Ryan called seventeen times during the appointment.
His first messages were angry.
You embarrassed me in front of my mother.
You had no right to involve her.
Then they became pleading.
I’m sorry.
Come home so we can talk.
I’ll sleep on the couch.
Finally:
Please don’t ruin our family over one mistake.
I showed the messages to Linda.
She sighed.
“Ten nights is not one mistake.”
That afternoon, Ryan arrived at her house.
Linda met him on the porch and refused to let him inside.
“I need to talk to my wife,” he said.
“She will speak to you when she is ready.”
“You’re turning her against me.”
Linda shook her head.
“Your behavior turned her away. I simply opened the car door.”
Ryan stood there for a long time.
Then he placed his wedding ring in his pocket and walked back to his car.
