Chapter 3: Homecoming

As expected, Rodney arrived at Greenacres at about eleven the next morning after a very tiring fourteen hour flight from Singapore. He had only one suitcase with him and so Wendy’s greeting was an incongruous, “Where is all your luggage?”

“It will be delivered here tomorrow. I had it shipped separately.”

“Come in. Would you like something to eat?” she asked, not knowing whether to embrace him or not.

“Not just now, thank you,” he said, equally embarrassed, “I’m just shattered from the flight.” He too did not know how to cope with a reunion after two years apart, and his affair. I wonder if she was with anyone? Probably not, he thought wrongly, She wouldn’t know how to start looking.

“We need to talk,” she said.

“Not just now?”

“Yes, now. I need to tell you something,” she insisted, and it all came out in a rush, “I’ve met someone and we have been living together for most of this year.”

“Oh,” was all Rodney could say.

“And he helped me to decide to try again with you. His wife died a long time ago, but I was more of a servant than a partner to him.”

“Oh, so he doesn’t want you back then?”

“Not that. He wants me to be happy and he ... we thought you were my best chance at that.”

“Who is he. Do I know him?”

“His name is David and you don’t know him. We first met in the supermarket.” Then the telephone rang and Wendy answered it.

...

“Oh, it’s you.”

...

“Fine.”

...

“Yes, I told him.”

...

Turning to Rodney and holding out the ‘phone she said, “He wants to talk to you.”

Rodney took the ‘phone and said. “Hello. Who is this?”

...

“So you’re the bastard who’s been sleeping with my wife? Well you can bloody well leave her alone in future.”

...

He slammed the ‘phone down and said, “Bastard’s rung off.”

Wendy just stared at him for a long moment and then said, “I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say he saved my life. I would have lost the house and been living on the streets, homeless, if he hadn’t offered me the job he did. So you just ring him back this instant and apologise, or get out of my house and go back to your bit of stuff in Singapore.” When Rodney made no move towards the ‘phone she added, “Oh, I forgot, she’s dumped you hasn’t she?” and she picked up the ‘phone and dialled, offering the hand set to Rodney.

He listened for a moment and then mumbled, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”

...

“Yes, she told me you had advised her to take me back.”

...

Then he handed the phone to Wendy, saying, “He wants to speak to you.”

She said, “Hello?

...

“Yes. I expect we’ll work it out somehow.”

...

“Yes. I’ll let you know.”

...

“Bye,” and she put the ‘phone down. To Rodney she said, “He says I am to sleep with you every night, starting tonight, and try it for a month or two, but if it doesn’t work I can go back to him. So now you know. And I can keep my job as his housekeeper part-time in any case.”