working late. We\u2019ve been married for thirty years, and I know when he\u2019s lying.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve called his office several times, and the receptionist told me he wasn\u2019t in.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s never had to work late nights like this before. No, something is going on, and I will get to the bottom of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI understand, madam.<\/p>\n
I can understand how much this is hurting you,\u201d Musa said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you married?\u201d Jessica asked.<\/p>\n
Musa nodded. \u201cTen years now,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy wife and I are from Nigeria.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow long have you lived in this country?\u201d Jessica asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cTwelve years now, we are full citizens,\u201d Musa replied.<\/p>\n
\u201cGlad to hear it,\u201d Jessica replied.<\/p>\n
Musa had been driving carefully, staying a few cars behind Jason, weaving deftly through the early evening traffic.<\/p>\n
The cab began to slow, and Jessica looked up to see where they were. She recognized the building ahead instantly.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh,\u201d she said. She was surprised.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is his office building.<\/p>\n
Maybe he\u2019s telling the truth after all.\u201d<\/p>\n
But even as she said it, she didn\u2019t believe it.<\/p>\n
Not fully.<\/p>\n
Not with the way he had avoided her eyes at dinner. Not with the strange distance that had crept into their marriage like cold air under a door.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat would you like me to do, madam?\u201d Musa asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cKeep on going slowly,\u201d Jessica instructed, \u201cthen make a U-turn and pull up on the opposite side of the street. Let\u2019s see what he does.\u201d<\/p>\n
Musa did as he was told.<\/p>\n
Jessica watched through the rear window and saw Jason\u2019s car disappear into the building\u2019s underground parking lot. The two of them sat silently in the taxi cab and watched the office block solemnly.<\/p>\n
After some time, Musa asked: \u201cWhy do you suspect your husband of an affair, madam?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, it\u2019s not just the excuse of working late,\u201d Jessica replied.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd the look in his eyes when he lies to me.<\/p>\n
My best friend saw him during lunchtime a week ago in his favorite cafe, not far from here. He was there with a much younger woman, having coffee.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPerhaps a coworker?\u201d Musa suggested.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, perhaps,\u201d Jessica replied. \u201cLooks like he was telling the truth about coming to the office now.<\/p>\n
But still, something doesn\u2019t feel right.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s wait a while longer.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo problem,\u201d Musa said.<\/p>\n
Half an hour later, after no action, Jessica was about to call it a night, satisfied\u2014almost embarrassed\u2014that her husband had told the truth after all, when suddenly the black Audi came barreling out of the underground parking exit.<\/p>\n
Sitting alongside Jason in the passenger seat was an attractive young, blonde woman elegantly dressed in a black coat. Jessica froze.<\/p>\n
For one suspended second, her body forgot how to move.<\/p>\n
Then her stomach dropped so hard it felt like the floor had vanished beneath her.<\/p>\n
Her friend had been right. Jessica\u2019s suspicions were confirmed.<\/p>\n
Maybe tears will come later, Jessica thought.<\/p>\n
All she could feel right then was anger.<\/p>\n
\u201cFollow them, please,\u201d she asked Musa. He had seen Jason\u2019s car and was already accelerating in pursuit.<\/p>\n
Jason was driving fast. Does he know we\u2019re following him?<\/p>\n
Jessica thought.<\/p>\n
Yellow cabs are everywhere in this city. This was why she\u2019d decided on this method of surveilling him\u2014of course, she couldn\u2019t follow him in her car.<\/p>\n
He\u2019d know right away it was her, and besides, she wasn\u2019t a good driver.<\/p>\n
But Musa was. He kept the cab hot on the Audi\u2019s heels away from the office block.<\/p>\n
They were heading for the park, a short drive away.<\/p>\n
Jason pulled his car into a space adjacent to the park, and Musa followed suit a few spots back.<\/p>\n
Jessica and Musa watched Jason and the young woman exit the car. They were talking earnestly. The young woman stepped close to Jason, and he held out an arm.<\/p>\n
She linked her arm through his, and the two walked arm-in-arm, heads bowed close together, along a path, entered the park, and disappeared among trees lit by electric light.<\/p>\n
It was too intimate. Too easy. Too familiar.<\/p>\n
Like this had not been the first time.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve seen enough,\u201d Jessica said sadly, though her eyes remained fixed on the path where they had vanished.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease take me home, Musa.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, madam,\u201d Musa said sympathetically.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sorry this trouble has befallen you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jessica nodded and closed her eyes as the tears sprang unbidden. She reached into her handbag for a tissue and cried quietly as Musa steered her home.<\/p>\n
