***On our 10th anniversary, my husband dropped a bombshell: he wanted an open relationship. Shocked and hurt, I agreed—but only because I wanted him to understand exactly what he was asking for. While he struggled miserably with modern dating, I unexpectedly thrived. And the moment another man walked into our home, Dave realized his fantasy came with consequences he hadn’t considered.***
There I was, sitting across from Dave in the fancy restaurant he’d chosen for our tenth anniversary.
Candlelight. Soft music. Expensive wine.
It should have felt romantic.
Instead, my husband was about to blow up our marriage.
“So, Felicity,” Dave began in an annoyingly casual tone, as though he were deciding whether to order dessert. “I’ve been thinking…”
Whenever Dave said he’d been thinking, trouble usually followed.
This was the same man who once wanted to put up Christmas lights in July because, according to him, “it would save time.”
So naturally, I became suspicious.
“Uh-huh?”
I tried to sound calm, although anxiety was already tightening my chest.
“You always say you’re tired, and I get it. Taking care of the kids and all. It’s a lot. So, I was thinking, maybe we should open up our relationship.”
I blinked.
Then blinked again.
“Come again?”
Dave leaned forward with a strange enthusiasm.
“Yeah, you know, if I go out and have fun with real women, you can focus on the kids and won’t have to worry about me. It’s a win-win!”
Something inside me cracked.
“Real women?” I repeated quietly.
“Yeah, you know what I mean. It would be like a favor to you. Less pressure, right?”
For several seconds, I imagined throwing my wine in his face.
I wanted to yell.
I wanted everyone in the restaurant to know exactly what kind of anniversary conversation my husband had chosen.
Then a much better idea occurred to me.
I leaned back and smiled.
“You know what, Dave? You’re right.”
His face lit up.
“Really?”
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