Breach of Faith (16 page)

It wasn’t that I didn’t want to see him; I did. Funnily enough, I’d really missed him. It was just … well … just that I didn’t want to see him. That’s all.

You’re not making a lot of sense.

Bugger off, I thought.

“Do you want
me
to let him in?”

Crashing back to reality, I looked around at four questioning faces as another, more impatient, knock sounded. Mum shrugged then lifted herself out of her chair. “I’ll go and let him in then, shall I?” Nudging my dad as she walked past, mum frowned at him and tilted her head to one side, gesturing towards the door. “Michael?”

Get out, give them some privacy.

Poor dad; he hated all this. He scrambled out of his seat, patting me on the shoulder as he walked past. “I’ll put the kettle on,” he grumbled before disappearing out the door.

Kensie looked excited, “is that dad?”

Tom looked ready to pop, “daddy?”

I nodded. I heard the front door being opened and the sound of friendly greetings being swapped.

Kensie and Tom clambered to their feet and I pushed myself off the lounge. I rubbed my belly for luck, like a Buddha, then turned expectantly towards the door.

“Dad!”

“Daddy!”

Will grinned as two little cannonballs careened into him, staggering back a step. Without meeting my eye he hugged them back.

“It’s good to see you too. I hope you’ve been good for your grandmother?”

“Of course we have.”

“Look, daddy. I’ve drawn a …”

“Look at mine, dad, it’s for you …”

“Daddy, I got a barketball …”

“Come and see me scooter, dad.”

“Whoa! Slow down. Take a breath, both of you.” Will laughed, “your drawings are fantastic and I’ll come outside soon and play with both of you.” He ruffled Tom’s hair then gave both children a little push out the door. “First of all, though,” he finally met my eyes, “first of all, I need to say a proper hello to your mother.” And with that he slid over to my rigid body, wrapped his arms tightly around me and kissed me; thoroughly and passionately.

I grunted in surprise, melting into his arms.

“Yuuukkk,” chorused both children simultaneously and ran out giggling.

Will broke away at last, “hello, Kate,” he said quietly.

Not knowing what else to say, I smiled tentatively, “hello Will.”

He held me at arm’s length. “You look great. I always said pregnancy suited you, didn’t I?”

I nodded, “what happened to your face?” I fingered a bruise on his cheekbone.

Will flinched and I knew instinctively that it wasn’t because of pain. The kiss had been for show; for the benefit of those watching, and I looked down at the floor, hiding the flush of my cheeks.

Will dropped his hands, releasing the hold he had on my arms and grimaced, touching the bruise himself with the tips of his fingers, “I … I had an altercation with an aircraft seat.”

“An aircraft seat?” Stressed and tired, I sat down on the lounge with a thud, “are you hurt anywhere else? What happened?”

Will shrugged, a mixture of emotions crossing his face. Embarrassment was predominant, understandably so, but a flicker of anger sharpened his eyes, glinting dangerously at me. Loosing my nerve, I looked away but before I did, I was stunned to see something else, something that looked suspiciously like envy.

“What happened?” Will repeated, his voice harsh and I closed my eyes tight. “Well …” he paused. “I fell. The plane was dark, I tripped, I crashed into a seat.” He paused and I opened my eyes a crack as he removed his coat and pulled up his jumper, exposing another bruise on his ribs.

“It’s nothing,” he said shortly, waving me back and tucking his shirt back in. His icy gaze returned to my face, penetrating deep, but before he could speak, the door was pushed open and dad entered, a cup in each hand and a plate of chocolate biscuits balanced on top.

“Everything okay, love?”

I nodded gratefully to my father, grabbing at the plate before it could fall and taking a cup.

Dad thrust the other cup into Will’s outstretched hand, “I’m just in the kitchen if you need me, love.”

“She said we’re fine, Michael,” Will interrupted shortly, “so, if you don’t mind …” He gestured towards the door, “please leave us alone. There’s a few things I need to say to my wife.”

