Chapters (60)
- Cover
- Books by Sheryl Browne
- Dedication
- KARLA
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Thirty-Nine
- Forty
- Forty-One
- Forty-Two
- Forty-Three
- Forty-Four
- Forty-Five
- Forty-Six
- Forty-Seven
- Forty-Eight
- Epilogue
- The Affair
- Hear more from Sheryl
- Books by Sheryl Browne
- A Letter from Sheryl
- The Babysitter
- The Second Wife
- Acknowledgements
No, he wouldn’t let them see a beaten man. His pride simply wouldn’t allow it. He would do as he’d always done: maintain his image, dress for the occasion and exit in style.
Forty-Three
KARLA
‘Were they late?’ I ask Jason, as he comes back after dropping Holly and Josh off at school. I know they will have been, because I overslept again and didn’t have time to prepare their lunches, meaning they would have had to stop and buy something on the way. But I overslept because of him, what he’s doing to this family. Yet still he plays the martyr to the children, the hard-done-by party. He’s painting me as the villain, trying to win them over. He’s stealing them away from me. I can’t let him. My heart thrashes, palpitating inside me.
‘A bit,’ he says, closing the door. ‘I had a quick word with their teachers though, so the kids were okay.’
‘A quick word communicating what?’ Anger surfaces above the fear twisting inside me. ‘That their mother is incapable of looking after them?’
Emitting a heavy sigh, Jason turns to face me, though he doesn’t look at me.
‘No doubt the poor harassed father dashing in with his children earned himself some sympathy?’ I add, my tone facetious, because I know that’s exactly what he would invite. Tongues will have been wagging, heads shaking and hearts going out to a lonely-looking man who’s suddenly started bringing his children to school.
Jason shakes his head wearily. ‘I have no idea what you’re talking about, Karla.’
Yes, he does, Sarah says knowingly.
Of course he does. Won’t he be milking it? Wouldn’t I, in his shoes? ‘I’m not sure they’d be giving you any father of the year awards if they knew the truth,’ I go on, a toxic mixture of bitterness and cynicism simmering inside me, ‘that you’re the sort who picks up cheap little—’
‘Jesus Christ, Karla, will you just stop!’ Jason shouts over me. ‘I can’t do this again.’
‘You stop!’ I yell back, my anger rising. ‘Pretending you’re the victim in all of this. As if you’ve been driven to it. You’re cheating on me! With some—’
‘We’re both victims!’ Jason yells, louder. ‘For fu—’ Banging the heel of his hand against his forehead in frustration, he stops and meets my gaze at last, and then emits a ragged sigh. ‘It’s better for you if you don’t know.’
‘Know what?’ Goosebumps prickle my skin as I note the wariness in his eyes.
Jason scans my face tiredly for a second, then, ‘Talk to your mother, Karla,’ he suggests quietly, turning back to the front door. ‘You need to.’