Diary of the "Other" Woman

...and no, I am NOT the "other" woman!

Due to my chosen career, I am exposed to human frailties and miseries every single day. I'm also lucky enough to be exposed to joy and happiness, but most of the time, people come to me because something is wrong, not because life is dandy.

Nothing hurts my heart more than watching a family being ripped apart by infidelity. That's true in my professional life, as well as my personal life. It's gut-wrenching to see the hurt, tear-streaked, bewildered faces of those on the receiving end of heartbreak.

I'm not (and have never been) the "other" woman, but I've often wondered what such a woman's diary might look like. I wonder if it would look something like this...

Oh yeah. Here's a disclaimer. The following journal entry is entirely fictional and the product of this writer's imagination. Any similarity to actual persons or events is entirely coincidental.

Dear Diary,

I'm a bad person. I never thought I would allow something like this to happen. How could I be so stupid? And how many women before me have thought and said the same thing?

If he wasn't so handsome, so nice, so smart, so...everything that I've always wanted in a man, maybe I could have resisted. But I'm weak. I wanted him, had to have him. Never mind the fact that he's been married for seven years and has two kids. What was I thinking? And what was he thinking? Now that the "deed is done", I'm freaking out. Why, when I got exactly what I wanted? Other people know. I don't know how they found out. I'm so humiliated. I thought we were being careful, but apparently, not careful enough. All of our co-workers know.

Even worse, word got back to his wife. Who would go and tell her? And why? And then, as if her knowledge of it wasn't bad enough, she actually had the nerve to call me and tell me to back off and leave her husband alone. I told her to f-off, because her husband was with me because she's such a sorry excuse for a wife and mother, and I obviously treat him better than she does. But as I slammed the phone back into the receiver, there was that little voice in the back of my head, nagging at me.

I only know what he's told me. It never occurred to me until now that there's her side of it, too. What am I supposed to do now? I thought he would come running right over so we could begin our life together, but instead, he called and said he has to smooth things over with her and the kids before he can leave! What does it matter? If he wants to be with me, he'd be here, right?

OMG. That's it, isn't it? He doesn't really want to be with me. What was I thinking? He's married! With a family! Why would I want to be with someone who could do that to the people he supposedly loves? What kind of person does that? And what kind of person am I? I didn't consider the consequences. Maybe his wife is right. Maybe I am selfish and don't have good morals or values. I knew what the situation was, but I pursued it anyway.

Even worse, I have to face him at work tomorrow. I don't know what to expect. Am I supposed to be there for him? Try to comfort him? Let him know I'll support him, no matter what? Maybe he'll look at me and be full of scorn for enticing him to be with me. And what will everyone at work say?

I wish I had thought of all this last year when I got friendly with him. But now what? Even if it works out between us, now I'm stuck knowing that if he did it once, he can do it again. Lucky me.


Well lady, looks like you created a mess. Hate to see what Karma has in store for you.