“Will!”

Dad waved away the bad-manners. “It’s all right, love, he’s upset. I’m sure he’ll find his manners again after you’ve explained… well…” And with that, dad left me alone with…oh God.

I slammed my cup down and stood up, fury masking my fear.

“Don’t be so bloody rude. Whatever problems you have with me, don’t you dare take them out on my family.”

Will inclined his head slightly, “I’ll speak to him later,” he said, dismissing the incident. “Right now I’m talking to
you
. My wife.” This last was said with an obvious sneer in his voice and I plumped back down on the lounge.

“I’m so sorry.”.

“Oh, by the way,” Will said, ignoring me totally and rubbing absently at his bruise. “I’ve got a message from a friend of yours.”

“A friend?” Had to be Martha. “Martha? What did she say?”

Looking directly into my eyes, Will sneered angrily, “he’s on his way, Kate.”

“What? Who?”

“Your fucking lover, Kate,” Will hissed, “your fucking lover is coming here.”

I stared at Will in horror, unconsciously putting one hand protectively over my stomach.

“What do you mean? He’s coming here?”

Will took a step closer, his intense gaze making it impossible to drag my eyes away. His eyes were bloodshot and bleary and he suddenly swayed alarmingly. Reaching out, he leaned against the wall.

“Your boyfriend, Kate,” Will replied. “Your baby’s father, he’s here, in England.”

What …? How do you know?”

“I met him, Kate. The bastard told me all about it. All about you.”

Pictures flooded my mind, Will and Frank, having coffee, analysing the night I’d spent breaking my marriage vows. “He told you about –”

“He told me,” Will interrupted gruffly, “that he had something to talk to you about.”

I was confused, “when–”

“You wanna know,” Will shouted. “Well I’ll bloody tell you. It was on that damned plane. Bastard was right there,” he gestured wildly to his right side. “Right there.”

The day before-3 January

Looking at his watch, Will sighed. Still another hour or so until the plane was due to take off. After that, a long and boring flight half way across the world. He ran his eyes over the other people finding their own seats in the business class section of the plane and frowned; he shouldn’t be here, not like this, having to spend hard-earned money on a business class seat just because Kate –

Of course he knew why she hadn’t said anything before; she was scared, guilty, embarrassed even. Who wouldn’t be. Admittedly, he’d been furious when she’d first told him and, if he was brutally honest, he still was. But he’d also found himself experiencing other, occasionally unexpected emotions; fear, hate, disappointment, envy.

Who is he?

Who’s the father?

He looked towards the aisle as a stewardess walked briskly past, smiling widely, showing unnaturally white, even teeth. “Please fasten your seatbelt, sir.”

Without waiting to see if Will complied or not, the stewardess Kathy strode off in search of her next prey. Will tipped a non-existent hat to her and did as he was told.

“Please make your way to your seat, sir, the aeroplane will be taking off soon,” came Kathy’s authoritarian voice from behind and Will glanced back over his shoulder to check out her new victim. She had already disappeared as a worried-looking man made his way down the aisle.

“Excuse me?” It was the worried man, although the concerned expression had changed into relief. “Is this row twenty four?”

Will nodded and the other man subsided gratefully into the seat beside him.

The take-off was uneventful and the meal mediocre. The drinks, however, were cold, delicious and decidedly alcoholic. Will settled back and closed his eyes, sipping on his bourbon and coke and rocking gently in time with the aircraft. He’d spent much of the time since hearing Kate’s news in a ragged state of disrepair. Alcohol had been high on the agenda, followed closely by sleep; blessed oblivion. A concerned Carl had determinedly squeezed the truth out of him one afternoon when Will had once again turned up for work red-eyed and reeking of booze.

“What the hell is going on?” Carl had demanded.

