Another writing prompt/exercise, inspired by an exercise in A Year of Living Consciously, which was itself inspired by a common ethical quandary.
When do you tell the whole truth and when is it ok to lie?
The common scenario in this moral inquiry is the extramarital affair or one-night stand. If the affair is over or the lapse isn’t likely to be repeated, should the cheating spouse tell the other about it? On the one hand, honesty is important. Secrets kills relationships. On the other hand, being truthful could hurt someone needlessly. Again, this assumes that the cheat isn’t a serial offender, but had a one-time moral lapse.
Are your characters keeping secrets from one another? Game out these two scenarios. In one, have the secret-keeper confess and see where it leads. Does the confession bring your character closer to someone else, clear the air of a problem, or allow them to live with more integrity? Or does the revelation destroy something between the characters? If the character chooses to maintain the secret, how does that affect their relationships with others? To what lengths will your character go to keep this secret? What is destroyed or protected by the mystery?