Only After Meeting Him Did I Forgive My Husband

Synopsis

It was the third year of Jonathan's affair when I met a young college guy. He wore a white T-shirt and faded jeans, with a rebellious look in his eyes, lips pressed into a thin line, and bangs that were just a bit too long. He looked a lot like Jonathan when he was young, almost eerily so. My car broke down on the side of the road, and he offered to fix it for $200. Halfway through the repair, his phone rang. It was the hospital calling about a bill. He held the phone, silent for a long moment, then pleaded softly, "I'm doing everything I can to get the money together. I promise I'll have it before the surgery." "Just give me a little more time, okay?" Standing there, I suddenly remembered the day I first found out about Jonathan's affair. He was slumped on the couch, face buried in his hands, his voice rough. "Susan, I never meant to cheat on you." "But she really looks just like you did when you were young, honestly." "Whenever I see her, I can't help but think about everything you went through, and how I couldn't do anything to help you back then." "But now I finally can. I just want to help her, to take care of her the way I wish I could've taken care of you when you were younger." "Don't blame me, okay?" In that moment, I suddenly stopped blaming Jonathan. Because I finally understood him.