Читать книгу No Place Like Home - Maxine Morrey - Страница 11

‘Hey.’

‘Hi,’ Ellie replied a little groggily, squinting against the sunshine streaming in to the bright kitchen.

‘Sleep OK?’ Sandy asked, pouring her friend a juice from the glass jug that stood on the table.

‘A little too well, I think.’ Ellie pulled a face as she inclined her head towards the clock on the wall. Sandy waved her hand. ‘Don’t worry about it. Looks like the rest did you good. You look brighter today.’

Ellie raised her one unbruised eyebrow in disbelief.

‘Seriously.’

‘She’s right,’ Molly said, bustling into the kitchen and taking charge of the pans on the stove. She paused for a moment and turned, meeting Ellie’s eyes. ‘Sometimes we want to keep everything inside when really it just all needs to come out so that we can start healing. Physically and mentally.’ Ellie flushed and dropped her gaze. ‘What a way to do it though,’ she said, taking a sip of her orange juice.

Sandy and her mother exchanged a glance. Molly turned off the heat under the pan and crossed the kitchen, taking the seat next to Ellie. Reaching out, she took her hand, holding it within her own.

‘What is it that you’re worried about?’

Ellie felt the tears build in her eyes once more. Snatching a napkin from the table, she pressed it to them for a second.

‘I just feel …’

Molly and Sandy waited.

Ellie took a deep breath before letting it out slowly. ‘It’s just that … Ben, of all people!’

‘Ben cares about you. He always has.’

‘Yes. But … it’s not like I really know him anymore. I only saw him a couple of times after we moved back to England and I think the last time I actually even talked to him, apart from the quick thank you on the phone that time, was probably over ten years ago. And then I go and do a hysterical blubbing act on a huge music star’s designer shirt.’

‘He felt awful about upsetting you. Anything he could do to make up for that, he would have done willingly. Besides, Ben is still Ben. Just because more people know his name and face doesn’t mean he’s changed any,’ Sandy replied.

‘He didn’t upset me. I just … I just wasn’t expecting to see anyone else and it took me by surprise. Please explain that when you talk to him – unless they’re due to visit again?’

Ellie wasn’t sure how she felt about that particular circumstance. Sandy was right. She did feel better in a way, but not necessarily better enough to come face to face with the celebrity she’d noisily sobbed all over the previous evening.

Sandy nodded. ‘He’s heading off today on some promo thing so I don’t think they’ll be around for a little while now but I’ll be sure to tell him. I promise.’

Molly smiled and patted Ellie’s hand. ‘Right. Breakfast!’ she said, standing.

‘I’ll just get some cereal,’ Ellie said, making to follow her. That’s plenty.’

Molly laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. ‘Not in this house. You should know that by now.’

Ellie sat back down and couldn’t help smiling. She did know that by now. Her many visits, both when living next door and thousands of miles away, had taught her that. And when delicious smells began wafting her way as Molly sang to herself at the stove, she looked over at Sandy and gave a smile.

Across the table, Sandy returned it, seeing the beginnings of change and feeling her heart lighten just a touch at that glimmer. Last night she could have punched her adored older brother but right now, she would have hugged him. Whatever he did or didn’t do, whatever he said or didn’t say, had helped her best friend take another step in the right direction. For that, she would be ever thankful to him.

*

Ben had loved his house as soon as he saw it. Sadly, it hadn’t been the new start with Cyndi that he’d hoped it would be. In fact, the day he’d taken her out there, not long after Ellie’s visit, his wife had hated it on sight.

‘You what?’ Cyndi had snapped. Her perfectly made up eyes, complete with overlong false lashes stared up at him, the expression in them hard.

‘I bought it.’

‘Without asking me?’

‘I wanted it to be a surprise.’

‘Well! It’s certainly that!’ she snorted.

‘There’s stables and a garden and—’

‘I know what’s here, Ben.’ Cyndi cut him off. ‘We came before, but you said you were looking at it for a friend.’ She gave a cursory glance around before meeting her husband’s eyes. ‘There’s no way I’m living here.’

‘You said it was nice when we came before.’

‘That’s because I didn’t know you were thinking of buying it! I guess it is nice if you like this kind of thing.’

‘Look, honey,’ Ben had tried to reason, ‘just give it a chance. I could even teach you to ride.’

‘I don’t want you to teach me to ride! Horses make me itch.’

