“Youre so lucky, Emily,” sighed Natalie wistfully. “Your bloke picks you up from work every day in his car. Youve just had the flat done up. And now youve got that promotion. Honestly, its enough to make a girl greenbut in a nice way, mind you!”
Emily kept packing her bag. James would be outside in five minutes, and she didnt fancy keeping him waiting.
“Oh, come off it, Nat. Weve had our rows too. Nearly split up during the renovation. And that promotion? Five years of slogging for it. You werent even here when I started eyeing that desk. Grass isnt always greener, you know.”
Natalie pouted like a child.
“You dont know how good youve got it, Em. My Dave? Lazy as a Sunday, mucky as a pub carpet, and spends money like its going out of fashion. Ive been nagging him for six months to get a proper job. And what does he say? Im sick of working for the man, Nat. I want my own business. With what, exactly? The money he blows on video games every month? Entrepreneur, my foot.”
Emily glanced at her friend. Theyd only known each other a year, but shed grown fond of Natalieand heard every last detail about Daves antics. The man was a master at winding his wife up, and he showed no signs of stopping.
“Im sure itll sort itself out, Nat,” Emily said as her phone buzzed on the desk. “Oh, James is here. Right, better dash. See you Monday, love.”
Natalie nodded, watching Emily leave with a peculiar, thoughtful look that went unnoticed.
Emily was already buckling up when James noticed her expression as they pulled away from the office.
“Rough day at work?”
She shook her head.
“Nats problems. Daves driving her up the wall. I dont think shell last much longer.”
James shrugged. “Not our circus, not our monkeys.”
Emily shot him a glare. His bluntness grated sometimes, but she let it slide. Arguing over Natalies drama wasnt worth it.
…Turns out, Emily was right. A month later, Natalie arrived at work puffy-eyed.
“Were getting divorced,” she blurted. “And Daves kicked me out. Me! Like some scruffy stray! From our flat! Where am I supposed to live now?”
Emily hugged her.
“Dont panic, Nat. Stay with us for a bit. Sort the divorce, find a place, get your head straight.”
Natalie burst into loud, messy tears.
“Oh, Em, thank you. I dont know what Id do without you!”
Emily patted her back soothingly, already dreading breaking the news to James.
As expected, he wasnt thrilled about their new houseguest. But he bit his tongue over dinner while Natalie chattered away, mixing complaints about Dave with gushing over the flat.
“Dave never lifted a finger in five years. But this place? Stunning! You can tell youve put your hearts into it.”
Emily flushedmost of the decor had been her idea. The praise warmed her.
…Natalie turned out to be the perfect guest. Quiet, tidy. By day three, shed taken over cooking so Emily could unwind after work.
“Im doing a stew tonight,” Natalie announced from the back seat of the car. “Got all the ingredients this morning. God, its brilliant not taking the bus anymore. Proper treat, this.”
Emily smiled. Natalie had settled in quickly but made it clear she wasnt overstayingshe was already flat-hunting.
Dinners grew livelier. Turns out, Natalie and James shared a taste in music. Theyd spend hours dissecting albums, slagging off lyrics, and raving about vocals.
Emily watched, bemused, as her usually reserved husband thawed. Her introvert was terrible with people, but Natalie had cracked through.
“And not just the ice,” Emily thought bitterly one evening, spotting her best friend and her husband snogging like teenagers in the car park.
“Couldnt you at least have picked somewhere less public?” she said dryly.
They sprang apart like kids caught sneaking cigs behind the bike sheds. James recovered first.
“Em, listenits not what it”
“Exploring each others fillings, were you?” Emily cut in. “Nat, I didnt see this coming. I took you in, helped you through your divorce, and you stab me in the back. Some mate.”
Natalie lifted her chin.
“Whats the big deal? We fell for each other! James said he hasnt felt this happy in agesnot with you!”
James went sheet-white. “Nat, what the hell? Em, love, I”
“Save it,” Emily snapped. “Ill be at Mums tonight. You two can pack your things. And take the bedsheetsI dont even want to think. Keys.” She held out her hand.
James meekly handed over the car keys. Emily got in, started the engine.
“Dont cry. Dont give them the satisfaction,” she told herself.
Natalies voice carried through the window:
“Why should we be the ones to leave?!”
At her mums, Emily drank tea by the gallon. Tears flowed. Her mum comforted her, but it barely helped. Emily blamed herself, James, Natalie, the universe…
“Why did I even offer? Mum, this is all my fault!”
Her mum rubbed her back. “Dont be daft, love. You couldnt have known. You were just being kind.”
“And now Ive lost my husband and my friend,” Emily sniffed.
“Itll get better,” her mum soothed.
Emily didnt believe it but nodded anyway. No point upsetting her more.
Next morning, dragging herself out of bed felt like a Herculean task. She wanted to burrow under the duvet foreveravoid Natalie, James, the looming divorce. Forget it all.
When the alarm blared a third time, she kicked the covers off.
“Enough moping,” she muttered. “Im stronger than this.”
She made it to work, where Natalie was already lurking by her desk.
“Morning,” Emily said neutrally.
“We need to talk! Why should we move out? Youre the one who should leave! Theres two of usyoure on your own! James is just packing like a scared rabbit! Why?!”
Emily studied her. Yesterday, her best friend. Today…
“Natalie, Im not discussing this at work.”
She avoided Natalie all day. But when her taxi dropped her home that evening, there was no escaping. The flat felt hollow, half-packed.
“Em,” James said quietly, “its not too late to fix this. I swear itll never”
“No, James. I wont spend my life wondering if youre eyeing up the next Natalie. Is that what you want?”
He hung his head. The doorbell rang. Natalie barged in, furious.
“Now you cant run! Why should we leave? This is your shared flat! James gets half! Why are you giving up?!” She turned to James. “We dreamed about living together!”
Emily snorted. The absurdity was almost funny.
“So thats it. You envied memy husband, my flat, my car. Thought youd nick half by stealing James. Right, Nat?”
Natalies silence spoke volumes.
“Small flaw in your plan. The flats in my namebought before we married. The cars mine too, bought with my inheritance. James only drove it because I hate to. So all youve won is James. Congrats.”
Natalie gaped. “You mean… its not jointly owned? You lied!”
“No. I called it ours because it was our home. But you didnt leave Dave for James, did you? You left him for my life.”
Natalie flushed scarlet. “You flaunted it all! Of course I wanted it!”
Emily laughed hoarsely.
“Sweetheart, you shouldve done your homework. But never mind. Both of youout of my flat. Ive had enough drama.”
Natalie shrieked curses as James dragged her out. His final glance at Emily held a silent “sorry,” but the ashes of their marriage were already cold.
