Wife for Hire by Dianne Blacklock

Author:Dianne Blacklock
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pan Macmillan Australia
Published: 2003-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

Eight a.m.

Sam blinked. She was lying under the covers on her own bed, on a sheet. When did she make the bed? She looked around the room. Her room in Ermine Street. Everything was unpacked and in place, as far as she could tell. She hadn’t realised the walls were so white, they almost glowed from the sun streaming through the windows.

She got up and walked down the hall. The living room was all in order, there were no boxes around, not even empty ones. There were flowers on the table, oddly like the arrangement Alan Mitchell had sent her. What day was it? She knew she didn’t get all this done on Friday. There was the blackout, and last thing she remembered was getting sleepy on the sofa, talking to Hal . . .

She heard a car pull up outside and peered through the curtains. It was Jeff. Had she lost an entire day? Was it Sunday already? She watched as the children all bounded out of the car and ran for the house. She walked over to the door and let them in.

‘Hi Mum!’ they chorused. Their faces were all pink and shiny and smiling. ‘Can we see our rooms?’

Why were they all talking like that, in unison? This was very bizarre. They ran off down the hallway and disappeared.

‘Hi Sam!’ Jeff chirped. ‘Wow, the place looks great. Sorry we’re early, the kids couldn’t wait to get here. Mind if I put the kettle on?’

‘There’s no power,’ she said vaguely.

Jeff laughed. ‘Of course there’s power!’

He walked out into the kitchen and Sam went to close the door. But as she turned around, Hal appeared on the doorstep, smiling broadly.

‘Hey Sam, how’re you doing?’ he said, walking past her into the house.

‘Who’s this?’ said Jeff warily, coming out of the kitchen.

‘This is Hal Buchanan. Hal, this is Jeff.’

‘Are you dating my wife?’

Sam was shocked. ‘Jeff! That’s none of your business.’

‘I think I’ve got a right to know what the mother of my children is getting up to.’

‘Stop this, Jeff, you’re embarrassing me. Hal is a client.’

‘But I think we’re friends now. Aren’t we friends yet, Sam?’

‘Well, I’m her husband.’

‘Only on paper, I believe, Jeff,’ said Hal.

‘I don’t think that’s any of your business.’

‘Jeff!’ Sam exclaimed, moving between them. ‘There’s no need to be so rude.’

‘I just want to know what he’s doing here.’

‘It’s top secret, I’m with the CIA.’

‘I suppose you think that’s funny?’

‘No, I don’t have a sense of humour, I’m American.’

Sam frowned, looking at Hal. He winked at her.

‘Why are you here?’ Jeff was almost shouting.

‘I’m on a contract –’

‘Well get this,’ said Jeff. ‘Your contract expires now!’

‘I don’t think that’s for you to say, Jeff.’

‘Oh yeah?’ he leered, taking a step closer.

This was ridiculous. ‘Jeff, stop this. You should go.’

‘I’m not going anywhere,’ he snarled.

Sam stared at him. There were two small lumps protruding from the top of his head, just above his temples. They seemed to be growing as she watched them.

‘Look at your head!’ Sam screamed as the skin broke and antlers sprouted up and out of Jeff’s skull.

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