She raises her eyes to the sky. ‘Look, Miles, face facts; a job like hers is an excellent cover for an affair.’

‘I trust my wife,’ I say, voice clipped.

‘You trust a woman who is always having to fly off to stay in luxury accommodation all around the world at short notice?’ she pushes.

‘I repeat, I trust my wife.’ I pause. ‘And she’s not always flying off. Just sometimes.’

Mother sighs. ‘You and I have a different understanding of the word sometimes.’

I put my wine glass down on the coffee table in front of me. ‘Times have changed. Not all relationships work like yours and Dad’s. Most women work these days.’

Mother leans back in her chair and crosses her legs. Her eyes fill with tears. ‘Don’t criticise my relationship with your father.’

‘Calm down, Mum.’

‘There’s work and work. Saffron regularly abandons her family,’ she continues.

‘Abandoning me for another man. Abandoning her family. Is abandon your word of the day?’ I ask.

‘Today, and every day, when I consider Saffron’s behaviour—’ she smiles a slow stretched smile ‘—abandon does seem to be appropriate.’

I take a deep breath. I must be patient. Mother is still adjusting. She lost Dad five years ago and still hasn’t come to terms with his death. His massive heart attack was such a shock. She returned from book group to find him dead in bed. Since then she has tried her best. She helps with our children. She plays bridge twice a week, with a group of widows. But life as she knew it stopped.

And just sometimes, she takes it out on me and Saffron.

14

Saffron

As my taxi pulls up at the airport, I admit to myself that I lied. Despite my protestations to Miles, I am pleased to have been dragged away. You are really pulling me down, Caprice. At least when you lived in your own quarters we had some time apart. I am finding it very difficult having you silently preside as head of the family at every mealtime. Spending more time than ever with the children. Altering my sons’ attitudes. Feeding them too much unhealthy food. Allowing them to watch cartoons whenever they want, even when they haven’t finished their homework. Allowing them to play on the Xbox almost incessantly, so much so I fear they have become addicted to it.