Milly felt the familiar pain deep inside her. The truth was she hated the weekends that Zoe stayed with Richard. She usually worked because that was a better alternative to mooching around aimlessly, trying not to wonder if Zoe was going to end up liking Avery more than her own mother. Was she more fun? Did Zoe think her mother was boring?

She dragged her mind back to the present.

“I’ll let Zoe know. But don’t forget her drama club. She can’t miss it because it’s not long until the performance.”

“You just said she’s thinking of giving it up.”

His comment reawakened her anxiety.

“Even if that’s true, she can’t give it up at the moment. She has made a commitment. It’s not fair on everyone else for her to drop out at this late stage.”

“Lighten up, Milly. If you want to make her carry on going to drama, that’s up to you, but she’s going to have to miss next week either way. If I bring her back for drama, I’ll be spending the whole day in traffic. Zoe will be fine. Avery has a friend who works at the theater in the city, and she’s got us front-row seats for A Midsummer Night’s Dream on Saturday night. Zoe is going to love it.”

Zoe would love it. Milly had tried to get tickets herself, even though going there would be a massive trek, but it had been sold out.

But Avery had contacts.

The wave of insecurity almost knocked her off her feet.

She tried to ignore it. In the end all she wanted was for Zoe to be happy, and this was going to make her happy.

“That’s kind and thoughtful of Avery.”

“She’s a kind and thoughtful person.”

The implication was that Milly was anything but kind and thoughtful.

She opened her mouth to say that Avery hadn’t exactly been kind and thoughtful when she’d taken a hatchet to Milly’s marriage but managed to stop herself.

She ended the call, so upset that she didn’t know what to do with all the emotion swirling inside her. She picked up her half-empty mug, tempted to throw it hard at the wall, but then she put it down again. If she did that she’d have to clear up the mess. Another job.

Martyr Milly.

For the first time in eighteen months she felt relieved she was no longer married to him.

Chapter 11Connie

I can’t believe you’re back again this morning. I thought you’d be aching from head to toe.” Janice, who owned Waterside Trekking, led Harley out of his box and handed the reins to Connie.