Prior to the chaos that ensued on his “Christian camping trip” with his relatives, I had the impression that my fiance was the ideal, God-fearing guy. It was at the time that he was meant to be praying under the stars that I discovered his undisturbed gear at home… and within his hallowed leather Bible, which was a secret that broke everything…
As Aaron turned the pages of his Bible, I observed him in the same manner that I had always done whenever he had his time to himself. I was carefully observing the small changes in his countenance.
I’m not talking about any old Bible here.
This was a leather-bound English Standard Version Study Bible that he had won in a contest to memorize scripture when he was twenty years old, and oh, did he cherish that thing more than anything else.
The pages had a silvery edge, and they had been used so often that they had become smeared. Whenever I saw my worn-out paperback Bible, I would feel a twinge of jealousy.
His Bible seemed to be of much significance and sanctity. In my case, it seemed as if it had endured a tornado.
A gentle sigh escaped his lips as he put his Bible down and took a drink of his coffee.
The fact that he extended his hand and gently brought the Bible closer to himself, away from me, indicates that I must have been gazing at him.
“Please don’t touch my Bible,” he urged with the kind grin that made my mother virtually swoon. “Remember, babe,” he murmured. This book is stuffed with my own personal notes and observations. It is not public. God-given.”
Did you know that there are some persons who claim to be able to feel when something is wrong? That nagging feeling in the pit of your stomach that warns you of impending danger even when everything seems to be in perfect order?
To be honest, I ought to have paid attention to mine. Instead, I smiled and nodded in response, feeling fortunate to be dating a guy who had such a strong commitment to his religion.
On the other hand, that particular moment sowed a little seed of anxiety in my chest due to something.
What made his connection with God so… different from other people’s?
The next Thursday evening, as we were folding clothes, Aaron used the opportunity to discuss his plans for the weekend.
He mentioned this while shaking out one of his well ironed polo shirts. “I’m going to go on a camping trip with my male cousins tomorrow morning,” he remarked. “You know, praying beneath the stars and studying the Bible over the campfire would be great. Genuine worship that gets back to roots.”
“That sounds amazing!” I stated that. “Much as I love our Wednesday night women’s Bible study, that sounds like such a deeper experience.”
He indicated with a nod. The plan is to do that. I spent three days away from civilization, becoming nearer to God as I was in the middle of His creation. You know how sporadic the service is up in the mountains, but I’ll send you a text when I get the opportunity.
In the morning of the next day, I gave him a farewell kiss on our front step.
I said to him, “Baby, I hope you have a wonderful time,” as he was loading his suitcase into the trunk of his vehicle.
“I will.” I received a big smile from him.
His enthusiasm for establishing a connection with God in the natural world seemed to be so genuine and so sincere. When I drove out of the driveway and proceeded to work, I thought I had the most dedicated boyfriend in the world. I waved as I arrived at my destination.
I was completely mistaken.
On that particular Saturday, I unexpectedly found myself stumbling down into our basement in need of a toolbox in order to repair a kitchen chair that was wobbling.
Due to the fact that the basement was dark and dusty, I used the flashlight on my phone in order to maneuver around the boxes and Christmas decorations that were kept there.
On account of my foot catching on something soft, I came dangerously close to face-planting into a pile of Christmas decorations. I was completely frozen as I turned the light down.
Aaron’s duffel bag was found there, rumpled up in the corner of the room. Not just the bag, but his complete camping gear was dispersed around it as well. Even his hiking boots, along with his sleeping bag and camping stove.
The feeling in my gut was as if I had just swallowed a stone.
What was Aaron doing with all of his camping stuff if he was meant to be spending time with his cousins? Aaron was supposed to go camping.
As I moved closer, I noticed that my hands were beginning to shake. During that moment, I saw something that caused my mouth to drop.
He had his holy Bible positioned such that it was directly on top of the camping equipment.
It was never the case that he would leave his Bible in such a state. When he was at home, it was always at a location that was easily accessible, and when he was at work, it was perched in its designated area on his nightstand.
When he was away enjoying spiritual moments around the campfire, what was his beloved Bible doing down here? This is the most relevant question. As I watched him load his belongings into his vehicle, I was… After I had left, why would he bring them back inside at that time?
It was with trembling hands that I raised the Bible. The weight of it appeared to be even greater than the weight of the family Bible that my father would read from on Sunday nights.
I felt a tightening in my chest as I broke it open, and at that moment, an envelope fell out of its envelope and landed on the concrete floor like a butterfly that was about to die.
I got down on my knees and scooped it up, my heart pounding against my ribs as I did so.
After a little break, I continued. The Bible, according to Aaron, was stuffed with personal notes. He had always told me this. My assumption was that he was referring to portions of scripture that he had marked at times when his faith was put to the test or when he was going through challenging moments in his life as a whole.
