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When Helen Carlyle was eighteen years old she found herself attracted to a married man. Helen's job involved a monthly meeting with a young film executive, and she found herself becoming increasingly drawn to this man...
 an illustration from Helen Carlyle's book |
In 1959 Helen met 'David'. She was fascinated by him and they had so much in common. But right from the beginning, he told Helen that he was married with children.
After seven months of seeing 'David' only at meetings, he asked her out for a drink. Her first question to him was a rather formal, "I'd like to know what your intentions are towards me?" His reply was that he was getting divorced and wanted Helen to marry him.
Helen suggested a break of six months until the divorce came through, but neither of them was very happy about this. So Helen went into a relationship in belief that a divorce was only a few months off.
 an illustration from Helen Carlyle's book |
Helen describes herself as "wife in waiting" for the 8 and a half years that the relationship continued. However, she wasn't happy with her status and was longing to be married.
In the end, David went off with someone else, although the affair didn't end overnight. It dragged on for another 18 months until Helen saw a picture of David in a newspaper with his new wife. It was at this point that she had a nervous breakdown. She describes him now as "the sort of man for whom no one woman would ever be enough".
Helen realizes that men and woman view this type of relationship in a totally different way. She says, "It's not a happy role. It attracts the kind of woman who is gullible, vulnerable, and maybe a little bit romantic."
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