Ben took a deep breath. ‘OK … so how about this? We don’t have to live here all the time. Just some of it. Have it as a place to come back to, away from the city and the noise and everything. A quiet retreat, you know.’

‘So what I want doesn’t matter? Is that what you’re saying?’

Ben looked confused. ‘Wait … what? No. That’s not what I said at all.’ He ran a hand through his hair, trying to figure how she’d got that from what he’d just said. ‘You know that’s not true.’ He walked up to his wife and looked at her perfectly made-up face. A beautiful face and body in the perfect dress and shoes, with the perfect hair. She was everything he’d wanted. Wasn’t she?

The late summer wind blew around them. Somewhere deep inside his head a little voice pointed out that, despite the breeze, not one strand of Cyndi’s hair was moving. Ben lifted his fingers and touched her hair – it was almost rigid. She jumped back as though he’d burned her.

‘What the hell are you doing?’ she squealed, ‘You know I hate people touching my hair!’

‘I just …’ Ben knew his answer would sound ridiculous so chose not to finish the sentence. Cyndi was still staring at him, an incredulous look on her face as she nervously patted her hair.

‘Have you been drinking?’

‘Nope,’ Ben said quietly, lowering himself onto the steps of the porch before looking back up at his wife. She looked down and he noted that she seemed uncomfortable. Out of place.

‘Sit by me?’

She raised an exquisite brow. ‘It’s filthy!’

Ben turned his head and glanced down at the steps. They were kind of dusty. ‘It’s only dust. It’ll brush off.’ Cyndi let out a theatrical sigh. ‘Have you any idea how much this dress cost? Maybe if you ever wore something other than your jeans it might occur to you not to sit on the ground either.’

Ben didn’t know how much it cost. Only that he had paid for it. Something that had never bothered him. He’d just wanted to make Cyndi happy. Unfortunately, that particular task had only got more and more difficult each day of their marriage.

‘You never used to mind the way I dressed,’ Ben said, as he made little piles of dust with the toe of his boot.

‘Ben, sweetie,’ Cyndi wheedled, crouching beside him. He took it as an offer of compromise and knew it was as near to sitting on the floor as she was ever going to get. ‘I’m just saying that you’re successful enough to wear nice things.’

‘You mean I have enough money to buy a tie for ten thousand bucks and should wear it just ‘cos it’s designed by some guy who happens to be top of the fashion tree this month.’

‘Well!’ Cyndi stood up and began smoothing away imaginary creases. ‘If you’re not prepared to take this seriously—’

‘Cyndi, I am taking this seriously, but this is me. This is who I am. I like my jeans and my boots and my hat. That’s what I feel comfortable in and I can’t change that. I don’t want to change that. It’s how you met me, and I’m sorry if you’re now ashamed of me because of it.’

‘Of course, I’m not ashamed of you, honey.’ She touched his arm. ‘I just think you have more potential.’

‘Potential?’ Ben looked back up in confusion.

‘You know, the advertising contracts you’ve been offered and—’

Ben cut her off. ‘Is it all about the money to you? Is that all we mean? All I mean to you?’

Cyndi looked taken aback. Ben never lost his temper with her. In fact, he rarely lost it ever. But she could see the anger – and maybe hurt – flashing in his eyes now. Inside she felt a little twinge that possibly she was responsible for that hurt. But still. She spent so much time and money on her appearance to look good for him and then he wanted her to hide out here in the back of beyond! And had the audacity to snap at her when she voiced an opinion on it!

‘That’s unfair!’ Cyndi spat back. Her eyes were dry but she was working on that.

‘Oh man,’ Ben whispered under his breath.

‘Sometimes I wonder if you even care about me at all! About what I want! What makes me happy!’ Cyndi began, still endeavouring to force the waterworks. ‘Trying to force me to live in the middle of nowhere when you know I’d hate it! All you care about is that you’ve got a pretty face hanging on your arm!’

Ben was stunned into silence. When he regained his voice, it was soft. ‘Is that really what you think?’

‘Yes! That’s really what I think!’ His wife spun on her five-inch, red soled stilettos and tottered off, the strut of her tantrum rather undermined by the insecurity of the spiked heels on the uneven ground. Ben followed her to the car.

‘Do you think I don’t love you?’

‘I don’t know!’ She threw in a sniff for extra effect.

‘You know I’d never try and force you – or anyone – into doing something they didn’t want to. Surely you know that about me by now?’

