“Where did you get my earrings?” asked Emily, staring at the photo of her husbands phone screen.
“Luv, look at these pictures from Sophies holiday!” called William from the kitchen, stirring sugar into his tea. “Shes tanned like a biscuit!”
Emily wiped her hands on her apron and joined him at the table, where he scrolled through sunlit snaps, sipping his steaming brew.
“Show me,” she said, adjusting her dressing gown. “Where were they? Spain?”
“Egypt, she said. Look, heres the beach, and this ones at a restaurant” William flipped through the photos, narrating each. “Oh, this ones lovelysome temple excursion”
Emily studied the images in silence. Sophie had always known how to present herself, even back in schoolthe life of every party. Theyd lost touch after university, then bumped into each other at the GPs, exchanging polite catch-ups ever since.
“Ah, this ones nice,” William paused on a shot of Sophie at a café table, grinning at the camera.
Emilys stomach dropped. In Sophies ears gleamed familiar earringstiny golden roses with pearls. The very ones William had gifted her on their twentieth anniversary.
“Why does she have my earrings?” Emily whispered, not tearing her eyes from the screen.
“What?” William blinked.
“The earrings. Rosebuds with pearls. You gave me a pair just like them.” Her voice wavered.
William squinted at the photo. “Dont be daft, Em. Similar, maybe. You can find those anywhere.”
“No. Not similar. Identical.” She snatched the phone, zooming in. “See this scratch on the left bud? I nicked it on the wardrobe dooryou remember?”
William gulped his tea, silent. Emilys pulse thudded in her ears.
“Will. Where are my earrings?”
“How should I know? Youre the one who keeps track of your jewellery,” he muttered, avoiding her gaze.
Emily marched to the bedroom, yanking open her jewellery box. She rummaged through compartments, checked drawers, even peered under the dresser. Gone.
“Will!” she shouted.
“What now?” he grumbled.
“Theyre not there. Theyre not in the box.”
“Maybe you lost them on holiday?”
“What holiday? Last summer we visited your mum in CornwallI didnt take them. This year we barely left the house!”
William stomped to the living room, flipping on the telly.
“Dunno, Em. Maybe you sent them for cleaning?”
“Why would I? They were practically new.” Emily blocked the doorway, arms crossed. “Will. Look at me.”
He sighed, barely glancing up.
“What?”
“Do you know where my earrings are?”
“No.” His eyes flicked back to the screen.
Emily returned to the kitchen, gripping her phone. The pieces didnt fit. Sophie, suddenly jetting off to Egypt? Those earrings werent mass-producedWilliam had spent ages picking them at the jewellers in Bond Street.
Her fingers trembled as she typed:
*Sophie, your holiday pics are gorgeous! Those rosebud earringswhered you find them?*
The reply came swiftly: *Thanks, darling! A gift from someone special. Always wanted a pair.*
*Which shop? Might treat myself.*
*No ideadidnt choose them myself. Why? Thought you said your Will was tight with gifts.*
Emily set the phone down. Her heartbeat echoed in her skull. She pressed her forehead to the cool windowpane. A coincidenceit had to be.
“Em, whats for dinner?” William called.
“Sort yourself,” she said flatly.
“Blimey, over some earrings?”
“Some earrings?” She turned. “Our twentieth anniversary, Will. Twenty years.”
“So? Lost is lost. Ill buy new ones.”
“Thats not the point.”
“Then what is?”
She stepped closer. “Theyre on Sophies ears.”
William mashed the remote buttons. “So?”
“Did you give them to her?”
The telly droned through the silence.
“Dont be absurd.”
“Then how?”
He finally met her eyesthen looked away.
“Em, enough. Its a pair of bloody earrings.”
“Did. You. Gift. Them.”
“NO!” He shot up, knocking over his mug. “Christ, youre off your head! One photo and youve spun a whole saga!”
“Then why wont you answer?”
He stormed out, slamming the front door. Emily sank onto the sofa. Twenty years. Their daughter Lily married and in Manchester, their son Oliver at uni in Bristol.
She remembered last yearWilliam suddenly working late, preening in the mirror, buying that absurdly expensive shirt. Midlife crisis, shed assumed.
Then the distance. Fewer hugs, vacant nods when she mentioned future plans. Shed blamed stresshis construction firm was drowning in deadlines.
The garage door creaked. She peered through the curtains. William fumbled with a cigarettehed quit ages ago, but lately his jackets reeked of smoke.
Back on her phone, she found Sophies profile. Holiday shots dominated, but one photo snagged her breath: a woman in a navy parka, hood trimmed with faux fur. Identical to Williams.
She flung open the wardrobe. His coat hung therebut the cornflower-blue shirt hed splurged on last Christmas was missing.
“Dad back yet?” Olivers voice startled her.
She spun around. Their son stood in the doorway, duffel bag in hand.
“Ollie! Love, youre early. Hes in the garage.”
Oliver hugged her. “Mumyoure white as a sheet.”
“Just tired. Hows uni?”
“Fine. But” He lowered his voice. “Heard Dad on the phone last night. Saying stuff like my darling, miss you. Thought it was you, but you were at work.”
Emily sat heavily on the bed. Oliver gripped her hand.
“Mum is there someone else?”
She showed him the photos, the missing earrings. Oliver exhaled sharply.
“Could be a coincidence?”
“Ollie, I wore them every day. I know every flaw.”
“Then confront him. You cant live like this.”
The front door banged.
“Ollie! Good to see you!” William boomed, rubbing his hands. “Hows the dissertation?”
Oliver stood. “Dad. We need to talk.”
Williams smile faltered. He washed up, then faced them in the living room.
“Right. Out with it.”
Emilys voice was steel. “Are you having an affair?”
The room froze. Williams face drained of colour.
“Dont be ridiculous.”
“Sophies wearing my anniversary earrings. Youve been distant. Ollie heard your phone calls.”
William paced to the window. “Alright. Fine.” He turned, jaw tight. “Theres someone.”
“Sophie.”
“Yes.”
Oliver hissed through his teeth. Emily shut her eyes.
“How long?”
“A year and a half.”
“A year and” Emilys laugh was brittle. “And now?”
William spread his hands. “I didnt plan this, Em. She was lonely after her divorce. We just connected. Things with us had gone stale.”
“My fault?”
“No! It just happened.”
“The earrings.”
“She admired yours. I bought her a duplicate pair.”
“Liar.” Emily stood. “Mine are gone. You stole my anniversary gift for your mistress.”
“MU
