Faith in Adultery: A Novel with a Key

By Kathleen Elizabeth Sumpton

It is the middle of winter and Iris Angel is getting lonelier as the temperature drops. She is almost 27 years old and most of the people she knows are engaged, married, or have had children.

She has spent her life up until now focusing on her career and decides that it is now time to start taking her love life more seriously. However, London, Ontario, can drop down to minus 40 degrees in the winter, so she knows she must act fast.

It isn't long before Iris meets Adam Black, the man of every woman's dreams. He is perfect: good looking, the same age as her, and successful. What none of the characters in this story realize is that they are about to embark on one of the messiest relationships of the 21st century.

At some point, each of the characters plays their role in the act of an affair. It is impossible to reprimand any one single person participating in the affair. It becomes clear that this is an issue of society, and we need to start looking at it through a new lens in order for that to change.

Faith in Adultery is a satire on modern relationships and the main tool we can use to both strengthen a relationship as well as destroy one: communication. To have faith in adultery is to believe in the truth and strength of the love we have for ourselves, each other, and God, no matter what happens.

The question that this book raises in particular is: How can we learn to communicate better with each other in order to avoid the complications the story poses? The answer to this question is not a simple one, but as the story unfolds, there are clues given to the reader as to the valuable lessons contained within every answer.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tellwell Talent
• Release date: Oct 5, 2021
• ISBN: 9780228861065

Kathleen Elizabeth Sumpton

KATHLEEN ELIZABETH SUMPTON is an advocate for the arts and often works with languages. With a passion for culture and a focus on communications, she is an Author, Poet, and Communications Professional with a primary focus on writing. She has a working background in 14 different languages.Her 5 Year plan is to secure two master's degrees in English and Business, followed by a PhD in English, while running her freelance business.Her 10 Year goal is to publish 10 novels and other works in the genre of satire in order to strengthen communications locally and globally by discussing the proper use of language and terminology.Her work brings awareness to large societal issues such as the criminal justice system, substance abuse, and mental health; a variety of topics everyone else is too afraid to talk about.As a representative for members of the community as well as for her own projects, Kathleen hopes to enrich her surroundings with both the beauty and power writing holds. It is now her personal mission in life to provide meaning and entice insight through literature.When she is not busy with her work, you can find Kathleen enjoying the outdoors or spending time with family. Favourite hobbies are working out and people-watching. She operates out of southern Ontario.

Book preview

Faith

in

Adultery

Roman à clef

A Novel with a Key

A Satire Based on

Relationships in the 21st Century:

a True Story of Love

Kathleen Elizabeth Sumpton

Faith in Adultery

Copyright © 2021 by Kathleen Elizabeth Sumpton

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Tellwell Talent

www.tellwell.ca

ISBN

978-0-2288-6107-2 (Hardcover)

978-0-2288-6105-8 (Paperback)

978-0-2288-6106-5 (eBook)

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Dedication

Introduction

Author’s Preface

Chapter 1: The Meeting

Chapter 2: First Date

Chapter 3: Church

Chapter 4: Falling In Love

Chapter 5: It’s Official

Chapter 6: Valentine’s Day

Chapter 7: A Weekend In Toronto

Chapter 8: Promises

Chapter 9: A Weekend In Niagara

Chapter 10: The Secret

Chapter 11: The Aftermath

Epilogue

Author’s Biography

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to

All of my muses

Who have inspired me to write

About love.

Dedication

This book is dedicated

To the ones who

Never chose to be part

Of any affairs,

But somehow

Got caught up in them.

Introduction

FAITH IN ADULTERY is a portrayal of love and the loss of our image of love in the 21st century. The relationship between Iris and Adam begins and moves very quickly, indicating that perhaps it is simply too good to be true.

Iris trusts that Adam is who he says he is, and that he is as honest as he is polite. This book illustrates the key to a successful relationship is truthful communication. The ever-present social media environment shows us how vulnerable and complex love may, or may not be, and how complicated the simplicity of how to communicate the truth.

There are many reasons to be dishonest, but love should never be one of them.

Janice Elizabeth Sumpton, Mother

London, Ontario, Canada

Author’s Preface

It is the middle of winter and Iris Angel is getting lonelier as the temperature drops. She is almost 27 years old and most of the people she knows are engaged, married, or have had children.

She has spent her life up until now focusing on her career and decides that it is now time to start taking her love life more seriously. However, London, Ontario, can drop down to minus 40 degrees in the winter, so she knows she must act fast.

It isn’t long before Iris meets Adam Black, the man of every woman’s dreams. He is perfect; good looking, the same age as her, and successful. What none of the characters in this story realize is that they are about to embark on one of the messiest relationships of the 21st century.

