Jonathan had fallen asleep long before Martha came home that night. Images of what he had seen kept flashing in his head making him toss and turn all night. Martha came into the room late that night and saw Jonathan having trouble sleeping. She gently shook him to wake him up.
"Jonathan wake up." Jonathan opened his eyes and jumped up when he saw Martha.
"You actually came home?" he asked her.
"Of course I did, why wouldn't I?"
"I'm just surprised you came home after today. Care to tell me what you did today?" Jonathan asked.
"I went to work. I was in the office all day."
Jonathan couldn't believe she was continuing to lie. "Martha, just tell me the truth already."
"I am telling you the truth. I was in the office working all day."
"Cut the crap already. You were having sex with Lionel."
Martha was shocked when Jonathan said that. "What…how…how did you know?"
Jonathan looked down, "I went to the office today and I walked in on you two. I left before you guys noticed I was there."
"You were spying on me?"
"You really have some nerve getting mad at me. You were the one cheating. I have a right to be mad. So how long has it been going on huh?"
"Since I started working for Lionel."
Jonathan looked away from her, she had been cheating on him for months. He didn't even want to sleep in the same room with her so he grabbed his pillow and a blanket, "I'm sleeping on the couch."
The next morning Jonathan woke up and once again Martha wasn't there but Clark was up.
"It's not like you to be up this early Clark."
"Well yea I know, just couldn't sleep."
"Sorry if your mother and I kept you up."
"Oh no you didn't dad don't worry. Dad what's going to happen with you and mom?"
"Honestly Clark, at this point I don't know what's going to happen."
Jonathan went upstairs and the bedroom looked different. He saw that Martha's clothes were out of the closet and all her other stuff was gone. "She left me" was all he could think. He looked around to see if there was a letter left anywhere from Martha confirming what he just thought. He looked down and on the nightstand he saw her wedding ring. He took the ring and put it in his pocket and left to go back downstairs. Clark saw that his father looked like he was going to be sick.
"Dad are you alright? What's wrong?"
"Clark, is there a letter here anywhere from your mother?"
Clark and Jonathan looked around to see if there was any note and Clark found one. "Dad is this what you're looking for?"
Jonathan took the letter and read it while Clark watched for his father's reaction. "Clark…" he put the letter down and took the ring out of his pocket. "Clark your mother left me….to be with Lionel." The news was just too much for Jonathan and he almost collapsed but Clark got him onto the couch in time.
"Dad…you alright?"
"Yea Clark. Everything is just a surprise but at the same time isn't."
"Dad what's going to happen to us?" Jonathan just shrugged. He honestly had no idea what he was going to do anymore. If Martha wanted to be with Lionel, it was her choice. But at the same time Jonathan was going to do all that he could to get her back.
"Clark I don't know for sure what's going to happen but I will do all I can to make us a family again."
After working on the farm for a few hours Jonathan went to rest. He looked at his nightstand and saw his wedding picture.
iA thousand lights had made me colder and I don't think I can look at this the same /i
He remembered that day so well and how happy the two of them were. He fought so hard to win Martha's heart and she chose him, even though her father didn't want her to marry a farmer like him. And now, well now she was with a guy her father would approve of. He looked at his wedding ring and was about to take it off but then he stopped himself. "No I won't give up this easily and I will fight for your love," he said to himself.