Little did I know, those words would come back to haunt me in ways I never could have imagined.
Two cheerful women in a café | Source: Midjourney
After a few classes together, we started grabbing coffee after our sessions. Ann was funny, down-to-earth, and quickly became the highlight of my week.
I never imagined this friendship would turn into something so… unexpected.
“So, Helen,” Ann said one day, stirring her latte. “Tell me about your husband. What’s he like?”
I shrugged, suddenly feeling a pit in my stomach. “Oh, you know. Jim’s… Jim. Works late, snores like a freight train. Your typical guy, I guess.”
Ann’s eyes lit up. “No way! My new guy’s name is Jim too! Know what? He snores like crazy too. Must be a ‘Jim’ thing.”
A woman gaping in shock | Source: Midjourney
“Your guy’s named Jim too?” I asked, my voice squeaking a little.
She nodded, grinning. “Yeah, we met on a dating app a few months ago. He’s perfect. Tall, dark, handsome, just… everything.”
I felt my stomach drop, but I played it cool. “That’s… that’s great, Ann. I’m happy for you.”
Ann chuckled, “Yeah, and mine’s a total night owl. He’s always raving about his hectic work schedule and loves staying up late. But he’s totally worth it.”
My heart pounded. My husband Jim always claimed he was working late. Could it be a coincidence?
A worried woman | Source: Midjourney
“Want to see a picture?” Ann asked, already pulling out her phone.
I nodded, not trusting my voice. And there he was, her guy Jim, no, MY HUSBAND JIM, smiling back at me from Ann’s screen.
“Isn’t he a cutie?” she blushed, and I could literally see hearts sparkling out of her eyes like fireworks on the Fourth of July.
“Ann…” I said, my voice catching. “We need to talk. I think there’s something you should know.”
“What is it?”
“That man in the picture… HE’S MY HUSBAND.”
A man’s photo on a woman’s phone | Source: Midjourney
The color drained from Ann’s face. She stared at the photo, then at me, then back at the phone.
“Oh my God. Helen, I swear, I had no idea Jim was married. He told me he was single. I— I wouldn’t have…”
I believed her. She looked genuinely horrified, and honestly, my anger wasn’t directed at her. It was all aimed at him. My cheating, snoring, lying husband — the walking, talking disastrous radioactive area of our relationship.
“I know, Ann,” I said, reaching across the table to squeeze her hand. “It’s not your fault. It’s his.”
Ann’s eyes hardened. “That lying sack of…”
“What are we going to do now?” I voiced.
A distressed woman | Source: Midjourney
Ann leaned in, a wicked grin spreading across her face. “Oh, I have an idea. But first, we need reinforcements.”
“Reinforcements?”
“Yep!” she winked.
We huddled like a pair of cartoon villains, our eyebrows dancing with mischief.
“That two-timing toad is still using the dating app. What say we give him a taste of his own medicine?” Ann cackled like a witch.
“Ooh, I smell delicious karma cooking!”
She nodded, already dialing her phone. “Hey, Sara? You free for a little revenge plotting?”
A woman talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney
Sara, bless her devious heart, was all in. We met at my place, huddled around my kitchen island like generals planning a war.
“Okay,” Sara said, cracking her knuckles. “Here’s the plan. I’ll create a fake profile on the dating app… someone Jim would definitely go for.”
Ann snorted. “So, basically anyone with a pulse?”
I laughed, surprised at how good it felt. “Pretty much. Make her blonde. He’s got a thing for blondes.”
Sara nodded, typing away on her phone. “Blonde, check. What should we call her?”
“How about… Cheryl?” I suggested.
Ann high-fived me. “Perfect!”
A woman laughing | Source: Midjourney
Lo and behold, faster than you can say “red flag,” Jim took the bait.
Within days, he matched with “Cheryl” and Sara’s phone buzzed constantly with his flirty messages.
“Oh my God,” she groaned, reading his latest text. “He just asked if it hurt when I fell from heaven. Does that line actually work?”
Ann and I exchanged glances. “Unfortunately, yes,” we said in unison, then burst out laughing.
“Alright, ladies,” I said, clapping my hands together. “Time for phase two. Sara, set up a date. Somewhere public, somewhere fancy.”
Sara grinned. “On it, boss.”
Text messages on a cell phone | Source: Midjourney
As she typed, I turned to Ann. “You ready for your part?”
“Oh, I was born ready.”
The night of the big showdown arrived. Sara met Jim at Le Château, the fanciest restaurant in town. Ann and I watched from our car across the street.
“There he goes,” I muttered as Jim walked in, all dressed up and oblivious. “Probably told me he’s working late again.”
