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It had been six months since Beth and James had split up and tonight she was going to meet the other woman. At last she was going to discover just what she was up against in her fight to secure her marriage.
Beth had suspected something was amiss about a year ago. Just the odd little note in her relationship with James that had started to sound wrong. There was nothing blatant or tangible that Beth could put her finger on, just an instinctive awareness of a difference in James.
He'd been more attentive for one thing, more vocal in his declarations of love. He'd started to say "I do love you" more often and mentally Beth always added a silent "but". It wasn't what he said but the way he said it; there always seem to be something more that he wasn't saying. Occasionally Beth would catch James looking at her but not actually seeing her.
Then she found the picture; a glossy professional photograph that caused her heart to sink. It showed a very attractive female with mass of black, shoulder length, wavy hair. A slim figure was sheathed in a glittery cherry red dress which was split up to the thigh to show off an extremely shapely leg and it was signed 'To James, my love, always yours, Sal'.
Beth had cried upon finding the picture, then got angry with James and Sal, cried some more, then got angry with herself. She pieced together all the little telltale signs and eventually admitted to herself what she'd long suspected - James was seeing someone else. Beth was honest enough with herself to acknowledge it had been a long time since either of them had made an effort in their marriage but she had not seen this coming. Before tackling James she decided that she would be the one to split up the marriage and it would be on her terms.
James was definitely shocked and upset when Beth told him she had found the picture and suggested that they have a trial separation. He didn't react as if he'd considered the possibility of the break-up of his marriage and Beth began to have reservations. Was she doing the right thing or was she forcing James into the arms of Sal? Still this was the decision she had made and she wasn't about to go back on it.
James moved out of their home but they saw each other often. For the first month the relationship had been strained but eventually they rediscovered some of the old fun they used to share. There was a closeness in their relationship that hadn't been there for a long time and Beth was hopeful that they would soon get back together. She had been the one to insist on meeting Sal and James had resisted for several weeks but Beths' constant asking had eventually yielded results.
Sal was part of a cabaret act, that's what the picture had shown - Sal in one of her stage costumes - and tonight they would meet for the first time. Beth took extra care with her hair, make-up and clothes. There was no way she wanted to be at a disadvantage tonight.
Then they were there, at the club, and Sal was on stage. She looked fabulous up there under the spotlights, sultry and sexy, with a breathy voice which suited perfectly the songs she sang. Still Beth was not disheartened, after all Sal was in costume and stage make-up. The reality up close was bound to be different and it was. As Sal teetered from the stage towards their table on incredibly high heeled sandals Beth realised that she could not compete. Sal had won the war and probably hadn't even realised there was a battle going on. Beth at last acknowledged that Sal wasn't the other woman; Sal was a man.
Beth had suspected something was amiss about a year ago. Just the odd little note in her relationship with James that had started to sound wrong. There was nothing blatant or tangible that Beth could put her finger on, just an instinctive awareness of a difference in James.
He'd been more attentive for one thing, more vocal in his declarations of love. He'd started to say "I do love you" more often and mentally Beth always added a silent "but". It wasn't what he said but the way he said it; there always seem to be something more that he wasn't saying. Occasionally Beth would catch James looking at her but not actually seeing her.
Then she found the picture; a glossy professional photograph that caused her heart to sink. It showed a very attractive female with mass of black, shoulder length, wavy hair. A slim figure was sheathed in a glittery cherry red dress which was split up to the thigh to show off an extremely shapely leg and it was signed 'To James, my love, always yours, Sal'.
Beth had cried upon finding the picture, then got angry with James and Sal, cried some more, then got angry with herself. She pieced together all the little telltale signs and eventually admitted to herself what she'd long suspected - James was seeing someone else. Beth was honest enough with herself to acknowledge it had been a long time since either of them had made an effort in their marriage but she had not seen this coming. Before tackling James she decided that she would be the one to split up the marriage and it would be on her terms.
James was definitely shocked and upset when Beth told him she had found the picture and suggested that they have a trial separation. He didn't react as if he'd considered the possibility of the break-up of his marriage and Beth began to have reservations. Was she doing the right thing or was she forcing James into the arms of Sal? Still this was the decision she had made and she wasn't about to go back on it.
James moved out of their home but they saw each other often. For the first month the relationship had been strained but eventually they rediscovered some of the old fun they used to share. There was a closeness in their relationship that hadn't been there for a long time and Beth was hopeful that they would soon get back together. She had been the one to insist on meeting Sal and James had resisted for several weeks but Beths' constant asking had eventually yielded results.
Sal was part of a cabaret act, that's what the picture had shown - Sal in one of her stage costumes - and tonight they would meet for the first time. Beth took extra care with her hair, make-up and clothes. There was no way she wanted to be at a disadvantage tonight.
Then they were there, at the club, and Sal was on stage. She looked fabulous up there under the spotlights, sultry and sexy, with a breathy voice which suited perfectly the songs she sang. Still Beth was not disheartened, after all Sal was in costume and stage make-up. The reality up close was bound to be different and it was. As Sal teetered from the stage towards their table on incredibly high heeled sandals Beth realised that she could not compete. Sal had won the war and probably hadn't even realised there was a battle going on. Beth at last acknowledged that Sal wasn't the other woman; Sal was a man.