He glanced in the rearview mirror when they were nearly at Jessica\u2019s home.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you okay, madam?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n
Jessica shook her head. \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think so.\u201d<\/p>\n
The taxi driver sighed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d he said. \u201cI know this must be difficult for you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jessica nodded. \u201cIt is,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I\u2019m glad I found out the truth.\u201d<\/p>\n
Though even as she said it, something inside her whispered: Not all of it.<\/p>\n
Musa pulled the cab up to Jessica\u2019s house.<\/p>\n
Jessica exited the taxi, paid the tab on the meter, and handed over the extra cash as promised.<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you,\u201d she said. \u201cI appreciate it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re welcome,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope you feel better soon.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jessica walked up to the front door and turned the key. She went inside and closed the door behind her.<\/p>\n
Jessica stood in the foyer, staring at the blank wall.<\/p>\n
She felt lost and alone.<\/p>\n
She didn\u2019t know what to do next.<\/p>\n
But she knew one thing for sure. She had to confront Jason. She had to find out why he had betrayed her like this.<\/p>\n
Jessica took a deep breath and walked upstairs to the bedroom.<\/p>\n
She lay awake with many questions and worries coursing through her mind: Maybe the young woman was simply a coworker\u2014Jason had picked her up at his office.<\/p>\n
But why had they gone for a walk in the park, arm-in-arm? Should she confront him?<\/p>\n
How would she explain that she had seen them because she had followed them?<\/p>\n
She heard Jason come home a short while after she went to bed. He\u2019s home already?<\/p>\n
That must be a good sign, she thought.<\/p>\n
She pretended to be asleep when he came into the bedroom. I\u2019ll deal with it in the morning, she decided.<\/p>\n
But as he moved quietly in the dark, setting down his keys, changing out of his clothes, slipping beneath the covers without touching her, Jessica realized something even more painful than suspicion:<\/p>\n
He had become a stranger in his own house.<\/p>\n
The breakfast table encounter between Jessica and her husband the next morning was almost a repeat performance of dinner. Jason was nervous and shifty.<\/p>\n
He tried to make small talk, but Jessica ignored it.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat time did you get home last night?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cAround nine,\u201d Jason replied, which was correct\u2014Jessica had glanced at the clock on her side table when she heard him come in.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe made good progress last night on the project; it went quicker than I thought it would.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGood progress?\u201d Jessica echoed with a sharp edge in her voice.<\/p>\n
Jason pretended not to catch her tone. \u201cYes,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut tonight could be a very late one. We have a presentation to the Simmons board tomorrow.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t worry about dinner; I\u2019ll order pizzas or something for the office.\u201d<\/p>\n
So, that settles it, Jessica thought.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s going to go out with that woman again tonight. \u201cVery well,\u201d she said coldly. \u201cAnd I won\u2019t wait up, same as last night.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t wake me when you come home.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay, Jess,\u201d Jason said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sorry about this. I promise I\u2019ll make it up to you when the project ends.<\/p>\n
I know this is a difficult time, but I promise it\u2019ll work out for the best.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jessica simply looked at him without saying anything. The shiftiness in his eyes gave him away yet again.<\/p>\n
Since Jason had become CFO at the company where he worked, Jessica had been able to quit her job and follow her passion for food photography.<\/p>\n
She had a few steady clients to keep her busy some days, and for the rest, she was finally writing the novel that had lived in her head for so many years.<\/p>\n
She opened up her laptop at the kitchen counter soon after Jason had left and tried to carry on writing.<\/p>\n
But she couldn\u2019t focus at all.<\/p>\n
The questions continued: Maybe it\u2019s my fault; am I no longer attractive to my husband? Is he not satisfied with our love-making anymore? They had indeed slowed down on that front, but that was natural, wasn\u2019t it, in such a long marriage?<\/p>\n
Jessica closed her laptop and sat pondering what to do.<\/p>\n
She reached for her phone and dialed Musa\u2019s number.<\/p>\n
\u201cMusa,\u201d she said when he answered, \u201ccan you meet me again tonight? Same time and place?\u201d<\/p>\n
Musa was waiting in his cab when Jessica stepped out the back gate.<\/p>\n
After greeting each other warmly, Jessica outlined her plan.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m taking a chance tonight, Musa,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m not sure what\u2019s going on, but I need conclusive proof before I do something I might regret.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s go to his office building and wait there.<\/p>\n
