Chapter 43
43
A FEW WEEKS LATER
The sound of her mobile ringing jolted Dee awake on a Sunday morning. Who could be ringing her at this time? She glanced at the clock, eight thirty. She been up early for work all week and had been hoping to get a lie-in. Yawning she reached for her mobile, her breath catching in her throat as she realised it was Annabel calling her.
‘Annabel? What’s wrong? Is Hallie okay?’
‘Yes, but Dad…’
Nigel? Dee sat up straight. ‘What about your dad?’
‘He’s in a bad way, Mum. He’s not eating or shaving, and he’s drinking far too much. Drinking away his sorrows, no doubt! He’s a mess.’
She found that hard to believe. Nigel was always cool, composed, in control.
‘You’ve got to come home, Mum. I dread to think what’s going to happen to him. He might have a heart attack. Or a stroke.’
This was nothing short of emotional blackmail. ‘You do remember what your dad did, don’t you? He had an affair. Again. He went away with his mates on my sixtieth birthday and he had another affair,’ she repeated slowly. ‘And you want me to forgive him? Again.’
‘I know and it’s horrible, but he’s really sorry. He really misses you, Mum. Hallie misses you. She wants her nanna and grandpa together again. She’s really upset, Mum.’
‘That’s low, Annabel. You know that I adore Hallie, but you can’t blackmail me into staying with your father to make her happy. She has you and Gareth, her parents.’ Dee paused. ‘Tell me, if Gareth had an affair, would you forgive him and carry on as if nothing has happened?’
‘No way!’ Annabel retorted, then Dee heard her take a breath. ‘But, Mum, you said yourself that you’ve forgiven Dad before and he really is sorry. He desperately wants you to give him another chance.’
‘He’s said this before and nothing has changed.’
‘He’s older now, Mum. He said it was a last fling. Besides, you’re both too old to start again. You can’t live in that cottage and work in a café for the rest of your life. Surely you miss your lovely home? Your old life?’
‘My old life was empty and shallow. I prefer my new life.’
‘So you don’t care about Dad any more? You don’t care if he has a heart attack?’ She could hear the tears in Annabel’s voice. ‘I know Dad has acted terribly but I can’t believe you can be this hard.’
Dee sat up in bed thinking when Annabel had ended the call. She had hardly heard from Nigel since she’d told him she wanted a divorce, she’d presumed that he’d accepted her decision and was as glad to get out of their mockery of a marriage as she was. Had it affected him more than he had let on? Was he really upset, drinking away his sorrows, as Annabel had said.
Finally, she decided that she would go back and check on him. There were still a lot of her things in the house, she could use the excuse that she had come back for those and see if Annabel’s concerns were valid.
Texting Kenny to tell him that she would have to miss the meeting tonight, as she had urgent business back in Bristol, she set off after breakfast.
* * *
Nigel’s car was in the drive when she got there and the lounge curtains were drawn. She frowned. It was almost midday. Nigel was never home on a Saturday morning, and certainly was never in bed.
She took her key out of her handbag and let herself in, wondering whether to shout to let Nigel know that she was there. Something urged her to keep quiet so she closed the door softly behind her and listened. She couldn’t hear anything. She went into the lounge. An empty bottle of Scotch was on the coffee table beside an empty glass. It looked untidy, as if the vacuum hadn’t been put around for ages. She frowned and went softly into the kitchen. Dirty crockery and glasses were piled on the draining board, a basket of washed clothes that hadn’t been hung out stood by the washing machine. The place looked like a tip. This wasn’t like Nigel at all. Maybe her asking for a divorce really had hit him hard.
Suddenly she heard footsteps coming down the stairs. She turned as Nigel stood in the doorway. He clearly hadn’t shaved for days and his clothes seemed to hang off him as if he’d lost a lot of weight.
‘Dee, you’ve come home!’ he said, holding out his arms for her to step into.
She couldn’t. She couldn’t take a single step towards him. She was astounded that her leaving had had this effect on him. She’d thought he hadn’t cared about her, yet clearly he was distressed. She swallowed and licked her lips. ‘I came to pick up some more of my things…’
He looked crestfallen. On the verge of tears. Calm, always in control, Nigel looked as if he was going to break down. ‘You’re not going again, are you?’ He gasped, clutched his chest and staggered over to the chair, almost collapsing into it.
‘Nigel? Are you okay? Do you need me to call you a doctor?’
He swallowed. ‘I don’t need a doctor. I need you. You will come back, won’t you?’ His eyes searched for hers, held them. ‘Please say you will. It was a mistake with that woman. A stupid mistake. She meant nothing to me. You’re the only one who means anything to me. You’re the only one I need. I love you so much and I swear that I will never cheat on you again. If you give me another chance I’ll do everything in my power to make you happy.’
Astounded, she sat down beside him. It had been a long time since Nigel had told her he needed her. That he loved her. She felt blindsided. He’d cheated on her time and time again. Treated her as if she was nothing. Yet…
Nigel reached out and grabbed her hand. ‘Please say you’ll come back. Please. I can’t live without you.’
Dee thought of Port Telwyn, and Snowy, of Kenny, Andi and the others, working in Moira’s Café, of the new life she’d started building for herself. How happy she was living down there. She couldn’t give all that up.
Yet she couldn’t bear to see Nigel like this. After all the years they’d been together. Their children, little Hallie. She at least owed him the chance to talk.
‘Why don’t you go and have a shower then we can talk about things. See if we can sort something out,’ she suggested. ‘I’ll make us a drink and some scrambled eggs and toast.’
He got slowly to his feet. ‘Thank you. You won’t regret it.’
She watched dumbfounded as he walked slowly out of the kitchen. It was like looking at a different man, as if he had aged ten years. Had she done that to him?
She put the kettle on, and loaded up the dishwasher as she waited for the kettle to boil. She decided to take Nigel’s coffee up to him. As she pushed open the bedroom door she heard Nigel’s voice, clear as day, on the phone.
‘She’s fallen for it, hook, line and sinker. All I have to do is keep her here until the contract is signed and then we can be together. Only one more week, darling.’
She froze, almost dropping the mug. What was going on?
She walked closer to the bedroom. ‘It was so clever of you to suggest not shaving and wearing larger clothes so that it looked like I’ve lost weight. Annabel was really shocked when she came! I knew she would tell Dee and Dee would come running back. She’s so gullible.’ She heard him give a little laugh.
‘Yes, Steve Connor is signing the contract on Friday, he’s a real family man. You know what these Bible Belt Americans are like. He’ll pull the deal if he gets wind that Dee is divorcing me for adultery.’
Another pause. ‘No, don’t worry. It’s all in hand. She’s downstairs right now, making me breakfast.’ He gave a triumphant laugh.
Dee pushed the bedroom door open, and Nigel’s jaw dropped. ‘Actually, she’s upstairs, packing the rest of her things. And she’s going to send a message to Steve Connor telling him that we’re getting divorced and exactly why.’
‘What!’ Nigel spluttered. ‘You’ve misheard?—’
‘I know exactly what I heard, Nigel. And I’ve recorded it so don’t try and wheedle your way out of it. Goodbye. I hope you and whoever you’re speaking to on the phone will be very unhappy together.’