Temptations of a Married Woman

Serena looked out of her car window and saw that the weather seemed perfect for a stroll in the park. After another quick peek around to ensure that the surroundings were safe enough, she parked her car and got ready to enjoy a nice long walk in the luscious green park. It had been a long, tiring day starting with crazy deadlines at work followed by continuous demands from her son and husband. Unable to leave her 13-year-old son home alone, it took all of Serena’s little strength to patiently wait until Liam got home so she could get out of the house for some peace and quiet. Completely suffocated and stressed, Serena stormed out of the house as soon as her husband returned home. “I am meeting with a friend” was all she told Liam the minute he walked in the house and literally pushed him on her way out. Liam, her husband, was a little lost but just brushed it off assuming she was late for her meeting.

Walking in the park, Serena took a deep breath in, inhaling the fresh, crisp air of the cool evening breeze. She immediately felt calm and relaxed as she smiled happily at passersby, and even greeted some of them. It was amazing, she thought, what a little fresh air could do. Just moments ago, she was on the verge of a major mental breakdown, but now, at the park, alone and away from everyone and everything, she suddenly felt so light and carefree. She could not have even imagined how she would have survived the day, had she not dropped everything and come out of the house when she did. Looking around at the happy children playing with their parents and families having good hearty laughs as they walked together, she suddenly felt an ache in her heart. She knew she had a decent married life with her husband with a great kid but it still felt like something was amiss. She and Liam have been married for about 18 years now, fought some tough battles together, and after all these years, life became a routine. That’s the problem; life has become routine that it lacks excitement or adventure.

Just as she was figuring out her issues with her husband, Serena suddenly heard a familiar voice calling her name. Turning around, she felt shivers down her spine as she saw Richard, her classmate at music school, just a few steps behind her. She felt her heart suddenly racing, a certain excitement rising within her. “Hi” was all she could muster, confused by the whirling emotions within her. Pretty sure she was blushing by now, she asked him “What brought you here?”. He explained that he goes for a jog here every evening which was why he was shocked to see her there as he had never seen her there before. She could not help but notice the well-toned body and pleasant smiling face before her, “He is so handsome", she thought but immediately brushed off the thought “You’re a married woman, Serena, don’t you forget that” she warned herself. “Yeah, it’s been a pretty rough day at work today, so I came here to de-stress” she replied Richard with a weak smile. Richard continued talking about how the people here are friendly and walks in the park are one of the best ways to de-stress but somehow Serena’s mind began to wonder again. “I wonder what it would be like to kiss him?” “Does he have a girlfriend, perhaps he is married?” No, that can’t be, it’s pretty obvious on his social media that he is very much single”, “Argh, why is he having this effect on me?” Her husband was not a bad guy, he took good care of her and her son, but somehow this guy in front of her seemed to ignite a fire within her, that she never knew was there. Just standing next to him gives her goosebumps and wild imagination, things that were never present in her relationship with her husband. “Hey, you there?”, Richard's soft prompt interrupted her thoughts and she quickly smiled “Yeah, sorry, I guess my mind is still working overtime from all that stress” Serena replied, thankful for her quick thinking. Richard smiled as he lightly rubbed her arm “Hey, relax, you need to calm down, it’s all over now, k”. Chills ran down her spine with the touch of his hand. “What is wrong with me? I am a married woman”, she was screaming in her head, thankful she was able to maintain a calm composure as she replied “Yeah, it is definitely a great day for a stroll in the park, don’t you think? Richard looked around him as he slowly lowered his hand, “Yeah, it surely is”, turning his gaze back to meet Serena’s as he continued “Would be better to release a little of that stress with a friend over a drink, don’t you think? He pointed at the small cafe just across the park. Unable to pull away from his magnetic gaze, Serena followed his gaze to the cafe and back at him “I got to get back home, Liam will be waiting for his dinner, rain check?” She asked with a tilted neck and puppy dog eyes. Richard burst into laughter, “Aww, no guy could resist that cute request and of course, anytime you free just give me a call”, he gave her a big hug and turned to leave. Watching him leave, Serene suddenly felt a pang of regret. Something about Richard’s relaxed, caring demeanor and his concerned tone as he calmed her down, made her long to be with him just a little longer. She told herself she deserved a little tender loving care after all she’d been through today, bedsides Liam would be too busy working on his laptop to even notice her absence. Even if she did go home, Liam would not be interested in listening to her rant about her day, he was too immersed in work and getting the bills paid. Convincing herself that a chat over a cup of coffee is just harmless with the added benefit of being heard. Guilt overwhelming her by now, Serena called out to Richard “Hey, I was thinking maybe a cup of coffee is just the thing I need right now, perhaps dinner can be a little late today? She asked with a sheepish grin. Richard laughed as he took a few steps back, stretched out his hand towards Serena, and replied “It definitely can”. She took his hand with a blush on her face as they walked over to the nearby cafe.

