My Husband Told Me He Wanted a Divorce, I Agreed but on My Special Terms – Story of the Day

My husband came home one day and asked for a divorce. He offered to give me almost everything, but I had my own demands that surprised him.

“I want a divorce, Caroline,” my husband, Jerry, said after coming home one evening. Our son, George, was at a sleepover, and I had just made a nice dinner for us.

“Why?” I asked, but I already knew the answer. For months, Jerry left for work earlier than usual and came home late. I followed him one night and saw him kiss another woman. Surprisingly, I wasn’t angry with him.

I let him continue the affair, acting like I didn’t know anything. “I’m sorry, Car. It’s just…I've fallen for someone else,” he explained. “But I’m willing to offer you the best deal. You can keep this house and our car. I hope we won’t fight about George, though.”

“No, I don’t want to fight about him,” I muttered.

“Yeah. I love my son, and I’ll pay child support. But I want to see him often. It’s just…I can’t fight my feelings any longer. Is there anything else you want? Alimony?” Jerry added.

I could see that he was apologetic. He had cheated, but my husband was not a complete monster. “Let me think about it,” I replied. Jerry looked relieved, but he stayed on the couch that night.

I didn’t sleep at all. I had been thinking about this for months. I didn’t know if he would leave me for her, but it was a possibility. I was not the same woman he married years ago. Several things were going on in my life.

But George would suffer from our divorce. I had to protect him for as long as I could, which is why I offered Jerry a deal the next day. “I’ll give you an easy divorce. I won’t ask for anything. Material things don’t matter to me,” I started.

“But it’s fine. I cheated. You deserve to keep these things,” Jerry interrupted.

“Let me finish,” I continued. “I have a few stipulations for our divorce. I want you to give me a month before we file for anything, and I would like you to carry me out of our room bridal style every morning.”

“What?” Jerry asked, confused.

“That’s all I want,” I replied. “Then, we’ll see about that amicable divorce.”

“But I haven’t carried you in ages,” Jerry muttered more to himself. “But that seems more than fair.”

I went into the kitchen and saw Jerry go outside to think. He also called someone, and I moved a little closer to eavesdrop.

“Darling, my wife asked me for a month before we officially divorce. She didn’t ask for anything else. Just this month and our divorce will be easy. I promise we'd be together,” Jerry said to the phone.

I don’t know what she answered, but she was probably happy with this response. Luckily, Jerry followed my terms. George was happy that his dad didn’t leave for work so early, and they actually talked. After a few days, Jerry actually laughed about carrying me.

“Remember when I almost hurt my back carrying you during our honeymoon when you broke your heel?” he said one morning.

“I remember perfectly. They were a great pair of shoes, too,” I added, and we laughed. Afterward, he started bringing me coffee every morning.

One day, George noticed his dad carrying me to the kitchen. “Dad, why are you carrying Mommy around?” my 9-year-old asked.

“Because that’s what couples in love do,” Jerry said. I didn’t know if he was sincere or not, but it brightened my day to hear him say that. But the truth is, I needed to be carried. Several weeks went by like that, and I felt closer to him than ever.

Sometimes, I saw him sitting outside and looking at the horizon. I wondered if he was looking forward to our divorce, but I wouldn’t get a chance to find out. My time was running out. So I sat down and wrote him a letter.

“Dear Jerry, I didn’t tell you this sooner because I discovered your affair months before you told me. I was diagnosed with terminal cancer, and there is nothing the doctors can do. I thought we didn’t need a divorce because I was already dying.”

“I also didn’t want our son to go through that only to lose his mother right after. I hope you understand my feelings and take care of him. And I hope the new woman you love will be a great stepmother to him. I always loved you. Sincerely, Caroline.”

I finished writing and tucked the letter inside our nightstand. I felt worse than ever and laid in bed for the rest of the day.

“Caroline, I have to talk to you about something…Oh, I’m sorry, did I wake you?” Jerry said after entering our room.

“Don’t worry. I was just taking a nap. What’s going on?” I asked him.

“I…I don’t know how to say this. I’m so ashamed to ask. But do you think you could forgive me? I don’t want a divorce anymore. I love you, and I always will. I don’t know what went through my mind, but thank you for asking me to wait,” Jerry uttered vehemently.

He laid down on the bed. “I forgive you, Jerry. I love you too,” I said, and we smiled, holding each other. I closed my eyes and never opened them again.

What can we learn from this story?

• Life is fleeting. You never know when you might lose someone you love. So cherish and honor them as long as you can.
• You might not get a chance to make things right. Jerry saw the error of his actions too late and will never get a chance to make it up to his wife.

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