Page 33 of Such a Good Couple
Maggie sat frozen as Ollie gripped the table and pushed himself up to standing. He stared at his wife. ‘You fucked some guy today? Are you being serious right now?’
‘What if I am?’ Clara glared.
‘Clara! You didn’t!’ Annie interjected. Maggie could see she was frantic.
‘Okay it was just kissing but anyway what doyoucare?’ Clara spat at Ollie, ignoring Annie.
‘What do Icare? What are you talking about? I’m your husband.’
Maggie clenched her fists under the table. Oh God, Ollie looked like he was about to cry.Bit rich, though, she thought. Meanwhile, beside him Fionn looked deeply stressed and was also getting to his feet.
‘Guys, this—’ He held his hands up and began to speak in a placating tone.
But Clara was on one of her rolls now. She pointed at her husband. ‘What did you think, Ollie? That you could go behind my back and I’d just sit around crying about it?’ Clara was snarling now. Across the table, Maggie spotted Annie shaking her head emphatically.
‘Clara,’ Annie was trying to interject again, ‘it’s not what you—’
‘Annie! I love you,’ Clara shot across. ‘But not now. I am tearing my cheating husband a new one.’
‘She really is,’ Pauline observed, and then scooted over to the dividing curtain. ‘Edwin,’ she hissed, ‘get out here.’
Clara continued, not noticing the diminutive director slip out. ‘You always said we were a team,’ she spat. ‘You always said you would never do what your dad did.’
Maggie hadn’t seen her like this ever and it was equal parts terrifying and heartbreaking. Clara was so fierce, but behind the fury Maggie could see this was breaking her.
‘What did his dad do?’ Edwin leaned over and muttered to Fionn.
Is he taking notes?Maggie spied a tiny battered notebook in his hands. Fionn hesitated, looking uncertain about giving an answer.
Clara barrelled in instead. ‘Ollie’s dad cheated with the babysitter and then fecked off on the family. And now my darling husband’s continuing the tradition.’
‘I am absolutely not, Clara.’ Ollie smacked the table in frustration. ‘Where are you getting this?’
‘I saw the text, Ollie. Now I know why you’re never off your phone. You piece of shit. And the bank statements.’
‘What text? What bank statement? Can you stop verbally abusing me for two fucking seconds and tell me what the hell you are talking about.’
Clara rolled her eyes. ‘Don’t you dare keep lying to me. Have the balls to just be honest. You disgusting prick.’
Ollie’s face darkened. ‘That’s enough, Clara. You’ve clearly been drinking all day – whileIminded our kids, by the way. You’re actingbeyondirrational and I really don’t appreciate being humiliated like this.’
Clara shook her head and laughed bitterly. ‘You thinkyou’rebeing humiliated.’
‘Clara!’ Annie spoke sharply and Maggie could hear there was something close to a warning in her voice. Did Annie knowsomething more? Oh God, this was painful.
‘Annie, seriously.’ Clara held up a hand. ‘I’m in the middle of something.’
‘Yeah, and you’re also in the middle of all of us,’ Conor muttered sarcastically, to which Clara scowled.
‘So.’ Ollie’s eyes had noticeably hardened and Maggie found him suddenly unrecognisable; in two decades he had rarely been anything but affable. ‘Let me get this straight,’ he continued. ‘You think I’m cheating on you. And so you head out and score the first guy you see.’
Clara shrugged, looking utterly defiant.
Maggie could see hurt trickling through Ollie’s expression, and the enormity of what they were all witnessing struck her. This was Clara and Ollie.Clara and Ollie!Coming apart right in front of them.
‘Did you really, Clara?’ Ollie stood, hands hanging. All his anger seemed to have ebbed, and everyone was silent.
Clara held his gaze though, as if knowing she was on the edge of something permanent. Maggie could see there was some modicum of hesitation in her eyes. Still she plunged ahead, regardless. ‘Yeah, Ollie. I’m not a doormat. You don’t get to make me the sad victim in your, frankly predictable, mid-life crisis.’