She gave a shrug. Ben let out a sigh and shook his head.

‘Cyndi.’ He kissed her gently on the forehead. ‘Look, you go back to the apartment tonight. I’ll stay here and go see the real estate agent in the morning. We don’t have to keep the house.’ There was a pause. ‘I just thought you’d like it. That it’d be a great place to bring kids up in.’ He waited a beat, knowing that deep down, a part of him was hoping she would relent and say OK, that perhaps they would try living here for a while but the deal was done as far as Cyndi was concerned. She’d won. Again. As usual. She nodded as she fished out a compact from her Hermés crocodile Birkin bag and reapplied her lipstick. There was no trace of the tears.

‘OK, I’ll see you tomorrow then.’

He nodded then helped her into the Porsche and shut the door. She sped off down the unsealed drive, kicking up even more dust. As it lazily settled around him, Ben looked down at his jeans, removed his hat and beat at them half-heartedly with it.

Turning, he let his gaze settle on the house. His beautiful house. He’d fallen in love with it the moment he’d seen it and had been hopeful of a new start there. Walking back across, he took up his seat again on the steps and looked out onto the wheat fields that backed up to his land. The golden curtain danced and waved in the breeze. Soon it would be harvesting time and he’d been looking forward to watching as the huge machines worked their way along the crop. The process had fascinated him as a boy and still held allure for him all these years later. His eyes drifted over the rest of the landscape. There was so much space, so much land, so much sky. It was wonderful. He didn’t understand how Cyndi couldn’t love it. Couldn’t get his head around why she would prefer to live in the city with the constant noise and people and traffic.

Cyndi was born in the city and had no desire to leave. He was born a country boy and would always stay one, in his heart at least. In that, it seemed, they would always differ.

A thought popped into his head. Now that Cyndi would be back at their apartment, he ought to ring Sandy and let her know she didn’t need to go to the apartment and feed the cat. Housekeeping wasn’t due in today and when Ben had told Sandy about his plans to take Cyndi out to the new house and surprise her, hoping that they would stay out there a few days, Sandy had volunteered to head over and see that their pet was fed.

‘Well, I certainly surprised her!’ He sighed aloud to himself, leaning his head back against one of the porch supports as he closed his eyes. The only noise was the wind as it played gently with the crop. He’d never felt so comfortable in a place. Never had such a feeling of being exactly where he was supposed to be as he did right now.

Opening his eyes, the reality hit him. There was no way Cyndi would live here – or anywhere like it. The moment she knew it was theirs and not merely a chance to see where someone else might be living – what someone else might have – she hadn’t even wanted to set foot inside.

Ben knew his only option was to return to the city. He tried to push away the twist in his stomach at that knowledge. Tried to ignore the thought of how miserable he found constant city life, and how much more free and alive he felt when he was out here, in the wide open spaces he’d loved his whole life. He pushed a hand through his hair in frustration. He needed to leave. Staying at this house was only making him want it more. Better just to head back and call the real estate agent tomorrow.

Standing, he returned his hat to his head and walked down to the pleasant brick building that provided lodging for the farmhands. Following excellent recommendations from the previous owner, he’d taken the workers on along with the property. The horses and land were in good hands with them. Ben made a mental note to specify that he wanted their interests looked after when he sold the property on.

‘Hey Jed,’ he called, addressing the head rancher as he held out his hand.

‘Hey, Mr Danvers,’ Jed replied, shaking it. ‘You showing Mrs Danvers around?’ Jed had seen them arrive in a shiny sports car that didn’t seem the best choice for the tracks around here but then rich people tended to do things their own way from what he’d seen.

‘Yeah.’ Ben smiled. ‘She got called back to the city though.’

‘Oh, that’s a shame. Still. Plenty of time.’

Ben smiled. At least Jed made the effort. When they’d visited before, they’d met up with Jed so that he could show them around the land. Cyndi’s snobbery had shown its ugly head again then as she turned up her nose at the hat Jed had kindly offered her – a perfectly clean and acceptable one – in order to protect her from the heat of the day. She’d blanked him and walked off, dropping her designer sunglasses back in front of her face for the rest of the visit and asking Ben questions which would have been better directed at the ranch hand.

