Chapter 9

Next morning David dragged me from bed and we both went for a run, then showered, before having breakfast.

"You haven't said anything about the divorce Jack."

"Nothing to say."

"Bollocks. I know you better than anyone except perhaps Milla. You've bottled everything up for the sake of the kids. If you don't release the pressure the boiler will burst."

"Did Milla send you to do this?"

"Fucks sake, Jack, Milla isn't the only one who cares about you. Gimme some fucking credit."

"Sorry, David. I know it was you steered me in the right direction first."

"Damn right. Now, I know you, Diane's lucky she's still vertical. So, spill."

"I don't know David. Milla convinced me that the kids would need their mother as well as me. I've come to terms with it. If I do anything to her it's just going to hurt Harry and Georgie. Their mother has caused them enough turmoil without me making things worse."

"All very mature. Did you deliberately fuck up the tax and insurance on the car?"

"Actually? No. I'm not saying I wasn't pleased about it, but when I met her, Diane was pretty high powered. She looked after that stuff for her boss. I'd 'a thought she'd have realised about it. Of course I tended to deal with all that so she probably didn't know it was due precisely then."

"What exactly are you gonna do then."

"Just get on with life. The job's secure. In fact if I wanted I could probably give it up and live of my investments. It wouldn't be flash but I could get by. The kids are OK at school, and Harry will be doing his GCSEs soon. So I'll just have to suck it up and get on with it."

"I'm not really talking about that. Divorce is as bad as bereavement. I'm a solicitor. I've seen plenty of both. You could do with some counselling."

"Counselling! D'you think I'm some sort of a nutter?"

"Far from it. But you need to get it out of your system. You haven't talked to me or Milla, so maybe a stranger would be best."

"You and Milla did cook this up between you then." Jack sighed.

"No, Jack, we didn't cook anything up. We're both concerned about you, that's all. We're both prepared to listen and we're both prepared to help whatever way we can."

"Thanks David. I really did love her, you know?" tears started to flow.

"I know." Thank fuck, David thought. At last, some emotion. If he'd bottled it much longer things could really have gone downhill fast, and that wasn't going to help the kids.

"She always, ALWAYS seemed happy with me. She really was a good wife. What the fuck did I do?"

"I don't think you did anything Jack. She just seemed to have made some sort of decision."

"But WHY? That's what I don't understand."

"I really don't think you're going to find out. I think it was just her. I think you are going to have to accept it and move on mate."