“And before you ask,” Kate steams on, “I’m not saying no to this job. I put my career on hold for years to haveourchildren, to bring upourfamily. And you threw it back in my face when you walked out on us. So now I need to claw something back and build it up again. And I won’t let you stop me!”
Theo rubs the crease between his brows. “I understand, Kate. And I’m not trying to stop you. But this isn’t just my summer—it’s Adam’s too.”
Bad move, Theo!
Kate makes a sound as if she’s being strangled. “Right, so you’re not satisfied with making me put my career on hold foryou—now you want me to do it for yourboyfriend!”
I can just imagine the face she’s pulling as she says that word. I’ve only met Kate once—and that was briefly when she came to Theo’s flat to drop off the kids. He was on the phone and I had to answer the door. I have to admit, part of me was glad I had an excuse to see what she looked like in real life. And she was pretty, slim and stylish, with honey-blond hair cut in an asymmetrical bob. But she refused to say hello and looked at me as if a bird had just shat on my face.
“That’s not what I’m saying, Kate,” Theo insists.
“That’sexactlywhat you’re saying!” Kate fires back. “You know, you really are unbelievable. You want to dump your kids onmy sisterso you can go swanning off to some castle in Italy with your rich boyfriend!”
I want to point out I’m not rich. But if she finds out I’m listening, it’ll only make things worse.
Thankfully, Theo does the job for me. “Kate, Adam’s not rich.”
She scoffs. “That’s what all rich people say.”
“He grew up in a two-up two-down.”
“Well, he’s not living in a two-up two-down anymore. Fromwhat I hear, that place in Italy is enormous. And he can hardly be strapped for cash if he’s giving up his job.”
I feel a kick of anger but try not to let it take hold.
Theo lets out a sigh. “Kate, Adam’s taking redundancy.”
“I’m not interested, Theo! The point is, he doesn’t need to work. And you’re not going to be working over the summer, so what’s the problem?”
Theo kneads his eyelids. “We’re supposed to be renovating a house. And I’m just not sure the kids will enjoy it—at least not for six weeks. And, you know, they were excited about America. They were excited about the pool.”
“Stop pretending you’re thinking about the kids,” Kate barks. “As usual, you’re just thinking about yourself. You know, you didn’t used to be so selfish. It’s like you’re a different person now you’re gay.”
“He’s always been gay!” I want to yell at her.
But Theo looks as if he’s been wounded: she’s hit him in his weak spot.
I move over and give his back a rub.
“I suppose this is Adam’s doing, is it?” Kate blasts on. “Isheputting you up to this?”
I take a step back.
“Bloody hell, Kate,” says Theo, “how can it be Adam’s doing? You’ve only just told me about it.”
There’s a beat. “Wait a minute, is helistening? Is that why you’re on speakerphone?”
Theo picks up the phone and trudges out of the room.
I can’t hold my anger back any longer. Theo stayed in the closet for years to protect his family. We’ve talked about this a lot, so I know that when he was younger, he was confused about his sexuality: he knew he was attracted to men but also thought he was attracted to women. When he slept with Kate, he felt good about himself. But he didn’t realize this was because he desperately didn’t want to be gay. By the time he’d worked that out, they were married with a baby—and he wanted to do the right thing. That’s why he ended up sacrificing his own happiness and living a lie for years. Until he couldn’t do it anymore. And I do understandthat it must have been really difficult for Kate, but she’s showed Theo no compassion—and still refuses to forgive him.
I fill my lungs and let out a long breath. I decide to empty the dryer and start pairing the socks and piling them on the worktop.
The kitchen’s my favorite room in the house, a house I moved into five years ago, when I became a first-time buyer at the age of forty, just a few years after finally paying off my student debt. It’s a small townhouse in Prestwich, just outside Manchester city center, and couldn’t be more different to the property in Montemagno. First of all, it was a new build when I bought it, so has no period features. There are three bedrooms—the smallest of which I use as an office—and one lounge. The kitchen is the biggest room, with a separate dining area, so it’s perfect for hosting dinner parties—which is my favorite way to socialize.
As the pile of socks builds, my anger fades. Some of Theo’s clothes have sneaked into the wash, which doesn’t surprise me, as he’s spending three or four nights a week here. When he split with Kate, he couldn’t afford to buy anywhere for himself—at least not anywhere big enough for the kids to stay—so he rents a place in Sale, not far from the family home in Altrincham. But it’s characterless and not very comfortable, which is why he spends so much time here. Although I’m more than happy about that. After our trip to Italy, we’ve been closer than ever. And making the decision to spend the summer together has given us a shared short-term future. That is, as long as his ex-wife doesn’t ruin it.
Theo comes back into the room, looking crestfallen. “Ads, I’m so sorry.”