Her behaviour had caused Ben to cringe and, having made some lame excuse to Jed about her feeling out of sorts today, he’d called her out on it on the way home. She’d made a vague sort of apology and her behaviour had seemed to ease for a couple of days, but as soon as she was back with her friends, Ben saw the trait float to the surface again. Cyndi had been spoiled from day one by her parents and now by him. He knew he had to accept some of the blame. He’d been bowled over by her the moment he met her and swore then and there that whatever she wanted, he would give it to her. It was, after all, what she was used to and if he didn’t, someone else sure would. But she definitely didn’t want this house.

‘Jed, do you think I could borrow the old truck for a couple of days?’

‘Don’t see why not? It might need some gas though.’ Jed picked the keys off a hook and tossed them over.

Ben tried his sister intermittently as he drove back towards town but the line was constantly busy. Just as the apartment building came into view, it finally connected.

‘Hello. You’ve reached Sandy Danvers. I’m afraid I can’t take your call right—’

Ben hung up. She must already be on her way to the apartment, and rarely chose to connect her Bluetooth in the car, telling him that she enjoyed the feeling of being unplugged for once.

Parking behind Cyndi’s Porsche, Ben got out and locked the door. A grin played on his mouth as he walked away. The battered, dusty truck looked so out of place among the sleek saloons, SUVs and shiny sports cars that decorated the apartment lot. He kind of liked it. Approaching the entrance, Ben punched in the code. The buzzer sounded and he pushed open the heavy glass door.

‘Evening, Mr Danvers.’

‘Hi, Jerry. I don’t suppose you saw my sister go up this evening at all?’

‘I’m sorry, sir, no. I just came on duty a minute ago.’

‘That’s OK. Goodnight.’

‘Goodnight, sir.’

Ben bounded up the stairs two at a time. Cyndi always tutted and sighed at him whenever he did that. He was still upset about the house but maybe they could find some sort of compromise – he’d been right to come back tonight instead of sitting there, brooding over what could have been. Despite her faults, he loved his wife and knew that he was nowhere near perfect himself. He should have known not to buy something as major as a house without discussing it with her first. Although, he had a feeling if he’d have bought a place in Barbados, there would have been a lot less drama.

The elevator doors pinged open just as Ben walked past them and Sandy stepped out followed by Todd.

‘Ben! What are you doing here? I thought you were staying at the ranch tonight?’

He bent and kissed her, before shaking Todd’s hand. ‘Yeah. Slight change of plan. I’ve been trying to call you.’

‘Not to worry.’ Sandy paused, studying his face. ‘She didn’t like it, did she?’

Ben looked up from the bunch of keys he was fiddling with. She could read him like a book. Always had. He could never lie to her. ‘No.’

‘I’m sorry,’ Sandy replied, her heart breaking a little at the look in Ben’s eyes – a look he was trying to hide. He shrugged his shoulders as he picked out the correct key. ‘We’ll be on our way,’ she said, taking Todd’s hand and turning to go as Ben opened the door to the apartment.

‘No.’ He raised a hand. ‘We’re fine. You may as well stay for a coffee, just so’s it’s not an entirely wasted journey. I’ll go get Cyndi.’

Cyndi’s shout of surprise made both Todd and Sandy jump. Exchanging a quick glance, Sandy moved a few paces across to peek towards the bedroom where the scream had emanated from. The look on her face made Todd follow, coming to stand behind her. Ben was leaning on the wall outside the bedroom door, his head tilted back, eyes raised to the ceiling, his skin pale, and looking desperately like he was trying not to throw up. ‘Ben?’ Sandy prompted, as she began to approach him. Suddenly she was halted by a man leaving the bedroom. Looking dishevelled, he hurried past them all, eyes lowered. The latch of the front door clicked loudly in the stunned silence. Ben pulled his head back, took a deep breath and then turning, looked back into the bedroom.

‘Apparently we need to talk.’

‘We should go,’ Sandy stated as they stood in the living room, waiting for Cyndi to make her entrance. ‘I think that’s a good idea,’ Cyndi agreed as she entered, tying the belt on a shimmering silk robe. Her expression was hard to read – she seemed neither embarrassed nor proud of being caught with a lover by her husband. But then she caught the look in her husband’s startling blue eyes. For a moment, it shocked her. They were filled with such pain and such anger – something she’d never seen before. It unsteadied her haughty demeanour and her eyes darted to her sister-in-law. There, in brown eyes instead of blue, she saw the same pain and a whole lot more anger.

‘How long, Cyndi?’ Ben asked.

‘Ben, I don’t think this is a conversation we ought to be having in front of company.’

