Page 94 of Be More Capybara

‘Thank you.’

He took the tartan rug and arranged it over his knees. For God’s sake, Nigel. You look like the lonely old man you’ve been desperate to avoid becoming.

‘Mind if I join you?’ Klaus asked.

‘Be my guest.’ He’d spent enough time alone over the last few days, and his stepfather wasn’t one for indulging in idle chit-chat.

Klaus settled down on the rocking chair opposite Nigel. ‘Your mother’s worried about you.’

‘I’ll be fine. I’m overthinking everything as usual, and wondering about how to make it up to Helen.’

‘I thought she wanted to talk?’

‘We already have, but I told her a lie, and she’s not letting me forget that, understandably.’ He sighed.

This time six months ago he had a good job, a family, and a fancy house in Manhattan, and now look at him. He was hardly a good catch for Helen. He had got his family, though - at least he felt part of them again. And even the newer members seemed to genuinely care about him. Money couldn’t buy you that.

As if he’d read his thoughts, Klaus said. ‘Whatever happens with the divorce settlement, we’ll make sure you’re ok.’

‘I don’t expect you to do that.’

‘I should hope you don’t,’ Klaus chuckled. ‘But don’t make any hasty decisions based on money. That’s all I’m saying.’

‘Thank you. But it’s not the money that’s bothering me. I have an awful feeling that Helen’s not going to take me back.’ Nigel swallowed hard in an attempt to take control of his emotions.

He realised Klaus had said something. ‘Sorry, I was miles away.’

‘I said I thought that about your mother, but look at us now.’

‘So if I wait another twenty-five years, it might be third time lucky?’

Klaus smiled. ‘You won’t have to wait that long.’

He got up and headed back inside before Nigel could ask what he meant.

72

HELEN

The baby started wailing. Helen leaned across the back seat and put his dummy back in his mouth, but he spat it out in disgust. ‘I think he’s hungry.’

‘I know how he feels,’ Mike said.

‘We’ll have to pull over.’ Tina sounded exhausted.

The car had barely moved in the last ten minutes. It was nearly 24 hours before the eclipse. How could there be gridlock now?

Helen checked her phone to see how far away Nancy was. 1.1 miles. The route was simple. Walk along the side of this road for 15 minutes, then turn left up a narrow lane, and the house was on the shore of the lake at the end. Probably 25 minutes’ walk tops. The sun was setting, but it wouldn’t be dark for a while. It was doable.

‘I’ll get out here,’ she said.

‘We can’t abandon you.’ Tina sounded horrified.

‘You wouldn’t be abandoning me. You need to get your little one home. It will take hours to drive me to my destination. I can be there in less than half an hour if I go on foot.’

‘Are you sure?’

‘100%. I’ll get my stuff out of the trunk.’