About six months after we opened our marriage , my husband, David, stopped me at the door as I was leaving for the night. A shocked expression painted his face. Yes, Randy and I were boyfriend and girlfriend. I was on my way out to see him at that very moment. But why was my husband surprised by this? Related story Are You in a Toxic Relationship? Look Out for These 8 Signs. David and I first decided to open our marriage after years of marital strife. We had two children with different special needs who necessitated a lot of attention.
A lot of my attention. Modern woman though I might be, I soon found myself solely in charge of raising our two children while David relaxed. I was rarely in the mood for sex. Instead, I collapsed into bed after one stressful day after another, dealing with the kids and all the housework, cleaning up after my blissfully unemployed husband.
I felt emotionally neglected, put-upon, and humiliated as he asked for handouts from his wealthy family while I struggled with freelance work. We ended up in marriage therapy. After arguing our way through one session, my husband asked if I wanted to open our marriage.
But us? So, initally, I refused. Instead, I concentrated on rebuilding intimacy in our relationship. But then, one night, I initiated sex only to feel disgusted afterward. That was the last straw. I told David we could open our marriage. At first, dating other men was exhilarating. It made me feel like I was young again β young and single. But the purpose of opening our marriage was to bring us closer, so I waited for this to happen for David and me.
It never did. Dating other people just frayed what little connection we still had left. Instead, I just felt more distant from him. One night, after one of his dates, he slipped into bed beside me. I could smell her perfume on him. He reached to caress my leg, and I pushed him away. Let these other women have him.
