PROLOGUE

Miriam sat there looking up at her husband in stunned silence.


She knew he was still talking but she could barely make out his words.


All she heard was the roaring echo of her own questions tumbling in her mind.

This couldn't be happening! Eleven years! Eleven years of her life! Ending?! How could she have been so blind? How can anyone lie for so long?

"Miri please look at me. I'm so sorry I..."

Jeremy did not get a chance to finish because Miriam jumped suddenly out of the couch and threw herself at him.


She started pummeling his chest, slapping him repeatedly, and all the while she screamed at him through her tears.

"You son of a bitch! You bastard! How could you?! How could you do this to me, to our son?!!! How could you hurt me like this?!"

Jeremy did nothing to prevent the blows, he stood there accepting the punishment he felt he justly deserved.

Miriam grabbed him by the collar her hands throbbing from the punishing blows, but the pain barely register in her mind. She looked at him through her tears and asked again, "Why? You were my life! I gave you all my love, I held NOTHING back! Why would you hurt me like this?!" Jeremy could not answer, his chest constricted from seeing the pain edged so cruelly on her face.

Miriam let go of his collar and stepped back, giving him one last look of pained disbelieve. She turned her back to him and covered her face crying, her body shook with the force of her sobs.

"Timmy.... How am I going to tell our son? How?"

Jeremy stepped to her and tried to put his hand on her waist, tears rolling freely down his face. "Miri, I'm sorry..."

She spun around quickly and pushed him away. "SHUT UP! Don't ever call me that again! Get out! Leave this house now! You can forget about ever seeing Timmy again, I will make sure you NEVER see him again! GET OUT! GET OUT!!" She stood looking at him with hatred in her eyes. Her body vibrated with the pain and hatred caused by his betrayal.

Jeremy turned slowly and walked to the front door. His suitcase was already in the small foyer, before he picked it up he took one last look at what used to be his home, then walked out.

Miriam collapsed to the ground after she heard the front door close. She sobbed uncontrollably her world had just crumbled around her.... She had been unaware, she never suspected, and now it was too late. He had been her life...her world. Oh, God, how was she going to survive this?! She felt alone. Abandoned! Who would hold her and comfort her now?

On shaky legs she straightened herself up and walked slowly to their bedroom.

She stood looking down at the bed, then very slowly she lay on it.

She laid on his pillow, and inhaled.... His scent filled her with loving memories.

Her man was gone.... His side of the bed would stay empty. His caresses, the feel of his hands on her body.... His heated kisses, his firm body under her touch.... His face, his lips, gone...ALL GONE!

She lay there sobbing, her chest tightened in pain, because in her heart she knew...she knew she would always love this man.

*****

"What? The hell you say!"

"I raised you better than that! I raised you better!"

Frank stormed out of the dining room, slamming the front door on his way out.

Jeremy looked down at his mother, pain reflected in his eyes, couldn't his father understand? Could his mother?

His mother shook her head and lifted her tear filled eyes to ask, "Jeremy, how could you do this? How? This is not right, you have a wife, a son, you can't do this to them!"

"Miriam is a wonderful woman! How could you!"


Estelle began to cry earnestly. Jeremy crouched to get closer to her, and when he tried to touch her she flinched. "Mom.... Please....", but she didn't look at him. "My mind is made up, please try to understand. Please mom, you and dad need to accept my decision." But Estelle did not answer him, she just kept crying.


"I love you mom." Jeremy said softly before walking out.

*****

Jeremy stood looking at the door of the apartment. He knew he couldn't stand in the hallway forever, and even though he could barely lift his hand to ring the bell, he finally did.


The door opened and a woman stood in front of him. "I told them. I told them everything...."