‘Bye,’ I said as I watched her from my front door, waving goodbye until her red Toyota disappeared down the hill. She had every faith in Luke. She was convinced my whole life and that of my children had taken a turn for the best. I certainly hoped so. Was I doing the right thing, or was I making a Bigger-than-Phil mistake?
*
As much as it killed me, Phil had visitation rights every other weekend and as usual, I mentally wrung my hands as I watched my kids prepare for the night over at his place. You might think I was nuts to leave my children in his hands, but the judge had decreed he was forgivable and therefore should be pardoned for his behaviour. Me, I’d connect him to a high-voltage socket while pushing him into a tank full of bloodthirsty sharks, but there you go.
‘Have you both packed your toothbrushes? Your liquid soap? Your towels? Hand wipes?’ I asked as I hovered between their two bedrooms.
‘Mum, Dad’s got soap,’ Ben giggled as he packed a couple of his favourite tractors.
Judging by the state of him the last time I saw him, I doubted that.
With their bags ready to go, they waited for him at the bottom of the stairs, Chloe busy on her mobile and Ben reading through his portable dictionary.
‘Mum, what’s another word for tardiness?’ he asked.
Phil Jenkins, I wanted to say but sealed my lips.
The doorbell went and Ben hopped to this feet, only to stop short upon opening the door.
‘Hey, handsome, come and give Auntie Emma a kiss!’ I heard Em say.
‘Hey,’ I called from the kitchen, utterly delighted. ‘You want to stay for tea?’
She sauntered in, looking around as if she hadn’t been in ages.
‘Oh dear,’ Emma whispered, eyeing the kids. ‘Phil forgotten again?’
‘Yes,’ I whispered back.
She shook her head. ‘He never changes, does he? Adam’s the same, you know? They just can’t be bothered, the pricks.’
I shrugged, fighting back the burning sensation in my eyeballs. It hurt so much to see my children wait in vain for someone who simply didn’t care enough to remember. It wasn’t the first time. When Chloe looked sideways at me, I smiled sympathetically.
‘Would you like a biscuit while you wait?’ I asked. Trust me to resort to the easy solution.
‘No thanks,’ she said, lowering her gaze to check her messages.
‘Why don’t I take them then? One of my clients postponed,’ Emma offered. ‘It’ll give the girls a chance to hang out, seeing as we haven’t been lately.’
‘Please do, Em,’ I said gratefully and hugged her. ‘And thank you. As soon as things get back to normal we’ll have a nice dinner, okay?’
She laughed. ‘No worries.’
‘How’s the job going?’
‘Oh, don’t ask, I’m full up to here,’ she answered, plucking an apple from the fruit bowl and biting into it.
‘Hm, Jack’s apples are the best, aren’t they? I don’t know what he does to them.’
I grinned. ‘He probably sings to them.’
Emma cackled. ‘I’m sure he does. That man is so dedicated to the things he loves. Have you seen him lately?’
‘No, not lately,’ I lied, feeling my ears burn. I so wanted to tell her about being caught out by him in front of that hotel, really, I did, but I felt that she wouldn’t approve either. ‘I expect he’s busy with his new girlfriend and all that.’
‘You don’t mind, do you, that we’re no longer Three’s Company? Then again, why would you, seeing as you have that stud muffin Luke O’Hara?’
‘I don’t have Luke O’Hara.’
‘Oh, I beg to differ,’ she whispered, eyeing the kids loitering in the entrance hall.
I made a face. ‘Who told you that? Jack?’ There went my secret.
Emma frowned. ‘Jack? I thought you said you hadn’t seen him lately. Where did you see him? What was he doing?’
‘I—I don’t know,’ I answered. ‘It was just men, I think. But he saw me… and Luke.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘We were just coming out of that French hotel in Marazion,’ I sighed. Le chat was out of le bag.
‘I knew it!’ she cried, slamming her hand against the table.
‘Please keep your voice down.’
‘Since when?’
I shrugged. ‘It just happened. Please keep this to yourself. I already feel bad for Jack seeing me. He looked at me like I was a prostitute.’
‘Jack? No, he would never.’
‘Oh, he did,’ I assured her. ‘It was like I’d disappointed him or something.’
She shrugged. ‘He probably misses you. Hell, I miss you.’
‘Well then why don’t we have dinner again this week? I’ll cook something nice.’
‘Sure, love to. Is Jack invited?’
‘Oh. Uhm, I’m not sure he…?’
‘Forget it,’ she sighed. ‘I’ll see him in Truro.’
‘You see him in Truro? You never mentioned.’
‘Oh. I meant I’ll see him around.’
‘Em, what’s going on here?’ I asked.
She gave me a furtive look. ‘What?’
I shrugged. ‘I don’t know. Have you guys solved whatever it was that was bothering you? You were practically at loggerheads at one point and now you’re awfully chummy again.’
‘What choice have we got? You totally abandoned us since Luke arrived, breaking the hearts of the whole of the female Cornish population who had hoped to have a chance with him.’
Hm.
‘Auntie Em, can we please go?’ Ben begged. ‘It’s lapalissian that Dad isn’t coming.’
Emma frowned, her eyes swinging to me. ‘What’s he on about? What did you do, Ben, eat another dictionary for breakfast?’
‘He means “obvious”,’ Chloe bit off, not looking up from her phone.
‘Oh, I’m glad to see your vocabulary is improving too, Chloe,’ I praised.
She smirked. ‘It isn’t. I just looked it up. Ben likes to show off when he feels neglected.’
At that, I knelt at his feet. ‘Oh, my darling, you don’t feel neglected, do you, love?’
He rolled his eyes. ‘Mum, seriously? Chloe’s only speaking for herself. She’s angry that Dad has forgotten to pick us up again. I’d be much happier if I didn’t have to go. I find him tiresome to say the least. And it’s clear he doesn’t care enough to remember.’
‘Don’t you worry about your father, sweetheart,’ I said
