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Lying through his teeth

Someone was telling big lies... and they weren't the white ones either


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Published on: 15 November 2012

My boyfriend Mark, 26, was a real manly man. He could jump out of bed and be ready to go in five minutes. He was the rough and ready type. Which was a good thing now, watching him lug our suitcases back into our flat.
‘I had a great time away,'I grinned. We'd just got back from a holiday to Majorca. It had been so perfect.
‘Me too,' he smiled, wrapping his strong builder arms around me.
Our relationship had been such a whirlwind. We'd met in a nightclub just four months before and were now living together.
Just a few weeks later, things got even better. We were in a cocktail bar when Mark suddenly got down on one knee.
‘Will you marry me?' he asked, holding out a beautiful diamond ring.
‘Yes!' I beamed.
Soon, I bought a few wedding magazines. I was flicking through them one night while Mark sat next to me on the sofa watching the footy.
‘Your teeth are really white,'I frowned, suddenly. ‘Have you been using a different toothpaste?!'
He looked a bit sheepish.
‘I had them whitened the other day,' he admitted. ‘Thought I'd try it for the wedding.'
‘How much was it?' I asked.
‘I got it free through a mate,' he said. ‘Ooh, which mate?' I asked. ‘Maybe he could get mine done, too?'
Mark shook his head. ‘It's more of a friend of a friend,' he sighed. ‘He can only do it as a favour to me. Sorry, love.'
‘Damn!' I laughed. ‘Well, your teeth will have to sparkle for both of us in the photos then!'
A month later, he was having a bath while I cooked us dinner. His phone suddenly bleeped. Picking it up, I saw he had a text from an unsaved number.
Are you coming to get your teeth done tomorrow? it read. We've got the place to ourselves xxx. My blood started to boil! As I put down the phone, Mark walked in the kitchen.
‘Who's this from?' I said, thrusting the phone at him.
He read the text then shrugged. ‘I'm getting my teeth done again,' he said. ‘What's the problem?!'
‘Why are there kisses on the end?' I pushed.
‘It's from that bloke who did my teeth,' he said. ‘He's just taking the mickey.'
‘Really?' I gulped, suddenly feeling stupid. ‘Sorry.'
Realising how silly I'd been, I decided I'd surprise Mark by getting my teeth done, too. So I booked myself in for an appointment at Diamond Smiles, where he'd gone, the next day.
‘They look great,' I said afterwards as I grinned at Dave, the owner. ‘My fiancé will love them. He was only in yesterday having his done...'
‘We weren't open then,' Dave frowned. ‘Who treated him?'
‘Erm, I don't know his name. It's a bloke he knows through a friend,' I said. Dave shook his head. ‘I don't know who that was,' he said. ‘Sorry, your boyfriend definitely wasn't here.'
Mumbling my goodbyes, I left. Rushing home, I confronted Mark straight away. ‘Why did you go in there?' he yelled.
‘I'm not the one in the wrong,' I snapped back.
‘For god's sake, a friend sorted it out,' he said. ‘But now you've let the cat out the bag, you've probably got him in trouble.'
Then he stormed off. I didn't know what to think.
Just a couple of days later, though, I got a call from Dave at Diamond Smiles.
‘I'm afraid I've got some bad news,' he said. ‘Go on,' I pushed.
‘I've found out that one of the dental nurses has been sleeping with your fiancé and whitening his teeth for free,' he gently told me. ‘I'm so sorry, I thought you should know.'
I burst into tears. So I'd been right to suspect something.
I was such a mess that my boss sent me home. In a whirl of fury, I ran around the flat piling his things into black bin liners. As I chucked his aftershave into the bag, I caught a whiff of his favourite Boss fragrance.
My heart caught in my throat. ‘How could you do this?' I cried. My anger soon overtook the tears, though, and by the time Mark got back, all his things were on the front door waiting for him.
‘What the hell's going on?' he yelled, scrambling over the bags.
‘You've been cheating on me,' I screeched. ‘With some bimbo who did your teeth!' His face flushed red. ‘B-but...' he started, searching for an excuse. ‘We're supposed to be getting married,' I sobbed. ‘Get out!'
‘I'm sorry,' he croaked. As he picked up his bags and left, I felt my life had come crashing down around me. One minute I was an excited bride-to-be, now I didn't even have a fiancé! I was so humiliated ringing my friends and family to tell them.
‘He's not worth the tears,' they assured me. But I thought about all the plans we'd made. ‘I want two children,' Mark would smile as we cuddled in bed. ‘We'll start trying after the wedding.'
‘Will we now?' I'd tease. Secretly, though, I was thrilled. But, I knew now that, unlike his teeth, he wasn't whiter than white!
A couple of weeks later, I'd started to pull myself together.
I was getting ready for a night out with friends when there was knock on the door. It was Dave from Diamond Smiles.
‘I hope you don't mind. I got your address from your forms,' he said. ‘I just feel so guilty that this happened at my place.'
‘Come in,' I said, warming to him. ‘I'll put the kettle on.'
Dave listened patiently. He told me he'd sacked the girl, too, which made me feel a little better.
‘Fancy going for a drink sometime?' I said, suddenly.
‘That would be great,' he grinned.
We went to a bar in Preston. As we chatted, I realised how much I fancied him. Before saying goodbye, we kissed.
Now, six months on, we're a couple. We're taking it very slowly, but I'm happier than I've ever been - and now I'm the one with the sparkly gnashers!
I suppose you could say everything turned out all white in the end!
Lauren Grogan, 22, Blackburn, Lancashire