He said he would be working late again.\u201d<\/p>\n
Musa agreed, and they made their way to Jason\u2019s office block and took up station in the cab with a good view of the front entrance. \u201cThis might be a long wait,\u201d Jessica said. \u201cI\u2019ll pay you the extra, same as yesterday.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo problem, madam, I am at your service,\u201d Musa replied.<\/p>\n
They settled into silence but didn\u2019t have to wait long.<\/p>\n
Soon, Jason and the blonde woman walked out of the building. They turned right and continued together on foot.<\/p>\n
\u201cFollow them, please, Musa,\u201d Jessica said.<\/p>\n
Musa pulled the taxi out of the parking space and crawled down the street a few steps behind the pedestrian couple. No sooner had they set off than a horn barked at the slow-moving cab.<\/p>\n
Jason looked sharply in their direction.<\/p>\n
Jessica turned her head away quickly.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid he see me?\u201d she asked Musa. \u201cDo you think he saw me? Is he still looking this way?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI think he didn\u2019t see you.<\/p>\n
No, he\u2019s looking away again.<\/p>\n
But I think they will see us if we keep up like this. Maybe I should speed up?\u201d Musa suggested.<\/p>\n
The driver in the car behind them leaned heavily again on the horn as if to answer that question.<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay, go ahead,\u201d Jessica said, \u201cbut stop and let them catch up. I want to see where they are going.\u201d<\/p>\n
Musa did as instructed, pulling the cab over a few hundred feet ahead.<\/p>\n
Jessica lay down on the back seat to avoid being seen when Jason and the woman drew alongside.<\/p>\n
Her cheek pressed against the worn leather as their footsteps approached.<\/p>\n
Closer.<\/p>\n
Closer.<\/p>\n
She held her breath.<\/p>\n
For one absurd second, she imagined Jason opening the rear door and finding her there\u2014crumpled in the dark like evidence of her own humiliation.<\/p>\n
But they passed.<\/p>\n
They were deep in conversation and paid no heed to the taxi cab, walking on.<\/p>\n
Jessica sat up again and watched them trundle on down the busy street. Just as they were about to disappear from view, they stopped, and Jason motioned with a hand toward the building alongside them. Jessica knew it instantly: Luigi\u2019s was their favorite Italian restaurant.<\/p>\n
The same corner table.<\/p>\n
The same warm lights.<\/p>\n
The same place where he had once reached across the table and asked her to spend forever with him.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s taking her out to dinner at Luigi\u2019s,\u201d Jessica said sadly.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, this is it then.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLooks that way, madam.<\/p>\n
What do you want to do?\u201d Musa asked.<\/p>\n
Jessica sat silently for some time, thinking it through. \u201cI want to be sure, Musa.<\/p>\n
Maybe they are just discussing work over dinner,\u201d she said, and added, \u201cAre you hungry?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMadam?\u201d Musa asked, confused.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow about I buy you dinner?\u201d Jessica asked. She reached into her handbag for her purse, took out a fifty-dollar note, and handed it to Musa.<\/p>\n
\u201cDinner\u2019s on me.<\/p>\n
Go into that restaurant where they are, take a table as close as you can to them, order dinner, and then come back and tell me how they behave towards each other.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMadam, are you sure that\u2019s a good idea?\u201d Musa asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not sure at all! I feel like I\u2019m losing my mind,\u201d Jessica said. \u201cBut I have to do something!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAll right, madam, I\u2019ll help you, don\u2019t worry,\u201d Musa said.<\/p>\n
He took the fifty-dollar note and crossed the street to the restaurant.<\/p>\n
Jessica watched him enter. Not two minutes later, she saw him walk out again.<\/p>\n
He walked back to the cab, climbed back into the driver\u2019s seat, turned around, and handed Jessica her cash back.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey wouldn\u2019t give me a seat,\u201d he said. \u201cThe manager said I didn\u2019t have a reservation.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat!\u201d Jessica exclaimed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat is totally unacceptable.<\/p>\n
Jason and I eat there often without a reservation. I\u2019m going in myself.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jessica popped the door open and marched down the street into the restaurant. She was met by the ma\u00eetre d\u2019, a small, friendly man named Dimitri, who greeted her with a worried look on his face.<\/p>\n
He glanced over to where Jason and his companion were seated at a table at the window.<\/p>\n
\u201cUm, er, hello, ma\u2019am,\u201d he stammered, \u201cwill you be joining us for dinner this evening?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDimitri, that man who was just here alone, asking for a table, did you tell him he needs to have a reservation and can\u2019t be seated?\u201d Jessica asked angrily.<\/p>\n
\u201cUm, ma\u2019am, yes, sorry, is he your guest?<\/p>\n
I am so sorry! As you can see, the restaurant is full, but I would be happy to find a space for you both.<\/p>\n
