“Mum,” says Mabel, “we’re with Dad and Adam now. Can you tell them?”
She passes the phone to Theo and I see Kate’s on video call. Theo holds the handset out so the camera captures both of us and I come face-to-face with his ex-wife for the first time in weeks—for the first time since she started attacking me. She’s wearing a candy-floss pink, lightweight hoodie, and her honey-blond hair is as immaculately styled as the last—and only other—time I saw her, when she dropped the kids off at Theo’s flat. Theo notices something else.
“Kate, you’re at home,” he comments, before any of us can say hello.
She nods, but seems a little unsure of herself. “I was just telling the kids I’ve missed them so much I’ve come back early.”
“I don’t get it,” says Theo. “What’s going on?”
Kate gives a shaky smile. “It didn’t cost me anything to change my flight so I thought I’d come and make things up to the kids—for not seeing them all summer.”
A bolt of panic shoots through me. What’s she building up to?
“OK …” says Theo, sounding equally wary.
“I’ve looked online and there’s a flight I can get to Pisa tomorrow,” Kate continues, tucking the longer side of her bob behind her ear. “I can bring the kids back to Manchester on Friday so we can spend the last weekend of the summer together.”
But I don’t want them to go!I have to stop myself from wailing. What I manage to say is, “But we’ve got things planned this weekend.”
Kate’s mouth tightens and I sense a crackle of irritation. “I’m sorry, Adam, but I do, too—and you’ve had them all summer.”
Whose decision was that?I want to fire back. But I notice Mabel is hiding behind her hair again and Callum is pulling at his fringe. I keep my objection to myself.
“Look, I’m only asking for one weekend,” Kate goes on. “I don’t think that’s unreasonable. Obviously, there’s been some bad feeling and I want to work through it before the kids go back to school.”
I can’t tell if she’s causing trouble again and trying to spoil our party or if she’s genuinely remorseful—but something tells me it’s the latter. The nasty edge to her voice has disappeared, replaced by sadness. It reminds me of the sadness on Dad’s face when he commented that I didn’t seem comfortable around him. I’m surprised to find myself feeling sorry for her.
“What do you think, Cal? Mabel?” she asks.
Theo turns the camera onto them, but not before Mabel can flash him a pleading look and Callum signals his thoughts by shaking his head.
“Wouldn’t that be great?” Kate presses, with a touch of desperation.
“Yeah,” they mumble. Clearly, they don’t want to upset their mum.
“Whatever works best,” says Callum.
“Look, I’m really sorry, Kate,” Theo says, turning the phone back onto us, “but we’re having a party on Saturday and the idea is to celebrate finishing the house and thank everyone who’s helped. The kids have been working really hard on the preparations. I’m not sure it would be fair on them to miss it.”
Kate’s mouth stiffens. “From what I hear, the party’s probably going to be cancelled anyway.”
I can feel myself bristling, but it doesn’t sound like she’s gloating.
“We don’t know that yet,” I say, making sure there’s no trace of animosity in my voice. “We’re still hoping it isn’t.”
Kate pulls on the sleeves of her hoodie. “When will you find out?”
“Tomorrow apparently, late morning,” I reply. “That’s when our head builder says he’ll know if he can patch up the roof or if the whole thing will need replacing.” I realize this is probably the longest exchange I’ve ever had with Kate.
Theo picks up the box of matches I used to light the citronella candles and turns it around and around in his hand. “When’s your flight?” he asks.
“Three-thirty. So I’d need to set off for the airport at about one.”
Theo nods. “Have you booked your ticket?”
“Not yet,” says Kate. “I wanted to speak to you and the kids first. But there’s decent availability—I just had another look.”
Theo puts down the box of matches. “Alright, well, how about we see what the builders say? And if the party’s happening, the kids stay here. If not, you come and take them back with you.”
