Have you ever been unfaithful to me?
1. A Deathbed Question
As Henry lies near death, he turns to his wife, Martha,
asking tenderly if she has ever been unfaithful.
Seeking truth before he passes, he listens closely.
2. First Confession
Martha admits she has been unfaithful three times, each with a reason.
The first: to save their home, she privately visited their banker.
“The next day, our mortgage was miraculously extended,”
and Henry forgives her for acting out of desperation.
3. Second Confession
The second: when Henry needed costly heart surgery,
Martha spent a night with the doctor so he would operate for free.
Again, Henry acknowledges she “saved his life,” despite the shock.
4. Third Confession and Irony
The third: she secured seventy-three votes for Henry’s golf club presidency.
Henry, both bewildered and horrified, realizes her actions were morally ambiguous.
The story ends with dark humor, blending love, sacrifice, and absurd devotion.
