Thanks Pam, Kelli and Kitti. I know that you all can relate to the subject matter at hand - all too well!
First chapter:
October, 2002:
H mentions to me that he has just hired a woman from Poland to work in his department. Nothing more.
November, 2002.
Extremely busy with taking care of "the folks". Noticing in the back of my mind all the while that H is coming home from work later than usual two to three nights a week. He has become uncharacteristically interested in socializing with co-workers.
I also sense a subtle shift in his attention.
December 2002:
H is going out after work nearly everynight now, coming home smelling of booze and no longer discussing his day with me nor any details about all his afterwork outings. Doesn't want to tell me the name of the places he's been going to or just claiming to 'not remember'. H seems to be 'going through the motions' here at home and passes through the holiday season like a shadow.
We are invited to a bonefire party by a married couple, who are our closest friends, and at the time working at the same lab as my H. Our MF approaches me while H is out of range, and with a look of grave concern, asks "So how are you holding up".
I look at him not knowing what he is referring to as he searches my face for something.
"I know it must be hard on you" he adds. I answer with a big smile, "I'm fine". Hmmm...
H and I go to a fancy xmas party given by his company and he manages to keep a friendly distance from me throughout much of the evening. Even the pictures that we got from that night show me warmly touching him as he just stood there looking cool and absent. I later learned that OW was there as well. Needless to say, those pictures are painful to look at now.
More later. H is uncomfortably close by at the moment.
