The Christmas Present

Later having worked up an appetite they sat close together on the couch and shared a plate of left overs. “Can I ask you a question?” Sharni said, having had enough to eat and laying her fork down.

“Sure” he said continuing to eat.

“When we first met you mentioned you were married once, can I ask what happened?”

His expression went serious and without looking at her he said in a hard tone “oh the usual stuff, betrayal, pain, divorce.”

“I’m sorry” she said wondering if his wife had cheated on him. Poor guy. She couldn’t begin to imagine how that felt. She’d had many relationships of varying length in the last ten or so years but none of them had ended that way. And being married must make the betrayal that much more painful. “How long were you married?” she asked.

“Five years.”

Sharni didn’t know what else to say and in the sombre mood that ensued she regretted bringing the subject up. Not that she didn’t want to know, she was glad he felt able to tell her, but it could have waited. She didn’t need to ruin such a magical night. 

Then all of a sudden Mitch started talking “Marie, my wife, my ex-wife” he corrected himself and Sharni could tell how difficult it was for him to say.  “She was offered a job interstate. A good job. She didn’t want to turn it down. I didn’t want to move. She left and for a while I couldn’t forgive her. I did things I regret.”

Sharni drew in her breath and her heart skipped a beat as she stared at him. He had betrayed her not the other way around. 

But before she could gather her thoughts he was talking again.