A Hundred Pieces of Me by Lucy Dillon

Author:Lucy Dillon
Language: eng
Format: azw3, mobi, epub
Tags: General, Contemporary Women, Fiction
ISBN: 9781444727081
Publisher: Hachette UK
Published: 2014-02-27T00:00:00+00:00

As she left the house on Friday morning, Gina was surprised to feel a bit sad that this was the last time she’d drop Buzz off at the dog-rescue shop. It meant it was the last time she’d potter around the park with Rachel after work, chatting about dogs, between ball-throwing, and people, houses and the shopping shortcomings of Longhampton. Rachel was very easy to be with, even without the dogs to chat about: she was open and friendly, without ever probing too much. And, unlike Naomi, she had absolutely no views on Stuart, which was, at the moment, quite restful.

Buzz had been an easy companion too. He’d just about stopped flinching when the door buzzer went, even if he remained pathetically greedy about food. In fact, Gina was offering him the other half of her Friday-morning croissant when her mobile rang, and for a weird second, she thought it might be Rachel telling her off for spoiling the dog in the street.

It wasn’t Rachel. Or, as she’d half expected, Amanda Rowntree.

It was Rory, her solicitor.

‘Good morning, Gina.’ He had a benign headmasterly air, with his faint Scottish accent and precise diction. ‘I thought I’d give you a ring to let you know straight away that I’ve some good news for you.’

‘Is it that Stuart’s decided to stop trying to get the last coppers from down the side of our marital sofa and signed the papers?’ She tucked her phone under her chin while she juggled the lead and her bag.

‘Actually, yes.’ Rory sounded surprised. ‘I got a call from his solicitor to say that the signed Acknowledgement of Service has been filed with the court, and we should be receiving a copy soon. If you come into the office this afternoon we can get on with preparing your affidavit, so it’s ready to go as soon as the paperwork arrives.’

‘But what about all that financial-arrangement stuff, about wanting a percentage of the deposit and compensation for the furniture I’ve got?’ Gina stopped in front of the deli, confused. ‘He’s decided that doesn’t matter after all?’ She frowned. ‘He’s not going to turn round and make all these demands to hold up the decree absolute, is he?’

Rules. Stuart was always better at using rules to his advantage.

‘Well, I can’t say that definitely won’t happen, but the impression I got from Mr Horsfield’s solicitor was that he was keen to make it a clean break. With no unnecessary delay, was the phrase she used.’

‘And what about that list of things he wanted? I’ve got a boxful of junk in my sitting room for him.’

‘My advice would be to give it to him as soon as you can. It shows you’re willing to co-operate. You can leave it here, if you want, and I’ll have it sent to his solicitor.’

‘Great,’ said Gina. ‘Well, that’s . . . brilliant news.’

It was, wasn’t it? She tried to catch the fleeting emotion that passed over her like a cloud: this was really it. Stuart hadn’t made a last-minute bid for forgiveness.

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