{"id":398,"date":"2019-07-22T00:21:29","date_gmt":"2019-07-22T00:21:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/letishajackson.com\/?p=398"},"modified":"2019-07-22T00:21:29","modified_gmt":"2019-07-22T00:21:29","slug":"interview-with-the-other-woman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/letishajackson.com\/?p=398","title":{"rendered":"Interview with “The Other Woman”"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It\u2019s wonderful when things just fall into place without any prompting isn\u2019t it?  This interview with \u201cthe other woman,\u201d is one of those things.  I received an email asking if I was still accepting submissions from women who are, or have found themselves involved with a married man.  When I replied letting her know that I had all the letters I needed, me being the bold person I am, I asked her if she would be willing to do an interview; she said \u201csure, why not<\/em>.\u201d  So, after our indulgence with the interview with a scorned wife<\/a>, here’s an interview with \u201cthe other woman\u201d \u2013 she asked that I not refer to her with the \u201cdegrading term,\u201d mistress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

LeTisha: Thank you for agreeing to do this interview for me and my audience Rena.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(She is okay with having her first name used).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rena: No problem.  Since you can\u2019t use my letter, this is probably even better.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

LeTisha: How so?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rena: Because I’m not the best writer, I tend to forget to write stuff down, but I rarely forget what I want to say.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

LeTisha: And what is it that you\u2019d like to say?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rena: Why don\u2019t you ask your questions first, and we\u2019ll go from there.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(I can feel the tension, and I definitely sense some hostility coming from her).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

LeTisha: Ok, well my first question is, are you currently involved with a married man?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rena: Not currently, but our relationship just ended a few weeks ago.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

LeTisha: Why did it end?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rena: He said he couldn\u2019t live 2 lives anymore.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

LeTisha: How long were you with him?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rena: Almost 2 years.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

LeTisha: Where did you meet him?  How did it start?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rena: Which question do you want me to answer first?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(I am getting major attitude from her, so I try to get us on the right track)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

LeTisha: I\u2019m sorry, I have to ask Rena, and please correct me if I\u2019m wrong, but why does it seem as if you have an issue with me?  I am sensing some hostile vibes coming through this phone.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rena: Oh you\u2019re getting that are you?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

LeTisha: Yes I am, but what I don\u2019t know is why?  Do I know you?  Have I offended you in some way?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rena:\u00a0 I’m offended by this whole thing.\u00a0<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

LeTisha: What whole thing?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rena: This book you\u2019re putting out that makes it seem like women like me are the reason for these cheating bastards.  Like we’re the reason that their wives and their lives get blown apart!  I find it really hypocritical that you claim to be about women respecting women, but then you are blaming women for what men are doing.  That\u2019s bull****!  How can you put that on us?  They\u2019re the ones who are cheating on their wives\u2026not us!  I don\u2019t have any connection to his wife so how is it my fault that he’s cheating on her?  You tell me that, Ms. Women Respecting Women.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(in case you all don\u2019t know\u2026my working email address for this project is womenrespectingwomen@yahoo.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

LeTisha:  Well, let me first say thank you.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rena: Please don\u2019t talk down to me.  I\u2019m not a child.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

LeTisha: That is not my intention Rena, and I apologize if that\u2019s how it came off.  I am thanking you sincerely for being so open with your feelings.  I actually do appreciate that.  If we are not honest about how we feel, or what we\u2019re thinking on the subject, there\u2019s no way for us to bridge the gap that exists between us today.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rena:  Bridge what gap?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

LeTisha: The gap of loyalty from one woman to another.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rena:  Why do you care about how one woman treats another woman?  I mean, why do you care so much about why one woman is sleeping with another woman\u2019s man?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

LeTisha:  I care because I had it done to me, and more than that, I simply care about my fellow man.  More specifically with regards to this book, I care very much about our sisterhood, and how the lack of loyalty for one another is keeping us from achieving even greater things in the world.  You don\u2019t know this, but the very first sentence in my book quotes a question from a famous song\u2026\u201dwho run the world?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rena: Everybody knows that\u2019s Beyonce<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

LeTisha: Yes it is; and the answer to that profound question has the answer \u201cgirls.\u201d  I personally believe that while women have made major strides, we are not yet running the world as it were, because of a lack of respect, and a lack of loyalty between us.  No matter how far we\u2019ve come, there remains a major point of contention between us, that may seem trivial to some, but is very serious to many. No matter how many marches we go on together, no matter how many laws we bring into existence to protect one another, when it comes to family, or more poignantly, a man, all that togetherness is thrown out the window.  We as women claim that our family means the most to us, the problem is, we only seem to care about OUR family, and not the families of other women.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rena: What do you mean?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

LeTisha: We don\u2019t want another woman to come in and help destroy our family by getting involved with our husbands, but we don\u2019t mind being that woman who will then go and help to destroy another woman\u2019s family by getting involved with HER<\/em> husband.  There\u2019s the true hypocrisy.  I don\u2019t feel like I\u2019m being a hypocrite for pointing out the truth.  And the truth is, we don\u2019t want to be a cheated on woman, but we don\u2019t mind being the woman a man cheats with.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rena:  But why blame the women?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

