Page 2 of Sisters Making Mischief
‘Now, yes of course. Is there a problem? What time will you get here?’
There was another little pause. ‘Actually, we’re outside.’
‘What? You daft thing… hang on a minute.’
I went to unlock the front door, wondering what on earth was happening and despite my festive frame of mind, feeling very uneasy.
Sara’s car, a fairly new, gigantic four by four, which apparently was necessary to ferry her daughters to school, friend’s houses and after school clubs, was parked at an untidy angle on the drive. Sara was sitting in the driving seat, her forehead on the steering wheel, and Poppy and Mia were peering out from the back. No one looked at all excited, happy, or Christmassy.
Sara got out, I could see she was in a bit of a state and had been crying.
‘What on earth’s the matter?’ I asked. ‘What’s happened?’
‘Can we just get the girls inside,’ she muttered.
‘Where’s Marty?’ I looked into the car rather foolishly, as though he might be hiding in the passenger footwell for some reason.
‘Let’s just…’ Sara shook her head and shepherded her daughters into the house.
Not sure what to do next, I opened the boot of the car which was packed with many bags, backpacks, and cases. And then I shut it again and followed Sara into the hallway.
‘Poppy, Mia, go up to your room and whatever…’ Sara said.
She sounded as though she was on the verge of tears again and I reached out to put an arm around her shoulders.
The twins did as they were told without any sort of discussion. This in itself was different. At fourteen years old, they were already skilled at arguing and pushing their mother’s buttons.
‘Hey, come on. What’s happened?’ I asked again.
Sara shut the front door. I followed her into the kitchen where she pulled out a chair and sat down with anooofnoise. And then she looked at me.
‘Marty’s not coming,’ she said at last.
I wiped away the ungracious thought ofgood, all he ever does is snipe and complain,and then realised we were talking about something serious.
‘I know we were supposed to be coming tomorrow, but to be honest, I couldn’t stay there a moment longer. I needed some space, some time away from it all, from the whole situation,’ Sara said, ‘and so did the girls.’
‘Away from what? What situation?’
Sara took a deep breath. ‘Oh God. I don’t know if I can… okay… deep breath… Marty has been having an affair. With his secretary, such a cliché. I’m embarrassed to say it.’
I felt the air being sucked out of my lungs.
‘Oh, Sara. Are you sure?’
Her lower lip wobbled, and she dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. ‘He’s gone to Zurich with her for Christmas. He took great pleasure in telling me they would be staying in some fancy hotel with a wonderful view of the mountains. So yes, pretty sure it’s not a business meeting.’
I took a deep breath, taking in the information.
I’d never really got on with Marty in all the fifteen years they had been married, but no one knows what makes one marriage work and another fail. I’d assumed everything was finebetween them. Despite his arrogance and self-importance. And the way he never bothered to conceal his boredom when the conversation wasn’t centred around him. And the way he held his knife when he was eating.
One thing I did know, I certainly didn’t want him to treat my daughter like this.
‘Oh, sweetheart. I’m so sorry. Are the girls okay? Do they know?’
Sara waved her hands about in frustration.
‘Of course they know! When their father stamps out of the house with both the big suitcases, shouting “this is all your fault. You’re a useless wife and a crap mother”,it rather gives the game away.’