Will you be joining your husband?\u201d he added nervously.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, I will not be joining my husband!\u201d Jessica replied rather more loudly than she intended, raising looks from some of the diners, including Jason. He looked up from his plate of pasta and went pale with shock.<\/p>\n
Jessica stood her ground at the entrance and stared at Jason defiantly.<\/p>\n
He stood up and approached his very angry wife.<\/p>\n
\u201cJess, what are you doing here?\u201d he asked nervously.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat am I doing here?\u201d Jessica challenged back.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat am I doing here, you ask? The question is, what are you doing here? You told me you were working late and having pizzas at the office.<\/p>\n
And I find you here with another woman!<\/p>\n
Who is that woman with you, Jason?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJess, I can explain everything, everything. Please.<\/p>\n
Why don\u2019t you join us, please,\u201d he put a hand on Jessica\u2019s shoulder, but she brushed it off brusquely. \u201cDimitri, please set up a place for my wife at the table,\u201d Jason asked the ma\u00eetre d\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t bother, Dimitri, this won\u2019t take long,\u201d Jessica said, shooting a look at the young woman at the table who was watching the scene with interest.<\/p>\n
Jessica walked over calmly, not looking at Jason.<\/p>\n
She sat down and examined the woman across from her.<\/p>\n
She was about twenty in Jessica\u2019s estimation, very pretty, with hazel-colored eyes and a lovely, freckled nose. Jessica saw the likeness immediately.<\/p>\n
Not just a resemblance.<\/p>\n
A stamp.<\/p>\n
The shape of the chin. The way the eyes tilted slightly at the corners. Even the nervous way she folded her hands on the table.<\/p>\n
Something cold moved through Jessica then\u2014not jealousy this time, but dawning realization.<\/p>\n
\u201cJessica,\u201d Jason said formally, his voice barely above a whisper, \u201cI\u2019d like you to meet Skylar. My daughter.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jessica said nothing.<\/p>\n
The restaurant noise seemed to recede all at once, as if someone had shut a door on the entire room.<\/p>\n
She looked one to the other, from Jason to Skylar and back again, taking this all in.<\/p>\n
It was unmistakable: Skylar was a younger, prettier female carbon copy of her husband.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know this must be a terrible shock to you,\u201d Jason said. \u201cIt must be such a big surprise.<\/p>\n
I promise you, I was going to tell you all about it and introduce you in good time. I\u2014\u201d he waved a hand at Skylar, \u201cwe just needed some time to come to terms with this ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s nice to meet you, Jessica,\u201d Skylar said gently.<\/p>\n
\u201cJason has told me so much about you already, and I feel like I know you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know you, Skylar,\u201d Jessica said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is unbelievable. Why did you never tell me you have a daughter?\u201d<\/p>\n
Jason\u2019s face twisted in pain. \u201cI never knew,\u201d he said, \u201cI, I\u2014\u201d he broke off again.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m so ashamed.\u201d He hung his head and couldn\u2019t say more.<\/p>\n
\u201cSkylar, how old are you?\u201d Jessica asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m twenty-one,\u201d she replied.<\/p>\n
Jessica did the math in her head instantly.<\/p>\n
\u201cTwenty-one,\u201d she repeated, \u201cthat means\u2014\u201d she broke off and looked at Jason. \u201cThat means we were already married when she was born,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Jason looked up, shaking his head.<\/p>\n
\u201cJess, I am so, so sorry you had to find out like this.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWho is your mother, Skylar?\u201d Jessica asked, ignoring Jason.<\/p>\n
\u201cHer name is Muriel,\u201d she replied. \u201cWe live in the next state.<\/p>\n
I insisted that she reveal to me one day who my father was, and I tracked him down.<\/p>\n
That day is finally here. Jason has let me intern at his work so we can spend time together and see if we can make this work. I want to get to know my father and have him in my life.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was at that national work conference, Jess,\u201d Jason explained.<\/p>\n
\u201cTwenty-one years ago.<\/p>\n
I am so sorry you had to find out like this. It was a one-night stand with a woman I met there.<\/p>\n
I swear, just that one night.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jessica said nothing as she processed this information. \u201cHow many times have you cheated on me?\u201d she asked Jason.<\/p>\n
\u201cI swear on my life, it was just that one time.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve been so ashamed of myself ever since, but now I must face it.<\/p>\n
And make it up to both of you. Skylar, I am not ashamed of you. You are my flesh and blood; I will do right by you.<\/p>\n
Jessica, I\u2019ll do whatever you want me to do to make this right.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jessica shook her head.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is too much for me to take in right now,\u201d she said. \u201cI don\u2019t know what happens now.<\/p>\n
I just don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dimitri came over to the table, topped up the empty wine glasses in front of Jason and Skylar, and placed one for Jessica. \u201cMa\u2019am?\u201d he offered, showing her the bottle of red wine in his hand.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, thank you,\u201d Jessica said distractedly, deep in thought.<\/p>\n
