Love and Betrayal in Ten Years of Marriage

On our tenth wedding anniversary, my wife Eleanor Powell gifted me a puppy.

I took the puppy back to the pet store and sent her the divorce papers.

Her young boyfriend, Daniel Zuckerberg, tearfully begged me, "It's my fault. You can take it out on me, but don't trouble Ms. Powell with these trivial things."

Eleanor gently soothed Daniel's hand but looked at me and said, "Stop making a scene. You're thirty now. You know, you can't satisfy me on the bed anymore."

A thirty-year-old man might not match up in bed to a twenty-something, but he must have the charm of experience.

By the time Eleanor remembered to call me, I was already on a plane.

——

When I got home, I found Eleanor sitting on the couch, looking all mopey.

The place was a mess, and the lilies on the table were all wilted and curled up.

"Did playing Runaway funny?"

I'd been in Switzerland for nearly a month, and Eleanor only just realized I was gone.

She still thought I was the guy who put her first in everything, her personal servant.

I opened my suitcase, pulled out the souvenirs I bought, and the divorce papers, placing them in front of Eleanor.

Eleanor glanced at them casually, scoffing, "Childish games. You're too old for this nonsense."

I didn't say anything.

Eleanor cleared her throat.

"Alright. Dan... Daniel didn't mean it. Young people just love fluffy animals. If you think that gift wasn't fancy enough, I'll get you something else."

With that, she tossed me a luxury car show catalog.

Back when we were dating, she'd go all out for even a 100-day hand-holding anniversary.

Now, she couldn't even remember our tenth wedding anniversary.

I was about to pack up and leave when my eye caught on a car in the catalog.

I got a BMW classic for my thirtieth birthday.

Now, it seemed Eleanor had given the new model to Daniel, and I was stuck with the one he didn't want anymore.

I took a deep breath, feeling a bit disgusted, and tossed the car keys onto the table.

As I left, I bumped my leg on the table, and it hurt so much that I almost cried.