Why I Won't Cheat On My Wife - The Return of the Wood Lady

I have a snippet of a memory from right after my parent's final divorce that has always haunted me.

I'm sitting in the front seat of my Mom's 1978 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme and she is driving.

We are having a conversation about something that I have no memory of but I distinctly remember when the conversation changed directions.

My Mom said that my dad was "probably with one of his girlfriends."

I did what any 12 year old would have done at this point.

I stuck up for my dad.

"He doesn't have any girlfriends," I replied with 100% certainty and defiance.

My Mom took her eyes off the road for a little too long and made eye contact with me. I don't know what was behind that look.

Anger?

Resentment?

Pain?

Whatever it was, she lashed out.

"He does to have girlfriends. He has lots of them. And you know what? They are nothing but trash."

She turned her gaze back to the road as I sat mortified in the front seat.

And then that memory fades to black. I don't remember what happens next.

I hadn't really thought about that much until Number 2 showed up at our house with a letter.

It was from the Wood Lady.

Number 2 hasn't really been online much recently so I guess she felt the need to send something via snail mail.

I opened up the envelope that Number 2 gave me and started to read.

All of a sudden, I felt like that embarrassed kid sitting in the front seat of that Oldsmobile all over again.

VW