she said. ‘I’m beginning to accept that. The thing is I’d like to adopt but my husband’s not keen.’
‘Does he say why?’
‘It’s because he was adopted, and he had problems so he’s afraid that any kids we adopted would too.’
‘But so might any children that you had naturally. They could fall ill – God forbid – or they could fail at school or drop out. Life’s fraught with difficulties and you can’t not go ahead with something which could make you happy out of fear that it might go wrong.’
‘I know,’ she said in a trembling voice. ‘I’ve told my husband that.’
‘And you sound like a lovely person Martine so I’m sure you’d be a really great mum.’ There was a tiny sob. Oh God, I shouldn’t have said that. I could hear a Niagara of tears start to fall.
‘Well…I think I would,’ she wept, ‘but my husband seems set against adopting, but now I know it’s my only chance.’ I glanced at Minty, who’s three months pregnant. There was compassion all over her face.
‘Martine, do you have a good relationship with your husband?’ I asked.
‘Yes,’ she whispered. ‘In most ways I do.’
‘And when did this issue first come up?’
‘A month ago. We hadn’t really talked about it before, because we thought I might still be okay. But then I got the final results from the hospital which told me that my chances of conceiving are nil.’
‘Then give your husband a little more time. He needs to think about it – and men like to come round to things in their own way. So my advice is don’t panic, and don’t put any pressure on him as that could easily backfire. But I do think you should both talk to someone at NORCAP, the National Organisation for Counselling Adoptees and Parents: their number is – I flicked through my handbook – 01865 875000. Will you call them, Martine?’
‘Yes,’ she sniffed. ‘Okay.’
‘The line may be busy because this is National Adoption Week, but leave your number and they’ll ring you back. And Martine, I don’t mind telling you that I was adopted and I was absolutely fine. I’ve never had any problems, I had a really great childhood, and I’m sure that your kids will too.’
‘Oh thanks Rose,’ she whispered. ‘I do hope so.’ And I was just going to go to the next caller, when I heard her say, ‘but I think the reason why my husband feels so negative about adoption is because he’s never traced his real mum.’
‘Oh…’
‘He still seems so angry with her for giving him up – it’s like a festering wound. He rarely talks about it, but I think that’s what’s really bothering him and the issue of our adopting has brought it all up.’
‘I see, well, look…thanks for calling in Martine and I, er…wish you the very best of luck. And now we go to Pam on line five. What’s your problem, Pam?’
‘Well, my problem is that I’m in my thirties, I’m single and as a freelance graphic designer, I work from home.’
‘Ye-es.’
‘But recently I’ve got to know my postman quite well…’
‘Uh huh.’
‘And I really fancy him.’
‘I see.’
‘I even get up early to make sure I catch a glimpse of him.’
‘That must be tiring.’
‘Oh it is. I’ve also taken to sending myself parcels so that he has to knock on the door. I’m totally smitten,’ she added.
‘So what’s the problem?’
‘He’s married – at least I think he is. He wears a ring on his left hand, put it that way.’
‘Yup. He’s married,’ I said.
‘But he’s absolutely gorgeous, Rose; I’ve never felt this way before. What should I do?’
‘Well, honey, I think you should get real. I’m sure this macho mailman is very dashing but my advice is to stamp him “Return to Sender” and try and get out a bit more. And now Kathy on line three. What’s the problem Kathy?’
‘The problem, Rose, is that my husband has left me!’
‘I’m sorry to hear that.’
‘Well I don’t know why you’re sorry, as it was you who told him to!’
‘What?’
‘A couple of weeks ago my husband wrote to you at the Daily Post and you told him to get divorced.’
‘I’m sorry, but I haven’t a clue what you’re talking about.’
‘You told him to leave me. He hid the letter, but I found it. It was you. His name’s John.’ Oh God, now I remembered – it was the adulterous husband-basher. ‘I mean, who the hell are you Rose, to tell other people how to live their lives?’
‘I don’t. People simply run their problems by me; I listen, and I give them advice.’
‘Well you give them crap advice! I mean, what the hell are you doing telling men to leave their wives you, you…marriage breaker!’ I looked at Minty, she was rolling her eyes and shaking her head.
‘Kathy,’ I said, feeling my heart rate rev, ‘I did not tell your husband to leave. And from what I remember of his letter I think he’d already decided what he wanted to do.’
‘But you helped him make up his mind. He’s a spineless sort of bloke so if you hadn’t written to him, putting it in black and white like that, then he would never have had the guts.’
‘I’m not at all sure that that’s true. And in any case if he’s really as “spineless” as you say, then why do you want to stay married to him?’
‘Because he’s my husband – that’s why! But now he’s left me because of you – you, you…baggage!’ By now my face was aflame.
‘Kathy, if you speak to him like you’re speaking to me I’m amazed he didn’t leave you years ago!’
‘You’re a wicked, wicked woman!’ she retorted.
‘And now on line three we have Fran,’ Minty interjected as she made slashing gestures across her throat to the producer, Wesley, on the other side of the glass. ‘Hello Fran.’
‘Hello Minty.’
‘You are a fucking marriage breaker Rose Costelloe…’ Why didn’t Wesley just get rid of her? ‘…and you’re going to be SORRY for this!’ Oh! Minty’s face registered alarm
