Body Beauty Alicia Keys

Alicia was tired. It was not due to a hard day at work; it was not the previous days of turmoil. It was the weeks, maybe the months of being dishonest to Vance. She knew this had to end, end soon. In her heart, she still loved Vance and could not imagine looking into his eyes and saying, "I Don't Love You Anymore."

Many times recently, she tried to remember where things went wrong but could not define a single point, event or date when it started. One thing she always believed, she would never cheat on Vance, and never in her whole life would that be their reality. However, she did cheat and it became her reality.

Later when Vance came home, she greeted him with a touch more enthusiasm than necessary but it helped her cope with the secret. As the deceit progressed, Alicia found that sharing physical contact with Vance helped put salve to a wound she created.

"What's for dinner, you want to go out?" Vance tossed his keys onto the counter top in a place that Alicia kept clear. He distributed, she cleaned things into a drawer. The clunk sound in the kitchen came from the keys landing in the drawer.

Alicia handed Vance a glass of Merlot, "Let's stay in tonight I am kind of beat and it's getting nasty outside." Vance took the glass with a nod taking a sip.

"OK, fine with me." Vance retreated to the bedroom to change into something a bit more comfortable than the pin stripe.

While he was gone, Alicia heard the vibration noise of her cell phone rattling in her purse. She glanced at the display it was Travis. He knew better than to call in the evening. They had an arrangement and so far, both stuck with it even if they missed the other one. So far, the relationship had not progressed to the point of wanting it to be more permanent.

Any thought of answering the summons stopped as Vance returned. Quickly Alicia slipped the phone into her pocket. "Vance, keep your eye on the oven, the roast is close to being done, maybe in about 5 minutes. I got to go to the bathroom." He nodded to her and Alicia went to answer the query.

"Why are you calling me? You know we said our home time was off limits."

"We have a problem. Cindy found my cell phone and read the text message you sent me. I erased most of them but forgot the one from today."

Alicia felt a cold streak move from her stomach to her chest, then spread to her head. A tremble ran over her body. Alicia knew from the start of the affair this explosive event could happen. She, like most people who cheat, could never tell how, when or the fallout.

Travis kept speaking. "She doesn't know who you are where you are or anything to help her locate you but wanted you to know. I have no idea what is going to happen here but my situation is going to change rapidly. I just don't know what is going to happen."

He hung up. Alicia glanced in the mirror seeing someone she did not really know. Her thoughts bounced back and forth between fear, worry, love, and despair. In her mind, she knew that everything she thought she knew, wanted, and cherished could go up in a vapor of smoke.

This story is quite common, how it begins and ends varies by the individuals involved. The danger, the harm, and the results of an extramarital affair vary. Yet the effect of all involved is lasting. People walking this path will often get scared realizing the thrill of the affair is not what they really want.

They are scared of where they are and want to rebuild, to retrace the comfort of trust that existed. Is it possible? Do you confess the affair? Do you tell the story? Do you tell the unspoken? Do you tell the truth?

What you do is a decision you must make. There are benefits to each approach. As a guide, first determine who is to benefit from the confession. Is the confession to help, you or your partner? Without confessing the affair, will the guilt be a burden you cannot carry without harm to you or your partner?

A key element of any recovery, you must start today to validate your commitment to your partner.