A short story about

We started dating five years ago. In June. We met at the Juwenalia student festival. The weather was beautiful. I was sitting with my friends on the student campus. It was full of people. They sat, chatted, drank various drinks, and sang. Everyone was having a good time. At one point, some students sat down next to us. At that point, I didn't even notice Tomek. They started singing songs we knew, so we joined in. It was nice and fun. Over time, we got to know each other, and the groups merged. When it was almost 3:00, I decided to head home. Tomek said he'd go too and offered to walk me home. I didn't want to cause any trouble, but he insisted, and we went together. We spent the whole trip chatting away. We said goodbye at my apartment building. Tomek wanted my phone number. We met a few times. He invited me to the cinema, to a contemporary photography exhibition, and we went to the theater. I started to really enjoy it. Besides, Tomek was kind, intelligent, and charming. We never ran out of things to talk about. I started to care about him. I eagerly awaited every phone call, every meeting. And finally, after a month and a half, we decided to be together. I was happy. We spent a lot of time together.

During the summer, we went on a cruise on the Masurian Lakes with friends. It was wonderful! He taught me how to steer a yacht and all the necessary skills. When we wanted to relax, we found a place and stayed "in the wild" or in one of the cozy, little ports. We also visited larger towns, where we ate delicious fried fish. Two weeks passed quickly. After returning to Krakow, Tomek went to see his parents for a while. He was gone for a week, but it felt like months. When he returned, he told me he'd booked a room at our seaside guesthouse. And we were off again. Walks on the beach at sunset, exploring the town, bonfires on the beach, stargazing... With him, I felt like I was in heaven!

Unfortunately, the holidays ended quickly. The academic year flew by. We spent every free moment together. The longest time we didn't see each other was Christmas. New Year's Eve in Zakopane, winter break in Szczawnica. After the holidays, Tomek took me with him to Opole. He wanted to introduce me to his parents. I got to know the city, his closest friends, and, of course, his parents. They were very nice people. Upon my return, my parents asked if I'd like to earn a little extra money during the holidays. "Of course!" I replied happily. It turned out I had the opportunity to go to England for two months to care for a child. At first, I thought no. I wouldn't leave Tomek for that long. I knew the risks, and I really, really cared about him. However, after long conversations with Tomek, assurances that he would be waiting for me, I decided to give it a try. There was still a long time before we left. We went away on weekends whenever we could, trying to spend every free second together. Those were truly happy times. On the one hand, I knew I loved him and didn't want to leave him. But on the other, I was drawn to adventure, a different country, a test of my physical and mental strength. And so, on June 20th, I boarded a plane and flew...

At first, it was actually quite nice. New surroundings, new people, something to do. I had to clean the house by noon, pick up two children from the "bonfire" at 3 p.m., take care of them until their parents returned, and then prepare dinner with Mrs. Smith. I had evenings off. After two weeks, I had more and more free time, as I could finish the cleaning in two hours. It got scary when I received the first letter from Tomek. He wrote that he missed me, that he was going crazy without me, that he couldn't cope. I also received a letter from my parents, this one more cheerful. I started to miss Poland, thinking about Poland all the time. At first, I read a book I'd brought with me, but after three days, there was nothing left to read. The days passed slowly, I was bored. One day, Mrs. Smith suggested I join a group where I could practice my language skills. The idea seemed good, and the next day she went with me to learn everything. I attended meetings three times a week. I met a few people there, including a girl from Poland. We became friends; I finally had someone to talk to in my native language. Asia lent me her Polish books. Then things became more bearable. However, I couldn't stop thinking about Tomek. Everything I told Asia was about him. But at least time flew by. At the beginning of August, I bought a return ticket to Poland for Wednesday, August 20th. Right afterward, I went on vacation with my family. The South of France, the French Riviera. I soaked up the sun, my skin turned bronze, and I got some rest. When we got home, a letter from Tomek was waiting for me. It wasn't so depressing anymore. Quite the opposite. He wrote that he'd been in Opole since the beginning of August, spending time with old friends, and having a good time. I decided to call him. His mom said he'd gone away for three days with friends on a plot of land. I called three days later and found him there. He was even happy, saying he'd been partying with friends, some I didn't know. I told him I'd be back on the 20th and asked if he'd be in Krakow. He said sure. That put me at ease.

