Chapter 16

Autumn was turning to winter, and the first frosts hinted of a cold season. My plan was to get the gym up and running for the New Year and all those resolutions. Once more though, the fates conspired for me.

Initially there had been two co-owners of the boutique in which Diane worked, Lavinia and Aisha. I was able to buy into it when they planned on expanding. That was the share that made up part of my divorce settlement. Lavinia's husband was planning to retire at fifty, so they could travel before they got too old. She told Diane and Aisha that she intended to sell her share of the business and gave them first refusal.

I found this out through the usual sources; little ears. One weekend, Harry and Georgie overheard Diane and Peter discussing the opportunity.

"Daddy! Mummy is going to sell our house!" declaimed Georgie.

"Mummy can't sell this house. It belongs to Granny and Granda," I told her.

"No. Not this house. Our house. In Devon. Don't let her Daddy."

"Well I can't really stop her selling it darling. It belongs to Mummy now, not me."

"She wants to buy Mrs Pritchard's share of the boutique Dad," offered Harry. "She wants to retire next year."

"She probably needs the money so she can buy the business, Georgie."

"But Daddy, it's our happy place. We have our holidays there, all together. Don't let her wreck that too!" The tears shone in her eyes.

That hurt. After everything she had put the kids through this was another thing eroding their happy memories of us as a family. Just one more thing making them feel that they didn't matter to her. Now, I knew that wasn't the case, but that is not how the children saw it. Once more I saw the pain she was causing them and she couldn't. This was all about her and the devil take the hindmost. Inside I seethed. To the children I had to present calm and reason.

"Mummy has to look to the future, sweetheart. She wants to have a job to make money to take you on holidays and do her share of looking after you."

"She wouldn't have to sell our house if she hadn't left us!" Georgie stormed out of the kitchen and went to her room.

I looked at Harry. "She's really angry with Mum. She thinks she's forgotten about us. Mum talked of nothing else all weekend." "I'm sorry son, but I can't stop her selling the house. And someday you and Georgie won't want to spend so much time with your parents, anymore."

"Yeah, but she doesn't have to push us out of her life all the time, Dad."

"She's not. She needs to plan for the future, Harry."

"Well like Georgie said, she wouldn't have to if she hadn't pushed you out first. She's changed. It's all about her, Dad. Everything." It was Harry's turn to come close to tears.

"I really can't stop her son. The house became her property in the divorce. She can sell it if she wants."

"Then you could buy it."

"I'm not sure I could afford it, Harry. You know I've been looking at the idea of setting up a gym so I can be at home a bit more for you both."

"And where are we going to sail and fish when you're with us?" Kids really know how to hit below the belt.

"I'll think about it son. But I really don't see how at the moment. So I'm not making any promises. OK?"

"OK, Dad, I understand."

So I thought about it. In a way I wanted it back anyway. Georgie was right. It was our happy place. It held my best memories. It was where I got to spend most time with the children as they grew up. Suddenly, I was incandescent with rage that Diane could dispose of us so readily.

I was heavily committed, financially, to the gym. I had signed the contract the previous week. I had a good hard look at my finances, and I just couldn't stretch to the likely price. However, this was for the children, so I switched into naval thinking. If I couldn't match the price, could I make the price match what I had?

The house was old, on the coast, and over the years I had only done enough to make it useable as a summer retreat. The truth was that it really could do with a complete refurbishment. Maybe if it needed a bit more refurbishment the price would be nearer my money. As a former damage control officer, I knew how much a ship fears water and the damage it can create in a short time. I also knew the poor condition of the pipe work in the house.

The children would be spending the weekend with their mother again. I had nothing planned... 'til now. I spent the week organising the equipment I needed. One of the advantages of working in the construction industry.