I had told him about the men I had dated.
There had never been a wife.
Never a marriage.
Never a divorce.
“Andrew,” I said, forcing the words through my throat, “who is she?”
He sat down slowly.
“Her name was Claire.”
“Your wife?”
“Yes.”
The answer struck with the force of a physical blow.
“How long were you married?”
“Eleven months.”
I stood.
“You were married for almost a year, and you never told me?”
“I know.”
“Why?”
He looked up at me.
“Because I was ashamed of what happened.”
“What happened?”
He rubbed his hands together.
“Claire was my college girlfriend.
We married young.
We were twenty-four.
I thought I knew what I wanted, but we were both struggling.
She had serious problems with gambling, and I kept trying to fix everything for her.”
I stared at him.
“Gambling?”
“She lost money.
Then she borrowed more.
Eventually, she began using my credit information without asking.”
