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Back The Lie Save as PDF
Chapters (69)
  1. Cover
  2. About the Author
  3. Dedication
  4. Epigraph
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. Acknowledgements
  66. Reading Group Questions
  67. Read More
  68. I
  69. THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING

His dad shot him a knowing look and he found himself colouring. Leo was dying to get to the bottom of this row between his parents. His mum was clearly on the edge and he was loath to leave her like that. But he didn’t want to spoil Lucy’s day either. I’ll phone her later, he decided, taking Lucy’s hand and giving it a squeeze. Maybe she’ll open up about the problem when Dad’s not around.

‘If you’re sure?’ he asked.

His mother nodded firmly, shooing them away with a smile. Leo grinned at Lucy. ‘Come on then, birthday girl, let’s hit the shops.’

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52

Michael was curled up on top of the duvet, still in his smart trousers and shirt, already dozing when Romy entered the bedroom. For a moment she watched his face, sunken in repose, no trace of the deceit that now marred his waking countenance for her and was making her re-evaluate every one of the thirty years of their relationship.

Michael opened his eyes. ‘I’m not asleep.’

She sat down abruptly in the stained orange armchair. ‘We need to talk about the boys.’

He sighed, turned his face away.

Romy tried to calm her ragged breathing. ‘Leo knows something’s up. And I absolutely loathe lying to him. But I want you to know it won’t be me who tells either him or Rex what happened with Grace. That’s up to you.’

Michael’s eyes widened. ‘Christ! Are you joking?’ he said, his voice suddenly high and weak. ‘Tell the boys? They’re all I’ve got – they’d never speak to me again if they knew.’

Romy couldn’t help feeling a stab of sympathy. What a horrible dilemma he faced. ‘Fine, up to you. But if you don’t, Michael, I’m telling you it will haunt you for the rest of your life. Leo loves you … Maybe he’ll come round.’

‘You haven’t.’

‘You didn’t lie to him.’

He looked away.

She got up. ‘As I said, your call.’

Michael remained silent, his face still turned from her.

Romy stood for a moment, looking down at him. ‘You know you can get back up to strength, Michael, if you choose. Face up to what you’ve done and forgive yourself. Be part of the world again.’ The shadow of a cynical smile came and went on his face, but she ploughed on: ‘Your arm might never be the same, but there are thousands of people out there who still contribute, lead a really good life, who aren’t a hundred per cent fit.’

He finally turned to meet her eye, his own dark and unfathomable, his tone infinitely weary. ‘I hear you, Romy. And I will tell Leo. Someday I will tell my sons what a bastard their father is … But not yet. I can’t do it yet.’

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