loved him like Emma had, no one had demonstrated their love like Emma had, but then conversely no one was as selfish as Emma. She was bigger than life, better than life and not of this life. Sometimes she seemed so far from him. He became a simple being and his needs became quaint beside hers. Career, wife, home, children. And yet, hadn’t he married her?
‘I’m ready, Emma. I really am,’ he repeated. He still held her hands, still looked at her intently, but his words had no effect. She remained silent. She was looking into his eyes. ‘I never would have dreamed that I would be the one saying all this. I never thought I’d be looking into my wife’s eyes …’
Tears sprang from those eyes.
What could she tell him?
‘I don’t want to talk. I don’t want to think. I want to be near you. That’s all,’ he said. Emma melted under the warmth of his words. He kissed her and led her back to bed.
TWELVE
Around noon, having woken late, Emma, wandered down to the balcony to find Sally entertaining the boys. Both men wore only their board shorts and sat in the full glare of the sun. Each held a beer in hand. Their feet were sandy and their hair stood on end in weird and wonderful ways. Sally was perched on the arm of one of the other chairs, seemingly ready to grab either of them another beer. At the sight, old rivalries were reawoken and insecurities rekindled. For the little scene was one from Emma and Sally’s teenage years. Two men fawning over the blonde. Emmafound herself returning to the stereotypical role of bookish brunette. She made herself a coffee and picked up her book and sat in the shade a little way off from the trio. They hardly noticed her. David came over and touched her shoulder and kissed her cheek, but he was on the way to the toilet. Kiss the wife and empty the bladder. Kill two birds with one stone. Lovely. And he wanted her to have his children.
As the pantomime continued, though, Emma relaxed. She could now watch without anger as Mark and David vied for Sally’s attention. When Sally fussed with the placement of the potato salad, leaning over David to do so, David slapped Sally’s bottom and called her a tart for wiggling her arse about. Mark joined in the play but made no attempt to carry that familiarity over towards Emma.
David was the undisputed leader of the pack. Emma found his gregarious nature dominated the mood of the group. Everything was seriously light-hearted and forcefully free and easy. Finally, lunch was ready. David had cooked the meat himself, leaving Mark to stand about with the obligatory beer, talking of past barbecues and the plans he had for building a patio.
The whole show was as natural as could be and Emma was half snoozing through lunch when something David said startled her out of her complacency.
‘I forget to tell you, Em,’ he said, then turned to Sally. ‘You know that boy who lives next door, Sal? Simon and Anne’s son, Jason? He’s gone off the rails.’
Emma was lost for words. Thankfully, Sally took her place.
‘What happened?’
‘Well the other night, I don’t know, maybe Monday night or Tuesday, there was a knock on the door. Jason was standing there on the verandah. He looked upset, he asked whether you were home, Em.’
Emma hoped her pale face wasn’t blushing as red as she felt it was.
‘He said you’d promised to lend him a book for an assignment. I didn’t know you were tutoring him.’
‘I’m not,’ she managed to reply. ‘The last time I saw him I joked about it with him.’
‘She teases the kid,’ David said to Sally.
‘I’m sure he loves it,’ said Sally. ‘I bet he has a crush on you, Em.’
‘Sounds like she has one on him. She’s the one pulling his pigtails!’ said Mark laughing.
‘What happened, darling?’ asked Emma, ignoring Mark. Like the snake that he was, he felt the subtle tremors of a wounded prey. Something was amiss, he was sure of it.
‘I let him go in and have a look for the book
‘I’m ready, Emma. I really am,’ he repeated. He still held her hands, still looked at her intently, but his words had no effect. She remained silent. She was looking into his eyes. ‘I never would have dreamed that I would be the one saying all this. I never thought I’d be looking into my wife’s eyes …’
Tears sprang from those eyes.
What could she tell him?
‘I don’t want to talk. I don’t want to think. I want to be near you. That’s all,’ he said. Emma melted under the warmth of his words. He kissed her and led her back to bed.
TWELVE
Around noon, having woken late, Emma, wandered down to the balcony to find Sally entertaining the boys. Both men wore only their board shorts and sat in the full glare of the sun. Each held a beer in hand. Their feet were sandy and their hair stood on end in weird and wonderful ways. Sally was perched on the arm of one of the other chairs, seemingly ready to grab either of them another beer. At the sight, old rivalries were reawoken and insecurities rekindled. For the little scene was one from Emma and Sally’s teenage years. Two men fawning over the blonde. Emmafound herself returning to the stereotypical role of bookish brunette. She made herself a coffee and picked up her book and sat in the shade a little way off from the trio. They hardly noticed her. David came over and touched her shoulder and kissed her cheek, but he was on the way to the toilet. Kiss the wife and empty the bladder. Kill two birds with one stone. Lovely. And he wanted her to have his children.
As the pantomime continued, though, Emma relaxed. She could now watch without anger as Mark and David vied for Sally’s attention. When Sally fussed with the placement of the potato salad, leaning over David to do so, David slapped Sally’s bottom and called her a tart for wiggling her arse about. Mark joined in the play but made no attempt to carry that familiarity over towards Emma.
David was the undisputed leader of the pack. Emma found his gregarious nature dominated the mood of the group. Everything was seriously light-hearted and forcefully free and easy. Finally, lunch was ready. David had cooked the meat himself, leaving Mark to stand about with the obligatory beer, talking of past barbecues and the plans he had for building a patio.
The whole show was as natural as could be and Emma was half snoozing through lunch when something David said startled her out of her complacency.
‘I forget to tell you, Em,’ he said, then turned to Sally. ‘You know that boy who lives next door, Sal? Simon and Anne’s son, Jason? He’s gone off the rails.’
Emma was lost for words. Thankfully, Sally took her place.
‘What happened?’
‘Well the other night, I don’t know, maybe Monday night or Tuesday, there was a knock on the door. Jason was standing there on the verandah. He looked upset, he asked whether you were home, Em.’
Emma hoped her pale face wasn’t blushing as red as she felt it was.
‘He said you’d promised to lend him a book for an assignment. I didn’t know you were tutoring him.’
‘I’m not,’ she managed to reply. ‘The last time I saw him I joked about it with him.’
‘She teases the kid,’ David said to Sally.
‘I’m sure he loves it,’ said Sally. ‘I bet he has a crush on you, Em.’
‘Sounds like she has one on him. She’s the one pulling his pigtails!’ said Mark laughing.
‘What happened, darling?’ asked Emma, ignoring Mark. Like the snake that he was, he felt the subtle tremors of a wounded prey. Something was amiss, he was sure of it.
‘I let him go in and have a look for the book
Similar Books