LeTisha:  I don\u2019t just blame the women.  I’m 46-years old.  Do you really think I don\u2019t know that the cheating spouse is also to blame?  The part you\u2019re missing, because my book isn\u2019t out yet, is that I didn\u2019t write my book to talk to or about the men like almost all books do on the subject of adultery.  I chose to take a different approach and talk only to my sisters.  Why?  Because in a consensual adulterous relationship, in my opinion, the women hold the power.  In a consensual affair, we say yes, and we say no.  I have written this book so that more, if not all, of my sisters will say NO!  No to having any part in tearing down another woman, to hurting another woman, to breaking apart another woman\u2019s family.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rena: So you are blaming the women?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

LeTisha:  I am saying that women who knowingly get involved with a married man are just as responsible for the destruction as that man.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rena: That\u2019s not true.  He\u2019s the one that\u2019s married.  He\u2019s the one that\u2019s supposed to be faithful.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

LeTisha: That\u2019s true, but does that take anything away from that woman who chooses to be party to the affair?  By that I mean, is her involvement any less damaging just because she\u2019s not the one who took the vows?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rena:  I\u2019m not saying that.  I\u2019m just saying that I\u2019m not as much to blame as he is.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

LeTisha: And I respectfully disagree.  He is 100% responsible for his actions, and like it or not, you are 100% responsible for your actions, and your actions alone.  I am not saying you are responsible for what he<\/em> has chosen to do, I am saying you are 100% responsible for what you<\/em> have chosen to do, and what you\u2019ve chosen to do is be a part of hurting another woman to very depths of her heart and soul.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rena: You know no one really thinks about that right?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

LeTisha: And that is exactly<\/em> why I\u2019ve written this book.  So that women will<\/em> know just how their actions are contributing to the continued divide between us.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rena: I may not ever agree that I\u2019m just as responsible as the man is<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

LeTisha: And you won\u2019t be the only one I\u2019m sure.  I just feel that it\u2019s about time we have this conversation for real.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(I sense a level of calm that has not been there since the beginning)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rena: So ask your questions<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

LeTisha: Ok, so back to how did you meet him?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rena: We worked together<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

LeTisha: Ok, and how did it start?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rena: Well it started when he started flirting with me, like saying little things about how pretty I was, or how great the work was that I was doing.  He would find little ways to brush up against me, or ask me if I was dating anybody.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

LeTisha:  Did you know he was trying to start up something with you<\/strong>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rena: Kind of.  I know when a man is just being flirty, and when he is being flirty to take it somewhere.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

LeTisha: And you were sure that he wanted to \u201ctake it somewhere?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rena: Oh yeah, I could tell by the look in his face, in his eyes<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

LeTisha: Did you know he was married?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rena: Yes<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

LeTisha: Did that ever factor in to your flirting back, or deciding to get involved with him?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rena: Ummm, a little bit.  I mean, I asked him a couple times about his wife<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

LeTisha:  Asked him what exactly?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rena: I would say \u201cwhat about your wife?\u201d He would just say it wasn\u2019t working, and that was all I needed to know.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

LeTisha: Why were you okay with that limited information when it came to making such a big decision on whether or not to get into a relationship with a married man?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rena: Because I didn\u2019t feel it was my place to question him about his marriage.  He made it no big deal, so to me it was no big deal.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

LeTisha:  Have you ever thought of marriage as \u201ca big deal?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rena: Not really.  Marriage is whatever people make it.  To each his own.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

LeTisha: What exactly does that mean?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Her statement actually made me physically hot)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rena: That means that if someone isn\u2019t happy in their marriage and they choose to find that happiness with somebody else, who am I to judge.  Who are you to judge?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

LeTisha:  I\u2019m a betrayed wife.  I\u2019m a woman.  I\u2019m a human being with feelings that were destroyed because someone else didn\u2019t see my marriage as \u201ca big deal.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rena: So, you\u2019re biased in all of this<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

LeTisha: I never said I wasn\u2019t, however, I’m still able to listen objectively, and be respectful.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rena: If you say so<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(The tension is coming back)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

LeTisha: So, how did it go from workplace flirtation to becoming physical?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rena: It actually wasn\u2019t planned, one night\u2026 <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

To read the rest of this tension-filled interview, subscribe to this once-weekly blog so you can be notified once it’s posted. If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve read here, or in any of my other posts, I hope you’ll keep coming back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As always, I welcome your respectful comments and feedback. Thank you for your support.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s wonderful when things just fall into place without any prompting isn\u2019t it?  This interview with \u201cthe other woman,\u201d is one of those things.  I received an email asking if I was still accepting submissions from women who are, or have found themselves involved with a married man.  When I replied letting her know that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":401,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[6,7,28,42,48,79,84,85,96,104,131,132,133,165,170],"class_list":["post-398","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-adultery","tag-affair","tag-children","tag-divorce","tag-family","tag-husband","tag-infidelity","tag-interview","tag-marriage","tag-mistress","tag-relationships","tag-religion","tag-respect","tag-wife","tag-work"],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/letishajackson.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/mistressinhat-600x400.jpg","featured_image_src_square":"https:\/\/letishajackson.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/mistressinhat-600x600.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"LeTisha Jackson","author_link":"https:\/\/letishajackson.com\/?author=3"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/letishajackson.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/398","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/letishajackson.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/letishajackson.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/letishajackson.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/letishajackson.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=398"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/letishajackson.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/398\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/letishajackson.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/401"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/letishajackson.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=398"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/letishajackson.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=398"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/letishajackson.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=398"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}