Jeanne always believed her marriage was strong, but John’s increasing visits to his brother Clarke’s house began to raise red flags. For the past six months, John claimed he was going over to “help Clarke with repairs” or to “spend time with family.”
Initially, Jeanne didn’t question it—family was important, and John was devoted to them. But when these trips became a daily routine, unease settled in.
One Sunday morning, as Jeanne juggled caring for their one-year-old son, Lucas, her phone rang. It was her sister-in-law, Laurel. Something in Laurel’s voice made Jeanne’s stomach tighten.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Laurel cut to the chase: “Jeanne, I need to talk to you about John. He’s been coming over every day, and it’s becoming a problem.”
Jeanne blinked, confused. “He’s just been helping Clarke out, right?”
Laurel’s bitter laugh caught her off guard. “Helping? Jeanne, he’s been eating dinner with us almost every night. It’s getting out of hand, and honestly, we can’t keep footing the bill for his meals. We need you to pitch in for the groceries.”
Jeanne’s heart sank. John had been going there for meals? She’d trusted that his visits were for the reasons he’d mentioned, and now it felt like a punch to the gut. She hadn’t expected this—finding out through Laurel, no less.
When John came home that evening, Jeanne couldn’t hold it in. “We need to talk, John,” she said, her voice calm but tinged with hurt.
He looked wary. “What’s wrong?”
“Laurel called,” Jeanne began, feeling her emotions rise. “She told me you’ve been eating dinner there every night. Why didn’t you tell me?”
John avoided her eyes, clearly uncomfortable. “I didn’t want to upset you,” he mumbled. “I know you’ve been focused on cooking healthier meals, but… I miss the kind of food we used to have. The comfort food.”
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