Eddie: I can think of only one reason why she needs an STI screening ASAP tomorrow. And it’s not because she and Caleb decided to join a monastery.
I couldn’t stop the eye roll at these two as I readjusted, trying to get comfortable enough to actually close my eyes. I was comforted by the pinging of my phone, thankful these two had my back.
Wednesday, 12:05am
Eddie:She’s the married one. Why do you think she needs an STI panel?
Wednesday, 12:06am
Em:She’s overly cautious? I don’t know! I was trying to sleep!
I knew I had to break this up or it could get ugly. An Emilia without sleep was a super cranky Emilia.
Wednesday, 12:07am
Devin Fia: Hey now. Before this turns into Wrestle Mania, I want it on the record that I’m not entirely sure what exactly is going on yet.
I was trying to figure out how to say the second bit, but figured it’s better to just spit it out as soon as I saw the bubbles popping up on my phone.
Wednesday, 12:08am
Devin Fia:But there are messages between Caleb and some girl from his office. He’s asleep, I’m sleeping on the couch. He and I will be talking tomorrow. After I get the panel.
Throwing an arm over my eyes, I dropped my phone on my chest, ready to try and get a little sleep when it buzzed consistently, like a bomb about to go off.
Wednesday, 12:10am
Em: You haven’t talked to him?!
Eddie: If there’s enough of a reason for you to want the screening, that means there’s enough evidence for you to feel betrayed, babe. What’s going on?
Em:Are you fucking kidding me?! He gets to sleep, IN BED, while you’re on the couch?! Fia! No babe!
Wednesday, 12:11am
Em:Wake his bitch ass up and demand answers! I am heated and awake now! Want some help with the interrogation?
Tears filled my eyes as I read their messages. Because while I was trying to be level-headed about this betrayal, coming at it as logically as I could, my mind wouldn’t stop racing with scenarios. My imagination was running wild. I gave up on sleep, at least for a little while and called Eddie. We added Emilia to the call, and had a three-way night chat like we used to in college. I wrapped the blanket tighter around me like a cocoon that could shelter me from the heartbreak that was coming. I wanted so badly to be strong, but the ominous feeling that lingered on the horizon told me I wasn’t going to be that lucky.
I had just finished telling them what I had found, sounding as clinical and detached as I could, when a sob ripped through me. I covered my mouth, trying to keep as quiet as I could. I did not want to let Caleb hear me. I didn’t want to wake him because there was no way in hell I was ready for this confrontation. I had to be at work tomorrow, only to get the STI screening from Eddie done, but I wanted to be in and out as quickly as possible.
Thankfully, we’d chosen different specialties when we were in school together. He had already informed me when we were still in med school that I was having him deliver all my future babies, no way around it. Having him test me for STIs because my husband was probably fucking his fucking coworker? Not something I ever thought I would have to have him do.
We’d been on the phone roughly an hour and I was ready to scream and rage at Caleb. These two had me ready to stick up for myself and my boundaries. I wiped my tears, letting the anger settle deep within my bones, simmering below the surface so I could let it anchor me, steady me for the talk he and I would need to have tomorrow. I couldn’t let myself get lost in the heartbreak. Not until I knew for sure and had a plan together. I took a deep breath and cleared my thoughts, speaking lowly so Caleb wouldn’t hear me, even if he woke up.
“Well, that’s the thing I thought was weird and why I checked, ya know? I heard his phone going off after I got out of the shower and it was almost eleven. Who texts that late anyway, right? And we’ve always had an open phone policy, so I was like, ‘Okay, who’s texting my husband so late at night’, ya know?”
“Mmhmm, yeah,” I heard from both of them.
“I’m sure he wouldn’t appreciate finding what I found if the roles were reversed. It’s fucking Becky! They haven’t admitted to sex outright in the messages, at least, I couldn’t find it anywhere. So maybe they haven’t? But Ididfind that hidden texting app, with lots andlotsof nudes.” I angrily swiped at the tears that refused to stop pouring down my cheeks.
“Gross. Not something any spouse should have to see.” They both agreed.
“Those are, unfortunately, burnt into my brain. There’s no getting rid of those. So…I guess the positive here is that it’s probably just an emotional affair. At worst? He’s already fucking her and I have no idea. Hence, the screening. And in the earlier messages, she mentioned me, talking about, ‘your wife this’ and ‘your wife that’. He mentioned me, too. Even more so in recent messages, when she’s asking if I’ve caught on to them yet.”
“The titsthis bitch has on her!” Eddie hissed. You could tell he was pissed. I heard Emilia gasp at the news. Just as I opened my mouth to tell them I had it all saved, I saw Caleb coming into the kitchen from my spot on the couch.
“Hang up the phone, Devin,” the volume of his voice was even, but his tone was irritated and mad, “We’re going to talk about what I just heard you say.”
