Sebastian answered first and spoke softly. ‘Housemates are all asleep, better not wake them.’
Alistair clicked in soon enough to hear his brother’s remark. ‘I thought it would be wild partying all night and après ski.’
‘That’s what Dad thinks.’ Margot cringed at his comment. ‘I was out, but one drink and that was it. We’ve all got to be on the slopes by 10a.m. and we’re expected to teach and communicate. Can’t say a skinful would be a good idea.’
Margot hated the way he felt he always had to defend himself. He did it with all of them, even though neither she nor Alistair were the ones who doubted him.
Alistair cottoned on to something being different and asked her, ‘What’s that picture behind you?’
She turned and laughed at the painting of a scantily clad lady basking on a rock. She supposed that gave away that she wasn’t at the house.
‘I’m not at home,’ she confessed, dread pooling in her stomach.
‘Where are you?’ Sebastian was peering at the screen as if the peculiar painting of the naked lady might give a clue.
‘I’m in Dorset, in a lovely little town called Driftwick Bay.’
‘Is Dad with you?’ Alistair asked unnecessarily, because since when had their dad ever taken a holiday in England? Not for a long time; he usually arranged something abroad, the flashier the hotel the better. Margot had always preferred the simplicity of packing up the car and driving somewhere on the coast for a holiday – it gave her far more joy than a faceless five-star hotel somewhere too hot for her and the boys.
‘It’s just me.’
‘Mum, what’s going on?’ Sebastian’s concern was evident and she almost wished she was doing this without being on screen. ‘There must be a reason for having to do this call tonight.’ She’d messaged him earlier and usually she would’ve said they’d talk another day when he didn’t have a social event, but it had to be now; she had to tell them.
She was still trying to grab hold of a decent sentence when Sebastian blurted out, ‘Have you left him?’
She wasn’t sure whether to be upset he knew or relieved. ‘I haven’t been happy for a very long time,’ she said.
‘Mum…’ Alistair prompted and she looked at the screen again. She’d hung her head at her admission; part of her saw it as her fault that their family would never be the same again.
‘I’ve left him,’ she said, her voice as big as she could make it for now.
It was Alistair who spoke first. ‘I’m glad.’
‘You are?’
Sebastian didn’t look triumphant but instead accepting, like he’d finally found the last piece of a puzzle to slot into place. ‘You’ve been putting up with him for years.’ His voice caught. ‘It’s been a lot. For us, but more for you.’
She almost wished she’d talked to them both like this before but she’d so wanted to give them a normal upbringing, a happy home. She’d failed at both of those things.
‘What did Dad say when you left?’ Alistair asked.
‘I left in the middle of the night.’ Neither seemed surprised. ‘He’s emailed me but I’m not contacting him. Not yet.’
‘Have you left for good?’ Sebastian asked.
She nodded.
Silence.
Until Sebastian said, ‘You deserve so much more, Mum.’ And then he broke. No matter that his brother was watching, his mother too, he cried, big fat tears that came from a boy who was now the man who had held it all in for far too long.
Alistair hated seeing his brother upset but for once he was the one who consoled Sebastian with kindness and understanding. Perhaps he’d seen more of Perry’s behaviour recently to know that this really was the right thing. Maybe Sebastian had tried to escape it by going so far away that it was all flooding back to him now she’d left the marriage.
They talked about the night she left, about Bournemouth and some of their happy memories there, then a bit about the bay until Alistair asked, ‘Mum, do you have enough money?’ They both knew where finances were concerned Perry held the purse strings.
She wiped the tears from her cheeks. ‘Don’t you worry about me; I have some put aside. I’ll need to get a job but I’m going to be absolutely fine.’
‘We’re not kids any more, Mum.’ Frowning, Sebastian asked her, ‘How many months before you run out of money?’
