Page 122 of Someone Like You

Clean up in aisle four, I think.

Eric looks at her as if he’s seeing her for the first time, then his gaze drops to the packet of pecans she’s holding. ‘Uh… yeah.’

Other than uttering his name, I’ve completely lost the ability to speak.

So, this is Donna. There weremonthswhen I spent more time on her social media profiles than on my own, but I’ve never actually met her. She frowns at him, clearly confused at finding her husband in such a state.

‘You remember Gaby?’ he asks, and when her head swivels in my direction, so many emotions cross her face, I would laugh out loud if this weren’t my worst nightmare.

‘Hi,’ she says. Her mouth hangs open and a deep furrow forms between her eyebrows. Her expression says, ‘Fuck. You’re her. You’re the one I stole him from. And you’re here. You’re right fucking here.’

Raff’s hand squeezes mine and his one-armed embrace tightens, bolstering me.

‘Hi,’ I say brightly. ‘And who’s this?’

I wriggle free from Raff’s hold and bob down, peering at their toddler, a sweet-looking boy who has no idea that his father cheated on me, then married his mother a few months later.

He ducks behind his mom’s leg, gazing at me curiously now that he’s ‘safe’.

‘This is Tyler,’ says Eric wanly.

Right, so he gave his kid the name we were going to call our first kid. Fucking fucker. I bet Donna doesn’t even know.

‘Hello, Tyler. Are you excited about Santa coming?’ I ask.

Those are the magic words, and he ventures out from behind his mom’s leg. ‘Santa’s bringing me a little baby brother,’ he tells me proudly.

‘Wow. Lucky you. You get to be a big brother. That is averyimportant job.’

He beams at me and sticks his chest out. ‘And… and if I’m a good boy, I might get a puppy.’

‘Puppies are the best,’ I say.

‘Do you have a puppy?’ he asks, his big blue eyes so earnest, my heart may burst.

‘I did once. They’re amazing.’

He grins at me.

‘We should get going,’ says Eric. ‘But nice to see you, Gaby.’

Really? It’s nice to fucking see me, Eric?

Donna says nothing as she guides Tyler back down the aisle the way she came. ‘Bye!’ Tyler calls, turning around and waving.

‘Bye, Tyler,’ I reply, waving back.

As I stand, I meet Eric’s eye and glare at him, breathing noisily through my nose. I can only imagine what I look like right now – my nostrils flaring, my jaw set, shooting not daggers butmachetesat him.

So much anger that I didn’t know was still in there.

Eric breaks eye contact and follows his wife.

Time stops for I don’t know how long and when it starts again, I slump against Raff, tears pricking my eyes. But I will not cry over that asshat. Never again. Because him cheating was the biggest favour he could have done for me.

‘Are you all right?’ Raff whispers, his voice low. His arm encircles my waist again and he holds me firmly, propping me up as I face my past.

I take in a deep breath through my nose, then exhale slowly.

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