They Had to Confront Her Affair

Where They Are Today

Brian: It would have been a lot easier to say, "She screwed up, and I won't forgive and forget." But we're not like that. We don't give up on people.

Christine: I always knew Brian and I would be together forever. I haven't even thought about Jeff since we finished counseling. Maybe we needed the crisis of my affair to figure out how to make our marriage work.

Brian: Counseling helped me realize that I can't just assume things will work out on their own. We have to work together to make them happen.

Christine: And we did. Right now, I'm standing in the kitchen with my kids [Thomas, 3, Jacob, 2, and Elizabeth, 3 months] covered head to toe in flour. We're making cookies -- and I'm completely happy, totally rooted in this house, this relationship. Sometimes, communication is still a problem. Last year's kitchen remodeling project was a real test for us....

Brian: I fell back into my old habits, saying I'd call the plumber or buy the windows, but I never got around to doing it.

Christine: I was getting frustrated and angry, but then I stopped myself and thought, He works hard; you know how much he loves you. And I figured out how to explain what I needed more clearly.

Brian: When Christine says, "We're not talking well right now," it's a blinking yellow light that tells me, slow down, you're off track.

Christine: I've also accepted that Brian will always be Brian -- quiet, laid-back, and yes, sometimes he doesn't do everything on my to-do list. But usually that's because he's helping out a friend or one of our kids. Brian is the kind of guy who will always be there for you. And that's why I love him.