Page 33 of The Wife
Fifteen
NOW
‘We’ve run out of Cheerios.’ Alice waves the empty box at me.
I slosh boiling water over the teabag in my mug. ‘Who put the empty box back in the cupboard?’
‘It wasn’t me,’ she replies, outraged that I would dare suggest such a thing. She looks pointedly at her brother.
‘Ididn’t.’ Jamie’s eyes are wide.
‘Must have been the fairies then.’ I give my children a stern look.
‘What about Daddy?’ Jamie points at his father accusingly.
‘Don’t look at me.’ Toby raises his hands in the air. ‘I think it must have been the Cheerio Monster.’
The three of them laugh and giggle at the kitchen table, while I continue multitasking, making the children’s packed lunches, emptying the tumble dryer and trying to eat a hasty breakfast of tea and Ryvita.
‘Right, you two, go upstairs and bring your school things down.’
No one responds.
‘Alice, Jamie! Get your school stuff!’
‘We’re playing monsters with Daddy,’ Jamie says, followed by a roar.
‘Now.Or we’ll be late.’
‘Do as your mother says.’ Toby ruffles Jamie’s hair and they reluctantly slope off upstairs.
I instantly feel guilty for shouting at them, especially as Alice has been quite gloomy about being left out of Hope’s party. I shouldn’t begrudge them a bit of fun with their dad. Even if it means they’ll be a bit late for school.
‘Everything all right?’ Toby looks up at me. ‘You seem a bit…’
‘Cranky. I know. Sorry.’ I get back to folding laundry, noticing Alice’s sport’s top is still a bit damp. I stick it on the radiator.
‘Anything I can help with?’ He tilts his head, and I wish I could let go of all my anxiety and be as relaxed as him.
‘Just worried about the Cassie thing.’ I leave the laundry for a moment and bring my tea over to the table, plonking myself opposite my husband. I’m not usually the type of person to wallow and feel sorry for myself, but I’ve been doing a lot of that lately. I need to snap out of it.
‘You mean her haircut?’ Toby asks.
‘Yeah, the dreaded haircut.’ I shake my head and suck in air through my teeth. I haven’t mentioned the odd conversation I had with her about Dina. After a night’s sleep, I’m not sure there was anything in it, other than my own paranoia. ‘She was so quiet after I finished the cut. Which was strange after her being so enthusiastic at the start. I shouldn’t let it bother me. The style really suited her, so I don’t know why she rushed out like that.’
‘Maybe it was nothing to do with the cut. It could have been any number of reasons. You shouldn’t worry. I’m sure it’s fine. And even if it isn’t, so what? She asked for the haircut. If she doesn’t like it, that’s not your fault.’
‘You’re right.’ I give a relieved sigh as the children clatter back into the kitchen with their bags. ‘Thanks for keeping me sane.’ I lean over the table and give him a kiss.
‘Any time.’ He grins. ‘Right, better go. I’m late as it is.’
I go through the usual routine of checking Alice and Jamie have everything they need for the day, doling out their lunchboxes and water and making sure they haven’t got any outstanding school letters for me to sign. Finally, shoes and coats are bundled on and we’re ready to go.
We leave the house, hunched against the cold wind and spitting rain, and walk the short distance to school. I have another anxious drop-off, trying to avoid running into Madeline or Kim at the school gates. Luckily, as we approach the building, the sleety rain grows heavier, so I keep my hood up and my head bent low, making my escape as soon as the kids have run inside. Maybe I should face them. After all, Toby is adamant that Madeline doesn’t have a problem with me. But I don’t have the mental energy right now. I wonder what sort of anniversary party I’m going to have with close friends and family ignoring me. I think I’d be tempted to cancel if it wasn’t two days away.
For the rest of the morning, work keeps me busy and stops me dwelling on my mounting worries. Instead, I focus on the haircuts, and on my clients’ chatter, hearing about their loves, lives and holiday plans.
‘Do you want me to blow-dry it straight or wavy today?’