At the Balice airport, my parents and Tomek were waiting for me. After we hugged, cried with joy, and went home. Tomek returned to his place. We arranged to meet at 5:00 PM in the Market Square. Meanwhile, I told my parents everything I could remember. Tomek bought me a beautiful bouquet of roses for the meeting, we went to a restaurant, and in a romantic atmosphere, I told him about England. The next day, Tomek informed me that he had to go to Opole on Friday, as he had promised his parents. I felt a little sad, but it was too late. In my free time, I wandered around the shops, visited my grandparents, and spent some time with my parents. Upon returning, Tomek announced that he had booked a room in Zakopane and that his friends would be there too. We left the next day. I met Maciek and Agata. They were nice. We walked along Krupówki Street and took the funicular up to Kasprowy Wierch. Everything was as usual.

In September, I had a teaching internship at a middle school, and I spent half the day at school. We spent afternoons and evenings at his place, watching movies, he told me about his vacations, and sometimes we met up with friends from college. Meanwhile, Tomek left me every weekend. He'd come back to Opole because, apparently, a friend had arranged some part-time work for him on the weekends. I understood. In my free time, I'd meet up with friends I'd neglected lately, or go to my garden to relax. On Sunday evenings, we'd meet up. Tomek almost never mentioned the job, and I never asked. I was still living for vacation.

Classes started in October, and it turned out they would only be three days a week. "That's great!" I thought. Wednesdays and Fridays off, everyone would want that. Meanwhile, Tomek didn't go to Opole for the first weekend of October. Apparently, his job had ended. I asked him what it was and how much he earned. He replied that he was a driver and had trips with various goods to other cities in Poland and beyond. He managed to earn around 1,000 złoty. I told him I was glad he'd finished work because he wouldn't have to travel to Opole so often anymore. He agreed. As we were lying on the couch on Saturday evening, Tomek asked if I'd like to move in with him. Of course, the offer made a huge impression on me, but I didn't know what to say. We decided to ask my parents and discuss it with them. The next day, the four of us sat over coffee and weighed the pros and cons. Ultimately, I could slowly move in within a week.

I didn't move until the following Monday, because Tomek went home for the weekend again. On Sunday, he got off the train in a very strange mood. For a moment, I even thought he didn't want me in his apartment anymore. He explained it away by saying we'd been separated for three days and apologized. The next day, we moved some of my most essential things into his apartment. We actually got along well. It was always clean, the shopping done. It was pleasant. However, I had far too much free time. One day, I was browsing the job ads in the newspaper and found a job at the reception desk of a language school. I decided to apply. I succeeded, and from the following week, I started working shifts, depending on my free time. I was pleased with myself.

Time flew by. I went to classes and worked some days. Tomek came home every two weeks, so I spent time with my parents then. When the Christmas break started, Tomek announced he had to go early to help. Too bad, I also had a lot of work to do for the holidays. We called each other every day. Tomek missed me every time, but... I think he had a really good time there. He was cheerful and laughing. When I called after the holidays and asked when he'd be back, he said he'd be there for a while. We weren't going anywhere for New Year's Eve, so he didn't have to come back so quickly. He didn't arrive until the day before. I was very sad. We spent New Year's Eve at home, then a few days off. Sometimes we went for a walk. When I asked about his excellent mood during his stay in Opole, he gave evasive answers.

