“Because of her?”
“Because I was happy without her.”
That landed differently.
Daniel rubbed his hands together.
“I know it doesn’t make sense.”
“It does.”
He looked surprised.
I continued:
“But understanding why you lied doesn’t make the lie disappear.”
“No.”
“I need you to understand that.”
“I do.”
“You loved Joanna.”
“Yes.”
“You loved me.”
“Yes.”
“Those things can both be true.”
Tears filled his eyes.
I held his gaze.
“And this can also be true.”
He waited.
“You loved me and still lied to me.”
Daniel nodded.
“Yes.”
That mattered more than I expected.
I wasn’t ready to forgive him.
But at least I no longer had to argue with him about whether I had been betrayed.
Later, after everyone left, Daniel and I sat alone.
The VHS tape rested on the coffee table.
I stared at it.
“Do our children know?”
“No.”
“Anyone else?”
