Yours Unfaithfully (8 page)

At ten to six he walked in the kitchen door, starving hungry and as fed up as he could be. The Mondeo was on the drive, so at least he could spend the rest of the evening with them. He forced a weak smile when he saw Melanie.

“Good of you to show your face before you disappear down the pub,” she said.

“Hey slow down Mel, I’ve had a terrible day, at least let me explain.”

“Explain what? Did Ben beat you at pool or something, I suppose that’s where you’ve been all day, right?”

“No, wrong actually Mel, wrong, bloody wrong, listen ...please! After you’d left I wished I’d come with you. Nina told me you’d gone to Westcombe – this was after I’d cleared up the place a bit – so then I drove over to the school hoping to get there in time to hear James play, but the traffic was horrendous. Then I went to McDonalds to look for you, you know, the one by Sainsbury’s, but you’d already left and then I got stuck in the bloody traffic again trying to get home. I’m totally pissed off but at least we’re together now.”

Melanie knew by the look on his face that his anguish was genuine. She felt a small measure of compassion for him even though it was entirely his fault.

“We didn’t go to McDonalds. I wanted a few things in Sainsbury’s so we ate in there. The traffic was bad but we’ve been in for over an hour, so you were much too late to have seen James play. He was brilliant. His music teacher is recommending him for a big schools concert in London later this year. You should’ve been there, I was so proud; honestly it brought tears to my eyes.”

This was just what Tim didn’t want to hear. Not only had he missed the performance but it was a very special performance. He sank into his arm chair and reflected on his day. What now? ‘I’m so sorry Mel, I wish I’d got up earlier, I wish you’d asked me to come with you.’

“Tim, I’ve asked you fifty times, but you’re always too busy fixing someone’s car or doing whatever it is you and Ben do on weekends. Don’t try to blame me because you’re missing out on seeing your children grow up.”

Why was it everything he said to make things better simply brought a response from Mel that made him feel worse? Couldn’t she see he was already upset enough?

“Please Mel, don’t rub it in. I’ll change, seriously I mean it, you see if I don’t. I’m going to give all of you more time. I’m going to make you proud of me as a dad and as a partner, and not ashamed of me. Look at my hands Mel, not a trace of oil. Oh, and can you get Nina to look after Amy this week because I’m taking you out for a really special meal one night, what about Wednesday?”

Melanie couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She actually had two men wanting to take her to two different restaurants on Wednesday. She’d have to watch it she thought, if she wanted to stay a size ten.

“Well, I’m not sure about Wednesday Tim, but I’ll ask her. If not we can always do another night, unless of course Wednesday is the only night your not playing pool with Ben?”

“Mel, listen to me will you? I’m going to change; I won’t go down the Globe with Ben if it makes you unhappy. I’d rather stay in with you every night than have you thinking I don’t care about you or the kids.”

“I don’t think you don’t care Tim... and I couldn’t stand you under my feet every night, so you carry on seeing Ben, but maybe it would be nice to see a bit more of you, I know the children would like that. You could perhaps do a bit more of the running them around, that would help me a lot.”

“OK I will, I promise... but I’m going to book us in at The Walnut Tree on Wednesday night and if Nina can’t look after Amy she can go over to your Mum’s or even my Mum’s. We’re dining out, in style, proper like. I’m going to give you a night to remember Mel, that’s a promise, and just to show I mean everything I’ve said I’m going to stay in with you tonight. We can curl up together in front of the television, just like we used to when we were first married.”

“Sorry Tim, I’ve already promised Nina I’ll go round to hers tonight for a glass of wine and a chat. We’ve got loads to catch up on. But still, I’ve got Wednesday night to look forward to haven’t I?”

“Mel, I feel like you’re deliberately making this hard for me. Look, I’ve said sorry, I want things to be different... but I can’t do it on my own ...I can’t stay in and have a cosy night with you if you prefer to go out and spend the night with someone else.”

“That someone else is Nina, my best friend. So don’t give me a hard time just because Ben is doing something else tonight Tim. I’ve spent hundreds of nights on my own while you’ve been down the Globe with your friends, so don’t make me out to be a bad person... all right?”