At the cafe, Serena and Richard enjoyed a hearty conversation with lots of laughter and occasionally some intense conversation on life. They were bonding over how different they were yet how they also did share some similar traits and preferences. It did seem like time had suddenly stopped as the cups of coffee kept adding up. “Why was it so easy to have a decent conversation with this guy but with Liam it almost seemed like rocket science? Why is it just being close to Richard, brings out a stranger in me that I never knew existed? Is it attraction I feel towards him or just gratitude to have someone who shows they care? Do I still love Liam or have we just become comfortable with each other that it doesn’t even matter anymore? Serena’s head was spinning with so many questions as soon as Richard stepped out to answer an urgent call.

Serena had joined the music school 2 years back but she only got to know Richard well during a camp organized by the school earlier this year. Having undergone a miscarriage just a month before, Serena agreed to join the camp just to avoid being home. She was diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder shortly after the miscarriage which led to her sleeping most of the time and suffering from constant migraines. Liam was not much help either as he chose to spend longer hours in the office to avoid facing the reality that awaited him at home. Lonely and depressed, Serena felt that camp would do her good as music was her passion. It was on her first day of the camp that she met Richard, who saw her struggling with her bags and offered to help her take them to her room. Even during the meet-up sessions, he’d often accompany her, perhaps because he saw her being reclusive and exceptionally quiet. This did of course raise some jealous classmates as Richard was the life of the class with his striking good looks and easily approachable personality.

Serena looked at the phone noticing it was close to 8 pm and there were several missed calls and messages from Liam. She had put her phone on silent as she didn’t want her time with Richard to be disturbed. Just about then, Richard came back with a huge grin on his face. “Sorry dear, that was my mom, I usually call her about this time so she got a little worried when I did not call, so I had to assure her I was okay and that I would call her back once I was home, he explained. “Aww, that’s so sweet of you”, she really did admire how well he cared for those he loved and suddenly wished she was one of those people too. Her disappointment must have shown in her face as he replied “Hey, I’d always be here for you too, you know? Richard reached out for her hand and looked earnestly into her eyes. Her heart was skipping several beats and her head was dizzy from the intensity of the moment. “You are married, Serena, you have a husband and kid waiting for you at home, now is the time you should leave” but no matter how much she tried to convince herself, her body was not cooperating with her. Her eyes were still glued to his, she knew deep down inside this was so wrong, yet she felt herself falling deep into his embrace and while it felt so good, she knew she had just crossed the line from friendship to affair.

Tears streaming down her cheek by now, Serena was overwhelmed with comfort, guilt, love and so many other feelings at the same time. All she knew right now as she heard his steady heartbeat and felt his strong embrace, she felt safe and loved. Nothing else really mattered at the moment. She needed this. All her worries and pain seemed to just dissolve in the moment. Richard slowly pulled her back, looked into her eyes, and said “I will always be here for you, don’t you dare forget that, alright?” She smiled “I never will”. With that, Richard took her hand and walked her to her car and after gently kissing her on her forehead, left for his car.

She knew it was wrong, but was it really wrong? They had not done anything physical. She knew for a fact that she was deeply attracted to this guy and though she does not know for sure if he shared the same feeling, it somehow felt like she had just cheated on Liam. But it was good for her and her mental state. She was literally on cloud nine right now, smiling happily as she drove back and that’s all that matters. She got home, told Liam she was having a headache before he could even question her, and headed straight for the shower.