At some point, each of the characters play their role in the act of an affair. It is impossible to reprimand any one single person participating in the affair. It becomes clear that this is an issue of society, and we need to start looking at it in a new lens in order for that to change.

Faith in Adultery is a satire on modern relationships and the main tool we can use to both strengthen a relationship as well as destroy one: communication. To have Faith in Adultery is to believe in the truth and strength of the love we have for ourselves, each other, and God, no matter what happens.

The question that this book raises in particular is: how can we learn to communicate better with each other in order to avoid the complications the story poses? The answer to this question is not a simple one, but as the story unfolds, there are clues given to the reader as to the valuable lessons contained within every answer.

Kathleen Elizabeth Sumpton

London, Ontario, Canada

CHAPTER 1

The Meeting

Discarded like an old, half-ripped Valentine, Iris Angel is just like any other lost girl holding onto a childhood dream. She has her mother’s eyes. Green—sometimes emerald, often lighter like a lush lime—even yellow like the sunshine. You can see her dreaming in them, the soul glinting in the back corner, always looking back at you. Iris has spent her whole life envisioning herself behind these shadowed lids as an author, and with her education now behind her—Iris is on top of the freelance world. All the pieces of the puzzle are finally coming together for her, but one thing is still missing. The key that unlocks everything: the bigger picture. She hasn’t yet found love. At 26 years of age, half of her friends are getting married, and the other half are having children with their long-term partners. But she has never been married and has yet to become a mother.

I can’t believe I’m still single. Iris thinks to herself. A mere year ago now, at age 25, baby fever had set in for Iris, but she wants to do it right. She doesn’t want to rush things, just because she feels something. Iris wants a good relationship with a man first, so she can raise the child together with this person—so that the child has two strong parental figures. Spending the majority of her time either working out in the gym or writing in her home office, Iris knows why it is so hard for her to meet a man. Maybe I will give these dating apps a go. She tells herself. After all, that’s where all the people are these days. Aren’t they? She asks herself internally. Living alone for so many years almost calls for talking to oneself aloud.

Iris pulls her iPhone out of her too-tiny-to-contain-it denim H&M pockets. 1, 2, 3, 4. She types in her all-too-easy-too-guess-out-of-pure-laziness passcode, as if it is a portal to another dimension, and the screen opens up instantly. I’m just going to go to the app store and see what results come up if I search dating. Iris prods herself along, going through the motions of the modern dating world, step by step. It’s like putting on makeup. 1, 2, 3, 4. Step-by-step; Continue. Iris sings along to the tunes inside her head. 1, 2, 3, 4…Step-by-step…Continue! Eventually, you will be finished, if you just keep going through the steps… Her mind always has so many thoughts, thinking of so many things at once.

Tinder. The top result. Iris has heard it’s more of a hook-up app, but she decides that maybe that’s all she needs right now, and the whole ‘relationship + parenthood’ package will work itself out later. To be fair, her last name isn’t Queen for nothing. Iris Angel Queen. Her given names symbolize the eyes of God. It is all too perfect that her last name evinces notions of a ruler. Wherever everyone is, I’m sure people are out there looking for something that’s more than nothing… She thinks to herself.

She clicks download and watches the blue circle make its way around to its starting point again. The app practically begs her to open it and begin swiping. I don’t even know what pictures to use. What do I put in a bio? Iris might be a writer, but at this point in her life, it’s mostly been with other people’s stories. She has no idea how to tell her own. She only just began penning her first book entirely of her own accord, what, yesterday? It seems that way! Iris reflects to herself inwardly.

Iris closes the Tinder app and goes to FaceTime. If she can confide in her best friend, Grace, she will know exactly what to put in her profile. Her video camera reflects her own image back at her as she waits for the ring on the other end to cease. To keep herself busy for a moment, she checks herself for imperfections. Slowly, she pats down her side-parted, out-grown bangs. Showing off her pearly white teeth, she scans them for food lodgings. Noticing no remnants, she smiles as her friend’s camera clicks on, the call being answered.

Hey girl! Grace hollers at Iris’s cell phone screen. Covered and protected with a glass screen. Two screens.

What’s up, bitch? Iris responds back to her friend playfully.

Just got home from work. But hey, you called me. Something on your mind? Grace returns the conversation.

Yeah, yeah. Something, Iris hints with a snorted-chuckle to her bestie.

Well, let’s have it, then, Grace prods annoyingly at Iris. She’s used to Iris being a private person. But she will always weasel the truth out of her, on account of being her best ally.

I’m creating some online dating profiles, and— Iris begins, but Grace’s bestial guffaw cuts her off.

You’re kidding, right? Grace asks, totally taken aback with humour. "You? Since when are you interested in dating anyone?" Grace wants to know. Seriously.

