Read Online The One That Got Away by Lucy Dawson - Free Book Online Page B

been
crap
. And so much spray everywhere – I hate driving when it’s like this.
    It had felt like I’d been asleep five minutes when Dan snapped the big light on this morning. I’d turned over to find him
     standing in front of the wardrobe in his towel post-shower, selecting a shirt. He’d rifled through the rack, grabbed one and
     stomped back out of the room.
    He’d wanted to make the point that he was still angry, although sleeping on the sofa bed all night had kind of done that already.
     No one in their right mind would opt for it unless they had to, it’s got a hump in the middle that makes it feel like you’re
     sleeping on the back of a camel.
    Then when I’d appeared downstairs twenty minutes later, dressed for work myself, his wallet, keys and phone were already on
     the side and he was rinsing his cereal bowl.
    ‘Do you want a lift to the station?’ I’d offered, trying to be helpful.
    ‘No thank you.’ He’d whisked his suit jacket off the back of one of the kitchen stools, pulled it on, picked up his bits and
     pieces and then strode out towards the sitting room. I’d followed him.
    ‘You know I’m going away today and I won’t be home tonight?’ I had reminded him tentatively.
    ‘Yup.’ He began to rummage in the cupboard under the stairs for his overcoat.
    I took a deep breath. ‘Dan, about last night …’
    ‘I haven’t got time to talk to you about it now,’ he said shortly, his back to me. ‘I’m late, I’m tired and my back is screwed.
     I barely slept a wink last night.’
    He wasn’t going to make it easy for me. I sighed.
    ‘What?’ He re-emerged, looked at me confrontationally, pulled his coat on, then walked over to the front door. ‘I really
haven’t
got time. Thanks, though, for saying sorry.’ He yanked it open. ‘Oh that’s right, you didn’t, did you?’ And then he’d banged
     out.
    I change gear again defensively. I mean OK, I made a mistake, I get that. I really shouldn’t have said what I did but equally
     this isn’t just about him, and what he wants. What about me? There are two of us in this relationship; surely we have to make
     this next step
together
, or not at all. And as for everyone else sticking their oar in– I’ve not even had chance to stop and think about how
I
feel about this. It’s like having someone else slam a foot down on the accelerator; everything has sped up completely out
     of our control.
    Still – it’s not helpful thinking like that, getting uptight again. On the positive side – and there is always an upside –
     I can count on one hand the number of times we’ve properly argued; which is pretty good going for four years I think, never
     mind when you chuck a house move and organising a wedding into the pot. We will sort this, I know we will—
    —Which is when I hear my phone start to ring in my bag. Pulling it out, I glance at the screen briefly – it’s him. My heart
     softens. ‘Hi!’ I say quickly, ‘Hang on – just let me hook the phone up to the hands-free.’ I fiddle around for a moment. ‘Sorry
     about that—’ I begin, but before I can explain I was going to call him earlier he cuts across me tersely.
    ‘What time is the food shop arriving tonight, please? I forgot to ask you.’ There is no discernable hint of apology in his
     voice for slamming out earlier. If anything he sounds crosser than before.
    Oh no. I forgot to order the food.
    There’s a long silence.
    ‘You did do it, didn’t you?’ he says suspiciously. ‘Remember I asked you on Monday? …’
    ‘I can’t do everything!’ I exclaim. ‘I’d just had a migraine!’
    ‘So there’s nothing to eat, again.
And
you’ve got the car? I said I could do it!’
    ‘Dan – It’s just a food shop! I’m trying to drive!’
    ‘Fine.’ He snaps. ‘I don’t want to talk to you if you’re going to be like this anyway.’ And then
he hangs up
.
    I gasp and stare at the phone furiously, the only sound is the windscreen wipers