(As told to Ritu Goyal Harish)
“Marriage…mangalsutra…morality – everything has its own place. It occupied a prime position in my life for over two decades. And then I fell! Hard. At my fortieth, everyone proclaimed cheekily, ‘Women get naughty at four-zero-forty!’ Like most other things, this memory, too, was packed away to a desolate corner of the brain.
The how or what or why isn’t important at all, but it’ll suffice to say that I embarked on an affair. Didn’t think it would amount to anything – a bit of harmless flirting with a thirty-one-year-old. But it was evident through countless WhatsApp texts and phone calls that there was a fire that needed stoking. And stoke it we did! Although logistics were complicated (we live in different continents), we made a plan to meet, and I was…not excited…not nervous – but merely curious! I was a virgin until twenty, then married off – didn’t know anything about any other men, so I was filled with a sense of curiosity.
The body is a strange thing. I felt butterflies, the heartbeat quicker, and the hand faltered while applying mascara on the day. He came by in an Uber, picked me up and we were driven to a five-star property not too far away. The confident sway of my hips was all too deceptive, and as we reached the room, the curiosity was replaced by a sense of impatience. I needn’t have worried. The first kiss was awkward – our teeth clashed briefly, and I thought instantly – ‘Uh oh – big mistake!’ The next second, there was a knock on the door, and we both tried to look nonchalant as I stumbled over my shoes to open up. But after that – no, I do not intend to do a Christian Grey here – but he stood on my toes and ‘trapped’ me for our second kiss. Every nerve ending sang. Loudly.
He sang my tune beautifully – as if it meant to be. The sense of liberation I felt was, is, indescribable. It was a no ‘holes barred’ (pun intended) fly-to-the-sky-and-hurtle-down-the-cliff twenty-four hours that followed. I was surprised in the bathroom, and then left gasping for breath as wave after wave of the big O overcame me.
Related reading: How parents’ sexual behaviour influences the child
My clandestine meeting with this man was the best I could have ever hoped for.
It was not easy at all; for me to overlook the countless stretch marks, the saggy belly, the more massive than natural pendulous boobs, and focus on me that I am – occasionally funny, occasionally sexy and sometimes beautiful.
It took six months of persistent pursuing from this bloke and a subsequent twenty-four hours, for me to finally look at myself in the mirror and exclaim with delight – ‘Hey girl, you are funny, sexy and beautiful!’
Don’t get me wrong – there is nothing ‘wrong’ in my marriage. My husband, on the outside, is tall, fair-skinned and handsome; and on the inside, he is gentle, loving and incredibly supportive. What’s more, he is a feminist too. So if you’re looking for someone to blame, you need to look elsewhere.
I also do not fit into the mould of a ‘bored housewife.’ I work in the field of education, have an incredibly successful career and excel at what I do. And here’s another confession – I feel no guilt at my so-called transgression. I want to do it again. I WILL do it again. And again.
Having this affair liberated me. It showed me a mirror and held it at an angle I’d never looked at myself before. And you know what? I like what I see. I love me!
I feel not an ounce of guilt, not an iota of regret. More than anything, realisation struck that I am me first, then a wife and mother and daughter. So I need to look after me first, and of course, the rest will follow. This decision to share my body with him was one that did not take much contemplating – morally, and there were lots of blurred lines in relationships all around me. More than following the crowd, subconsciously I just wanted to see what all the fuss was about.
My one recommendation – if you can find a man who is in it for the same reasons you are, and if the chemistry is right, then go for it! Because all we have is now!”
Is indifference or disrespect equivalent to cheating on spouse?
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What efforts did u make as a partner in the marriage to spiceup & explore yourself along with your husband. You simply choose to cheat because somewhere in your heart you desire variety with other men than ur hubby. You walk out of marriage & enjoy yourself. There are handsome guys, intelligent guys, confident guys , gym guys etc who will give butterflies to you. You can fulfill ur lust and they will bring out women in u completely out. For a women with so called qualifications like you , like a murderer, you need not do this cowardly. For you, husband and children are like ornaments to showcase to the society & they definitely dont deserve wife or mother like you. so throw them out, u don’t need them. You may not feel guilt because you are like animal in human form. Definitely animals never feel guilt or regret.
You are a coward and selfish. Who stopped you from leaving marriage and enjoying with everyman whom you liked. You don’t have guts and shame on yourself for claiming broadminded and well educated. You have judiciously used all so called modern thoughts and education only for cheating and back stabbing your husband and family. People like you are like parasites or worms in the stool who will not leave and play and suck the emotions of loyal spouse. You need only husband as a slave for cleaning the shit whatever you receive during adventures that’s all. Tell your kids what sort of a woman you are if you are so proud of you.They will feel sorry for taking birth through such an woman’s womb.
As a recently betrayed man, I fell this is a senseless level of pleasing self. I wonder what stopped you from bringing the magic into your marriage. It shows your inability to see the good in yourself as such. Learn to see the good in you, even if you are not successful career wise or in marriage.
That quote in the story is worth an applaud… Profound, realistic and bitterly true.