For once Sandy agreed with Cyndi. Moving across the room, one hand gripping Todd’s, she stopped briefly and gave her brother’s balled fist a squeeze and then let herself and Todd out of the apartment.

‘How long?’ Ben asked again after the door had closed behind his sister.

‘How long what?’

‘For Christ’s sake, Cyndi!’ Ben exploded, making her step back in shock. ‘I know you’re not as dumb as you try to make out so just answer the damn question. How long have you been sleeping around?’ The slap took him by surprise.

‘How dare you!’

‘How dare I?’ He felt a strange desire to laugh, as his hand touched the sting on his cheek. ‘I wasn’t the one caught with my panties down!’

‘Oh, grow up! You can’t tell me you didn’t know.’

Ben sat down heavily, as though his knees could no longer support him. Cyndi hesitated and then sat opposite him. In a way it made it all so much worse. In the past when they rowed, she would storm off, slam the bedroom door and sulk for half an hour. Ben would potter around and then, after the set time had elapsed, he’d go in with a peace offering and they’d make up. But apparently Cyndi had no intention of stomping off this time. That fact meant that she wanted to deal with it, and that in turn confirmed to Ben it really was over.

He looked back at the beautiful face. There was little emotion to be read on it and he no longer knew how much of that was due to Botox and filler and how much was just due to Cyndi. In complete contrast, Ben’s eyes were red, his hair was off in a bunch of different directions from where he’d been running his hands through it and his throat felt rough and constricted.

Cyndi looked back at the man she had loved.

‘Nearly a year,’ she said quietly.

‘Why?’

‘I don’t know. I guess I was bored. The tour was great but then when that finished, I guess – it was just so … normal.’

Ben smiled but it was cold and didn’t warm the ice of his eyes.

‘Why are you smiling?’ Cyndi asked, warily, unsure whether she truly wanted to know the answer.

‘I suppose that answers everyone’s questions as to whether you would have married me if I wasn’t part of Cheyenne.’

Cyndi lowered her eyes. Ben had hoped for a denial, or at least an attempt at one, but she made none.

‘I always told you I was just a regular guy, Cyndi, but I guess that wasn’t enough for you?’

‘I did love you, Ben.’

He looked at her and tried to believe it.

‘Do you love him?’ he asked, his fingers twiddling the gold band on his left hand

‘I don’t know.’

Cyndi could see the muscles in Ben’s jaw working.

‘So you threw our marriage away on a “don’t know”?’ She made no answer. ‘What else is there, Cyndi?’ Ben’s uncharacteristic anger was bubbling up again. If she’d admitted to falling in love with someone else, he might have been able to understand it – in time at least. Ben was an old-fashioned romantic at heart and true love would win him every time. But this? This, he couldn’t understand. He’d loved Cyndi with all his heart. He’d meant every single vow he’d made and the thought she had destroyed everything on a whim was beyond him.

‘It’s just sex then?’

‘No.’

‘So, it’s not love and it’s not sex. What is it, Cyndi? What else is there? Why else would you bring him into our house, into our bed?’ He raised his palms to the ceiling. ‘You’re really gonna have to help me out here ’cause I’m struggling to find another reason.’

Hs wife noticed the strength in his accent. Ben rarely showed his temper but when he did, his accent always increased the angrier he got. It seemed to be a Danvers trait.

‘Don’t be sarcastic, Ben. It doesn’t suit you.’

‘Oh, really? Is that so?’

‘Yes!’

Heavy silence filled the room as they glared at each other. Cyndi began to speak again. She wasn’t used to feeling out of control and she didn’t like it. She’d expected Ben to have started trying to win her back by now. Promising her something else – she wasn’t sure what yet. She’d have to think about that. And she wasn’t sure whether she wanted to be won back. But she certainly didn’t like the fact that he wasn’t even trying – just standing there glaring at her. Like it wasn’t his fault too. Why should she take all the blame?

‘I don’t know what you want me to say.’ She shrugged. It’s not love and it’s not just sex. I guess it’s … something in between.’ She tossed her now brushed-out hair. ‘We just have a great time together – in and out of bed!’ The pained look on Ben’s face shocked her, and suddenly she knew she had gone too far. Cut him far more deeply than she’d realised. She also knew he didn’t deserve this. Growing up, everyone had always said Cyndi Lawson was going to be a heartbreaker, and she’d been pleased with that description, knowing that it gave her power and got her attention, but right up until this moment, she had thought it was just a phrase.

