His look of hostility vanished and he stepped outside the door with a look of concern as he asked, "Are you okay?"
His evident concern over me, of all people, just made the tears come harder.
A knowing look came to his eyes as he handed me a handkerchief from his pocket, "She has dirt on you too doesn't she?"
I nodded, as I took the rag from him. I wiped my face and forced myself to look him in the eyes as I said, "I'm so sorry! I helped to do the very thing to you that I've tried to avoid happening to myself. I don't care if you forgive me, but I want you to know that I'm sorry!"
I started to cry harder again and made to step back and flee the scene, but he stepped closer and stooped down to look me in the eyes and say, "I forgive you!"
His voice was solid and the meaning of his words clear, but I didn't understand him.
"How can you say that? I've ruined your life haven't I?" I exclaimed.
Jim looked at me kindly and said, "I can forgive because I have been forgiven."
He looked to his side and gestured to someone. An older woman of about fifty stepped up beside of Jim and linked her arm with his.
"Do you know what the dirt Francesca had on me was?" Jim asked.
I shook my head no.
Jim looked to the woman I took to be his wife, who smiled lovingly at him in return.
Jim looked back to me and in a choked up tone said, "Five years ago I was away on an extended business trip. I met a woman and we had an affair that lasted for about a week before I broke it off. I made a mistake. A big mistake! I betrayed so much! I was completely guilt ridden over it. I didn't know what to do. I didn't tell Grace what happened, because I didn't want to see how much I had hurt her. A year went by. It was the most miserable year of my entire marriage. One night I broke down and told her what had happened. She already knew!"
I looked from Jim to his wife, who hadn't ceased from holding on to him. Jim was openly crying now as he glanced from me to his wife. I glanced between the two of them in wonder. There was real love in their eyes for each other, an undying affection and it made me cry all the harder.
"A friend of Grace's was on vacation and saw me with the other woman. Grace knew for an entire year, but never said anything. She loved me and cared for me as she always did. I don't deserve her or her forgiveness, but I have both and I thank God for it! I can forgive so easily, because I've been forgiven of so much! Francesca doesn't know about my wife knowing of my affair as neither of us has ever told anyone else. I don't think a woman like Francesca would understand any way." He said and I nodded in agreement with him.