John smirked. “Oh, Nicky! It’s not like you didn’t see it coming. Come on. We both know there’s nothing left between us. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life sulking with you. I want to live. Like a free man. And I will find someone – beautiful and gorgeous….who’s not a dead goat like you! So, yes, I am divorcing you.”

“And you think I will let you off the hook so easily? You wish, John!” Nicky snarled. “You want to live like a free man, don’t you? Well, guess what? I am not going to sign the divorce papers, and you are not getting a single penny, let alone any share!”

Nicky laughed. “Oh, poor Johnny! What will you do? Bring a mistress home? Those young girls you’ve been playing around with? They won’t clean and cook for you like I did, John! I looked after you for 47 goddamn years! I raised our children by myself while you slept on the living room couch after work, drank beer, and went out with friends. And you think you’re going to get away with it? Never!”

“Well then,” John paused, looking at his wristwatch. “I don’t think I have a way out. I am leaving for a trip to Mexico in one hour. And I guess I’ll be away for six months. I completed all of the bookings, and, well, I used up nearly all of the savings we had in our joint account.

“Let’s see if you’d divorce me willingly or continue struggling to make ends meet and beg me for money. After all, what would a stay-at-home-wife like you do if she doesn’t have money? Have a good time, honey,” he said, mocking her. “I’m looking forward to my time in Mexico!”

“What? How the hell did you…That had my savings too, John! How dare you use it without discussing it with me?”

With that, John went to their bedroom, packed his stuff, and walked out of their house, leaving behind the divorce papers for Nicky. “If you don’t want to live with the consequences of your decision, sign it as quickly as possible. Otherwise, your life will be nothing but hell from now on!” he added before leaving.

Nicky broke down in tears as she saw John walk away. Sure, John hadn’t been the best partner ever, but she’d only recently discovered that he was sleeping with women much younger than him who didn’t want anything serious but just a night’s stand. And so, he tried to get rid of her and divorce her.

Three months later…

Nicky was sitting in the living room, sipping raspberry tea, munching on chocolate chip cookies, and continually checking her watch, when she heard the doorbell ring. Her jaw dropped to the floor when she saw John at the doorstep. “What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be in Mexico?”

“Oh, Nicky! I am sorry, I am so sorry for what I did!” he begged, getting on his knees. “Please forgive me. I was wrong to leave you. I shouldn’t have done that.”

Nicky was stunned. “John, what’s the matter? Okay, calm down. Let’s go inside and talk, alright?”

“Oh, Nicky! Where do I even start? I met this young girl, Maddison,” he began once they’d settled inside. “She was gorgeous, and I thought she loved me. We spent two months in Mexico together…But she was a con! She robbed me! She took all my money and everything! We were living in her modest apartment in Mexico together. She made me do everything for her, including cooking and cleaning. She had two children, and I even babysat them since I felt she loved me. But every night…” he cleared his throat.

“Oh, dear!” Nicky gasped. “That’s terrible…terrible…You know what….” She had started to speak when the doorbell rang.

“Just a minute, John. Let me see who’s there,” Nicky said as he walked to the door.

“Who’s there, Nicky?… What – What are you doing here?” John was taken aback when he noticed Maddison on their porch. “Nicky! She’s the one! She’s the one who robbed me!”

The two women exchanged glances and burst out laughing.

“What?” John exploded. “You did all of this on purpose?! You will regret it, Nicky! You will!”

A few months later, John and Nicky were divorced, and when their children learned about what had transpired, they took their mother’s side and ridiculed their father for stooping so low.

• You can’t escape karma. John cheated on Nicky and vowed to make her life a living hell, but karma caught up with him.
• Stop thinking of homemakers as weak. John believed he could easily convince Nicky to divorce him because he was the breadwinner and thus, had the upper hand in the marriage. But karma proved him wrong.

If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a woman who was completely baffled when she arrived at her late son’s grave and met his carbon copy there.