AFTER THE AFFAIR: A WIFE'S STORY
A pastor's wife describes the impact of her husband's adultery.
Heather Bryce
January 1, 1988
The phone rang. It was late in the afternoon, the day after Christmas. "I'm coming from the church office to get you," Bill said. "Meet me outside. I'll be right there."
His voice sounded heavy. What could be so wrong? I wondered. I hurriedly put on my boots and coat, and then stepped outside and stood in the cold to wait.
Bill pulled into the driveway. "What's wrong?" I asked as I climbed into the car.
"The worst."
"What?"
He looked at me. "Promise me you'll believe I love you. Will you promise me that?"
"Well, of course. Why?"
We drove into the church parking lot and came to a stop. He took my hand and told me that Ron Kelton (the new pastor of our former church) and the district superintendent were inside. "They have signed statements charging me with inappropriate behavior and immoral actions."
"Bill, they must be mistaken!" I said. "Someone is lying about you. Or somebody didn't understand what he saw." I looked at him. "They are wrong, aren't they?"
"The charges are exaggerated," he said, "but one is undeniable."
"Who?"
"Kate." He looked down.
The full impact of what this would mean still didn't hit me. We walked into Bill's study, and I greeted the two sober-faced men.
"Has Bill informed you of the charges against him?" they asked me as gently as they could when we were seated. I reached for Bill's hand and repeated what he had told me in the car. They began explaining the situation as they knew it. Bill would not defend himself; he had already been talking with them for three hours. I tried to defend him. I knew Bill-surely he couldn't be guilty of this. Much of the evidence was only circumstantial, after all. But they blocked my every argument with facts.
The men said that even with his confession and repentance, he would not ...
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