Chapter 7
Jenna told the twins about their forthcoming holiday, and as expected they were over the moon and full of excitement.
‘Why didn’t you tell us? Was it a surprise?’
‘Yes, Ada. A lovely surprise, I hope.’
‘The best!’
‘Are we really going to stay at Watersmeet with Grandma and Mac?’
‘We are!’ Jenna injected as much enthusiasm into her voice as she possibly could.
‘And we’ll be able to see the animals every single day. This is the best holiday ever!’ Hallie told her, throwing her arms around her neck.
Seeing their happy expressions was the best thing that had happened in ages. It might not make up to them entirely for her failure to give them a decent father, but at least they had six weeks of fun and family time ahead of them. It was something, at least.
After dinner, she bathed them and washed their hair, then got them into their pyjamas.
‘Time to pack,’ she said. ‘Who’s going to help me?’
Naturally, the girls were only too happy to help – not least because it meant they got to stay up later than usual. They eagerly brought her the things they wanted to take, ignoring her warning to be sensible and only choose what they really needed.
Before long, there was a huge pile of clothes and toys on Jenna’s bed, and the bedroom was a scene of devastation.
‘Okay,’ Jenna said, shaking her head, ‘we can’t fit all this lot in the suitcases. We’re going to have to be a bit more ruthless.’
‘But we’re going to be at Grandma’s for ages,’ Ada pointed out.
‘We’ll need everything!’ Hallie pleaded.
‘We’ll only be twenty-eight miles away,’ Jenna said. ‘If we need anything that desperately, we can always pop home for it.’
But did she want to? Thinking about it, she felt that, once she’d arrived in Kelsea Sands there’d be no going home until it was time for the new term.
She’d have to be back by 5 September to get the girls and herself ready for school, but she didn’t really want to go back before then.
To what? More days of standing by the window, hoping for Joel’s car to pull up on the drive?
She imagined him playing the same trick he’d played last time he’d left: leaving her alone and lonely for a couple of weeks, then, just as she was at breaking point, turning up out of the blue to tell her he missed her and try to coax her back into bed, before heading back to his new so-called love.
No way could she face all that again. She’d be much safer out of the way.
So yes, maybe it was best if she did take everything with them at once. But there was a problem with that…
Despite her anger, and despite her defiant words to Louis, she’d gone ahead and packed Joel’s belongings for him. Most of his clothes were now in their biggest suitcase, along with an album of family photos just to remind him of what he was throwing away.
That only left her with a medium and a small suitcase. She was careful with how much she packed for herself, but the twins’ belongings wouldn’t fit in those with hers.
‘Don’t worry,’ she said lightly, as the girls stood looking anxiously at all the clothes and toys that seemed destined to be left behind. ‘I’ll sort it out. Now, time for bed.’
‘We’ll never be able to sleep,’ Hallie informed her. ‘We’re way too excited.’
‘We may as well stay up and help you,’ Ada suggested.
‘Nice try,’ Jenna said wryly, ‘but tomorrow’s going to be a busy day, and you need your rest. If you’re too tired, I’m afraid we won’t be able to go, so it’s up to you.’
The twins exchanged glances but knew when they were beaten. Time for bed.
Jenna tucked them in, read them a story, then kissed them goodnight. She went downstairs and made herself a coffee, then heated up a bowl of soup as she mulled over the situation.
There was a beep from her phone and she picked it up, feeling the familiar churning inside. This time, though, her nerves were well-founded. Joel!
She almost dropped her soup spoon in shock. Finally, he’d made contact.
Will be round tomorrow evening to collect my things.
I’ll wait until after the twins’ bedtime so there’s no scene.
We don’t want to upset them, do we? Can you make sure my blue shirt’s washed and ironed, ready to go?
Oh, and can you find my shorts? I haven’t seen them since last year and I know you put our summer clothes away somewhere, but I need them now the weather’s warmer. See you around 8.
Jenna stared at the message in disbelief. That was it? That was all he had to say?
She shook her head, rereading the text three times to be sure she hadn’t missed anything. Nope. He really was that much of a selfish prat.
She put the bowl of soup on the little table next to her armchair and drained her coffee, then got to her feet.
After popping into the kitchen for the roll of black bin bags she kept under the sink, she headed quietly upstairs so as not to disturb the twins, went into her bedroom and opened the wardrobe door, carefully pulling out the large suitcase she’d packed for him.