“Christ Mel, being nice to you can be a real struggle, but I suppose you do have a point. Do I have to make an appointment to spend an evening with you? I could get to see you easier if I opened an account with your bank. And another thing, you insist on calling Nina your best friend but shouldn’t that be me?”

“Yes it should be, Tim. That’s part of the problem.”

“What problem? Why is everything in riddles? I need a bloody interpreter to talk to my own wife. This is crazy. I don’t know what I’m meant to do.”

“You’ve got an interpreter... Ben, remember! No doubt he’ll be able to explain everything for you later on at the pub. Oh by the way, was Wednesday his idea?”

“No it bloody wasn’t. I haven’t talked to him about us for days. I told you I’m going to sort this mess out and I meant on my own.”

“So you think it’s a mess do you?”

“Well, don’t you, Mel? I mean... if it wasn’t we wouldn’t be talking like this would we? You’d be happy for us to spend the evening snuggled up together on the settee, not making excuses because you’d rather be next door talking about me instead of talking to me.”

“Tim, don’t shout, I’m receiving you loud and clear. I’m not changing my plans for tonight and I’m not letting Nina down. I accept your invitation for Wednesday and I’m looking forward to it. Now I need to get going.”

With that Mel picked up her cardigan and flounced out through the kitchen door. She knew if she’d stayed another minute she would have lost it altogether with Tim. She didn’t want another row; for one thing she was afraid of what she might say.

Nina was describing the latest exploits from her office even before they’d sat down in the lounge. She shoved a glass of white wine into Mel’s hand and sat right next to her on the sofa.

“Mel, I’ve got loads of gossip from work, and it’s better now that you know the people after the other night. I thought I might have heard something about you chucking wine over Miss Highnam, but not a word’s been said. She’s already the butt of most of the jokes at work anyway and if that got out she wouldn’t be able to walk in the office without someone mocking her.”

“I’m really sorry about that Neen. I hope it doesn’t cause you any trouble with her.”

“Don’t even think about it. I just wish I’d seen it, or better still chucked it at her myself. She’s not exactly popular you know.”

“Sam, our office manager told me today that Ratty has booked some big wig from your bank to attend his corporate do on Wednesday at The Hilton. You know that your bank has been trying to get our business for a while? Apparently Ratty has spoken to your Divisional Manager about getting this guy to his event. I suppose you’ll find out before Wednesday who it is?”

“Well ...actually, Neen, I already know!”

“Oh do you, is it anyone important?”

“No... Neen, no one important, and it’s not a he... it’s me.”

“Mel, I don’t know who told you that, but I think they’re winding you up. Sam told me that Ratty was absolutely insistent about the person he wanted ... Oh my God! Mel... are you saying what I think you are? I’ve been slow to catch on, haven’t I? Friday, here on this settee, you didn’t just talk about interest rates did you? I saw you fall asleep on him but I thought that was because you’d had too much to drink. Mel you’re moving faster than the speed of light... what the hell is going on?”

“I don’t know Neen, that’s the truth, honestly I don’t know.”

“There are at least a dozen bare waisted twenty somethings wearing tiny thongs half way up their backs just queuing up to take him coffee or to do his filing. He’s a lady magnet, although I have to say so far none of them has managed to win a response. But you... you’ve got him drinking out of your slipper and booking you for his seminar, all in less than two hours. You do realise he’s going to be talking about contract law, don’t you... it’s not exactly spellbinding stuff, although half the girls in our place would happily swap places with you.”

“Yes I know that. He’s going to talk about tortuous liability and duty of care among other things.”

“Christ Mel, you’re talking like a bloody lawyer and you’ve only ‘slept’ with him once, and that was on the settee in front of twenty other people! Does Tim know that you’re doing this seminar on Wednesday?”

“No Neen, and he doesn’t know that we’re going for lunch afterwards either!”

“Well bugger me with a pitchfork, Melanie Fisher... you take the biscuit you do. And to think I didn’t bother to hunt him down because I thought I was too old for him. You’re a year older than me! You’d better give me a few tips, just in case he has a younger brother!”

“I was as surprised as you, Neen, when he asked me. I don’t know what it was but something happened between us here on Friday night, something that shook me deep inside. Neen, I have to tell you something really terrible about that night after I met Ratty. You know what I’d planned for Saturday, with Tim? Well I didn’t want to go through with it, but in the end I had no choice. Instead of being the fantastic sexy night of passion I told you it would be ... it turned out to be a real damp squib, and it was all my fault. I couldn’t fancy Tim. Can you believe that? You know I’ve never as much as looked at another man, but after Friday I went into meltdown over that flipping raving loony lovely Ratty.”

