A story about a cheater

Earlier today i read a story named "my secret" revolving around a person who had the misfortune to know about their father's affairs. And how they thought keeping it a secret would keep their family happily together.

The following is my experience with the same issue.

Let'sstartfrom 2003

I remember a cold night of January, my father returns home drunk and start his daily drama, except this time my mother was not alone, her mother and h two sisters were over. My parents had a big fight that night resulting to my father leaving the house at early morning and taking me with him.
We went north where his brother worked. We got there by night, found all my father's family gathered at my uncle's. Normally I would be happy to meet them, but in such circumstances I know what their conversations would be about. How my mother is such a pain in the ass, and how she makes him leaves the house everytime they fight. None of this is true of course but at that time I was only 9 and I couldn't defend her. All I could do is wait for everyone to sleep and steel my father's phone and call her and cry my heart out and apologise for not waking her up when he took me in the morning.

Side note : This has nothing to do with the story but you must understand that my hate for my father was not just born out of a sudden, it was built through years and years of drama and abusing. So if at any point I point out how much of a failure he is or insult him dont judge me.

...The next moring everyone was up early, getting ready to explore the beautiful Tangier. We went out, my uncles and aunts. But as we reached the center Tangier the guys wanted a time out from all the pain of the endless shopping the ladies made them go through so they decided to split into groups. The guys would hand out at a cofee and the ladies.. well you know the drill.

My father tried to force me to go withy aunts but I just couldn't let go of him, caus somehow they always make me feel left out.
So i stuck with my father. We went to a coffee place, sat there and if any of you have a slight idea of Moroccan coffee placea you'd understand how it work. If not just keep reading.
Here you get a table at the corner of the street and you just sit there while glazing your eyes at the passengers. So while I was sitting next to them my uncles would hit on almost every woman passing by. While my dad would just contemplate with the staring, thinking I would not notice caus ( what a nine years old would understand).

At that time I did get ideas in my head, things that a girl my age should not be aware of, but whenever I think about the idea of my father cheating on my mother I would just dismiss it in hopes of it never happening.

The residence where my uncle lived had a pool table, so most of his friends would gather and play. And among them there was this 40ish French blond lady who would come and slay them at the game. I remember she was good, and everyone would just stare at her well structured body. And when i say everyone that includes my father.

Most of what I am saying right now might appeal to some of you as "normal" events.
But if you think about it from the perspective of a girl who witnessed her mother poor her heart out for a man who once he get the chance he doesn't stop himself from the joy of staring -no blinking btw- at a half naked woman playing pool, or a well dressed young girl just passing by.

2013

Ifyouwonderwhythelongperiodisonlybecause 2005 wasmybreakingpoint, itwasatthattimethatIknew thatIwasjustadecoy, myfatherusedtopissoffmymother. Himtakingmealongwheneverhe had afightwithmymotherwas just hisway of tellingher " heyyou fight meitakeyour kid". Becauseifheevertookmewithhimoutofloveorkidnesshewouldnt  leavemeathismother'shouseandleavemetherefordayswithoutcheckingonme.

The point is, I skipped 10 years because I had no real relationship with him at all at that time, Caus whenever he was mad he would get his stuff and leaves the house for days, sometimes weeks.
We would never know where he went, or with whome. Untill 2013.

By this time I am 19 years old I'm in my senior year of college. I live with my cousin/best friend. Life could not be any better. especially that I've had 3 years off of my parents drama. Even if I lived only an hour away from my parents I would not visit untill the holidays or school vacations.

Untill one day my youngest sister called me saying that she missed me and that she needed to see me as soon as possible. - I should mention that at that time my sister was only 13- .
two days later I came home, to the same old drama. No talking, just the silent walls.
My sister revealed to me that she was using my father's computer and she came across some files, and curiosity killed the cat. She opened them to find pictures of my father and his girlfriend/lover/mistress/20years younger than him. It didn't bother not untill she showed me the pictures, and there was a video of them just hanging out, laughing and having what seemed like the time of their life.
What bothered me the most was not the fact that he cheated ( because a part of me always knew my father was a cheater ) it was the mere idea of him smiling from ear to ear with another one, and when he gets home at night he puts the woman who been there for him through hell. Caus man if you are unhappy with your wife/girlfriend/partner just let them know... don't lead them on and treat them bad. Be a man/woman enough to assume your responsibilities and be honest about your feelings to set them free and end their misery.

Okay what would you do if you were at my place? Should I tell her or just let it slide?.

That's what my sister asked me, But i knew that i had to tell her because
first we didnt have much of a stable family to save. Second if I was at her place I would wanted to know about it.

So I did tell her, and she spent the next two weeks or so crying and whenever he gets home she washes that pretty face and acts like nothing is wrong. I skipped school to stay with her, and whenever my bestfriend calls me i make an illness excuse to explaine why i have missed two exams.

At this point you would figure out what qould happen, right? Here's a hint: she did the
most stupid thing you could think of.

She confronted him, he did what he's good at : making promises he will never keep. And she actually forgave him.

2014

See the thing is, it's you who sets yourself's value. When you give up your dignity dont expect being well treated. Caus sometimes people mistaken forgiveness by weakness.

It's been two years, he said he stopped the affair. My relationship with him so far is " Hi , How was your day".  I graduated and took a year off, went to live with my sister 4hours away from my parents.

It was fine, nothing bad is happening. I am enjoying my time off. Life is fun, I met someone. And its always sunny in Marrakech.
Untill I received that early morning call, a payphone number and I hear a crying voice who seemed to be my mother's. I ask her whats wrong she explaines that she left the house because she found out that my father was seeing someone else.
I did what I usually do when my mother calls for help, packed my clothes and took the first train to Casablanca. It took about four hours, once I was there I called her, and we met at the tramway station next to the train's terminus. We sat there for about 2 hours just talking about random things, most of it was me blaming her for what happened becaus if she left the first time he was cheating on her with that 25ish girl, none of this would have happened.
"Once a cheater always a cheater mom" I said without even looking at her.

" But we have been together for 23 years, I thought it was just a fling. I didnt want to break us apart caus of a random fling"

I paused to think if this is the right time to mention the 10 years I skipped in the story.

" It wasn't his first time, Ive known he used to talk to other women online. I just didn't want to tell you before because I never thought he would take it to the next level. I thought it was just a random online chat"

She didnt say much for about a minute, then she stood up grabbed my hand and got on the tramway.

We went home.

The next day she asked me to go back to Marrakech caus there is nothing i could do for her at that point. And thats what I did.

A week later, she called to give me her new address. She left the house and filed a divorce.

Two months later she left Casablanca to settle in a small town.

Today as I write this, I admit that I have never seen her this happy.