My Husband's Wife by Amanda Prowse

Author:Amanda Prowse [Prowse, Amanda]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781784978013
Publisher: Head of Zeus

13

It had been weeks since Kevin left, flying off to his next stop on the world-paradise tour. Rosie missed him, as of course did Keith and Mo. He’d sent the girls a postcard of a deserted beach lapped by turquoise sea, which looked especially inviting now that the weather in North Devon was becoming grottier by the hour, all grey clouds and drizzly wind. The card was stuck to the front of the fridge. On the back it simply said: Been fishing for chicken nuggets, no luck yet! X

The girls came and went at weekends, and while Rosie didn’t like them being away, the more often it happened, the more used to it she became.

One Saturday she opened the door to her returning children to find Gerri, not Phil, at the door. She felt her face flush as she ran her fingers through the knots in her fringe and wiped her mouth. She felt inadequate, huge and clumsy in the company of this petite, blonde woman whose calves were so slim she could stuff the legs of her jeans into her high-heeled boots. Gerri looked glossy and bright in a way that Rosie knew she never could. She wished she wasn’t still in her pyjama bottoms and sweatshirt.

‘Sorry to just turn up – Phil’s got man flu.’ Gerri sighed, raised her hands and let them fall to her sides, as if this state of affairs was far from satisfactory and as if she and Rosie were old friends, mid chat.

‘Thanks for bringing them home.’ Rosie swallowed as her heart raced.

‘It’s no bother. Only five minutes.’ Gerri pointed up the road, as if Rosie didn’t know exactly where she’d come from.

Rosie remembered the last time they’d spoken, pictured herself sliding down the side of Gerri’s car, sad and broken and covered in goo. She felt the need to put her side of the story. ‘When I saw you before, at Mel and Andy’s...’

‘Yes.’ Geraldine nodded. As if she could have forgotten.

‘You thought I’d been sick, but as I told you... it was coleslaw.’ She wished she sounded more coherent, smarter.

Gerri furrowed her brow.

‘I dropped it, when I saw your car. The coleslaw.’ What are you going on about it for? Stop it, Rosie!

‘Right.’ Gerri nodded. ‘I was thinking...’ She paused. ‘As the kids come round to the house a lot, it would make sense if you knew where they were, wouldn’t it? And you could pick them up sometimes – I don’t expect Phil and I will be available as a taxi service every Saturday morning.’ She flashed a wide, social smile.

Rosie gawped at her jibe, temporarily lost for words.

‘And of course I’m sure you’d like to know where they are, and that they’re safe. Come for coffee, why don’t you? Shall we say Wednesday?’

Rosie stared at her, surprised and confused by the invitation. ‘I’ll, err, have a think about it.’

Gerri nodded and turned to go but changed her mind and headed back towards the front doorstep, from where Rosie continued to stare at her, fascinated and repelled in equal measure.

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