Love Through the Ages

Good man?

Trying something new, unreliable narrator.

Arthur knew he wasn't a good man.

A good man wouldn't let his eyes wander from his expecting his wife. A good man wouldn't go out of his way to avoid intimacy with his wife. A good man wouldn't lust after someone half his age. A good man wouldn't look at some else with desire.

Arthur's marriage started out fantastic. Francine and him were just two lovebirds, you couldn't pull them away. Their honeymoon was spent in pure bliss.

The cracks first started appearing when Francine had introduced him to one of her children from a previous marriage.

Arthur, at first, was ecstatic. He had a child he could dote on, he had a loving wife, he had a nice house, he had a stable job. Arthur, finally had a family. It wouldn't be like the Kirkland family, no this one would be loving and supportive. In this family, you wouldn't have to worry about one of your cousins coming home blackout drunk.

Matthew was a great child. He was respectful, he was loyal, he was reserved, he was humble. Any parent would kill to have a child as good as he was. It wasn't Matthew's fault.

No, no, it was his friend's fault.

His friend was everything Arthur wanted in a partner. The friend was charismatic, they could get you to believe anything. They were a flirt, almost everyone fell in their arms. They were passionate. They were...beautiful.

The friend was a shining star, a beacon for the damned souls. Everyone paled in comparison to the friend.

Francine was great...but she just didn't compare. She had this annoying habit where she would smack her lips, every time she ate. She didn't laugh at his jokes. She always put on too much perfume.

Matthew's friend wasn't like that! He laughed at Arthur's jokes. He appreciated Arthur like Francine never had.

Arthur knew he was a terrible man.

A good man wouldn't fall in love with some else besides his wife.