It is possible that some of the notes were held inside this envelope.
When I flipped it over, I saw that the handwriting on the other side was not Aaron’s at all. Additionally, the loopy, feminine handwriting was not mine, despite the fact that it seemed to be strangely familiar.
As soon as I opened the envelope, I removed one of the notes that was included inside it.
Instead of a message that made reference to various passages from the Bible, a call for prayer, or anything else that might be considered religious, I discovered a love letter.
“The weekend before last was great. On the first note, it was written that the recipient “can’t wait for the next one.” The bottom of the page was adorned with a lipstick kiss, which was pink in color and contrasted with the thin white paper.
“I miss your touch,” the subsequent message added.
However, the lines that were written in the last message were like a dagger that was thrust directly into my heart: “Meet me at the cabin again soon.”
The receipt from the hotel was nestled inside of one of the notes, as if it were some sort of strange bookmark.
My veins were filled with ice. The act in question was not only dishonesty; rather, it was a deliberate and deliberate betrayal. Additionally, he chose to maintain this in his Bible in order to conceal his shady dealings under the language of God.
How was he able to act in such a manner?
The trembling in my hands was so intense that I could hardly call the number that was printed on the receipt. In the moment when the clerk at the hotel responded, I was able to sound quite normal.
I am phoning to verify the whereabouts of an item that was lost during my fiance’s most recent visit. Where is room 237?
It was the cashier who chirped, “Oh, yes!” “He stayed here with a woman named Claire,” I checked, “but let me check again.” That is definitely you! Did you all forget to bring anything with you?
When I heard the name, it was like a punch to my body.
This is my very own Claire. For many months, my closest friend, who was also my maid of honor, had been assisting me in the planning of the wedding.
My fingers were so numb that I almost lost control of the phone.
“No,” I said hushedly. “No, that’s… that’s all I needed to know.”
It was as if a jigsaw piece from hell started to reassemble itself in my thoughts all of a sudden throughout the last half year.
Every single one of those tiny jokes that Aaron and Claire had with one another inside the wedding boutique. Her “drop-bys” that were handy for me while I wasn’t at home. Her weekend trips, which coincided nicely with Aaron’s camping trip schedule, were something she had been looking forward to.
In what way could I have been so oblivious?
I applied pressure on Claire’s touch with fingertips that had the sensation of ice. There was a part of me that wished that something terrible had been misunderstood. But I was aware of the truth all along.
There were two rings on the phone before she answered it, and her voice was easygoing and cheery.
It’s me, girl! “How are things going with the wedding planning?”
My voice was hardly audible above a whisper. “Claire… how long have you been sleeping with him?”
There is no sound. After that, there was a tense chuckle that sounded like glass shattering.
“Why are you bringing up such a point? How are you feeling right now?
The chalet and the hotel are both familiar to me. notes that were concealed inside his Bible. I have no doubt that you are now with him.
When the line was cut off. I was unable to reach her.
Over the following hour, I don’t recall much of what happened. My whole body went into a state of autopilot, and I grabbed a duffel bag and began shoving clothing into it while my hands were trembling.
Despite the fact that my thoughts was a whirlwind of wrath and sadness, there was a peculiar feeling of clarity that overran everything else. It was necessary for me to go. Right now.
With my things in hand, I made my way towards the entrance. But just as I was about to turn the handle, the door suddenly blasted outwards, almost causing me to throw myself backward.
With his hair sticking up as if he had been rubbing his hands through it, Aaron plowed through the crowd with his face becoming pale and his eyes wide with rage.
“Babe, please, don’t leave!” He let out a gasp, his hands reaching out toward me like if he were attempting to save a vase that was falling. “I can explain everything!”
I let go of my bag and glanced at him for a while. That dude has an incredible amount of courage!
“Explain?” I reported, my tone of voice surprisingly unwavering. “Your Bible did all the explaining I needed.”
He made his way closer, feelings of desperation washing over him as he approached. This was a terrible error! Claire is completely meaningless to me. Just give me a moment to make this right! “We are able to find a solution.
“No, we can’t.” I reached into my pocket and brought out the envelope that was stuffed with love notes. I then held it up.
In light of this, you may want to pray about it… In spite of the fact that I have not yet phoned Claire’s husband, I anticipate that he will want to talk to you when I do.
I watched as he collapsed to the ground as the realization dawned on him: his ideal double life had come to an end.
When I strolled out into the night air, I picked up my bag, stepped over his crushed body, and then walked around.
Moreover, despite the fact that Aaron’s betrayal was painful, I felt thankful. My discovery of his secrets before to our marriage prevented me from attempting to construct a happy life on a foundation of falsehoods, which would have been a mistake.
