‘What does that mean for us?’ I asked.
His expression softened. ‘There’s no easy way to say this. I’m sorry, Grace, but it’s over.’
‘You’re leaving me?’ I could barely get the words out over the lump in my throat. ‘Why?’
‘I need a fresh start. Acompletelyfresh start. New job, new home, new life.’
‘For your career, yes, but why everything else?’
‘Because I’m not happy and I haven’t been for a long time.’
I felt like I’d been punched in the stomach.Not happy?He’d never said anything like that before. Perhaps our marriage wasn’t all sunshine and roses like it had been in the early years and perhaps the long hours and overseas assignments hadn’t helped things, but I’d genuinely thought we were fine, solid, able to weather any storm. We just needed to reconnect a little.
‘I’ve got an appointment with a solicitor tomorrow,’ he continued. ‘You’ll want to sort one too.’
‘Why?’
‘To handle the divorce.’
Another punch to the stomach. He’d actually booked an appointment to initiate divorce proceedings before he’d even spoken to me about it?
‘You can’t mean that, Laurie. Not after everything we’ve been through together. Surely we can fix this.’
He shook his head slowly. ‘It’s gone beyond that. I really am sorry.’
‘Then don’t leave!’
‘I have to.’
‘But I don’t understand. You promised me forever.’
Laurie fixed his eyes on mine, his brow knitted, his eyes full of sadness. ‘Forever’s a long time. Sometimes things change.’
‘They don’t have to.’
‘They already have. I’m sorry, but I have to do this. I’ll stay with my parents tonight – give you some space – and I’ll be in touch again after I’ve spoken to my solicitor.’
My stomach was churning and my voice sounded distant as I asked, ‘What about Maddie?’
‘We can tell her together.’
‘Tell her what? That you’re running away from us.’
Laurie sighed heavily. ‘That’s not what I’m doing, Grace.’
‘Then what are you doing because this doesn’t make any sense to me? We’ve been together for nearly twenty-seven years, married for twenty-one. That has to mean something.’
‘It does. But it doesn’t have to mean forever. I’ve got to go.’
And he walked out, leaving me with tears streaming down my cheeks and a million unanswered questions.
* * *
Laurie and I didn’t get to tell Maddie his news together. She returned from Alfie’s and asked where her dad was.
‘He’s staying with your grandparents for a few days.’
‘He’s just got home. Why would he stay with them?’