“Mel, I told you he was gorgeous, but I didn’t tell you to fall for him the first time you set eyes on him ...and anyway, before you get too carried away I’d better tell you ...he’s married; Sharon ...that’s his wife’s name, Sam told me. She’s another one doing detective work in the hope of closing him down. Wait till I tell them that my best friend has pulled him! Christ Mel you’ve made me quite proud.”

“Neen, I haven’t pulled, I’m simply giving him advice on his seminar, that’s all. And please... don’t tell anyone, can you imagine the effect this would have in our house if Tim found out!”

“Mel, you are the limit. You ...are advising Rattani, our new super lawyer, recruited at enormous expense to strengthen our legal team, and
you... you
are bloody advising
him?
” “I doubt if he’d ask my advice and I’ve been practicing for ten years.”

“Sorry Neen, I didn’t do it on purpose. We just got chatting and he asked me if I’d listen to his speech. He told me a bit about what he was going to say and he said he wants me to tell him if it was interesting or if it bored the pants off me.”

“He obviously intends to get the pants off you Mel, and if he can’t do it by boring you he might just try some other means. He’s certainly got the physique for it. You are the luckiest woman in Elmthorpe ...that’s what you are.”

“There’s more Neen. On Wednesday evening Tim is insisting on taking me out to dinner at The Walnut Tree. I’m going to be well fed if nothing else.”

“Mel, The Walnut Tree costs a fortune; you’re talking two hundred pounds for a three course meal for two. What’s he after,
Tim
I mean?”

“He wants us to be best friends again, just like we used to be.”

“Mel, I think he’s after a bit more than that. In fact I think they both are. You’re going to have to wear your chastity belt on Wednesday if you intend to remain a decent upstanding woman of this parish.”

“Well maybe I don’t!”

“I wish I could swap places with you Mel. God... fancy having Ratty and Tim take you out in one day. I think you’d better buy lottery tickets on Wednesday. You can’t lose!”

Melanie found it hard to act normally as Wednesday drew closer. She went through the usual routine of motherhood at breakfast and banker throughout the day but she stopped short of being a lover at night. Tim stuck fast to his new resolution, refusing to go near the Globe or even to go next door to talk to Ben. He completely engrossed himself in his new role of doting father and caring husband.

Melanie observed the change in his habits and had to admit he was doing everything he’d said he would. He pampered her constantly until she longed for him to go and play pool and give her the space she was accustomed to. She hinted that it wasn’t fair on Ben to drop him like a stone and that she’d really be glad of a quiet night on her own to read but Tim was having none of it. His reckoning was along the lines of ‘a little affection is good’ so a lot of affection must be even better.

After spending five nights a week without Tim it was simply too much to have him in every night. On Tuesday evening she faced the realisation that she would not only be spending Wednesday evening in the Walnut Tree with Tim, but that he would probably press her for his reward when they arrived home.

She confronted him as he sat watching the early evening news. ‘Tim, you are going round to Ben’s right now, and you will take him to the Globe and play pool with him, OK! If you don’t, then I’ll go round and drag him down there and I’ll play pool with him. So go ...now!’

Faced with such determination, Tim decided to do as he was told. Melanie breathed a sigh of relief, but it soon gave way to concern for what surprises the following day might bring. She knew she’d find out soon enough.

The morning started well and Roddy remarked that he couldn’t remember seeing her look so happy. He’d heard about her booked appearance at Rattani’s seminar and was warm with his congratulations. ‘I don’t know how this guy found out about you’, he said, ‘but he’s no fool to want you at his show. Good luck to you Mel, you deserve a break.’ She was to remember his words more than once in the weeks ahead.

Four times she had dressed and undressed this morning, before finally deciding on the black trousers that caressed her backside like a glove, topped off with a pale pink silk blouse buttoned down the front in a way that flattered her 32B bust to perfection. The short, open, black jacket sat squarely on her shoulders, in sharp contrast to her top. Three inch heels helped make her legs look longer than they really were. The overall effect was stunning.