The Other Woman

She doesn't like being the 'other woman' but she loves Ralph and at least she isn't a kept woman, dependent on his largesse. She's the one who has the money and the house and while he is the one who visits her she's the one with the power to end their relationship – or his marriage. If she wants she can call Deirdre and say that she is sleeping with Ralph but she doesn't, though she doesn't know why she resists.

She wants to live with Ralph but she is afraid that if they do live together their relationship will quickly go sour – the excitement for them is their clandestine meetings. And their week together every three months is all that keeps her going. At times she's ready to damn the consequences and call his wife but each time the fear that their relationship will end stops her from dialling their phone number.

She's never been the domestic sort and perhaps that's why she doesn't give him an ultimatum. She likes the passion that characterises their relationship and doesn't want their love to become boring and comfortable. She much prefers the thrill of secrecy.

But then she becomes pregnant and suddenly the safe comfort of domesticity is something that appeals to her. She wants to settle down with Ralph but she knows he'll resent being "trapped". That's how he describes his marriage to Deirdre and she doesn't want him to feel the same about her.

She doesn't know what to do but she knows she'll keep their baby no matter what happens. It will matter if he doesn't accept their child as his but at least she won't have to rely on him for money.

Even after all these years she still doesn't know him. She doesn't know how he'll react to her pregnancy. She doesn't know if he'll still want to see her or their baby.

Would she ever really know him? Would he ever really know her?