The Train to a New Life
Julia woke up and listened. The silence in the flat told her Nicholas wasn’t home. She stretched, got out of bed, and headed to the kitchen. On the table lay a note: “Sorry, forgot to mention last night. Be back by lunchtime.”
Julia smirked, crumpled the paper, and tossed it in the bin. She’d suspected for a while that Nicholas was seeing someone else—always out, barely talking, just going through the motions. Their daughter had married and moved to her husband’s army base. What was left of their family was just an illusion.
Her phone rang. Marcy.
“What are you up to?” asked her oldest friend from school.
“Just got up.”
“Listen, it’s gorgeous out—spring sunshine. Fancy a shopping trip? I’m craving something bright and pretty. Please tell me you’re free?”
“Completely free. Nicholas is at work.”
“On a weekend? Right, get yourself ready and dressed properly. I’ll pick you up in an hour.” Marcy hung up.
Julia put the kettle on and went to freshen up. Shopping with Marcy was always fun—she had an eye for fashion. While Julia would get overwhelmed, Marcy could pluck the perfect dress out of a crowded rack like magic.
She’d taught Julia to dress smartly for shopping. “If they think you’ve got money, they’ll show you the good stuff,” Marcy always said. Oddly enough, it worked. They never left empty-handed.
Julia did her makeup, got dressed, and checked herself in the mirror. Shopping would lift her spirits—she needed that today.
Ten minutes later, Marcy called to say she was outside.
“Hey. Anything specific you’re after?” Julia asked, sliding into the passenger seat of Marcy’s Ford.
“Not really. New season’s stock should be in, last year’s stuff on sale. Spring’s here, love—can you feel it?” Marcy grinned.
“Nicholas will kill me. We’re saving for a holiday…”
“He won’t. Cut the tags, ditch the receipts, halve what you tell him you spent.”
“Yeah, and double what I actually spend.”
“I’ve got a foolproof trick for keeping him off your back.”
“What?” Julia leaned in.
“You’ll see.”
Marcy was a striking woman—not plump, but statuesque, with broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and curves that turned heads. She had dark eyes, full lips, and thick chestnut hair. Men noticed her.
Julia was the opposite—petite, slender, with wavy blonde hair and green eyes. From behind, she could pass for a teenager. Next to Marcy, she always felt small—unsure.
When Marcy walked into a shop, assistants tripped over themselves to help. Julia? They spoke down to her, and she’d fluster, refuse help, and hurry out.
Two hours and several designer bags later, they stepped out of another boutique.
“Enough. Nicholas will have my head for this,” Julia groaned.
“Come on.” Marcy tugged her toward the lingerie section.
“No, no. He won’t speak to me for a week if I buy anything here,” Julia protested.
“Look at these lace sets! The burgundy one—it’d suit your hair.” Marcy held up a stunning bra. “Maybe a matching robe… No, too much.”
“Who’s going to see this under my clothes? And it’s pricey. I’m not getting it—stop tempting me.”
“For heaven’s sake, do I have to teach you everything? You don’t wear this under a dress—you wear it instead. A man sees you in this, he won’t care about receipts. Trust me. We’re getting it.” Marcy marched to the till.
“My feet are killing me. Let’s sit down somewhere. I’ve only had coffee today,” Julia suggested. “You know… I think Nicholas is cheating.”
“Is this because he’s ‘working’ on a Saturday?” Marcy asked skeptically as they walked to a café.
“I’ve suspected for a while—”
“Here’s the café. Let’s go.” Marcy cut her off.
They sat by the window. While waiting for the waiter, Julia glanced around. Two tables away, a man sat with his back to them—same haircut, same white jumper. She’d given Nicholas one just like it at Christmas. But why would he wear it to work? And his office was clear across town.
She dismissed it—until he turned his head. His profile confirmed it. Nicholas.
Her stomach dropped, like a kid caught red-handed. But he hadn’t seen her.
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Marcy said.
“Quiet. That’s Nicholas. Let’s go before he spots us,” Julia whispered.
“So what? He’s the one who should be nervous. You said he was at work—miles from here. Dressed for a date, by the looks of it.” Marcy eyed him. “He’s waiting for someone. Keeps checking his watch. Weren’t you just saying you had suspicions?”
Julia stood.
“Where are you going?” Marcy grabbed her wrist.
“I’m going over. If he sees us later, it’ll be worse.”
Julia walked to his table and sat across from him.
“Hi.”
Nicholas looked stunned.
“What are you doing here?” Julia asked. “You said you were at work. Is this what you call work now?”
“And you?”
“Marcy and I were shopping. Needed a break.” Julia smiled and waved at Marcy behind him.
Nicholas didn’t turn.
“Waiting for someone? You keep checking your watch. Am I interrupting?”
He shook off his shock and went on the offensive.
“How much did you spend? We agreed no shopping before the holiday.”
“Relax. I was sensible. I’ll need clothes for the trip too.” Julia felt eerily calm. They always say the truth hurts less than suspicion.
Nicholas’ phone buzzed with a text. He flipped it facedown without looking.
“Why do you always do that? At home, in the bathroom—always hiding your screen. What are you keeping from me?”
“Nothing. Habit.”
“You never used to. Let me see—might be important.” She reached for it, but he slid it away.
Just then, a young woman passed—hesitating near their table before sitting nearby. Nicholas glanced at her, too quick to be casual.
“Your girlfriend’s here. Shall I bring your order?” A waitress appeared, smirking at Nicholas.
“Oh, you’ve already ordered, darling?” Julia gripped the edge of the table, fighting the urge to fling the fake flowers at him. Her worst fears were true. “Five minutes, please?”
The waitress nodded and vanished.
“That’s her, isn’t it? Pretty. Twenty-five, max.” Julia nodded toward the girl. “You’re that insecure, you need a teenager?”
“Stop. We’ll talk at home.”
“What about lunch? She must be hungry. I can’t spend money, but you can play charity?”
Julia clenched her fists. Marcy was frantically signaling, but Julia ignored her.
“How long has this been going on? Don’t bother—I’ll guess. Six months? That’s when you started hiding your phone. Just admit it. We’ve been together forever—I’ll understand.”
“Julia, you’re insane. What affair? I dropped off paperwork for a client and stopped for coffee—”
“We’ll see.” Julia stood to confront the girl, but the waitress returned with a tray. One plate had a domed lid.
“Enjoy,” she said, leaving.
“So. Just coffee.”
Nicholas reached for the plate, but Julia lifted the lid. A velvet ring box lay inside.
“And when were you going to tell me you’re divorcing me?”
“Let’s talk at home.” He wouldn’t meet her eyes.
“You don’t have a home anymore. I’ll pack your things—collect them tomorrow. Bon appétit.” She turned and walked out.
Marcy caught up outside.
“Julia! The car’s the other way. I can’t run in these heels—it’s slippery. Come on, let’s load the bags before I drop them.”
Julia obeyed.
“If we hadn’t come here, I’d never have known. I suspected, but I buried my head in the sand. I was terrified of losing him… but he’s already gone.” She broke down in the car.
“Julia, maybe you’re jumping to conclusions? She’s young enough to be his daughter—same age as your Laura. Might just be a fling. He’s only human…”
“Remember his trip to Edinburgh three months ago? He took her. I got sent a photo—them by his car. He said some random girl asked for a picture to make her boyfriend jealous. And I believed him. Now this ring…”
Julia trembled. “What do I do? How do I move on? All these years… Never thought it’d happen to us.” She flung a bagShe stepped off the train into the warm embrace of her daughter, leaving behind the shadows of the past and stepping toward the bright, uncertain promise of tomorrow.
