The College Affair

  It was Wednesday night, church night. Lynda Childers was short with fair skin. She had an average feel about her, with blue eyes and short blonde hair. She wore clothes that were stylish and fit her well. At the last minute, her husband, Jeff Childers, decided not to attend.

Jeff was of average height with dark skin. He had a feeling of importance. He had dark brown eyes, and wore suits because he was a college professor. Lynda and her 3-year-old daughter, Lilly, attended the service together. As the members of the church were eating their weekly meal in the family center, Lynda noticed Jeff through the window as he pulls up in his truck. She gets up and meets him outside. 

"I need some money!" Jeff said.

Lynda was somewhat perplexed. He was acting so differently.

" I don't have any money." she announced.

He seemed angry. Lynda took off to get her purse. She found $2.00 and gave him the cash. He jerked it out of her hand and sped off, not telling her where he was going. 

    Lynda went back into the family center and sat back down next to Rachel, Jeff's aunt, and friend to Lynda. Rachel asked Lynda what Jeff wanted. 

"He said he wanted money. I gave him $2.00 and he sped off."

Rachel, short in height, has fair skin, green eyes that twinkle, wears glasses, light brown hair, beautiful smile and has a feeling of bubbly excitement. Her right hand and leg are crippled as a result of Polio as a child. 

  She gave a concerning look as if to say, 

"Why in the world would my nephew behave this way?"

I wonder what's up?" she said.

Lynda left to go to choir practice. She was the pianist for the church. After choir, she again saw Jeff pull up in the truck. She stepped over to the truck. As she got closer and looked inside, her heart began to beat faster and she felt queasy. Inside she saw; his Bible, a picture of Lilly, and his clothes. She knew he was leaving her and Lilly. 

  He asked her if she wanted to go to Jerry's,  restaurant. They frequently ate at this restaurant after church. The employees knew them well. Lynda wanted to go. She thought, 

"Maybe I can talk some sense into him."

Yet to no avail! He was determined to proceed with his plan. Lynda's tears fell all down her face. He sat stone-faced and appeared to be uncaring. They left. Jeff drove to Lynda's parent's house to tell Lilly bye. Lynda was in shock. After he left, Lynda's mother asked where he was going. Lynda replied, 

"He's leaving."

I know, but where is he going?"

"He's leaving for good."

"I didn't know that or I wouldn't have let him go."

Lynda's mind went back about a year or two ago. She and Jeff had been married for 10 years. He was a college professor. She was an elementary school teacher. They had a beautiful daughter and had built a brand new home. One evening, Jeff stated that he had to attend registration. Lynda thought it was strange because it was not the time of the year for registration. 

  She asked Jeff if she and Lilly could go with him and get something to eat. His reaction was odd because they had done this many times. Jeff said in a defensive and strong voice,

"No, we can either eat before I go or when I get back."

Lynda left it alone and didn't say much. After a little time of thinking, she realized something wasn't quite right. She grabbed Lilly and put her in the car. When she got to the college where Jeff worked, she realized there was no registration. Her heart sank. She didn't know what to do. Finally, she decided to go to Rachel's house. She told Rachel what happened and thought Rachel would tell her she was being silly. When Rachel said, 

It sounds like he's having an affair"

Lynda nearly lost it!

"Who do you think it is?"

She gave Rachel the name of Jeff's student, Darcy Vance. Rachel called Darcy, but there was no answer.

"They could be in someone else's apartment. Go home and pretend you don't know. Look and listen for clues. In the meantime, focus on yourself. Get your hair styled, use makeup all the time, and buy some new clothes. 

  Lynda didn't feel much better after she left Rachel's house. She stopped at a traffic light. 

" Wait a minute! she thought. Is that Jeff? Yes it is, AND DARCY!

 She turned around at a gas station when the light turned green, got behind him, and followed him. Jeff noticed her and slid down in his seat. He stopped at the mall to let Darcy out. Lynda laid down on the horn several times while Darcy was running inside the mall. Jeff finally stopped in the mall parking lot. Suddenly it was all Lynda"s fault.

" You never show me any affection anymore", he said.

She wasn't going to play this blame game. She was so distraught, with tears falling into her face. She got Lilly out of the car and told Jeff to keep her for the night. Now it was back to Rachel's house, she didn't know what else to do. Jeff's uncle answered the door. Lynda fell into his arms, crying profusely. She stayed the night at Rachel's house. The next day, Rachel calls her personal Dr. to ask if she can give her a tranquilizer. He said yes. After some while, Lynda tells Rachel that she feels as if she's jumping out of her skin. Rachel calls the Dr. again. The Dr. Says that her body is rejecting the tranquilizer. When she calms down, it will begin working and she will fall asleep. Eventually, she did fall asleep. In the meantime, Rachel called Lynda's parents. 

Lynda was ready to file for divorce the next day. Rachel and her mother both declared that sometimes the marriage could be just as good or better, after something like this happens.

   Reluctantly, Lynda decided to give it a go. However, it was harder than what Lynda thought. She couldn't forget. Hurt and pain remained, no matter how much she tried.

   Today, Lynda was standing in her mother's house with the same feeling, numbness, shock, and pain. That's how it was, and how it would be for a long time.

   A few days later, her father told her that he had seen Jeff in his truck with a woman and a small child. She later found out that this woman was another one of Jeff's students. It was inevitable. They divorced.

   Lynda raised Lilly as a single mother. She stayed single for 19 years until she met the love of her life. She and her husband have been married happily for fourteen years.