Cheating and divorce after the death of a child

by Carolyn
(Grosse pointe, MI)

Seventeen months ago, my twenty year old stepson died from a heroin overdose. He had struggled for eight years with drug addiction. Six months after his death, my husband wanted a divorce. I felt it had been born out of grief and guilt, but later learned there had been another woman in the picture for awhile. Now, six months after the divorce was final, he has made an attempt to reconcile. I am ambivalent.

Noel's response

The death of his son might have triggered both the affair and the divorce.

If you do decide to reconcile, I highly recommend some marriage counseling to help the two of you talk about what your relationship will look like going forward, because it cannot be what it was before.