this morning. Where on earth is he? Panic eventually overrides my anger.
When Alex does arrive home, my sister and her family, my dad and Hannah have loaded everything into the two cars they drove up here in and they’re ready to leave for Somerset. I watch Alex saunter in through the front door. Jet wags his tail and I find myself willing him to growl and bark.
‘Where have you been?’ It comes out as a hiss. I can feel my sister’s eyes on me. Alex either ignores my tone or doesn’t pick it up.
‘I went back to the hotel. They left a message on my mobile to say you’d forgotten this.’ To my astonishment, he holds up my mum’s necklace. ‘I thought you’d want to give it back to Julie before she left.’
I’m aware my mouth is wide open, but I can’t seem to close it. I stare in total disbelief at the necklace. The chain is unbroken.
‘Thank you,’ I manage.
Alex hands the necklace to Julie, who deftly puts it around her neck and fastens the clasp.
Moments later, as I wave goodbye to my family, I feel confused. I’m grateful to Alex for having the necklace repaired, and at least now I know what he was doing this morning. But he’s the one who broke it in the first place. And I’m cross with him for implying that I’d carelessly left it in our hotel room. I turn to face Alex, but he isn’t there. He has gone back inside.
I stand outside, alone, watching Oscar close the wooden gate at the bottom of the drive before getting back into the car. Seconds later, both cars round a bend out of my sight. I hope I’ll see everyone again soon, although we didn’t get round to making any plans as Alex wasn’t there this morning.
I find Alex upstairs, kneeling in front of the chest of drawers and wildly turfing out my bras and knickers. I stand in the doorway, rooted to the spot and speechless. He pulls out one of the drawers containing his clothes and tips the socks out on the floor.
Is he having another meltdown?
‘Alex.’ My heart is beating a tattoo against my ribs. ‘Alex.’ My voice sounds weak, even to my ears, and I realise I’m frightened of my husband’s erratic behaviour.
He looks up. ‘It must be here somewhere,’ he says. He doesn’t sound angry, which I take to be a good sign.
‘I’m so sorry I lost it, Alex,’ I say. ‘It may turn up, but we’ve … I’ve already checked in there.’
‘Sit down,’ Alex says gently.
I do what I’m told and perch on the corner of the bed. Alex tidies everything back into the drawers.
‘I can help you if you like?’
‘No, no, it’s all right. Why should you clear up the mess I’ve made?’ He glances at me over his shoulder. ‘Just hang on a sec till I’ve finished. I’ve got something for you.’
I study Alex as he puts the pairs of socks away, lining them up in a row. When he has finished, he turns to me, still on his knees, and extracts a box from his back pocket.
‘I got you this …’ he says, shuffling towards me on his knees. He looks comical, and I’m relieved that he’s not mad at me again. I have a sudden urge to giggle, but although I can feel myself grinning too widely, I succeed in keeping the laughter down.
Alex opens a small square box. Inside there’s a necklace. The third necklace in three days. He takes it out and hands it to me.
‘… To make up for my inexcusable behaviour,’ he continues. ‘I had it engraved.’
I look at the wording on the necklace. ‘“I’m always yours”,’ I read aloud. It reminds me of the sort of message you get on those sweets. Love Hearts. I find it a little childish and then I scold myself for thinking that. Alex is making an effort after all.
‘Look on the back,’ he says. ‘There’s a different inscription.’
I turn the medallion over and read the words on the other side, silently this time. The room feels chilly all of a sudden.
Alex gets to his feet and puts the chain around my neck.
‘There,’ he says, fastening it. He kisses me on the lips and smiles shyly and I have a fleeting image of him as the diffident pupil I secretly fancied at school.
I’m disturbed by the words on the back of the pendant. It’s supposed to be romantic. But I find those words a bit creepy.
You’re mine forever.
‘Promise me you’ll never leave me,’ he says.
‘Why would I leave you?’
‘Just promise me you won’t. I don’t know what I’d do without you.’
‘I promise.’
‘We belong together.’
As he takes me into his arms, I feel goose bumps all the way down my own arms. He pulls me to my feet and he holds me as tightly as my bump will allow.
Just as I’m about to protest that he’s squashing the baby, Chloe or Liam starts to kick me so hard that Alex feels it, too.
From: [email protected]
Sent: Wed, 21 Dec 2016 at 23:03
Subject: OUT OF THE BLUE
Dear Katie,
I’m sorry if I’ve upset you by taking so long to reply to your emails. Your news came as a complete shock, and it took me a while to get used to the idea.
Clearly, I need to zip up the man suit and step up to the occasion, which I’m glad to do. We’re both in this together and you can count on me.
Because of my business, I can’t work anywhere else but here, as you’ll appreciate, and you’ll have to stop working at some point anyway (for a while, at least). So, I think the easiest thing would be if you came to live here with me. As you know, I live alone in a gigantic Georgian house – it’s been in the family for over a century. You’ll love it! And it needs a woman’s touch!
Please say you’ll come, my Best girl. We belong together.
I expect you’ll need some time to sort everything out, but I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be right here waiting for you.
You’re my world, my life.
Alexxx
PS: I’m sending you yet another selfie. As you can see (from the huge grin on my face), I’m very excited about your news!
