Chapter 1
Melissa Knight knew the memory of the late October afternoon when she arrived home and surprised her husband in their bedroom busy packing would be etched in her memory forever.
She’d driven up to Exeter after lunch to deliver the last of a batch of historical costumes she’d been working on for a display in the museum.
Traffic on the way back had been light and she’d made good time returning home to Dartmouth.
‘Mel, darling! You’re home early, I wasn’t expecting to see you before I left.’ His words hung in the air as he gave her a hesitant smile.
‘You off on an unexpected business trip?’ Mel said, glancing at the clean clothes piled on the bed. ‘Where this time?’ She was accustomed to Geoff travelling for the internationally well-known and successful stationery firm he and his friend Peter had set up fifteen years ago.
‘I was going to leave you a note. Explain things.’
‘What’s to explain? And why would you leave me a note and not message me on WhatsApp? Or, shock horror, talk to me.’
‘I thought a note would be better today. Anyway, my taxi will be here soon,’ Geoff said, reaching for what looked suspiciously like a new backpack at the foot of the bed.
‘You didn’t answer the question. Where are you going this time?’
‘Paris first and then possibly Corsica or maybe Croatia. Haven’t really decided yet, I’m going to go with the flow.’
Mel gave him a startled look. ‘I thought Peter did all the French trips – especially ones that involved Paris. One of the perks of being CEO he once told me. Besides, your French is basic to say the least.’
Geoff nodded. ‘He does. But this isn’t a business trip.’ He paused, giving Mel a considered look. ‘I’ve taken a year’s sabbatical from work and I’m going travelling.’
Melissa stared at him stunned as he carried on folding his favourite denim shirt before carefully placing it in the backpack.
Surely those Levi’s he was wearing were new and she didn’t remember seeing that leather jacket before.
Or those Ray-Ban sunglasses lying on top of three polo shirts.
A radical change from his usual business suits.
‘You’ve taken a year’s sabbatical from work to go travelling – but didn’t think to mention it?
To tell me what you were planning,’ she said slowly.
‘The least you should have done was to discuss your plans with me. Besides, travelling is something we could have done together. I’ve never been to Paris,’ Mel added quietly.
Geoff gave a small shrug. ‘I’m only in Paris for two nights.
Hardly worth the hassle for you.’ Geoff zipped up an outer pocket on the backpack before finally looking at her.
‘Anyway, there was no point in discussing it with you. You’d only have put up obstacles.
And I need to do this for me. I knew I had to get everything organised before I told you. ’
‘And have you? Organised everything, I mean?’
‘Yes. There’s enough money in the current account for your day-to-day living, all the bills are on direct debit, so nothing to worry about there, and the emergency fund is topped up to its maximum.’
Mel stood watching him silently as he continued to methodically place clothes into the backpack. ‘Curious as to what this sabbatical is truly in aid of. Are you leaving me?’
‘No. I’m simply going travelling – the gap year I never had before university.
I need some time away from everything. Time to find the real me again.
Work out what I want the rest of my life to be like.
And leaving the place in your safe hands whilst I’m away means I’ll be able to totally relax and figure things out. ’
‘So you expect me to simply wait for you to return?’
Geoff gave her a surprised look with a brief nod. ‘Yes.’
‘Did it not occur to you that you are treating me like a child you expect to obey your every command? Ordering me to put my own life on hold whilst you drop out for a year.’
‘Oh, come on now. You’ll be free to do your own thing too whilst I am away. Separate lives for a while will be good for both of us.’
Mel stared at him. ‘Separate lives for a year,’ she said slowly and shook her head in disbelief. ‘Doesn’t strike me as a good thing. Have you told Justin what you’re doing?’
‘Planned to text him later today when I was on the plane. No point in ringing him; he never answers his phone. At least I’ll get two blue ticks and will know the message has arrived.’
Mel gave a thoughtful nod. She wasn’t surprised that Geoff planned on using a text message to break the news of his sabbatical to their twenty-two-year-old son.
He and Justin were not visibly close, and since Justin had left home for the University of Bristol last year, communication between the two of them had virtually ceased.
Geoff had never been one to show emotion, any empathy with her or Justin was shown with quick hugs, clichéd endearments, and all over in less than two minutes.
It was the way he was brought up. His father had been very much old school – men and boys had to have stiff upper lips and all that nonsense.
Heaven forbid they showed their real feelings to the world.
Geoff had often accused her of wearing her heart on her sleeve.
Which she didn’t – she was just a woman who liked other people and couldn’t help showing her caring side.
Mel stood silently watching Geoff as he carried on packing, her mind strangely devoid of rational thoughts.
Five minutes later, as a car pulled up on the drive and tooted, Geoff shrugged his arms through the straps of the backpack and turned to face her.
‘That’ll be my taxi. Don’t worry about me. I’ll keep in touch. See you next year.’
And with a fleeting kiss on her cheek, he was gone.
* * *
After inhaling a large glass of wine that was supposed to calm her down but failed dismally, Mel phoned Virginia, her sister, to tell her what had happened.
‘Oh Mel, I’m so sorry. What a selfish bastard to do this to you. I’m not surprised you’re upset. Are you sure he didn’t mention anything before and you simply assumed it was wishful thinking on his part?’
‘He never mentioned a word to me about this trip, but he must have been planning it for months. He admitted he didn’t want to discuss it with me because apparently I would have put obstacles in the way.’
‘Too true you would,’ Ginny said. ‘I hope you told him not to bother coming back.’
‘Too shocked to think straight,’ Mel confessed. ‘Besides, his taxi arrived and he was gone. He did say he wasn’t leaving me per se, he just needed some “self” time. Do you think he’s had a midlife breakdown?’
‘Not a breakdown, more of a selfish midlife crisis, but instead of buying a sports car or a Harley like other men he’s running away from his responsibilities for a year and leaving it all to you. What does he expect you to do while he’s away?’
‘Carry on as usual,’ Mel said. ‘He’s left the house in my “safe hands”, all the bank accounts are topped up, so he doesn’t have to worry about anything whilst he’s away. I am so cross with him, but what else can I do but carry on as usual and wait for him to return.’
‘Come and stay with us for a few days while you work out what you’re going to do. You are not to stay home alone worrying about Geoff.’
‘Thanks.’ Escaping to Ginny’s lovely home on the outskirts of Totnes, under an hour away from her, for the weekend was exactly what she needed.
Her big sister would help her make sense of the situation.
‘I’m not sure I’m going to be doing much worrying about Geoff for the next few months.
The more I think about what he’s done, the crosser I’m getting,’ Mel said.
Worrying about herself, though, was a given.
She’d be in limbo land until Geoff got back.
‘Come to us this weekend,’ Ginny insisted. ‘The girls would love to see you and we can do a character assassination of Geoff over a bottle or two of wine. And…’ she hesitated. ‘I need to check something that might be worth you considering if it’s still available.’
Despite herself, Mel was intrigued. ‘What kind of thing?’
‘Can’t tell you until I check it out. Not sure it’s your kind of thing anyway. You’re probably too much of a home bird.’