About Us by Sinéad Moriarty

Author:Sinéad Moriarty [Moriarty, Sinéad]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781844885374
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Things had been awkward with Niall since the massage night, but they had managed to dance around each other, using the kids as a buffer. They talked about logistics, soccer pick-ups, ballet drops, hockey-match times … and while Alice watched a kids’ movie with the children on Friday night, Niall worked on his laptop.

He hadn’t come home early once that week, and Alice hadn’t stayed up to chat to him. Nothing had changed. The therapy wasn’t working. In fact, it was just making Alice worry more.

On Saturday evening, Niall strolled into the kitchen at seven, reeking of aftershave and wearing another new tight-fitting shirt. He announced that he was meeting Max for a few beers.

‘Just Max?’ Alice asked.

Niall shrugged. ‘I think so. Lizzie might be coming, but I’m not sure.’

Alice frowned. ‘What about Lizzie’s friends? Will they be there?’

Niall picked up his wallet from the kitchen table. ‘I don’t know. Max just texted me to see if I wanted to meet for a beer and I said yes. I’ve had a hellish week, and I was up until two a.m. working last night. I need to get out of the house.’

What about me? Alice wanted to shout. Don’t I need a night out? Mind you, Niall going out was great: she’d get the kids to bed early, put on her comfiest pyjamas, have some wine, a couple of sneaky cigarettes but no biscuits. She’d let herself watch one Poldark and then watch Queer Eye, which always cheered her up. Still, it stung that he hadn’t even asked her if she’d like to come.

‘Where are you going?’

‘Some new cocktail bar in town. It’s supposed to be really cool.’

So, her sexually frustrated husband was heading out to a trendy cocktail bar with Max and probably his hot girlfriend, plus her equally hot friends. Brilliant. Fan-fecking-tastic.

‘Sounds great. Am I not invited?’ she asked, trying not to sound bitter.

Niall looked surprised. ‘You never want to go into town. You always want to stay local in case the babysitter calls, or so you can “ not be out too late ”. You always complain when we meet people in town.’

‘No, I don’t.’

‘Yes, Alice, you do.’

If she was being honest, he did have a point. She didn’t like being too far from home. She had her reasons, though. She’d been called home by babysitters for vomiting, high temperatures, suspected concussions, a cut hand, a broken toe and once a missing child, when Ted thought it would be ‘hilarious’ to hide in the laundry basket for an hour.

When they went out, Niall turned his phone off or left it at home. Cool as a breeze. But Alice couldn’t do that. She had to be responsible and contactable. ‘If something happens, the babysitter will deal with it,’ Niall always said. ‘That’s what we’re paying her for.’

But that wasn’t fair. An eighteen-year-old girl shouldn’t have to deal with sick or injured children. But when they went out at night, Niall just walked out the door and shed his dad skin completely.

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