Page 34 of Such a Good Couple
‘I would never, ever cheat. But you did.’ Ollie was speaking deliberately and breathing hard as Clara’s bombshell sank in. ‘I truly can’t believe this. You kissed someone else.’
He stared around the cabin as though only just remembering the rest of them were there. ‘I’m going back.’ Head down, he crossed the room without looking at Clara again, opening the door and shutting it quietly behind him.
Maggie felt a knot of anxiety tighten in her chest. Clara sat back down at the table looking winded from the fight but not remotely repentant. ‘Look, I’m sorry about that but—’
‘Someone should go with him,’ Conor interrupted, standing up as one of the dune buggies’ ignitions sounded outside in the darkness. After some grappling to get past them on the bench, he hurried out the door and could be heard calling for Ollie as the door swung closed behind him.
‘Would anyone like a drink?’ Pauline asked with a strained smile.
‘I feel like Clara’s maybe had enough.’ Fionn’s mouth was a tight line across his face. ‘Clara, this was not the time or the place for that.’
Maggie’s anxious knot tightened further but she also felt defensive of her friend. ‘Fionn, Ollie’s been texting someone else.’
‘You know what?’ Pauline started to shuffle towards the door, pulling her husband by the arm. ‘We’re going to go for a little walk. Give you all a chance to …’ She looked stumped at what exactly to suggest they do and didn’t bother to finish the sentence. ‘We’ll be back. Help yourselves to anything.’
Edwin Ensel looked over his shoulder with a vaguely longing expression, no doubt wanting to take more notes on the action. But Pauline was firm, and in a moment they had been swallowed by the salt-laden night.
Fionn groaned and rested his head on his hand. ‘This has probably cost me the biggest opportunity of my career so far, Clara.’
At his words, Maggie felt a churn of disgust. ‘That is so far from what’s important here, Fionn,’ she snapped.
Clara sat back, folding her arms. ‘I’m sorry,’ she said, with not a trace of apology in her voice. ‘I thought I could play nice tonight but I won’t be made a fool of. I’m not someone who can just suck it up.’
Maggie couldn’t help but stiffen.She’s not talking about you, she told herself.
‘He’s a cheat,’ Clara continued.
‘Except he’s not.’ Annie looked pained. ‘I fucking tried to stop you.’ She rounded on Clara, who looked sceptical.
‘I told you what the text said, Annie.’ Clara pulled out her phone, having none of it. ‘I even took a photo of the phone screen.’
‘It’s not what you think it is,’ Annie said forcefully.
‘What is it, then?’ Clara snapped.
Maggie massaged her temples; there was a sourness in the air between them and she could feel a headache coming on. None of their trips had ever been like this and she had no idea what the hell they were going to do about Clara and Ollie having such a serious bust-up. Nothing like this had ever happened before between any of the couples.
‘Me and Ollie talked on the way here.’ Annie shook her head at Clara. ‘He’s not having an affair, he’s training for a marathon.’
A moment of complete silence followed this statement and Maggie felt like she could practicallyseeClara metabolise the magnitude of this information and then resolutely change tack.
‘Well, if that’s true, that’s frankly worse,’ Clara retorted.
‘What exactly about that is worse, Clara?’ At the top of the table, Fionn was incredulous.
‘Why should he get to have that? I don’t have time to piss by myself. I’m lucky if I even get to piss in theactualtoilet.’ Clara was clearly wrongfooted but was not backing down.
‘I’m sorry, but where do you piss if not in the toilet?’ Fionn asked.
‘That’s not what’s up for discussion right now,’ Clara snapped. ‘Look. I don’t think secret marathon-training requires clandestine texts and sex toy purchases.’
‘Read the text from earlier.’ Annie pointed to the phone.
Clara rolled her eyes. ‘It said, “I had such a good time tonight … yada yada yada”.’
‘You’re paraphrasing. Read it word for word. It’s from his training buddy. Stephen aka Stevie.’
Clara impatiently flicked the screen to unlock it and checked the picture she’d snapped of the text preview. Maggie craned to see it. ‘Oh shit,’ she cringed. ‘They’re talking about their PBs, not sex.’
