Coming soon in theaters near you is this 2014 drama film. And oh, yes, you guess it right, it's title is The Other Woman. Going over the synopsis of the upcoming film, we discovered that it tells about a high-powered lawyer, very much married, who has one love too many. In the film, he has three. When the first girlfriend learned that the apple of her eyes was married, the woman tries to get her ruined life back on track. One day, the spurned lady accidentally meets the wife he's been cheating on. She then realizes they have much in common, and her sworn enemy becomes her greatest friend. When yet another affair is discovered, all three women team up to plot mutual revenge on their cheating, lying, three-timing SOB.

Sounds familiar?

Before bringing this story of a cheating husband closer to home, let this aging gigolo zeroes in on its timeliness. With Valentine's Day within spitting distance, what better subject to talk about than the exploits of wayward husbands. Yes, Valentine's Day, and it's six days away. On this day, of course, modesty aside, this BGlante can speak with unquestionable authority the travails of the other woman. She is kept away from the prying eyes of the general public because that's the place where she rightfully belongs. All hell breaks loose if she is loosened in her tight leash. As to why we can now afford to strut around like a devil-may-care gentleman, and therefore without inhibition, it's because, first and foremost, our love life has become an open book. Call it a tell-all episode of a hopeless romantic because, for one, we know exactly, whereof we speak. In our small way, with authority.

We equate the problems of other women, “kabits”, mistresses, queridas, “monyekas” etc. to the coming day of the hearts. Experience taught us, that Valentine's is the day where the other woman would demand of her own day as sweetheart with her boyfriend. Never mind the wife. The kabit would insist that the wife has all the time of the year and it would not be asking too much if the philandering husband spent the day with her. Deal or no deal, that's the choices available for the naughty husband. To the harassed husband, he has no option except to give in to the mistress. Or else she can threaten to scream for her heart's content and before the ogling eyes of curious onlookers asking what went wrong. So to appease the wounded ego of the querida, the guilty husband gave in or else. In fairness to all women similarly situated, they are the kind who demand of their illicit role as girlfriend of the married man. For all intents and purposes, they are the kind who claim of their bragging right to be displayed in public. Feed up of being a virtual prisoner within the four walls of their favorite hotel room, the girlfriend is demanding that once in a while she should be paraded in public places if only to emphasize the fact she be recognized as the other wife without benefit of marriage. If only the four walls can talk ? Well, most likely they probably balk at the prospect of the fantasies of a potential home wrecker. Or the walls will tell her to shut up.

We had this terrifying experience of a possessive girlfriend who demanded that it's alright if her married lover would spend part of the week at home with the wife. The condition was for the husband to spend at the conjugal dwelling from Monday to Wednesday. The turn of the other woman was from Thursday to Saturday. Sunday was a free day. With the intimidated husband too afraid to say no, he had to accede to avoid shame and scandal in the family. So it came to pass that at end of the day on Wednesdays, the domesticated husband began to experience butterflies crawling in his stomach thinking what excuses he can think of to appease the unsuspecting wife. The alibis ranged from attending a seminar in Cebu or Cagayan de Oro that would last for three days. So as Valentine's draws near, the other woman may be excited at the thought she will win the heart of her married boyfriend instead of the wife having a date as demanded by their relationship. No dice, if the wife, as the rightful claimant to his man's heart, will insist that no way that the day of heart's will be spent to anyone else. For the other woman, she should not push her luck too far. She should accept the fact she's not the top priority in the scramble for the husband's divided loyalty. Or under the circumstance, it's better luck next time. There's always a next time, anyway. Maybe next Valentine's if she will not be castrated by her rival for the love of the playboy husband.