Chapter 9 - the affair

Jenny stared out of the window, feeling awful on the way back to her empty house. She'd been with Jake over ten years. How could she be feeling like this about another guy? She had meant it when she promised to love Jake forever, but at the same time, she had never met anyone like Damon before. Damon made her feel better about herself than anyone else in her whole life. She liked who she was around him; he made her a better person. But had she been silly? Had she got caught up in the joy of a new friendship and lost her perspective?

Jenny's mind flashed back to her wedding day. A lump came to her throat as she recalled impassioned speech from her father who was no longer here. How disappointed he would be with her if he only knew what she had been contemplating.

The cab whizzed past a motel and Jenny wouldn't have even spotted it, had the light of a passing car not shone on the registration plate. It was Jake's car, no question about it. But why was it not parked up at the airport? Now as she looked furiously, she saw two dark figures walking away from it.

Suddenly alert, Jenny sat up. "Stop!" she cried to cab driver, asking her to wait there whilst she hopped out. Then she jogged awkwardly and quickly caught up with the two dark shapes as they came to light under the glow of the lamp above their motel door. It was Jake and Fran, smooching as they turned the lock and went in to their room.

It felt like a mass of people had just punched Jenny in the stomach. The noise of the road seemed to silence as Jenny's world crumbled around her. She couldn't catch her breath; or had she forgotten to breathe? Incensed, confused, breathless, Jenny banged on the door as it closed only to have it immediately reopened by Jake himself.

There were excuses made, lies told, but the truth inevitably trickled out piece by piece from the pair of them as they came home separately to Jenny and Damon. It had been going on for over two years, way before Jake had suggested them all getting together and becoming friends. The idea made Jenny feel sick. But she couldn't deny that things hadn't been right with Jake for a long time. It made her feel guilty to realise that she was actually a little relieved to have the relationship reach a conclusion, rather than rolling on complacently for the next forty years.

Jenny retreated in to herself. Meanwhile, Jake and Fran escaped to a small condo just out of town that they had owned together for more than a year. Every day there seemed to be yet more revelations about their affair. The betrayal, the lies, the devious plotting behind their backs.

It was strange not speaking to Damon every day, but she knew he was going through the same as her. It took Jenny four weeks to finally message him. She had ordered take out and had over a bottle of wine to herself as she lay lazily on the sofa, having not dressed all day. She wondered what Damon was up to.

"Hey, how are you doing? I was wondering if you were still up for that eating challenge next weekend? I'd totally forgotten we'd signed up for that," she lied, choosing and typing her words as carefully as she could. "I know we've not spoken for a little while. The truth is, I need my best friend back."

It had been late, so Jenny could forgive Damon for not replying straight away. Still, she fell asleep on the sofa, feeling more miserable than ever that night. She had never felt more alone.

Jenny was awoken by the sound of the doorbell. It felt like the middle of the night, but the light was already streaming in through the windows. Confused, she looked around. She looked a mess, still dressed in her bedclothes from last night, the living room covered in take-out boxes and cartons. She rubbed her face and stood up as the bell went a second time. She could see the shape of a man behind the glass door and quickened her pace as she realised who it was. Damon. She threw the door open and looked at him, the happiness written across her face. Damon opened his arms and she fell into him as if falling asleep after a hard, tiring day.