He was different. His clothes were different. A new hairstyle. A tattoo. At first, she chalked it up to him being a man in his early 40s and going through a midlife crisis.
That was nothing extraordinary, right? Things had been OK. Maybe a little strained, but no more than any couple she knew with two kids and a mortgage. Their sex life was good, as it had always been. But maybe he was a little distant. Stan had also taken to using the computer a lot more, spending time on Facebook. Stan had started an account about six months before she did, and he was thrilled at the connections he was making with people he had not seen or spoken to in two decades.
And when she did sign up, she was amazed at the reach the social networking site had. She was finding old friends two at a time. So was Stan. Stan started staying out later. His job took him on the road quite a bit, and there was always some extra time attached. Soon, Amanda began to investigate. Seeing if he used his debit card for anything.
Seeing where he might have been. The credit cards and cell phone, though, are in his name. She could read his e-mails, though. Especially if he left his BlackBerry on the kitchen table.
And when he did, she read an e-mailβmore like a poemβfrom a woman whose name rang no bells with her. Back to the Internet she went, and the answers came fast. But their chemistry was still alive, at least through private messages and e-mails and Facebook wall posts.
