1976 (#9) - Peggy’s suspicions, the promises of Jack and the divorce with Joanna

Joanna's suspicions about a possible extramarital relationship with Jack soon arose in Peggy's thoughts, increasingly alarmed by Jack's reluctance to talk about his family. Despite Jack's assurances of being single, Peggy soon ends up not believing in the man anymore and he is eventually forced to admit he has a wife. Peggy, desperate and incredulous for having been so naive as to have been made fun of by Jack, is soon reassured by the man, who informs her that he has decided to end his long-dormant marriage. Peggy, thus, incites her man to show her his love and to divorce her before she gets fed up and leaves him. In reality, however, Jack realizes that he is incapable of leaving his wife, convinced that Joanna would suffer too much emotionally from a possible separation; in fact, Jack is convinced that a divorce would only increase Joanna's depression. In the meantime, however, it is Joanna herself who seems convinced to finally change her life. Thanks also to Brock's psychological help, Joanna understands that more than on her marriage and her husband, she must focus on herself and commit to losing weight not to make him happy but to become a better and more confident person herself. The weeks go by and with the first results of her efforts comes a greater awareness that she doesn't deserve a husband like Jack, now convinced that he has a mistress. When Joanna asks him for information, Jack initially denies it; however, as time goes by, Jack grows stronger and confesses to Joanna the whole truth about his involvement with Peggy. Joanna, astonished by her husband's reaction of pride, informs him that she now considers herself a free woman and intends to let him go without too many regrets. It is Jack, at this point, who feels somehow betrayed by his wife, he did not believe she had become so aware of the end of their relationship. Undecided whether to continue fighting to win back Joanna, who had meanwhile returned as beautiful as she used to be, or to jump into the relationship with Peggy, in the end it was the events and decisions of others that decided for him. Joanna, in fact, without second thoughts and determined to start a new life, signs the divorce papers and leaves Jack free to go to his Peggy.