Alice was heading home earlier than usual. Her colleague turned up ahead of schedule, so she was free to clock off before the rush. Her spirits were high; her grandmother had taken the kids for the whole summer, and her husband was at home. They rarely managed time together, making this a golden opportunity, and she couldn’t help but be pleased.
On the way, she popped into Tesco and grabbed some crisps, biscuits, and chocolates, gearing up for a surprise. Back in the day, their family tradition was to watch a film together, but with work and mountains of chores, that little ritual had fallen through the cracks.
She let herself in with her keys. The kitchen light was on, but her husband was nowhere in sight. Then, from the bedroom, came some rather peculiar noises. And there he was, holding Louise in his arms. Louiseher best mate since school days.
Alice hadn’t seen this betrayal coming from two of her closest people. She noticed the chaos around her: crumpled clothes strewn everywhere, a couple of wine glasses and sweets left on the tableclearly, this was an evening that had taken a romantic turn.
Louise, awkwardly avoiding Alice’s gaze, scrambled to dress and leave in a hurry. Her husband, stammering, began to offer explanations. “Honestly, listening to you is hilarious. Enough with the nonsense.” He paused. “Alright. Sorry. It’s just… Louise and I love each other. We should divorce. We’ll sort out the kids and the house later, yeah? Im off now.”
After her husband left, Alice poured herself the unfinished wine and sat down to ponder what on earth her life should look like now. It seemed shed have to start everything againbrand new, from scratch.