She unlocked the case and tipped all Joel’s clothes onto the bedroom floor. Grimly, she packed the twins’ belongings into it instead, giving a satisfied smile as she closed the lid and just about managed to lock it. She put it by the door alongside the other two suitcases that were ready to go.
Right, that was their packing done. Now for Joel.
Smiling bitterly, she tore off a couple of black bin bags and shook them open, then without bothering about creases she stuffed all his clothes into them, including his precious best blue shirt.
She picked the photograph album off the floor and put it back in the cupboard in her room. He wouldn’t look for it. He wouldn’t even think about it. She knew that deep down and wondered why she’d ever thought he should have it.
She tightly knotted the black bin bags then stuffed them as best she could back into the wardrobe so the girls wouldn’t see them.
Then, as quietly as she could manage, she carried the suitcases downstairs one by one, ready for the morning.
It was funny, but Jenna actually slept that night.
She wasn’t sure why. Maybe it was knowing that she was about to get away from here and that a change of scene would do her some good.
Maybe it was an easing of the guilt she felt over the twins, and relief that she’d finally done something positive for them.
Or maybe it was simply realising that she didn’t have to be on alert because Joel wouldn’t be back that night.
He’d made an appointment. No need to spend the night subconsciously listening out for a car pulling up outside.
Whatever the reason, she woke at around seven thirty feeling more refreshed than she had in weeks. Maybe in months.
Hallie and Ada surprisingly slept in until eight, by which time Jenna had already loaded the suitcases into the boot of the car.
Needless to say, they were excited and happy, and full of beans as they ate their breakfast, while Jenna went around unplugging appliances and making sure everything was safe and secure.
With the girls dressed and raring to go, at ten o’clock Jenna fastened them into the car and assured them repeatedly that everything they’d wanted to take with them was packed away, and they needn’t worry.
‘Just wait there while I check the upstairs windows,’ she told them, then headed back into the house and straight upstairs to the bedroom she’d shared with Joel.
Their summer clothes were stored away in vacuum-packed bags under the bed. She pulled the bag belonging to Joel out and decided if he wanted his shorts and other summer clothes he could look for them himself. She threw it down the stairs where it landed with a thud in the hallway.
Then she hauled the two black bin bags from the wardrobe and threw them downstairs, too.
There, that was Joel sorted. She closed her bedroom door and went downstairs herself, a grim smile on her face as she wondered what he’d say when he saw what was waiting for him in the hall.
‘You’re lucky I haven’t cut them all up into pieces,’ she said to him, as if he were standing right in front of her. ‘Be grateful I haven’t changed the locks.’
The house was neat and tidy. She’d made sure of that.
He couldn’t find fault or complain. For a moment she considered leaving him a note explaining why she wasn’t at home but changed her mind.
No, why should she? He was the one who’d walked out.
He didn’t even have the decency to tell her he was going, or to say goodbye to his daughters.
And he was planning to avoid the girls tonight, too.
Coward. All because he didn’t want a ‘scene’.
Well, he’d get what he wanted. There’d be no scene, because there’d be no one there to have it with. His clothes were waiting for him. He could put them in his car and go.
She kicked the bags so they lined up against the wall, then left the house, locking it carefully behind her.
Mac answered the door when Jenna knocked, the two girls hopping up and down beside her in excitement.
‘Well,’ he said with a broad smile, ‘look who’s here! Come in. Your mum’s just faffing around in the twins’ room. You know what she’s like. She wanted to make it really welcoming for you all.’
‘I’m sorry, I know we’re a bit early,’ Jenna said awkwardly, but he waved her apology away.
‘Don’t be daft. Do you know what time we have to get up to let out the hens and the ducks? Not to mention see to all the rest of the menagerie? It’s the middle of the afternoon as far as we’re concerned.’
‘Are you sure you don’t mind us being here?’ Jenna whispered as the twins pushed past her and ran towards the kitchen.
He patted her shoulder. ‘Honestly, we’re glad to have you. Stop worrying. Just treat this place as your own.’
‘Thank you, Mac. I really appreciate it.’
‘Not at all. Now, do you want me to get your luggage? I presume you have some,’ he said with a twinkle in his blue eyes.
‘No, honestly. I can—’