An Impossible Choice: Utterly gripping and heart-wrenching family life fiction by Alison Ragsdale

Author:Alison Ragsdale [Ragsdale, Alison]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bookouture
Published: 2024-06-07T00:00:00+00:00

23

Out in the back garden, the early-evening sky was overcast, and the smell of vinegar floated up from Bailey’s on Shoregate, which happened when the wind was coming in from the south. Honour was perched on the edge of the wooden planter box, where her neglected herbs and lavender were slowly coming back to life, thanks to Scott’s regular ministrations. She looked at the phone and counted the fourth ring, usually the last but one before a call would go to voicemail. But deciding that she was done hiding from Jack, she answered.

‘Honour, it’s Jack.’ His voice sparked a slew of uncomfortable memories, making her cross her arms protectively around her middle.

‘Yes, I know. What do you want, Jack?’ She’d let irritation seep into her voice, so she took a moment to regroup, and sat up straighter.

‘Look, I know you don’t want to hear from me, but I heard about Tara.’

Honour was rocked, this being the last thing she expected. Her pulse began to race as she stood up and carefully closed the back door. ‘Who told you?’ There was no point pretending she didn’t know what he meant. She didn’t have time for those games anymore.

‘Malcolm phoned me. He thought I’d know, so…’ His voice faded, a trace of uncertainty creeping in. ‘Don’t be angry with him.’

Honour struggled to find words, to gain clarity about how she should handle this, and as she paced back and forth along the gravel path, an image of Kenny’s face flashed in her mind. She saw the hurt, the profound sadness, and then his request of her to cut Jack off, as Kenny felt he had been cut off, and Honour was flooded with her old friend guilt – guilt at breaking more than just her word, or at letting his hand slip away. ‘I’m not angry with Malcolm, I’m just surprised.’ She glanced at the door, checking that the children were still safely inside, and out of earshot.

‘I don’t know if there’s anything I can do, Honour, but I want you to know that I’m here. If you need help, please tell me.’

The idea of him helping her was so beyond her imagination that Honour laughed. It was a short, harsh kind of sound and as she heard it, she flinched. Despite everything that had gone on between her husband and his brother, and her honouring Kenny’s wishes in keeping Jack out of their lives, she was not a cruel person, and that laugh had smacked of cruelty. ‘Listen, Jack. I appreciate the offer, but we are fine.’ She saw a shadow move in the kitchen and squinted as Tara’s shape came into focus, getting a glass of water at the sink. ‘I’ve got to go.’

There was a moment of silence and then Jack sighed. ‘OK. Well, you know where to reach me. I really want to say how sorry I am that this is happening to you, Honour.’

Honour forced a swallow. ‘It’s happening to Tara, Jack. She’s the priority now.’

‘I know, I just meant…’ He stopped himself.

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