Aspect had a bit of a storyline in St. Augustine that I ran away with. Thanks to her for beginning the thought process!
Broken Roads
Chapter 1
Mike had managed to make it home from deployment on his twentieth wedding anniversary, and he hadn't called Christine before he headed home. On the way there, he bought a nice necklace and a bouquet of her favorite flowers. He knew the kids were at school, so it gave him a few hours with his wife before they got home.
He knew things had been rough before he left. Christine felt lonely. He knew it would be hard for a military spouse. While he had been on deployment, he had taken some counseling sessions online and it had changed his whole frame of mind. He had to see things from her viewpoint. Ten months out of every year, he was thousands of miles away. She raised the kids those ten months, attended to all their appointments, birthdays, holidays, and school functions alone. She cleaned the house and managed home repairs, yard work and maintenance on their vehicles alone. What he did wasn't easy, but it didn't make what she did any less important.
Mike unlocked the front door, confused by the unfamiliar sport's car in the driveway, but figuring that it was belonged to one of Christine's friends. She was nowhere in sight, but it was early spring and she liked planting a nice vegetable garden, so she was probably out back. It wasn't until he was most of the way into the house that he realized what he was hearing. Moans, groans, a bed creaking. He sat his bag down on the floor and put the flower and necklace on the counter before walking to the bedroom he had shared with Christine for the past five years that they had lived in the house. The bedroom door was partially open, and he had seen all he needed to confirm some of his worse fears. He cleared his throat and Christine immediately realized he was there.
"Mike!" Christine shouted. Whoever the man was, she pushed him off of her, and grabbed a robe on her way to the bedroom door. Mike didn't bother saying anything before walking back into the living area. "Get out. Leave." Christine told the man. By the time she was in the living room, Mike was in the kitchen, staring out the window above the sink.
"On our twentieth anniversary?" Mike asked quietly after he heard the man leave.
"I didn't know you'd be home." Christine answered sheepishly.
"That doesn't change a thing. On our damned anniversary, you are…fu…screwing another man in our bed?" Mike asked. Now that he was home, he switched off the part of his brain that allowed him to cuss. He didn't want the kids picking it up.
"I…yes." Christine answered.
"Why?" Mike asked.
"You…weren't home. I begged you to quit. And you didn't. What did you expect? Someone like your mother?" Christine retorted.
"Honestly, yes." Mike answered.
"I'm not like her. You should know that by now." Christine said. She was standing in the kitchen, in her robe; with her arms across her chest.
"The problem I have with that is that you always have been. So, what now?" Mike asked.
"I gave you my ultimatum six months ago before you left. Either you leave the Navy or I leave with the kids." Christine said.
"I can't afford to leave at this point. I just made Lieutenant Commander." Mike said.
"So, the kids and I have to take a backseat again." Christine remarked.
"Who was he?" Mike asked.
"Hannah's soccer coach. Todd." Christine said.
"Oh, this is going to uncomfortable." Mike remarked.
"I am going to take a shower. The kids will be home in about a half-hour. Don't tell them about this." Christine warned.
"Make sure you change the sheets too; although I am sleeping on the couch tonight." Mike said.
"You are staying here?" Christine asked in confusion.
"I am. I'm still paying the bills and I want to see my kids. I've not seen them in six months, remember?" Mike asked.
"That's not my fault." Christine commented.
"No, but I am not leaving. We'll figure something out later, but this won't spill over to them. Other than you are going to have to find a way to tell Hannah that she can't be on that soccer team anymore." Mike said.
"Seriously?" Christine said.
"Yes. Now, please. Go take your shower so I can…figure things out. Go." Mike ordered. He could tell Christine wanted to argue but was smart enough not to. She threw her hands up dramatically and walked away. It wasn't until Mike heard the shower start running that he let the first tear fall, a tear he never thought he'd cry. He had always figured Christine would be faithful. How wrong he was.