Iris rolls her eyes sarcastically. They almost roll off the flat of the earth, going round in circles towards the back of her head like somersaults.

Seriously! Grace continues with audacity.

Since I got baby fever a year ago, Iris confesses. She’s almost 27 years old now, and that only eerily looks like a go-between 25 and 30. It means I’m almost 30, Iris scares herself. What the fuck is 27, anyways? Iris asks her friend without giving her the full train of thought.

Oh, come on, you’re just saying that because you’re seeing that shit on social media. Grace calls it how it is, every time. She’s not afraid to tell her friend the truth.

Fuck off, my social media game is strong af, Iris defends herself. Thicker than a thief’s wallet, these two-dollar bills are.

I know, I know. But take this: you post about working hard, travelling, arts, culture… These people are posting about family, children, relationships… They are wanting what you have, and vice versa. Do you get it? Grace raises her eyebrows in question.

Iris just looks back at her for a moment.

Come on, you must get it, says Grace, badgering Iris. Great friends always tease each other to the max.

Iris sighs and gives up. Yeah, I fucking get it, Iris admits, knowing her friend Grace is right. Knowing that she knew she was right all along. And that they were thinking the same thing, after all.

There is a moment of pause before Grace responds. So, you’re going to try dating?

Yes, you have to help me choose what to put down, Iris asks her dear friend for much-needed help. Or what she thinks is much-needed help. Iris does have quite the wild, explorative imagination.

You’re the writer and the artist, you know what to put in a profile. People literally pay you to do those things for them, so you don’t need me to do it for you, Grace says and declines the plea.

Please? Iris begs with her two hands put together; the phone having been propped up for the call.

Fuck no! Grace replies.

Fine, you’re useless then, Iris points a finger at her friend.

Whatever, bye, Grace says, rolling her eyes.

Love you, Iris says, reminding her friend of their customary goodbyes.

Love you too, bye. Click.

Bye, Iris says as she clicks the red end call button.

What the fuck am I going to do? Iris wonders deeply to herself. What she didn’t quite realize then, is that her friend is quite right indeed. She knew all along how to tell her own story. She just didn’t know that she knew. Soon, she will know what she has always known but never knew that she knew.

Iris opens the Tinder app again. She decides to put up a few pictures, showing different sides of her. The natural one. The heavenly one. The smart one. The wild one. She selects a photo of her without makeup, showing her freckles and sharp green eyes. Her face poured out at you as if you were a bowl ready for cereal—as if pouring the milk were a hesitation because time is ever precious. One where almond milk actually does taste better than 2%. Her second photo is her in a long dress, with even longer blonde hair. She then selects a picture of her hard at work, in black dress pants, a fancy exotic looking blazer, and Prada glasses. Her last photo is her somewhere in another part of the world, on a beach in a bikini revealing her fit, tattooed body.

She goes to her bio section. She puts that she is An artist looking for life.

She then goes to the settings. She selects people that are no more than 50km away, and no more or less than five years of her own age. She has had her fair share of experiences with much older men, and her conclusion is that she wants someone to spend her life with. Not someone who will be gone long before her, expectedly…

The Tinder app has a separate section where you can start looking through other people’s pictures, according to your settings. Here, Iris sees profiles of different men in her area. These profiles look ridiculous. How could this be his picture on here? Who are these animals? She thinks to herself. There are buttons she can use to click ‘Dislike,’ ‘Like,’ and ‘Super Like.’ Every third or fourth profile happens to be a person giving her Super Like. She is not interested in anyone so far. Iris swipes through perhaps 25 profiles before already getting bored and giving up. She closes the Tinder app. She takes a moment and slowly swipes to exit all of her apps.

She looks at the wall for a moment, putting her phone down. Then, Iris decides to open her Facebook Messenger so that she can send a message to her brother. He’s almost 29 now. Perhaps he will have some sort of advice. On account of his being closer to the 30-year-old-scare than I am. Iris convinces herself. She begins typing to her brother, John, Hey, bro, and is about to press send when she feels another source of defeat. Iris deletes the words before sending them to her brother, John.

Fuck! She shouts out loud in her house. There is no one else there to hear her. Iris has gotten used to being alone.

She opens the Tinder app again. She starts swiping through a few more profiles. She decides to give a few Likes. Why not? What’s the worst thing that could happen? She wonders. All of a sudden, Iris lay eyes on what looks like her dreamboat. The cruise ship that will take her to the Caribbean and never have to dock. As if carried by the magic of love. He was, the very stereotypical image, of a man she always wanted. Although, at this point in her life, she has been with people of all kinds.

