Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 Sharon's story:

   When I woke up that morning I knew something wasn't right.  The drawers
in Jim's dresser were standing open, with nothing in them at all.  When we
had come home last night there had been some clothes left in those drawers,
now they were all empty.

   Suddenly in a panic I got up and ran to the guest bedroom.  The door was
standing open, and there was nobody in there at all.  I next ran through
the house to look out at our driveway.  No car.  Nothing.  Jim had left.  I
knew then that I had pushed too far.  I had let things get to far out of
control and he had been serious about leaving me.

   I sat down in the kitchen and zoned out.  I didn't know what to do now.
This reaction I was not prepared to deal with.  When I had gone to bed last
night I figured that Jim would come out this morning and hem and haw a
little bit, then ask for forgiveness.  Then I'd forgive him and things
would be better.  Now...now I was certain I had gone too far.

   As I sat there in the kitchen, I realized that my marriage was more than
likely over.  I had gotten my revenge...but at what cost?  Why had I let
Mark talk me into such a hard line revenge?  How had I been so stupid to
not see what that would have done to Jim?

   I was certain of one thing and one thing only.  I should have not pushed
Jim so far.  I should have just gone out and had a fling and then let
things settle down, instead of rubbing his nose...oh God...I had rubbed his
nose in it literally and figuratively.  I wouldn't have taken something
like that too well either.

   Instead of feeling vindicated, I felt like a true bitch.  I had chased
my husband out of my life and made myself a divorcee for sure now.  There
was no turning back, no forgiving what I had done to my husband.  I had
gone too far.  Way too far.  Jim had to hate me now for sure.  What little
chance I had to fix things was now gone forever.

   That's when I broke down and cried.  I sobbed for a long time, perhaps
hours.  I had no idea what I was going to do...but I knew that sooner or
later, divorce papers and lawyers would be involved.  Sitting there I
finally figured out that if I wanted any of the money we had in our joint
account I'd better go get it right now.  Logging on online, I soon
discovered that Jim had moved half of everything out of our joint accounts.
Savings, checking, even our stocks and bond accounts were halved.  I knew
then that the reality was that I was soon to be quite single.

   I'm not sure how long I sat there...but it was quite a while.  I got up
and showered, hoping against hope that Jim could still forgive me, that
he'd still come home.  By nighttime I knew that wasn't going to happen
though.  I had really messed up things.

   I couldn't believe how calmly Jim spoke to me as he told me I'd gone too
far with my revenge.  At one point I thought he might take me into his
arms, but then a look came over him and he just turned and walked away.  As
he closed that gate I felt like the end of the world had just happened.  In
fact the end of my world had just come.

   I finally got a lawyer and began to protect myself as best I could.  The
whole divorce only should have taken a little over three days but there was
a waiting period and other things that made it drag on for months.  By the
end I was prepared as I was going to be to be single.  A single older woman
that needed to find a job and get a new life.  I was afraid...so very
afraid.

   I moped around for weeks after the final decree and then I got busy job
hunting.  It took a while, but luckily I was able to land a fairly good job
using a degree I hadn't used ever before.  I'd had it since my college
days, but never used it to get a job.  The people that hired me knew that
they were taking a huge chance on me, but I guess I presented myself well
enough and with enough confidence that they were sold on me.

   I began my working days behind the ball, having to catch up on a
lifetime of things I hadn't worried about.  It took me months to finally be
comfortable with the newness of having a job and working.  Having been a
stay at home homemaker...then becoming a vindictive wronged spouse, my own
home-wrecker...I still had some problems with what I had done to Jim.

   My days were spent learning the things I should have known all along,
the things that had changed over the years, and things about computers that
I had never known.  My new employers were good to me and patient as well. I
still worked out, mostly now to keep my mind busy after work.  I couldn't
stand to be alone too much, and working out put me in the proximity of
others.  It kept me from becoming depressed.

   My life was pretty much work, workout, sleep.  Not much else, and no men
at all.  I wasn't interested in dating or trying to find someone else to
take the place of what I had once had.  Jim, even though he had cheated on
me, would be a difficult man to replace.  I loved him, matter of fact I
still loved him.  Even after all that had transpired, I still loved him. 
But, there was no way back to what we once had.  Even I knew that now.