Based on a conversation that took place elsewhere, I realized I'd told ya all half a story about my wife a couple weeks back so thought I'd share the other half. When last I left ya, I'd gone out on a date with my old high school crush to try to make my soon to be ex-wife jealous, but the date didn't turn out as planned. Seems she A)had just found out she was pregnant, B)had to bring her kids with her due to babysitter trouble, and C)was gonna make another attempt to fix her failed marriage.
After this failed date, I realized I still liked her quite a bit, and wanted to see her again but no longer just to make my ex mad. I also, however, was not willing to play a role in bringing an end to someone else's marriage, so no more dates till that was resolved...however, we did start talking on the phone from time to time. Time to time quickly became frequently. Also, at the time she worked at the deli counter of a grocery store, and I started frequently realizing I "needed" something I'd "forgotten" when I last bought groceries, as an excuse to see her even if it was only for a moment.
Then the fateful night came when my moral code kicked in. During one of our phone calls she was telling me about something her idjet did or said that ticked me off. I said something along the lines of "You don't have to put up with that, there's guys out there who will treat you better" and she said something along the lines of "Like who?" DANGER Will Robinson...I wanted to say "Like me" and of course in hindsight she was waiting for me to say just that. But my moral code kicked me in the rear and told me I was about to cross the line that I had said I wouldn't cross, the one about playing a role in a divorce, so instead I cut off all contact with her, knowing I would tell her how I felt if we kept up this dance.
Not gonna bore you with the intervening months, but one day a few months later, I'm in Walmart and run into her father. I casually asked about his family. I didn't realize it right away but he never did tell me how his whole family was doing, he only told me that she and idjet were finally done for good, and that he was sure she'd like to hear from me.
Long story short, I wasn't sure what she thought about the fact I'd stopped calling, and hadn't returned her phone calls a few months back, but I worked up the nerve (over a few days time) to give her a call and see if I could drop by to talk. Believe it or not, I even showed up with flowers. 20 years later here we are still together.