Claire looked at the clock – almost five. If she left now she could get back home for six. She saw the pile of case files on her desk, most of which needed to be read by Monday afternoon, including the Rose Aiker file. Rose had cancelled her last appointment. Claire had been disappointed – she’d been looking forward to getting that case off her to-do list. Elaine had told her Rose had rescheduled the appointment for the following Monday. Looking at the pile of files again, Claire decided she would work for another hour and be home by six thirty at the latest.

*

Claire’s mobile phone rang, its sharp chirp startling her. She’d been engrossed in her reading. Picking it up, she saw it was almost seven.

Shit.

‘Hey, where are you?’ asked Chris.

‘I’ve just left the office,’ lied Claire, already shoving files into her bag, phone clamped between her shoulder and ear.

‘What? I thought you’d be almost home by now. I’m just calling to say I’ll be late.’

‘Really? Why?’

‘The Dubai account has gone pear-shaped and we need a plan by tomorrow.’

‘Tomorrow’s Saturday,’ challenged Claire, although she knew it was a complete waste of time.

‘Yep, but some companies in Dubai work on Saturday.’

‘Chris, when we agreed that I would go back full-time, you reassured me you’d try and make more of an effort. What about the boys?’

‘Claire, what do you want me to do? Besides, why are you late?’

‘Never mind,’ replied Claire, ‘I’ll head home now. What time will you be back?’

‘No clue. I’ll message you.’

Chris hung up and Claire threw the phone in her bag, anxious to get home to her sons. Did Chris really have to work on a Friday night? What if she had needed to work late? She didn’t but that wasn’t the point. What irritated her was that there was no discussion – he simply assumed she would be on hand to drop everything and be home for their sons. Closing her bag, Claire left the office, her earlier satisfaction replaced with annoyance.

*

Claire stretched out on the sofa, relieved to be out of her suit and high heels and in something more comfortable. The house was silent and for a few minutes, Claire appreciated the rare moment of quiet as she sipped a glass of rosé. She didn’t usually drink on her own but after her first week at work, she felt the need to mark the milestone. Lucy had kept Jamie up a little later than usual being as it was the weekend, so Claire could put him to bed. Much to her relief, he’d fallen asleep happily with promises to go and see the dinosaur display in the shopping centre the next day. Chris was still at work and Joshua had gone out with his friends.