Page 53 of Sun, Sea & Strawberry Shortcake
With a trembling hand, I grasp for the door handle andstumble from the car, walking quickly away over the verge...and wanting to carry on walking, away from the hurt. But the grass peters outat the entrance to a farm, so I stand with my back to the car and Harry,leaning against the fence for support and staring out over the fields.
I’m still too shocked to cry.
In spite of my doubts over the past few weeks, I’m realisingthat deep down, I never actually believed that Harry could be unfaithful. Itrusted him absolutely. I’d done a good job of convincing myself that I wasimagining things... that it was my own insecurities that werethe problem. Not Harry.
But my intuition had been right all along...
CHAPTERTWENTY-FIVE
When I wake, my eyes light immediately on Emma, who’sfast asleep in the bed beside me.
At once, the weight of yesterday’s shattering confrontationwith Harry comes crashing down on me. I feel hollowed out inside. And yet itstill seems unreal to me. Like a dream. Or rather, my worst nightmare...
Harry slept with someone else!
I turn silently onto my back and stare up at the ceiling,and a warm tear leaks down my cheek into the pillow, followed by another.
I replay the whole scene in my head. The vet handing overthe bag containing Luna’s obstruction. Feeling puzzled that I didn’t recognisethe slip of red lace. And then the realisation that it was because it belongedto some else...
My stomach turns over and the urge to break down is strong.
But I have Emma to think about.
I couldn’t talk to Harry after he admitted he’d slept withher. I was in shock and just needed to get away. He put up no fight when I saidI was taking Emma with me, to Clifftop House, and he was taking Luna anddriving home.
As I drove away, I glimpsed him in my rear-view mirror,staring after me. I could tell by his expression that he was broken. But myanger at him was too strong to stay and listen to what he had to say, as he’dbegged me to. And I wanted him to suffer. Just like he’d crucified me with theadmission of his sordid little affair...
As I’m giving Emma her breakfast, Madison wanders downstairsand we exchange a knowing smile.
I told the girls that Harry and I had had a big row, but Ididn’t want to talk about it. And even Madison – usually so forthright with heropinions – was now stepping around me cautiously, wanting to help but not quiteknowing how.
‘How are you today?’ she asks.
I summon up a smile. ‘Oh, you know.’
‘Yeah. Coffee?’
‘Yes, please.’
‘What are your plans for today?’
I sigh. ‘Haven’t even thought. I feel like I need to go forthe longest walk ever, to try and clear my head.’
‘Well, why don’t you?’
I smile over at Emma in her highchair, and Madison nods.
‘I’ll look after her if you like.’
‘Oh, no, it’s all right. I... should bewith her.’
‘Why?’
I shrug. ‘She might be affected by all of this.’
‘Does shelookas if she’s upset?’
We both turn to Emma, who’s currently slurping on herbreakfast juice with one hand and banging her cereal spoon happily on the traywith the other. She throws the sippy cup on the floor and announces, ‘Juice’,with a cute, gummy grin.