\u201cWould you like to place your dinner order now, ma\u2019am?\u201d Dimitri asked.<\/p>\n
There was a long pause.<\/p>\n
Jessica stared at Jason\u2019s plate.<\/p>\n
At the steam still rising from it.<\/p>\n
At the fork resting where his hand had just been.<\/p>\n
At the absurd normalcy of pasta and wine in the middle of a life splitting open.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll have what he\u2019s having,\u201d Jessica said, pointing at Jason\u2019s plate.<\/p>\n
\u201cCertainly, ma\u2019am,\u201d Dimitri said and started walking away.<\/p>\n
\u201cDimitri,\u201d Jessica clarified, \u201cI meant that literally; please bring it to me in a take-away box.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAh, okay, I see, sure,\u201d Dimitri said and removed the barely touched plate in front of Jason.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll see to it right away.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll talk about it when you get home, Jason.<\/p>\n
But I can\u2019t be here right now. You can sleep in the spare room tonight,\u201d Jessica said. \u201cSkylar,\u201d she continued, \u201cI\u2019m sorry we had to meet under these circumstances.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m sure we\u2019ll be seeing more of each other, but please excuse me right now.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course,\u201d Skylar said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sorry, too. I hope we can be friends.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jessica nodded and stood up.<\/p>\n
She met Dimitri halfway across the floor with the takeaway box. \u201cDimitri, I will be back to discuss what happened with my friend you didn\u2019t find a seat for.<\/p>\n
I\u2019d hate to think that this restaurant discriminates against anyone for any reason,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Dimitri hung his head in shame.<\/p>\n
\u201cMadam, you have my word. From now on, I will make space for everyone and anyone,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Jessica nodded. \u201cGood,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Climbing back into the cab, Jessica reached over the seat and handed Musa the takeaway box.<\/p>\n
\u201cI promised you dinner, Musa,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSorry about the presentation, but here it is. And if you ever go back to that restaurant, they will give you the best seat in the house.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you, madam,\u201d Musa said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBack home then?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBack home,\u201d Jessica confirmed.<\/p>\n
That night, Jessica decided to wait up for Jason. He came home not much later than she did.<\/p>\n
She padded down the stairs in slippers and a dressing gown, put the kettle on, and sat down at the kitchen table.<\/p>\n
Jason sat opposite her.<\/p>\n
The silence between them felt heavier now, not with suspicion but with truth\u2014truth that had arrived too late and still carried the stench of lies.<\/p>\n
\u201cI knew you\u2019d find out eventually,\u201d Jason began. \u201cI just didn\u2019t want to hurt you at the time, and then years passed, and I somehow thought I had gotten away with it. Jess, I can\u2019t tell you how sorry I am about this.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like you\u2019ve been lying to me all these years.<\/p>\n
A lie by omission.<\/p>\n
When did you find out about Skylar?\u201d Jessica asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cAbout a month ago,\u201d Jason replied. \u201cOut of the blue, I received an email from her telling me her story.<\/p>\n
I hadn\u2019t heard a word from her mother since that night at the conference. It was such a terrible mistake.<\/p>\n
Too much to drink, a hotel room within stumbling distance from the conference venue, temptation.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy didn\u2019t you tell me about Skylar sooner?\u201d Jessica asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe 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!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know.<\/p>\n
I should have come clean about everything a long time ago.<\/p>\n
I was afraid. I was afraid that you would leave me.<\/p>\n
I was afraid that you couldn\u2019t forgive me,\u201d Jason said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t believe you kept this from me. We\u2019re supposed to be a team.<\/p>\n
We\u2019re supposed to share everything with each other.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know.<\/p>\n
I made so many mistakes here. I\u2019m so sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know if I can do this, Jason. I don\u2019t know if I can come back from this,\u201d Jessica finished saying.<\/p>\n
She left the table and took herself to bed.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Jessica sat across from the therapist, her heart heavy with betrayal.<\/p>\n
She couldn\u2019t believe that Jason had kept his affair and daughter a secret from her for so long.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like I\u2019ve been living a lie,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
The therapist nodded sympathetically. \u201cIt\u2019s understandable that you\u2019re feeling that way.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a lot to process.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI just don\u2019t understand why he didn\u2019t tell me,\u201d Jessica said. \u201cWe\u2019ve been married for thirty years.<\/p>\n
