DEAR EMILY,

My husband who is 37 years old has an on-and-off relationship with a 25-year-old woman.

I?ve been like a spy agent, prying on his things, smelling him after he comes home late, etc.

After the third time I caught him, he told me he wanted out and did not want to continue the relationship with the girl.

He asked me to understand him. He said every guy came to that stage and he now wanted to be a good family man.

The girl still texts him and is into dirty tricks.

She has posted their pictures in my husband?s Facebook and Friendster without him knowing it.

She also makes up stuff that will make me angry so my husband will go back to her loving arms.

Lately, he?s been a doting father and husband to us. But the trust is gone.

I want space in our relationship but my kids are looking for their father.

I?m still in the process of healing but the continuous texts from the girl dampen our relationship.

I nag him continually about his past relationship with that horrible woman, but my husband keeps telling me he has ended the relationship.

BABYKO625

Enough already! How long do you plan to keep reopening old wounds?

Will a lifetime be enough to assuage your hurt? Sure he was a stupid louse, but give him a break now. Didn?t he come back to you all repentant? Isn?t he trying his darndest to mend his ways?

He did wrong, atoned for them and wants to turn a new chapter in your marriage.

If you can go down on your knees and ask the heavens for forgiveness yourself, surely, you will find it in your heart and mind to absolve this erring husband of yours as well ? in time.

Clearly it will be difficult to forget what a jerk he was ?compounded by that creep of a girlfriend who wants to keep on jarring your marriage.

But he is back in your life, in your arms, in your bed. Accept him already and shut the door to his past.

Remove all your combined social networking sites, change your cell phone numbers, your e-mail addresses, anything ? if only to rid yourselves of that nuisance.

Is it only your children who want their father back and not you, too? If this is the case, why not be honest and tell him you truly love him but you?re just afraid of being hurt again?

That may even be the catalyst to ensure his road to recovery. Allow Almighty Time to heal your wounds and work its magic. That?s the only way you can forget that blight in your marriage. But ? you cannot hurry time.

E-mail emarcelo@inquirer.com.ph. Subject: Lifestyle