Page 42 of The Runaway Wives

Babs raised an eyebrow questioningly. ‘I take it that you haven’t confronted him about his “holiday companion” yet?’

‘No, but I’m sure Yvonne has made it clear that I know.’ Dee picked up the phone again and started texting a reply. She didn’t think that Nigel would be happy to hear that she wasn’t coming home tomorrow and wouldn’t be picking up anything from the shop or going to the evening function with him.

He wasn’t. Two minutes after she had texted:

No.

Nigel phoned.

‘Don’t answer it,’ Babs advised, but Dee had already hit the button out of habit. She always answered Nigel’s calls. She put him on speakerphone.

‘Look, Dee, you have to be back?—’

She listened, waiting patiently for a pause in his tirade then replied. ‘I don’thaveto do anything I don’t want to do. I’m not coming home and that’s final. Why don’t you ask your new girlfriend to run your errands for you?’

There was a stunned silence. Dee could imagine Nigel’s astonished face, his jaw dropping, his eyes widening. His mind would be whirling, trying to think of a way of talking himself out of this. Babs gave her a thumbs up.

‘I don’t know what Yvonne has been telling you, but she’s got it all wrong. We met two women golfers and went sightseeing with them a bit, that’s all. We tried explaining it to Yvonne yesterday, when she arrived and caused a scene.’

Dee could imagine Yvonne storming furiously in and berating them both. She took no prisoners. She glanced at Babs who rolled her eyes.

‘Save your lies, Nigel, I’ve seen the photos and the video, you did a lot more than sightseeing.’

‘It’s not what you think, Dee. I’ll explain when I get home.’

‘Don’t bother, because I really don’t care. If you want someone else, you can have them. I’m staying here until I decide what to do.’

‘Staying where? What do you mean? You’re leaving me?’ He sounded incredulous.

‘I’m divorcing you, Nigel. Goodbye.’ She ended the call and took a deep breath.

Babs clapped. ‘Wow, you really told him. Good for you.’

Dee looked pale but resolved. ‘I can’t believe I’ve told him I’m divorcing him! I am though. I’m sick of his selfishness and I’m not standing for him cheating on me any longer. Hopefully I’ll be able to find somewhere else to rent when Edna returns home. It will get easier once summer is over, I should be able to get a winter let.’

‘Of course you will! You can come and stay with me and Geoff if you’re stuck,’ Babs offered.

‘Thank you, but I’ll sort something, I’m sure I can get a room in a B&B if nothing else.’ She’d take whatever she could find until the divorce was sorted out. There was no way she was going back to Nigel she thought determinedly. Another message pinged in and she automatically glanced at her phone. Nigel again. What did he want now?

I can’t believe that you’re leaving me after all the years we’ve been together because of a bit of malicious gossip.

She could imagine his lip curling, the tight, cold expression on his face as he wrote it.

Well, stay there if you want, you’ll soon miss your house and the luxury lifestyle I’ve provided. I’ll give you another week to think things over. If you haven’t returned by then, I’ll be divorcing you!

She read it out to Babs.

‘The slimeball. I hope you take him for every penny you can. You put so much into that marriage and he wouldn’t be where he was without you,’ Babs said furiously. ‘I still think you should stay in the house though. It is your home, too, after all. Why should you have to walk away from everything? He might say that you deserted him. Remember that Nigel’s a solicitor,’ she warned her. ‘He knows how to play the game.’

‘He’s also very persuasive.’ And condescending. And knew how to make her feel as if she was being stupid, overreacting. ‘I need some space to get my head straight. And I’ll get a solicitor too. Nigel won’t be able to get out of paying me what I’m entitled to.’

She was outraged and deeply hurt by his behaviour. The fact that he denied he’d done anything wrong made things worse. Why couldn’t he man up and admit it? But then he never had before until he was forced to, had he? And then there was always some excuse for his infidelity, and it was usually – according to him anyway – Dee’s fault.

As soon as Babs had packed, Dee drove them both home. She saw Babs’ face darken when she saw the ‘For Sale’ notice outside their house. Geoff must have been watching for them because he came straight out to greet Babs, hugging her tight. ‘I’m so glad you’re back.’ He pointed to the sign. ‘We’ll take it down when we return from Spain, if you decide you definitely don’t want to go.’

‘You bet you will,’ Babs said emphatically.

They both asked Dee in for a drink but she politely refused, thinking that they needed some time alone to sort out their marriage. And she wanted to get back to her house, grab her things and return to Port Telwyn. She didn’t want to stay long enough to have second thoughts. She had to be strong.

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