We\u2019re supposed to be a team.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJason probably thought that you would leave him if he told you about Skylar,\u201d the therapist said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut that\u2019s no excuse. He should have trusted you enough to be honest with you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jessica sighed. \u201cI know.<\/p>\n
But it\u2019s still hard to forgive him.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s going to take time,\u201d the therapist said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut if you\u2019re both willing to work at it, you can rebuild trust.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jason spoke up. \u201cI want to rebuild trust, Jessica.<\/p>\n
I love you, and I want to stay married to you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jessica looked at Jason for a long moment. She could see the sincerity in his eyes.<\/p>\n
For the first time in weeks, she also saw something else:<\/p>\n
Fear.<\/p>\n
Real fear.<\/p>\n
Not the fear of being caught, but the fear of finally understanding what he stood to lose.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love you too, Jason,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I need to see that you can be honest with me from now on.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jason nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cI promise.\u201d<\/p>\n
The therapist smiled. \u201cThat\u2019s a good start. Now, let\u2019s talk about Skylar.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jessica\u2019s heart skipped a beat.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat about her?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJason is excited to get to know her,\u201d the therapist said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd he wants to make up for lost time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jessica swallowed hard. \u201cI\u2019m happy for Jason,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I\u2019m also scared. I don\u2019t know what it\u2019s going to be like to have her in our lives.<\/p>\n
And there\u2019s something more.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jessica lapsed into silence.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s okay, Jessica,\u201d the therapist encouraged.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is the time to say what you want to say.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAll these years, Jason and I could never have children. We went for fertility testing. I was the one at fault.<\/p>\n
The doctors said I would never have children.<\/p>\n
We tried everything: fertility treatment, IVF, everything, and it didn\u2019t work. I felt like a failure as a woman.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve kept that pain hidden all this time. Now, to hear of Jason\u2019s betrayal makes it all the more painful.<\/p>\n
It makes me feel like a failure as a wife.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s so good that you got this off your chest, Jessica,\u201d the therapist said.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow we can begin to work on those thoughts you\u2019ve had about yourself. We can help you see that those judgments of yourself are false.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u201d Jason said. \u201cOh, love, I have never, ever, not once, thought of you as a failure.<\/p>\n
Not as a woman, not as a wife, and I never will.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t have to forgive Jason for his indiscretion; that is entirely up to you,\u201d the therapist said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut you are going to have to make an adjustment. It\u2019s important to know that Skylar is part of your extended family now.<\/p>\n
She has the right to know her father and to have a relationship with him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jessica nodded. \u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJason needs to learn how to balance his relationship with Skylar with his relationship with you,\u201d the therapist said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd you need to be willing to give him that space.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jessica took a deep breath.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m willing to try. I don\u2019t know if I can forgive him, though. I\u2019m willing to try, however.<\/p>\n
I will try.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s all anyone can ask,\u201d the therapist said.<\/p>\n
The therapist spent the rest of the session helping Jessica and Jason to develop a plan for moving forward.<\/p>\n
They agreed to communicate openly and honestly with each other and to give each other time to heal.<\/p>\n
It was going to be a long and winding road, but Jessica was determined to make it work. She loved Jason, and she wanted to stay married to him.<\/p>\n
And she knew that it was important for Skylar to have a relationship with her father.<\/p>\n
Jessica and Jason left the therapist\u2019s office with a renewed sense of hope. They knew that it would take time to rebuild their relationship, but they were committed to making it work.<\/p>\n
They were determined to create a new normal for their family and to give Skylar the love and support she deserved.<\/p>\n
If only it were that easy, however.<\/p>\n
It took two months before the barrier inside Jessica\u2019s heart began to dissolve, and she felt she could trust Jason again. His overtime excuses had ceased since that night at the restaurant, and he had been spending time with Skylar with Jessica\u2019s blessing.<\/p>\n