Will had stared blearily at his workmate, ‘s”not my baby. She said s”not my baby.” He grabbed Carl by the arm, almost pulling the two of them off balance, “dunno whose it is. S”not mine. Maybe yours – is it yours?”

He’d cried then, for the one and only time since the truth had come out. Carl had held him tight, taking him into the small office out the back, away from prying eyes.

Carl was a good friend.

And now here he was, a few hours into a twenty four hour flight with no idea how he was going to greet the woman he was married to and even less idea how he was going to sort all this out.

He opened his eyes and finished his drink, realising as he did so that oblivion wasn’t too far away, he could feel it. One more drink, maybe two, and he could stop thinking.

Just for a while.

As he ordered another bourbon, Will could feel the eyes of his neighbour studying him and resolutely ignored the man, not in the mood to talk. Unfortunately, the bloody bloke had other ideas.

“Excuse me, mate, don’t I know you from somewhere?”

Will glanced curiously at him, for the first time taking notice. Now he mentioned it, this guy did look familiar. Will frowned and shifted in his seat, angling his body more towards the man beside him. He was usually pretty good with faces, so where –

“Rowley!” he exclaimed suddenly. “You live in Rowley.”

The man grinned and nodded. “I own a shop there.”

Will grunted, “I live there too. I’ve probably seen you around. I drive a delivery truck,” he added, “for Tiger Freight.”

The man held out his hand, “good to meet you, I’m Frank.”

“Will.” They shook hands, ‘so, what do you do, Frank?”

“I own a bakery,” Frank was still staring at Will as if there was something else. Finally he shrugged, “maybe I’ve seen you in there.”

“Which bakery?”

“Grains “n” Things, just down from the pet shop.”

Will thought for a moment then grinned, clapping Frank on the shoulder. “That’ll be it, then,” he announced happily, “I’ve been there with my wife once or twice. She swears by your bread, she does.”

Frank grinned at the compliment as Will’s drink arrived. Feeling magnanimous, Will ordered a beer for his new friend and decided sleep could wait. Just for a bit.

*

“What did he say to you?” I was totally shocked. Of all the flights, all the airlines, all the days to travel.

“That doesn’t matter.” Will’s voice was brusque. “I don’t give a shit about your boyfriend right now.”

“He’s not my boyfriend.”

“Funny,” Will said thoughtfully, “that’s what he said.”

“Will, you have to believe me. It was only –”

“Believe
you
?” Will rounded on me angrily. “Believe the lying whore who betrayed me? Believe what, Kate? More of your lies?”

“Will –”

“Shut up, Kate.” He strode over to where I was sitting on the sofa and dragged me to my feet. “Give me one good reason why I should believe a word you say. Tell me, Kate, tell me why I should even bother listening to you.”

“Will,” I tried to yank my arms out of his grasp but his grip was too tight. “Will, you’re hurting me. Stop, please stop.”

As suddenly as the fury had come it disappeared. Will took one look at my face and let go of my arms, dropping down onto the sofa and putting his head in his hands.

Shivering from a mixture of anger and fear I moved out of reach, sitting down on the arm of the chair and rubbing absently at my aching biceps

“Did I hurt you, Kate?”

I wrapped my arms around myself. “You know you did.”

“Good,” he replied, not taking his eyes off me. “But your pain will go away, won’t it, eventually. Bruises fade, cuts heal, even the memory will become blurred. One day you’ll look back and wonder why you thought it was so painful. In fact, I’ll bet it’s already fading, isn’t it?”

I didn’t move, didn’t want to admit that he was right because I knew where he was going with this and I knew that I deserved everything I got. And more.

“Mine’s not, Kate,” Will said quietly, “everyday – everyday the pain is there. Sometimes a dull throb beneath the surface, other times it’s so fierce, so … intense that I think I’d rather die than keep on going.” He banged his fist on his chest, “right here, Kate, right here.”

I felt the tears roll down my cheeks. “Will, I … oh, Will, I’m so very, very sorry.”