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‘I know, but Dad’s clearly a soft touch. Safe journey and text me when you get home.’
‘I will. Love you.’
‘Love you, too.’
Stella sat for a moment, familiar worries starting to crowd her mind. She took herself back to how she felt in the sea that morning, remembering how her head had felt clear. There had been no sense of panic or overwhelm. But like a slow rising tide, she could feel the fear creeping back in.
She took out her laptop, deciding that work would at least take her mind off thinking about what lay ahead. The home screen greeted her with the familiar picture again, the one on the Greek beach. She still hadn’t been able to bring herself to change it. Stella looked at the photo more closely, studying Simon’s face. Who are you? she thought. She’d looked into those eyes so many times and yet, now, it was like looking at somebody that she used to know, or perhaps had never known at all.
She typed in her password and set up a connection, then went to look at her emails. Scanning down the names, she saw one from her solicitor. Opening it, she read it and hit reply. Yes, she would like another meeting and, in the meantime, please could they start divorce proceedings. She hit send, shut down her laptop, plugged in her headphones and watched the world fly past her window.
* * *
Later that night, Stella sat at her kitchen table with her father and Susie. An open bottle of red wine sat between them, almost empty. Tea lights gently flickered in their holders. They listened as she told them about her trip and, slowly, the whole story came out. About the missing money, the family she’d known nothing of and Simon’s history of leaving, seemingly without so much as a backward glance.
‘I’ve been honest with the children; told them I don’t know when their father is coming home. But what I now know is that I have to move on without him.’
‘So, if he were to turn up on the doorstep right now…?’ asked her father.
‘I’d tell him to leave.’ Stella looked determined. ‘I’ve spent so long thinking there must be an explanation, that we can fix it – whatever it is – but I don’t think that any more. It’s not just that he left me. He left our family. He stole money from us.’
‘I’m so sorry, Stella.’ Susie reached across the table and squeezed Stella’s hand.
‘Divorce is the only option now. I’m seeing my lawyer next week to discuss it.’
‘Well, if there’s anything you need us to do, just say.’ Her father spoke softly. As awful as it was to see her like this, he felt a small pang of relief to see that determination back in his daughter’s eyes. Much as everyone thought Caroline was the stronger of the two, it was Stella who’d had the same inner strength as her mother.
‘I will, thank you. Now, you should go. You must be tired.’
Her father laughed. ‘Well, it’ll be nice to have a lie-in in the morning, but honestly, the children have been so good. They’ve missed you.’
‘I know, Dad. Thank you. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it. Talking of which, I bought you something to say thank you.’ She went to fetch a bottle of whisky from her bag that she’d bought just before boarding the train at Glasgow. ‘It’s made at the distillery at Mull. Single malt, proper stuff.’
‘Well, thank you, what a treat.’ He took the bottle and studied the label.
‘And, Susie, this is for you.’ Stella handed her a book she’d picked from the bestsellers shelf in the bookshop at the station. ‘It’s had a good write-up.’
‘Oh, thank you! You didn’t have to do that, but I’m glad you did. I’ve been dying to read it.’
‘I mean it, I don’t know what I’d do without you both.’
Stella waved them off at the door, then returned to her kitchen. She was exhausted but happy to be back home. She blew out the candles on the table, noticing that the broken light bulbs she’d been meaning to replace for weeks had been changed. Smiling to herself, she put the glasses in the dishwasher and turned out the lights. The children’s packed lunches could wait until morning.
She let Percy out into the garden for a moment and checked her phone as she waited by the open back door. A new message from Liz flashed up on the screen, asking Stella if she could give her a ring when she had a moment. Her daughter was in the same class as the girls, so Stella hoped there wasn’t anything going on at school she needed to worry about. Seeing Liz was still online, Stella called her back. The phone rang a few times before she answered.
‘Hi, Stella, thanks for calling me back.’
‘Hey, Liz. I’m sorry it’s so late, but I saw that you were still up, is everything OK?’
There was a pause.
‘Stella, I didn’t know whether to say anything or not because I’d heard… I didn’t want to get involved.’
Stella’s stomach dropped. ‘Liz, what is it?’
‘It’s just that I was at a meeting today at an office in St James’s.’
Stella remembered as she said it, Liz worked for an accountancy firm.