One day in January, his cell phone rang while we were watching a movie together. He answered the call but went into the other room. A look of confusion crossed his face. When he finished, as usual, I asked who it was. He replied that it was a friend who had gotten him a job in September and wanted to meet up. He dressed in a hurry, even forgetting his hat and phone. He only said he might be home late and didn't want to wait. I thought they wanted to have a manly chat, over a beer, without the women. After all, I trusted him, just as he had trusted me during my trip to England. I watched the movie until the end and went to take a shower. For a split second, I thought about checking who this friend was. He'd told me more or less about his friends in Opole, but this one never had a name. I never looked into Tomek's cell phone, nor he into mine. That was our agreement. I hesitated for a long time. Should I look into it or not? But I couldn't resist. I checked my incoming calls and, to my utter surprise, learned that the friend's name was Karolina. My heart sank, then began to pound. I checked the time of the call; perhaps I had made a mistake? But the phone records clearly indicated that Karolina had called him, and then he'd rushed out so quickly. I didn't want to believe it. Or maybe it was a friend, just using his girlfriend's phone. Tomek couldn't lie to me; we live together, we trust each other. It was midnight, and he still hadn't arrived. I couldn't sleep. I decided to wait for him and quickly explain it. Admit that I'd checked my phone, but at least explain the situation. I was standing at the window; the room was dark; I'd turned off all the lights. I even thought I might fall asleep on the couch, and when he came back, a little tipsy, he'd see me and carry me to bed. Unfortunately, I didn't fall asleep. At one o'clock, a car pulled up. I saw my Tomek inside, and behind the wheel... a girl with dark hair. I froze again, my heart started pounding like crazy. I looked at them and couldn't believe he'd lied to me. Why? I watched them say goodbye. They talked in the car for a while, then Tomek approached her and, absorbed in kissing, they kissed for what seemed like five minutes. I'd had enough. I couldn't take it anymore. I didn't know what to do. I lay down in bed and pretended to be asleep. Tomek came, undressed, cuddled up to me, and kissed me like you kiss a child. I didn't react. I didn't know what to do with what I'd seen.

I didn't sleep all night, while Tomek was snoring quite heavily. Poor thing, he was probably exhausted from his night out. I got up at six. I got dressed and went for a long walk along the Vistula River. It was still gray outside. I had to think about everything for a moment. I returned two hours later. Tomek was still asleep. I started cleaning the apartment. Just as I was finishing the kitchen, Tomek came in. He was sleepy and barely able to keep his eyes open. He apologized for being home so late. He asked why I wasn't sleeping and why I was cleaning. I didn't answer his questions. I still didn't know how to handle all this, but now I was calmer. For a moment, we stood facing each other in silence. I looked into his eyes. I really wanted to believe that what I saw last night was just a dream. I loved him so much. I couldn't stop. At one point, Tomek approached me and tried to hug me. I pulled away. He asked what was going on. We were supposed to tell each other everything.

I sat on the couch and cried. He came over and knelt down next to me. I couldn't get anything out. After 10 minutes, my voice returned and I asked why he was lying to me. He denied it. I yelled at him to stop lying now. He sat down next to me. I think he realized I knew about Karolina. He started telling me that it all started when I was in England. She was his old girlfriend, from high school. They reconnected, he told her he was gone, that he missed me. And she comforted him. Once, twice, and so on until I returned. When I returned, he wanted to end it, but he'd gone too far. He kept saying he loved me and wanted to be with me alone. He begged for forgiveness. He promised he'd never see her again. I sat there beside him, not knowing what to say. "Did you sleep with her?" I asked. The answer was short and affirmative. It was too hard for me, too unbelievable. I got up, packed some of my things, and left. I returned home to my parents, to my room. My parents didn't ask what happened.

Tomek contacted me the next day. He asked for forgiveness again, for a meeting where we could talk in peace. I think he cared. But I kept thinking about them both in bed. I saw him touching her body, heard him say those beautiful words. I couldn't, I couldn't.

I avoided him for two months. It wasn't easy. My heart craved his warmth, my body needed his touch, my mouth his taste. My thoughts were constantly with him. I struggled with all of this. I didn't see his friends, so I had absolutely no idea how he was doing. I met a new guy. He invited me to the theater and then to a café. We talked, but I kept thinking about Tomek. I was absent. At one point, I got up, apologized, and left. I went straight to my old house. To "our" house. I rang the doorbell even though I still had the keys. He opened the door for me. I walked in and smelled the strange smell of a room that hadn't been aired out for a long time. Everything was a mess. We sat on the sofa. Tomek didn't even have coffee. I saw a human wreck. I didn't want to go on like this! I still loved him!

Today, August 7th, marks our third wedding anniversary. We have a beautiful daughter, Ania, we both work, and we have a cozy apartment in the city center. Everything is going well between us. I'm happy!