Page 37 of The Runaway Wives

It was a long time since she’d felt important to Nigel, but she wasn’t going to admit that to Kenny.

‘Not as important as a golfing holiday apparently.’ She shrugged. ‘You know how it is when you’ve been married a long time.’ Then she put her hand over her mouth as she realised what she’d said. Poor Margot had died. ‘I’m so sorry, that was thoughtless.’

‘Please don’t worry about it. I know exactly what you mean. Margot and I had got into the habit of taking each other for granted too, but when she was diagnosed with cancer, we realised how precious life was. I’m so pleased we had chance to reconnect before she passed away.’

She could hear the emotion in his voice and didn’t know what to say. For a moment they sat in silence, then Kenny leaned forward and looked at the list on the table in front of them. ‘Now, where was I?’

‘You were about to tell me if there was anything I could lend a hand with,’ Dee said lightly.

They discussed table positions, refreshments, seating and other things over two cups of coffee and a slice of chocolate cake. Dee agreed to be at the Manor at eleven on Saturday morning so she could help with everything. She was glad that Kenny and the others wanted her to stay on the committee when she left, at least she’d still have contact with them all. Maybe she could even come down for the weekend now and again.

‘I’d better go now, hopefully see you both later at The Pirate’s Head. That is, if Babs is still here.’ Kenny stood up.

‘I’ll definitely be there,’ Dee replied, wondering how Babs was getting on with Geoff. Should she go home or give her a bit more time to talk?

Watching Kenny leave the café, she messaged Babs.

How’s it going? Want me to stay clear for a bit longer?

While she waited for Babs’ reply, she stopped and had a quick chat with Andi, who looked frazzled.

‘When will Moira be back?’ Dee asked.

‘Hopefully soon. Tyler is a nice lad but he’s driving me nuts!’ Andi said. ‘If Moira isn’t back by the weekend, I think I’ll have to ask the agency to send someone else. We can’t carry on like this.’ She wiped the back of her hand across her forehead.

Dee wanted to offer to help but they only had a couple more days left in Port Telwyn and it wouldn’t be fair to leave Babs alone. If she went back home with Geoff today though, maybe Dee could help Andi out for a couple of hours tomorrow. She wouldn’t mind. She liked being busy.

Dee checked her phone. Still no reply from Babs.

25

BABS

‘What are you doing here? How did you know where I was?’ Babs demanded.

‘Molly told me. I need to talk to you, Babs.’

‘If you’re hoping to persuade me to go back with you and help you getour home– whichIdon’t want to sell – ready for viewers, you’ve got anotherthinkcoming!’

‘I’ve come to tell you that someone wants to buy the house.’ He paused, then added to make sure that Babs understood, ‘It’s as good as sold, they’re organising their funds.’

‘So, you’ve come to gloat. I bet you’ll be off as soon as you get your money in the bank!’ She scowled, hand on hips. ‘Well, it won’t be all your money, even though the house is in your name. I’m entitled to half and I’m going to make sure I get it. You’re not leaving me homeless! I’m going to see a solicitor about this!’

Geoff sighed and ran his hands over his beard. ‘I would never leave you homeless, love. I don’t want us to divorce, Babs. I’m sorry about what I said about the house being mine. I didn’t mean it. Of course it’s your home too.’ He shook his head. ‘Solicitor. Divorce. I can’t believe it’s got to this.’

‘What do you expect me to do, when you putourhome on the market and make plans without consulting me?’ Babs was struggling to hold back the tears but she was damned if she was going to let him see her cry. Then she saw the tears in his eyes, too, and the bags underneath them, the paleness of his skin and she felt a surge of compassion. He’d come all the way down here to talk to her, she should hear him out. Maybe he was sorry. And he had called her ‘love’. He didn’t look like he’d come for an argument. And Dee was right, they needed to talk.

‘I suppose I’d better put the kettle on,’ she mumbled, going inside.

She flicked on the kettle and took two mugs out of the cupboard. When she turned around Geoff had followed her and was now sitting on the sofa, knees apart, hands clasped together. He looked uneasy, unsure. Maybe she’d given him more of a shock going away than she realised. They’d always done everything together, made every decision together. She wished they’d never sold the perishing shop now, then none of this would have happened. She made the tea strong with a dash of milk, just as he liked it, and spooned a sugar in, then handed it to him and sat down in the chair opposite, her own mug on the table in front of her.

‘I can’t tell you how sorry I am. I shouldn’t have put the house on the market and booked the viewing trips to Spain. Not without you agreeing,’ he said. He swallowed, fiddled with the neck of his shirt then raised his eyes to hers. ‘I love you, Babs. I don’t want us to split up.’

Neither did she, but she wasn’t going to let him sweet talk her into giving in. ‘Then you know what to do. Refuse the buyer’s offer and take the house off the market.’

‘I really want to do this, Babs. I feel like I’m stagnating. That my life’s going nowhere. I don’t want to do the same things every day, I want to do something with my life while I still can. I want to have an adventure.’

‘It not just your life though, is it? We’re a couple and I don’t want to go to Spain.’

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