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Aha. As soon as I read "cabaret act" I did suspect the outcome, but I enjoyed reading on for the confirmation of my suspicions.
It had been six months since Beth and James had split up and tonight she was going to meet the other woman. At last she was going to discover just what she was up against in her fight to secure her marriage.
Beth had suspected something was amiss about a year ago. Just the odd little note in her relationship with James that had started to sound wrong. There was nothing blatant or tangible that Beth could put her finger on, just an instinctive awareness of a difference in James.
He'd been more attentive for one thing, more vocal in his declarations of love. He'd started to say "I do love you" more often and mentally Beth always added a silent "but". It wasn't what he said but the way he said it; there always seem to be something more that he wasn't saying. Occasionally Beth would catch James looking at her but not actually seeing her.
Then she found the picture; a glossy professional photograph that caused her heart to sink. It showed a very attractive female with mass of black, shoulder length, wavy hair. A slim figure was sheathed in a glittery cherry red dress which was split up to the thigh to show off an extremely shapely leg and it was signed 'To James, my love, always yours, Sal'.
Beth had cried upon finding the picture, then got angry with James and Sal, cried some more, then got angry with herself. She pieced together all the little telltale signs and eventually admitted to herself what she'd long suspected - James was seeing someone else. Beth was honest enough with herself to acknowledge it had been a long time since either of them had made an effort in their marriage but she had not seen this coming. Before tackling James she decided that she would be the one to split up the marriage and it would be on her terms.
James was definitely shocked and upset when Beth told him she had found the picture and suggested that they have a trial separation. He didn't react as if he'd considered the possibility of the break-up of his marriage and Beth began to have reservations. Was she doing the right thing or was she forcing James into the arms of Sal? Still this was the decision she had made and she wasn't about to go back on it.
James moved out of their home but they saw each other often. For the first month the relationship had been strained but eventually they rediscovered some of the old fun they used to share. There was a closeness in their relationship that hadn't been there for a long time and Beth was hopeful that they would soon get back together. She had been the one to insist on meeting Sal and James had resisted for several weeks but Beths' constant asking had eventually yielded results.
Sal was part of a cabaret act, that's what the picture had shown - Sal in one of her stage costumes - and tonight they would meet for the first time. Beth took extra care with her hair, make-up and clothes. There was no way she wanted to be at a disadvantage tonight.
Then they were there, at the club, and Sal was on stage. She looked fabulous up there under the spotlights, sultry and sexy, with a breathy voice which suited perfectly the songs she sang. Still Beth was not disheartened, after all Sal was in costume and stage make-up. The reality up close was bound to be different and it was. As Sal teetered from the stage towards their table on incredibly high heeled sandals Beth realised that she could not compete. Sal had won the war and probably hadn't even realised there was a battle going on. Beth at last acknowledged that Sal wasn't the other woman; Sal was a man.
Beth had suspected something was amiss about a year ago. Just the odd little note in her relationship with James that had started to sound wrong. There was nothing blatant or tangible that Beth could put her finger on, just an instinctive awareness of a difference in James.
He'd been more attentive for one thing, more vocal in his declarations of love. He'd started to say "I do love you" more often and mentally Beth always added a silent "but". It wasn't what he said but the way he said it; there always seem to be something more that he wasn't saying. Occasionally Beth would catch James looking at her but not actually seeing her.
Then she found the picture; a glossy professional photograph that caused her heart to sink. It showed a very attractive female with mass of black, shoulder length, wavy hair. A slim figure was sheathed in a glittery cherry red dress which was split up to the thigh to show off an extremely shapely leg and it was signed 'To James, my love, always yours, Sal'.
Beth had cried upon finding the picture, then got angry with James and Sal, cried some more, then got angry with herself. She pieced together all the little telltale signs and eventually admitted to herself what she'd long suspected - James was seeing someone else. Beth was honest enough with herself to acknowledge it had been a long time since either of them had made an effort in their marriage but she had not seen this coming. Before tackling James she decided that she would be the one to split up the marriage and it would be on her terms.
James was definitely shocked and upset when Beth told him she had found the picture and suggested that they have a trial separation. He didn't react as if he'd considered the possibility of the break-up of his marriage and Beth began to have reservations. Was she doing the right thing or was she forcing James into the arms of Sal? Still this was the decision she had made and she wasn't about to go back on it.
James moved out of their home but they saw each other often. For the first month the relationship had been strained but eventually they rediscovered some of the old fun they used to share. There was a closeness in their relationship that hadn't been there for a long time and Beth was hopeful that they would soon get back together. She had been the one to insist on meeting Sal and James had resisted for several weeks but Beths' constant asking had eventually yielded results.
Sal was part of a cabaret act, that's what the picture had shown - Sal in one of her stage costumes - and tonight they would meet for the first time. Beth took extra care with her hair, make-up and clothes. There was no way she wanted to be at a disadvantage tonight.
Then they were there, at the club, and Sal was on stage. She looked fabulous up there under the spotlights, sultry and sexy, with a breathy voice which suited perfectly the songs she sang. Still Beth was not disheartened, after all Sal was in costume and stage make-up. The reality up close was bound to be different and it was. As Sal teetered from the stage towards their table on incredibly high heeled sandals Beth realised that she could not compete. Sal had won the war and probably hadn't even realised there was a battle going on. Beth at last acknowledged that Sal wasn't the other woman; Sal was a man.
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