He has the dark hair she adores. The tattoos that litter her body fell upon his skin, too. As if both kissed by the same clouds of darkness before the rainbow appears. He is the fittest man she has seen thus far. I wonder if this is even a real person. I bet he’s using fake pictures. Iris declares inside her vast mind. He is already Super Liking her. She figures, what the hell? She gives him a Like. Why not? What’s the worst thing that could happen?

The Tinder app is showing her that they are now a match. Iris closes the Tinder app.

Setting her iPhone on her nightstand, she pulls the sheets over her head and shuts out the world. She doesn’t want to think about all the fear coursing through her body. What if we get along? What if we don’t? It’s all too much for her to handle, and Iris tosses and turns all evening before drifting off to sleep at midnight.

The next morning, Iris awakes to the rays of sunshine sprouting through the cracks of her window blinds. With her blue curtains pulled wide and the width ways white plastic pieces beneath lying horizontal, the sunrise is blinding her through closed eyelids. With a sigh of displeasure, Iris pulls the covers down off her slim but athletic body and reaches for her cell phone on the bedside table. There are always notifications in the mornings on her cell from Gmail, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. But she notices that she has a message from another app. Tinder. Oh my God, someone has sent me a message. Iris thinks with mixed excitement and panic. She goes to the app in order to read the message.

Adam: Hey, I couldn’t help but notice how much of a story your profile has to tell.

Wow. As if that’s his pickup line. Iris is immediately enthralled with Adam. It’s the man she matched with last night. The man of her dreams. She reads the message over again trying to think of a reply.

Iris: Maybe you’ll get lucky enough to hear it someday.

Was that the best thing you could think of? Iris is always very hard on herself, never giving herself enough credit. Her flirtatiousness has always been clever and coy, but she’s been out of practice for a few years, focusing entirely on her career. I guess this is the best I can do…

She closes the Tinder app and begins getting ready for her day. First, to the bathroom to pee, and then, to the kitchen to put on some coffee. Her Keurig is the second one of its kind. A few months ago, she had to replace it from calcium build-up, so she opens her fridge up to use Brita filtered water in the coffee machine instead of tap water. It’s blazing red hue a strong contrast to the black-white against primary colours she has used to decorate her open concept kitchen-living room.

Leaving the mug underneath the contraption to await its brew, she slowly walks back to the bathroom for a shower, inhaling the scent of fresh caffeine as she goes. Iris takes longer than usual this morning, her head swimming with thoughts of Adam. I wonder what it would be like to be beside him. To feel his energy. Iris wraps one towel around her body and another around her head before stepping out of the shower. If there are two of her least favourite times of day, this is one of them. The moment you get out of bed and the moment you step out of the shower are equally as grueling. You’re absolutely freezing fucking cold.

Her bedroom is a sacred space, complete with her favourite treasures. A map of the world, a painting done by her friend, an ‘evil’ protective eye, a dreamcatcher, her jewelry. This is the one part of the entire world she could say means peace to her. She has a couple of ocean-coloured objects to make it feel cozy and bright, like a fuzzy blanket, throw pillows, and billowy curtains. They bring tranquility to her this morning, a time she needs motivation the most. She feels herself a rejuvenating feeling in her solitude, casual and remote. Until her iPhone on her nightstand vibrates with a notification of a new message. It is from the Tinder app. The message is from Adam.

Adam: You’re very…mysterious. And intriguing. I want to know more about you.

What a typical schmuck. I’ll tell him. Iris loves to tell off douche bags.

Iris: I guess you’re going to have to figure out a way to do that.

Take that, fuckboy. Iris is aware of all the trolls on the internet. People who have nothing better to do than use these tools for desperate measures. If this guy is a fuckboy, she is going to find out before wasting her time. Iris sets her phone back down in her bedroom and decides she’s going to go for a walk first thing this morning. She doesn’t want to be distracted by anything but her own thoughts, so she leaves her phone there.

Out on the streets of London, Iris notices the wintertime of Canada. Nothing looks as beautiful as it does in the summer. White blankets the scene, leaving the city in a perpetual state of bleakness. Whenever people leave their homes to go outside, they shiver at the bitter feeling of the cold air penetrating their pores, with even a cheek exposed causing one insurmountable discomfort.

Iris is used to the cold. She grew up in this city. In the winter, London will drop to temperatures of -40C with the wind chill. The typical day is about -20C. Summer, on the other hand, would be almost +40C with the humidex. London’s location in southern Ontario in relation to the Jetstream, escarpment, and great lakes, makes it the perfect point for extremes. Also, London is a part of tornado alley, so this city is the perfect storm waiting to happen. Even transitional seasons autumn and spring can alter by the day in temperature, the thermometer placing itself somewhere in between the two forties. The warm yellows, mixing in with the cool greys. Skies, blending in with their horizons—unable to tell the difference between sides.

Iris is turning around one of the corners down by the River Thames trail,