‘I’m … I’m … I’m going to stay with a friend,’ I said finally. Until your father comes to his senses and begs me to take him back.

In the hours after our discussion this afternoon, I’d calmed down enough to think logically. Adrian might like the idea of being a single man about town one week and a devoted single dad the next, but the novelty of both would quickly wear thin. He was the type of guy who liked to be looked after. He couldn’t cook and barely knew how to use the washing machine. This was obviously some kind of midlife crisis.

‘Which friend?’ Payton asked.

‘I don’t know yet, honey.’ I stroked her hair, making the most of having her head resting on my chest as she clung tightly to me. If Adrian had his way, this kind of two-way comfort would only be available every second week.

‘Maybe you can stay with Aunty Hayley?’ she suggested, her voice squeaky like a mouse.

That had been Adrian’s other suggestion, but while Hayley had been my best friend since we were five years old, she was also his twin sister. Did she already know about his plans? They weren’t as close as some twins, definitely not as close as she and I were, but they did talk frequently, and the thought of them discussing the problems in our marriage behind my back made me feel ill. But no, surely Hayley would have given me the heads-up if she’d had any idea.

‘Maybe.’ I squeezed Payton’s hand. ‘But I don’t want you two to worry about me. I’ll be fine.’ Another lie; see what Adrian was turning me into.

‘Anyway, do either of you have any questions?’ he asked.

Saxon, still glaring into his now-empty plate, shook his head. A scowl had replaced his usually beautiful smile and the creases on his forehead only intensified my anger towards Adrian. Had he really given any thought to how this would affect our kids?

Nest parenting might in theory minimise stress on the children, but divorce was still divorce. Saxon and Payton would still have separated parents and all the agony that came with that—the birthdays and holidays with only one parent; being introduced to and expected to like new partners and sometimes their children; and worst of all, the snarky remarks from one parent about the other, which always happened despite the best intentions.

No, I couldn’t let myself think that far ahead. No matter what Adrian thought, I would not let us get to that stage.

‘Will you both still come to all my soccer games?’ Payton asked, looking from her father and then back to me.

‘Of course,’ I said, before Adrian could say otherwise. ‘We’ll still be your number one cheer squad.’

Adrian tossed her a clearly forced smile and nodded. ‘Well, I think that’s it then.’ He stood and started collecting the takeaway containers from the table. ‘I’ll be off to Uncle Brad’s now.’

After dumping the containers in the rubbish bin, Adrian dropped a kiss on Payton’s head—‘Night, poppet’—and then went to hug Saxon goodbye, but he shoved back his chair and stormed off to his room. His door slammed, reverberating through the house moments later.