I thought my husband, Curtis, liked birds; it turns out he was preying on something else. After noticing a sketchy planner entry, I followed him into the woods and caught him red-handed, revealing a truth more twisted than any birdwatching secret.The person you love the most always has the ability to hurt you, especially when you don’t expect it. In retrospect, you see all the signals that something isn’t right in your relationship. However, until you’re anticipating it, you never know what’s going on.
My husband, Curtis, and I had been together for 12 years, which felt like forever. We were the love-at-first-sight kinds you read about in literature, meeting in our twenties and instantly connecting. Fast forward ten years, and we have these gorgeous twin girls, and life has been really nice. Curtis is the office manager, and I’m a teacher. Meanwhile, we’re both involved in our respective pastimes.
Mine was knitting—yes, I am the person who knits everything from scarves to small dolls for the girls. Curtis? He had an odd hobby: birding. But not just any birds; he was all about birds of prey, I thought.I once suggested we go to a falconry display or competition together, but Curtis was not interested. He also shut it down when I wanted to join him on his birdwatching trips.
“It is too hazardous. “I want you safe,” he replied, seeming compassionate, so I agreed. But one day, I stumbled across his planner. Now, this planner was not your typical agenda; it was for tracking his bird sightings. Perhaps I shouldn’t have, but I peeked inside. One entry read “34-28-34.” “Black and Red. A 10…” My brain said, “Wait, what?” Was that a birdwatcher’s shorthand? But when I Googled those numbers, nothing showed up. What may it be?
During my web search, I came across another topic related to measurements.I made up my mind right then and there: I’m going to follow him the next time he leaves. So there I was, on a random Sunday, sneaking after him into the woods. My pulse was beating from the thought of all the scary wildlife that may harm me. The true danger was the bugs that tried to eat me alive, but I kept my mouth shut and kept following him.
And suddenly, BAM! I saw him, but there were no birds; only him and another woman… kissing.My stomach sank. It seemed like I was watching a movie, only it was my life, and I wasn’t enjoying the plot twist. I recognized her from a work party photo on his Facebook—she was a coworker. I couldn’t recall her name, however. I returned home before they noticed me and considered what to do.
Maybe I’m silly, but I didn’t want to give Curtis the satisfaction of leaving him to enjoy his new “bird.” As I deliberated what to do, my emotions fluctuated between fury and heartbreak.A few days later, I snooped through his planner again and discovered a new entry that was different from the one before. It read: “36-24-36.” Blonde. An 8…” This time, grief prevailed. The realization struck me like a truck.
My spouse wasn’t simply cheating; he was taking it to another level.I followed him again to the new rendezvous, this time armed with insect repellent, and there she was: another woman. As I returned home, I asked myself several questions. How many were there? Should I take revenge? How? What could harm him more? Finally, I recognized that killing myself to fight Curtis was not worth it.
I had sufficient evidence to obtain a good divorce, so I contacted a lawyer as soon as I returned home. We began the process immediately, but I remained silent. I pretended everything was fine for the sake of my daughters.But my soon-to-be ex-husband had the guts to set up a fresh meeting with a third woman the next weekend. I planned everything behind his back and settled my girls with my parents.
He didn’t notice.I was prepared when I followed him again on Sunday. I walked out as soon as he started making out with this stranger. I didn’t expect to be that angry, but my sentiments eventually came out. “How could you?” I questioned and accused him of everything. To her credit, the strange woman was stunned by my statements. Curtis attempted to make excuses, but when I was finished venting my wrath on him, I slapped the divorce papers into his chest.
“Good luck in court,” I murmured before walking away.Everything went my way after that. I gained the house, most of our money, and primary custody of our daughters. It was a difficult time in my life, but I’m pleased I found his cheating before I spent another second with someone who could betray me so completely.What would you have done in my position?