Forever Autumn by Christina Jones

Author:Christina Jones [Jones, Christina]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, azw3
Tags: Romance, Fiction, General
ISBN: 9781846175299
Google: PbySAAAACAAJ
Amazon: B00B7WP8MA
Publisher: AudioGO Limited
Published: 2006-11-01T00:00:00+00:00

Part Four

In Bournemouth, Nikki and I went window shopping, followed by lunch in a fish and chip cafe overlooking the brooding slate sea. Then we sat through the Jungle Book twice, and by the end of the afternoon I’d calmed down enough to face the return to Hayfields. If we timed it right, then Amanda would have already left for the theatre and Peter, if he’d come home, would be either ensconced in the study or the living room and I wouldn’t have to face him.

Of course, Nikki had wanted to chat about Daddy and Charlotte, so we did in a light-hearted way, and I’d made Nikki promise not to mention it to Joel or Amanda or Lucas.

‘Why not?’

‘Because it’s a secret.’

‘Our secret?’ Her eyes had been like saucers. ‘Just us?’

‘Just us,’ I’d improvised wildly. ‘Like at Christmas when you have to keep the presents a secret ...’

‘Are Charlotte and Daddy getting presents for Mummy and Joel and Lucas, then?’

‘Something like that. And we don’t want to spoil the surprise, do we?’

She’d shaken her head solemnly. ‘It’s important having a secret just between us, isn’t it?’

‘Very important,’ I’d said vehemently. ‘Very important indeed.’

We hurried back through the late-afternoon gloom towards the car park. My head was in complete turmoil. Charlotte and Peter! Oh – it didn’t bear thinking about! And it had brought back all sorts of hideous memories ...

It had been a similar autumn day – all lowering sky and leaves rustling bleakly in the gutters – when I’d discovered the truth about Richard and Lynne. That was why, I think, that my temper had flared so uncharacteristically when I’d yelled at Peter. It had been Richard and Lynne all over again.

That awful time – more than a year ago now – was as vivid as if it had been yesterday,

I’d finished school early one day – there had been a flu epidemic which had swept through the pupils, and had now started to affect the staff. By lunch time I’d had a raging temperature, hot and cold shivers, and every bone in my body ached. All I’d wanted to do was get home, make a hot drink, and sink into bed.

Shakily, I’d fumbled with my key in the lock. The flat was silent. Empty. With my head thumping, I’d stumbled through to the kitchen and switched on the kettle. Lynne wouldn’t be home until six at least, and I knew Richard was away at a business meeting all day so wouldn’t be calling round. I’d have the flat to myself, be able to curl up in bed and wallow in blissful silence.

It was while I was rummaging in the cupboard for the flu remedy sachets, that I noticed the briefcase propped against the kitchen table. I frowned at it. It looked like Richard’s briefcase – but of course it couldn’t be. My temperature must be making me hallucinate. It must be someone else’s ... Someone that Lynne was seeing ... She hadn’t mentioned a new man in her

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