Wednesday, August 24, 2016

That time I found out everyone I trust is a liar.

I have more online friends than "real life" friends. This is just a fact. When Peter left for his mission I was added into the "missionary girlfriend" community. I made close friends with girls in similar situations with me, and now about 98% of the people I'm close to are fellow former MGs. They helped me through the last time Peter and I were apart, and then this summer they helped me through our second big separation.

One of those friends contacted me in late June with a plan. She asked me if I could take off four days in August for a girls trip with her and two of my other close friends. I was THRILLED. I immediately texted my husband to tell him this was happening. He responded, so kindly, with a "I don't think we can afford that."

I was furious, and openly so. I told him I had been alone all summer, and if my friends wanted to get together with me, then I should be able to go. Forget money, even if I have to eat nothing the entire trip, I was going. He begrudgingly agreed and the conversation was dropped.

As the trip got closer, I became more defiant about it. I was almost certain that these three friends had taken pity on my husband-less self and planned this trip to give me company. I wasn't going to skip it. I was telling everyone about it, I was texting the three girls coming on the trip planning exactly how many times we would be going to McDonalds, and I had finally done my laundry so that I could actually wear underwear again.

I was leaving for my trip on Sunday August 14th. That Saturday night I picked up my friend Alaire from the airport, and she had spent the night. We went to church together, but left before 3rd hour as she was feeling unwell. When I get to my apartment door anytime I have been gone, I open it before removing my shoes so that my sweet Baymax can come running through the door and I can see his precious face. On this day, I did just that, but was surprised when there was a delay in the puppy's arrival. I called out to him and he appeared, but running from the left, not from the right where the living room is. This worried me greatly. What had he done in the bedroom?

As I looked to my left to investigate, my husband appeared from the bedroom. My first emotion was shock and fear. Why was there a man in my apartment, and why was he walking towards me? Second, I felt confusion. HOW was Peter there? Was he going back to DC to finish his internship? Realistically, the confusion stayed with me for probably the next two hours, and it began with some serious questions.

"I'M LITERALLY LEAVING TOWN TODAY," I told him, "Katie is coming in 3 HOURS and we're leaving!!"

"No, you're not," Peter laughed.

"No, I really am," I said, pointing to my wall calendar which I live and die by.

P: "Well, you're going, but you're going with me."

M: "I'm not doing anything with them?"

P: "No. Well, maybe later. But not now."

M: "Do they know this??"

and the whole rotten story came out. I was never going on a girls trip, it was Peter all along. Apparently Katie was a cover story for an early returning Peter, and he had booked us 4 days of hotel and activity in Salt Lake City. The flight information I had for two weeks away was a lie, and everyone I regularly interact with knew about it. More than that, everyone I regularly interact with had funded it. Katie had formed an online group of generous MG angels (and Peter) and had raised some money for us to go have wild raucous sex a delayed anniversary celebration together.

After this plan had been revealed to me, I came to realise that everyone knew about the lie that was my life. They listened to my countdowns knowing that I was wrong, they planned a girls trip with me knowing we wouldn't be going. If it wasn't for such a sweet cause, I'm sure I'd be furious.

So there's the tale for any one still wondering.