Ben didn’t have the energy or the words to respond to his wife. His stomach churned and his breath felt laboured as though he’d been punched. Cyndi moved towards him.

‘Don’t.’ His voice was raw as he took a step away.

‘Ben, please.’ Ben looked down at the face that had captivated him from the moment he’d seen her. Stunning, like a Hollywood starlet, and he’d fallen for her completely. She’d been so sweet to him at the beginning and he’d loved her. Utterly. Completely. With everything he had. And now? What? He felt numb.

‘I loved you so much,’ he said.

There were tears in her eyes and this time he could tell they were genuine. ‘I know.’

*

Ben drove around for hours, not seeing where he was, replaying things over and over again in his mind. They had a great time ‘in and out of bed’. The phrase got louder and louder in his head until it was the only thing he could hear. At the next junction, he hung a U-turn and pressed the accelerator.

*

Todd opened his front door without checking the peephole and stood aside, already expecting the visitor. Sandy walked through from the kitchen, two beers in her hand and looked up at her brother, her eyes welling up as she did so. Despite his size, he looked small and broken. Crossing the room, she hugged him without a word, then handed him one of the beers.

‘Here. I think you need this more than I do.’

‘Thanks.’

Sandy returned from the kitchen with a replacement beer for herself and they sat in silence for a few moments.

‘Man, am I stupid!’ Ben said, eventually, shaking his head. He tried to laugh but a strangulated noise replaced the sound.

‘No, you’re not.’

‘A year! Nearly a year and I never suspected a thing!’

‘There was no reason you should have. You trusted her,’ Todd countered.

‘Yeah! Not one of my finer decisions apparently,’ Ben replied as he got up and began pacing the floor. ‘I mean, I know things weren’t perfect but I just thought we’d work through them, you know? I didn’t think she’d ever …’ His voice cracked. ‘I guess if I’m honest, it’s been coming for a while. I just didn’t want to see it. It’s pretty obvious that we have nothing in common. We hold different values. Hell, she practically told me I don’t even satisfy her in bed!’

Across the room Todd raised his eyebrows. He knew a few of the women Ben had dated over the years and that definitely wasn’t the impression he’d been given. Glancing over at his fiancée, he could tell she was just dying to run up and hug her brother, tell him he was way too good for that woman anyway, but she knew that wasn’t the kind of support he needed right now. But Todd could see that inside she was raging with fury at her sister-in-law as her eyes burned with unshed tears at seeing Ben in so much pain.

Ben continued. ‘You know what’s funny, I went to touch her hair earlier today at the ranch. I don’t know … stupid thing … the wind wasn’t moving it and … anyway. Not important. But the thing was, she went absolutely nuts! Her husband goes to touch just her hair and she freaks out yet she’s happy to roll around with God knows who in our bed! How messed up is that?’ He took a swig from the bottle and wiped a stray tear away impatiently. ‘Couldn’t even go to a hotel. Takes him right there, under my nose!’ Todd looked up from his beer bottle and studied his friend. Anger and frustration strained at Ben’s emotional seams. Standing, he placed a hand on Ben’s shoulder, gently steering him towards the garage. Ben looked perplexed at his friend as he took the beer from his hand and then opened the internal door to the garage. Todd nodded to the punchbag and tossed over a pair of gloves.

‘Knock yourself out.’ He gave him a half-smile. ‘Though preferably not literally.’

The sweat was pouring off Ben when he returned half an hour later. His shirt was in a ball in his hand and the waistband of his jeans was damp from his exertions. Sandy walked past him on her way to the kitchen.

‘Poo-eee!’

Ben smiled sarcastically and then hugged her.

‘Ugh! No! Get off! Get off!’ she yelled, pushing him away. His mouth attempted a smile.

‘Feel better?’ Todd ventured.

‘Yeah. Yeah, I do.’ He paused. ‘Thanks.’ Todd nodded in acceptance.

‘Are you going to take a shower?’ Sandy asked, having retreated to a safe distance.

‘Is that a hint?’

‘More of a demand.’ She smiled at him. ‘Throw out your stuff and I’ll wash it.’

‘OK, thanks.’ Ben headed off to the guest room and shower and then poked his head back around the corner. ‘For everything.’

Sandy smiled, kissed him on the cheek and then pushed him towards the bathroom.