Strange Turn of Events

It was her 25^th wedding anniversary and Genevieve was happier than she had ever been. She loved her husband Joe more with every passing day. She had two beautiful children - a boy studying to be a doctor and a girl who had just landed her first Broadway role at the tender age of 19.

As she got ready for her daily run, she couldn't stop smiling. She was eager to give her husband the watch she'd had engraved for him: "From Now Till Time Runs Out." It wasn't what she'd hoped to give him, the boat he'd longed for all his life, but it would still make him happy she thought.

Genevieve was excited about the party her friends were throwing them that evening. It promised to be quite a bash. Her best friend Janine was hosting it and she never did anything halfway.

After returning home from her run, she was surprised to see a big brown envelope wedged between the screen and the front door. She pulled it out and examined it, but there were no markings.

She threw the envelope on the table beside the door and ran upstairs to shower. Twenty minutes later she finally came back downstairs to open the envelope. She figured it was from someone wishing her and Joe a happy anniversary.

Inside the brown envelope was another, smaller white one. Genevieve opened it and found a group of pictures. Without hesitation, she began looking at them, her face turning paler with each passing one.

They were photos of Joe with another woman. In some, they were holding hands. In others they were kissing. Genevieve fell to the floor on her knees, tears welling up in her eyes. They burnt so badly, she could barely see.

Her body heaved as racking sobs let loose. Before long, she was lying on the rug looking up at the ceiling in a kind of trance.

The first thing she thought about was how the woman was so different from her. Genevieve was blonde while she had very dark hair. Genevieve's eyes were blue while here eyes were brown. Genevieve was slim. She was full-figured. They couldn't be more different, at least in looks.

She wasn't sure how long she laid there in a state of shock but when the telephone rang, she forced herself to answer it. She prayed it wasn't Joe. She had not yet decided how to handle the situation.

"Darling," Janine's voice bubbled from the other end. "We're all set for this evening."

"I'm sure it will be lovely, Janine." She tried to make her voice sound enthusiastic. The truth was she wished she could cancel the party. Now wasn't the time to be celebrating.

"Have you decided what to wear? I really think you should put on that red dress I sent you."

"You know I'm not comfortable with risque clothing, Janine. I don't know whatever possessed you to buy it in the first place. You should take it back and get your money back. Knowing you, you spent entirely too much for it in the first place."

"Genevieve, if you've got it, flaunt it. Not many 47 year-old women have a body like yours."

"Maybe I should have married you," Genevieve teased. "I think you're hotter for my body than my own husband." The minute the words came out of her mouth, tears began to flow again. "I think someone is at the door," she lied. "I'll see you at 7:00 p.m. With that she hung up the phone before her friend had the chance to say anything more.

Glancing at the clock, Genevieve noted it was almost 4:00 p.m. Joe would be home in less than an hour.

Picking the pictures up off the floor, she crammed them back into the envelope. Then she took it upstairs and stuffed it under the mattress. Turning to the closet, Genevieve focused her attention on what she was going to wear.

Eventually, she pulled out the red dress of which Janine had spoken. She decided to try it on after all. After donning it, she turned to look in the mirror. It fit her like a glove. The plunging V front went nearly to her belly button, showing off her flawless skin. The skirt was short but flowed perfectly.

"Well, let's just remind him what he'll be missing," she said out loud as she took off the dress. Going back to the closet she pulled out her silver pumps. She also chose some glitzy silver CZ jewelry.

Difficult as it was, Genevieve kept up appearances when Joe got home. She wasn't going to spoil all the hard work Janine had put in on the party. Their talk would wait until it was over.

During the party, Joe was attentive and sweet. Genevieve kept her cool but stayed on the opposite side of the room as much as possible. Some four hours later the couple finally made it back home with a ton of gifts in tow.

As if on cue, Joe pulled a small box out of his jacket and handed it to his wife. She asked him to wait while she went upstairs to get his. She grabbed it along with the dreaded envelope.

Once back downstairs, she turned to her husband. "Before we open gifts, Joe, I wonder if there is anything you'd like to tell me."

"Like what, babe? I already said you looked hotter than a firecracker in that dress."

"Not about me, Joe, but about yourself. Is there anything you want to tell me about yourself?" She thought she caught a look of panic in his eyes but he masked it quickly.

"Honey, I'm not sure what you want me to say here." He stammered and wouldn't make eye contact with her.

"Maybe this will help," she said as she handed him the envelope. She watched as he opened it and took out the pictures. "Please don't tell me it's not what I think. Let's try the truth instead."

"Where did you get these?" It seemed to be all he could think to say.

"Does that really matter? Who is she Joe and what is she to you?"

"I didn't want you to find out this way, Genevieve. I wanted you to have this night first."

The words were like a punch in the stomach. What she had suspected all along was now being voiced. The woman in the photo was no casual affair.

"I don't know what to say." Her husband looked pathetic as he tried to scramble for words.

"Say you love her and want to be with her," Genevieve stated coldly. "It's what I see in your eyes."

"You are right. I do love her and I do want to be with her. I just didn't know how to tell you that." He looked genuinely apologetic but nothing could take away the sting.

Strange thoughts loomed in Genevieve's mind as she stood there. She'd given up her career to be a mother. She had no skills, no contacts, and no chance of finding employment in the current economy. All she knew how to be was a wife and mother and half of that job was now over.

Without another word, Genevieve trudged up the stairs and locked herself in the bathroom. She ignored her husband's panicked knocking and threats to break down the door. Instead she opened the medicine cabinet door and then poured herself a glass of water.

In less than 12 hours, the most perfect day of her life had turned into a living nightmare. Genevieve Conner wasn't sure she go on.