Yesterday you were living a calm, steady, even somewhat dull life. Like everyone else: husband – child – home. To unwind and connect with something beautiful, you came to the theater. And there you met HIM. Unlike anyone else—intelligent, charismatic, attractive. And instantly, your world turned upside down.
In the evenings, you’re no longer yourself, but some entirely different woman, breathlessly attuned to what’s happening inside. You’ve fallen in love, of course. And it would be fine, if only your husband weren’t waiting at home—the man you’ve known since school, and most importantly, your child. Hesitations about betraying your husband quickly gave way to the decision to seize your own piece of feminine happiness. Yet such a “favorite of the audience and women” won’t stay long. Today you’ve transformed into a blissfully deluded girl, but you’re an adult woman who knows this too shall pass—like a cold—in two weeks.
But months have passed. And you realize that if this man suddenly vanished from your life, you’d simply sit down by the wall and die. Yet it’s not just about passionate love. With him, you’re living a different life—full of emotions and events. He takes interest in your ideas and supports your desire to explore the new. Together, you’ve entered the circle of local celebrities, successful businessmen, and prominent figures in the city. You’ve entered incognito, glancing around to see if any acquaintances are present, then sighing—because they never come to such circles. Life lived in fear of exposure and having to mumble nonsense to your husband cuts deep. And you no longer have the strength to let go of your lover. How much you long to stand beside him—proudly and openly—this handsome, remarkable man.
And what about your husband, even if dull, even if flawed, still familiar. So familiar he’s become like an older child. How will he manage without you? He counts on spending his entire life with you. But that’s not the worst part. How do you tell your child—especially a teenager—that your family is falling apart because you’ve found a new love? And could you truly be happy knowing your child is suffering because of it? Do you have enough selfishness in you? Can you build your happiness on someone else’s misery? In the process, making your lover unhappy too—the man whose pain cuts deeper than that of your husband, with whom you’ve walked shoulder to shoulder for many years. Or stay and grow to hate your husband for being the reason your wings are clipped, for time slipping away while you grow older, and the next joyful milestone being retirement. And that you’ll never be happy again.
It’s gotten to the point where your lover is jealous of your husband. The superhero turned out to be tender and vulnerable. Deeply lonely despite his crowd of friends. And he wants to build a family. With you.
And when you’re with him, you know your life belongs here. But when you return home, you can’t imagine leaving it all behind—starting with your husband, ending with the antique sideboard you searched for so long to complete your interior. Absurd thoughts creep into your mind, like the convenient sliding shelf—it will remain behind when you leave. God, what are you thinking? What will you tell your child? That you’ll miss the shelf?
Exhausted by anticipation, you set a date in your mind to talk to your husband—by the end of the school year. You impatiently check the calendar—how much longer? And yet you fear that conversation. Your world has long been turned upside down. Only no one knows. And now you want to overturn the worlds of those closest to you. Selfishly. Through betrayal. In order to live another life, to self-actualize, to finally be happy. Because you know for certain—no matter what decision you make—things will never be the same again.
And what tomorrow will bring—remains unknown.
