Chapter 5: Jason Campbell

Jason Campbell was a divorcee who was dedicated to his work or anything he set his mind to do.

He had decided that he was not going to get married again after his divorce. His wife Rebecca who he had loved dearly and had done everything to satisfy in every way had run away with his best friend.

He could not believe it at first. They had all been so close that even when Brian had visited his wife in his absence, he had not thought much of it.

Of course he had come home unexpectedly a few times because he had forgotten something and had met them together chatting and laughing and he had thought nothing of it and had also left them alone and gone back to work. Little had he known that they had been having an affair.

When Rebecca started acting funny, it was his best friend Terry that he had gone to.

'Terry, did Rebecca complain about anything to you?'

 Terry had been shocked but when he realised that it was just an innocent question, he had said, 'What is the problem? Are you having problems with Rebecca?'

'I won't say we are having problems exactly but she is really acting wierd. I do not know what the problem is'.

'Have you tried to find out? Have you asked her?' Terry asked.

'Yes, I have asked her to tell me what is bothering her but her response has remained the same'.

'And what is that?'

'That there was nothing bothering her and that there was nothing wrong with her. She said that she is okay and that she is as fine as she has always been. But you know, I don't believe it. I feel it in my guts that there is something terribly wrong. Something that I should know which I am missing'.

Terry quickly said, 'Don't overthink the whole thing. There may really be nothing the matter and it is all a figment of your imagination. You know women with their mood swings. Who knows if she is pregnant or her hormones are acting up. But if you really want, I could speak to her on your behalf'

He had been very grateful that he had offered. He was normally not one to share family secrets but he was just bothered and if sharing it with Terry would bring about a solution, then why not and Terry was not really an outsider. He was still family.

He didn't know how or when Terry had spoken to her but he had called him some days later, asking him to give Rebecca some time and that she would come clean with him but that it would be wrong to force anything from her at that stage.

It had been difficult because he knew how it had been between them. Now, she didn't even want him to come close to her anymore.

He missed her terribly. 

On one occasion when he had told her that she was denying him his rights as her husband and that he was missing her terribly, she had allowed his roaming hands to continue exploring.

He had thought that it was alright then but their coupulation that night had been a disaster. She had not been her usual responsive self. She had laid as a log, allowing him to have his way with her. He had tried all the skill that he could possibly muster but all had been in vain.

He had regretted the act and had decided since then not to make any more sexual advance towards her untill he was sure that she wanted the same thing as he did.

The situation had escalated and Rebecca had started hinting at divorce.

'Rebecca, our marriage has always been based on trust and lack of secrets between us. What is it you are keeping away from me? What have I done that you have found it impossible to reveal to me? And if it is not me, then what is it that is troubling you so much that you feel there is no need for you to share it or them with me? Don't you know that seeing you this way is breaking my heart? I have been in perpetual agony since you started giving me the cold treatment. I have gone through our time and life together but I can't seem to get it - what the problem is or where I have gone wrong.

Is it something you needed that I have been unable to satisfy?'

Rebecca had looked at him with irritation, stood up and left.

Though the next day, her behaviour had been more civil and she had apologised for her short temper the previous day.

'Just leave me be for now. If there is anything I want you to know about, then I shall definitely tell you at the right time. But please do not force it out of me'.

He had thought that there was going to be progress from then henceforth but that was not to be because, he got home the very next day with a bouquet of red roses that had been grown in a hot house, since it was not the season for roses,only to find the house empty. He asked the servants and they told him that the madam had called a cab and had asked them to carry her suitcases down into the cab and had driven away. 

'But she left this letter for you', the kitchen help said.

Jason took the letter with trembling hands and was about to tear it to find out what was written inside. What had made his wife. A woman he had loved for so long and had been married to for about four years, to feel the need to leave him.

He wanted to find out what he had done wrong and see how he could make amends for it but he became scared and put the letter into his pocket to be read at a later time.

He tried calling Terry to tell him of the latest development but he did not pick his call and even disconnected it after sometime.

Jason was shocked. Terry never disconnected his calls before. He always picks his calls eagerly. They were best of friends afterall. 

But maybe, he was in a meeting or with someone and did not want to pick his call yet because it was not convenient. He decided that that must be the case and decided to wait for sometime, say an hour before calling him again but in the meantime, he was going to sent him a short message to call him as soon as he was free of his engagements.