“What are you talking about? You love Rhys!”
“No, I don’t. I just went along with it because I thoughtyouloved him, and I wanted to be supportive, but the longer you two were together, the more I watched you retreat into your shell and, I don’t know, it was like your fire went out. I’m sorry I didn’t say something sooner, Tilly. I should have stepped in, but I thought I was being a good friend by standing by you. Now I know I should have stuck up for you when you weren’t able to stick up for yourself, advocated for your wellbeing and somehow forced you to see what was happening.”
“We’re working on our issues. Rhys admitted that he was wrong to cheat on me…”
“It’s not just cheating on you, though. He’s awful to you, but he’s so clever about it you don’t even notice. He sounds so reasonable and convincing, it’s so easy to fall for it. But it’s just manipulation, Tilly, to get you to comply!”
“It’s not up for discussion, Ivy.”
Ivy’s answering sigh is like a gut-punch. Disappointing my best friend might just be the worst feeling in the world.
“You deserve so much better, Til. If you’re insisting on staying with him… just try to listen out for it from now on, okay? And if you find I’m right, get out of there. Promise me?”
I roll my eyes. “You’re just like your brother, you know that?”
“Promise me, you bitch!”
“Alright, I promise!”
We chat for a while after, talking about Ivy’s new job and the new friends she’s made already. I’m not surprised – Ivy’s always been a social butterfly. Her ability to talk to anyone about anything is something I’ve always envied about my best friend, along with her beauty and selflessness.
By the time we’ve finished catching up, the caretaker is jingling his keys outside my classroom, a not-so-subtle hint that it’s time to pack up and leave. Sighing at the untouched pile of marking in front of me, I pack it into a bag and head to my car.
On the journey home, I think about what Ivy said about Rhys. She’s always been a good judge of character, so it would be easy to blindly believe her, but I’ve neverfeltmanipulated by Rhys. I vow to pay close attention over the next few weeks but don’t expect anything to come of it. Ivy’s probably just being overprotective.
I hope.
Chapter 20
I just want my wife back
“I’ve missed your cooking.” Rhys smiles, spearing his last piece of pasta and shovelling it into his mouth. He lets his fork clang onto his plate and stands up from the table. “Fancy watching a film tonight?”
“Sounds good.” I actually still have all of my marking and a ton of paperwork left to do, but I don’t want to annoy Rhys by choosing that over him. He’s making an effort to spend time with me, after all.
“I’ll go and choose something. Don’t worry, I won’t start it until you’ve finished loading the dishwasher. I wouldn’t want you to miss the beginning.”
As he leaves the dining room to set up the TV, I take our dishes into the kitchen. I load the dishwasher and put the leftovers in a tub for Rhys’s lunch tomorrow. Opening the fridge to put the tub away, I remember the fresh punnet of strawberries I picked up from the local farm shop on the way home.
A realisation hits: if Rhys can make an effort, so can I.I grab the strawberries and quickly melt a bar of chocolate in the microwave. Adding a little cream to stop the chocolate from solidifying too soon, I pour it into a small bowl, rinse the strawberries and set them on a tray. I add a beer for Rhys and a glass of wine for me, then carry it carefully into the living room.
“Surprise!” I say, popping the tray onto the coffee table and handing Rhys his bottle of beer.
“Cheers, Mat,” he says and takes a swig, his eyes on the tray in front of him. “You can’t watch a film without some nibbles.”
I take a seat next to him, my own drink in hand, and settle down for the movie. Rhys reaches for his phone and starts to scroll. Assuming he’s checking in on a client as he often does, I reach for a strawberry and dunk it into the velvety chocolate sauce.
“Are you sure you want that?” Rhys asks, nodding towards the chocolate dripping from the berry onto my fingers.
I look between him and my hand for a moment before it clicks what he means. “Oh, shit, I forgot to check my calories first!”
Rhys gives me a sympathetic look and turns his phone so I can see the screen. “Sorry, Muffin. You’ve reached your limit for today. It’s a good job I’m around to remind you of these things, isn’t it?” He gives me a playful wink.
“Yeah, thank you. I’ll just have the strawberries without dipping them.”
Rhys sucks in a breath through his teeth. “Not enough calories left for those either. I know it’s just fruit, Mat, but calories are calories. There’s no getting around it. I’d stay off the wine too if I were you.”
Disappointed with myself for not planning my meals in advance to allow me to have a little treat, I admit he’s right. I lean to put the strawberry, still dripping chocolate on my hand, back onto the plate, but Rhys grabs my wrist in midair.
