Chapter 7 - Glen Wanted to Explain the Difference Between Love and Sex
Glen requested one conversation.
Rachel said:
“You don’t owe.”
“I know.”
“Then why?”
“Because we have a child.”
We met in mediator’s office.
Not our home.
Glen looked terrible.
No shave.
Red eyes.
He started:
“I’m sorry.”
“Specific.”
He blinked.
“For the affair.”
“Yes.”
“For lying about phone.”
“Yes.”
“For using company vendors badly.”
“Badly?”
He flinched.
“For approving invoices that shouldn’t have gone through.”
“Were they fraudulent?”
“I don’t know what legal word is.”
“Did Clara provide services equal to every invoice?”
“No.”
There.
“Did you know?”
“Yes.”
“Did you benefit?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Apartment.”
“Anything else?”
“Trips. Some meals.”
“Cash?”
“Not directly.”
“Did company money pay for Clara’s personal expenses?”
“Some invoices reimbursed her business. She then paid things.”
“Did you structure invoices under approval threshold?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“So you wouldn’t ask.”
I leaned back.
He whispered:
“I’m sorry.”
“Paternity.”
His face changed.
“I don’t know.”
“Do you believe baby could be yours?”
“Yes.”
“Did you know Richard believed it was his?”
“Yes.”
“Did you intend to tell him?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“After birth.”
“Why after?”
“Because Clara didn’t want prenatal testing and I…”
He stopped.
“What?”
“I was scared.”
I laughed softly.
“Of what?”
“Everything.”
“Your marriage?”
“Yes.”
“Job?”
“Yes.”
“My father?”
“Yes.”
“Losing Ariel?”
His face crumpled.
“Yes.”
I did not comfort.
Then he said something that made me angry in a different way.
“I love you.”
“Stop.”
“I do.”
“No.”
“I know it sounds impossible.”
“It sounds irrelevant.”
“Nat…”
“You are trying to make love a mitigating factor.”
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
He looked down.
I continued.
“You can love someone and still betray them. That does not make betrayal smaller. It makes your definition of love inadequate.”
Silence.
Then:
“Was it sex or love with Clara?”
He closed eyes.
“Both at different times.”
That answer hurt.
It was also honest.
“Do you want to be with her?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then figure it out somewhere that isn’t my life.”
He nodded.
I asked:
“Did you ever bring Ariel to meet Clara secretly?”
His head snapped up.
“No.”
“She says she saw you in Dad’s garage.”
Glen looked sick.
“One time.”
“What happened?”
“I had her after preschool. Clara asked me to drop off vendor checks. Richard was away. I stopped there.”
“With our daughter.”
“Yes.”
“Did you meet Clara privately?”
“Yes.”
“Was Ariel alone?”
“No. She was with me in garage.”
“Did you kiss Clara?”
He looked away.
That was answer.
I wanted to throw something.
I did not.
“Did you tell Ariel to keep secret?”
“I told her the phone was a work secret because she kept asking why Clara had it.”
“That is using our child to protect affair.”
“I know.”
“No, Glen. Say it.”
His voice broke.
“I used our daughter to protect a lie.”
There.
That would matter in custody.
Not because he endangered her physically.
May you like
Because he involved a three-year-old in adult secrecy.
Family court notices that.
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