She still could not bring herself to see Skylar. Until one morning, she thought of Musa and their adventure together.<\/p>\n
Not because it had been funny.<\/p>\n
Not because it had ended neatly.<\/p>\n
But because somewhere in the middle of one of the worst nights of her life, a stranger had treated her with more honesty and gentleness than she had expected from the person she loved most.<\/p>\n
She rang his number.<\/p>\n
\u201cMusa! Yes, same time, same place.<\/p>\n
This time, though, instead of me coming out, I\u2019d like you to come in for a proper dinner. Please bring your wife,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
And so Jason, Jessica, Skylar, Musa, and Debbie\u2014Musa\u2019s wife\u2014found themselves around the dining table the following evening over roast lamb.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, Musa,\u201d Jason said jokingly after all the introductions had been made.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow did my wife manage to get you to chase me all over town?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, same as anybody can get somebody to do something: cold, hard cash,\u201d Musa replied with a smile.<\/p>\n
They all laughed.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe could have taken an Uber,\u201d Jason said, winking at Jessica, \u201cit\u2019s cheaper.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t even mention that word in our presence!\u201d Debbie said. \u201cUber is a dirty word in our household.\u201d They all laughed again at that.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo Uber driver would have done what Musa did for me, irrational as it was,\u201d Jessica said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, I was happy to help, Jessica; you seemed determined to follow through on your plan, no matter what. Mine is not the most glamorous job in the world, but it keeps me busy.<\/p>\n
And I\u2019ve met all sorts of interesting people, such as you all.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sure you have.<\/p>\n
Have you ever had any other dramas?\u201d Jason asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cA few, but nothing too serious,\u201d Musa replied. \u201cOne time, I had a passenger who was drunk and belligerent.<\/p>\n
He kept trying to grab the wheel, so I had to pull over and call the police. But other than that, it\u2019s been a pretty smooth ride.<\/p>\n
Excuse the pun.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s cool that you get to meet so many different people, Musa,\u201d Skylar said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThanks, Skylar.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s definitely one of the perks of the job,\u201d Musa said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, what\u2019s your favorite part of the city?\u201d Jason asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s tough to say,\u201d Musa replied. \u201cI like different parts for different reasons. I like the downtown area for the excitement and the energy.<\/p>\n
But I also like the quieter neighborhoods, where you can get to know your neighbors.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI like the mix of the old and the new in this city.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s so much history, but there\u2019s also so much innovation happening,\u201d Jessica said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love the diversity of the city. There are people from all over the world living here,\u201d Skylar added.<\/p>\n
\u201cSkylar is thinking of staying on longer.<\/p>\n
She\u2019s doing excellent work for us at the company. We\u2019re thinking of keeping her on,\u201d Jason said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSkylar,\u201d Jessica said.<\/p>\n
The table went quiet.<\/p>\n
Even Skylar seemed to hold her breath.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would like to welcome you to our home and especially to our family.<\/p>\n
You are welcome here anytime you want. If you need a place to stay, consider this your home.\u201d<\/p>\n
For a second, Skylar didn\u2019t speak.<\/p>\n
Then her eyes filled.<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you so much, Jessica, that means the world to me. I\u2019m so grateful,\u201d Skylar said.<\/p>\n
There it was, Jessica realized.<\/p>\n
Not forgiveness, not all at once.<\/p>\n
Not forgetting.<\/p>\n
But the first real step toward something that looked enough like healing to be called hope.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m so glad that you\u2019re in our lives, Skye,\u201d Jason said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThanks, Dad,\u201d said Skylar.<\/p>\n
Musa raised his glass.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo family and friends, old and new,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo family and friends,\u201d echoed the others, clinking their glasses together and taking a drink.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Concerned about her husband\u2019s suspicious behavior for some weeks, a loving wife arranges for a caring cab driver to follow the man, whatever the cost and wherever it leads. But everything is not as it seems when she eventually uncovers the truth and exposes a long-hidden secret. Jessica and Jason sat silently across each other […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":21199,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21198","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tales"],"yoast_head":"\n