Betrayal
Peter raised his hand in farewell.
“Right then, Rose, I’m off! Ill transfer the money to Mum, dont fret.”
The door slammed behind him, and Rose sank onto the stool, tears suddenly breaking free.
“Mum, whats wrong?” Her son appeared in the kitchen doorway, frowning. “What happened?”
“Nothing,” Rose was ashamed of her weakness. “Just a bit low, thats all. The boys are at GransJoel and Christine.”
“No,” Daniel said firmly. “People dont cry like that over a bad mood. And you talk to the boys every day. Im not a kid anymore, Mum. I understand things.”
Rose looked at her sixteen-year-old, already taller than her, and before she could stop herself, the words spilled outwords she hadnt even dared admit to herself.
“I think your dads about to leave us.” Her sons silent question hung in the air. “Hes been lying to me. For months now”
Daniel froze. Hed expected work stress, a row with a friendnot this. His dad? How could he? Rage surged, and his mother saw it.
“Daniel, dont. These things they happen between adults. Youll understand one day. Your dads a good man, but you cant force someones heart.”
Even as she spoke, Rose didnt believe it. She wanted to scream, smash thingsyet here she was, telling her son to forgive him! But Daniels fists clenched.
“Let him go then! Well manage without him. Whys he even still here?”
“Love, you say youre grown, but youre acting like a child. People make mistakes, dont they? Your dad will realise this is just a fling. His family matters most”
“Mum,” Daniels voice cracked, the tough act crumbling. “Whyd he do it? Ill never respect him the same way again!”
“Itll be alright,” Rose squeezed his hand. “Dont tell your brothers, yeah?”
“You either,” Daniel wiped his eyes. “We dont want them losing faith in their big brother.”
Rose glanced at the clock.
“Arent you late for training?”
Daniel jumped up.
“Bloody hell, I am!”
Alone, Roses composure shattered. Talking to Daniel had kept her numb, but now the pain crashed over her.
“How could he betray everything we had?”
When theyd met, Peter had been reckless, surrounded by women he called “little birds.” When Rose said she wouldnt be another, hed sworn, “Not another. The only one. For life.”
And shed believed him, the fool. Seventeen years, three kidsthrough thick and thinshed thought herself lucky. And him? Hed thrown it all away.
It started six months ago. Maybe earlier, but she hadnt noticed. Nosix months. His nephews wedding. Rose couldnt go, but shed urged Peter to attend. Hed protested half-heartedlyfamily expectations, his sisters feelingsbut gone. Later, scrolling through wedding photos online, shed spotted a woman glued to Peters side. Something twisted in her gut. Shed even joked about it, but Peter had blinked, confused.
“Who? Oh, the brides mate. No idea why she kept hovering. Honestly, Rosejealous? Shes not even my type!”
Shed believed him. The woman wasnt his type; Rose knew that. But a week later, odd calls begansilence, heavy breathing. Shed complained to Peter.
“Some girl keeps ringing, hanging up. Must be one of Daniels little birds!”
The calls stopped, but Rose didnt connect it to their chat. Not then.
The real clues came later. Peter, a jeans-and-jumpers bloke, suddenly started wearing suits, crisp shirts, even aftershavenot the cheap stuff hed used for years. And the late nights. “Critical project at work,” hed say, eyes gleaming. “Once this pays off, Roseholidays, that fur coat you fancied, a quad bike for Daniel. Just hang in there.”
Then weekends vanished too. “Off hiking,” hed claimuntil a call came. That guilty look. “Work emergency. You know how it is”
Rose had wanted to hunt down that woman from the photos, drag her by the hairbut she didnt. Shed never even learned her name.
Six months of this had left her hollow. She held it together for the kids, but at night, shed fall apart. Today, after talking to Daniel, shed decidedenough. Shed confront Peter.
But he beat her to it.
“Rose,” he called, “fancy dinner tonight? We need to talk. Without the kids.”
Shed smiled bitterly. He didnt want a scene. He knew shed never make one in public.
At first, shed planned to go as she waswhy dress up? Then shed considered turning up straight from the garden, humiliating him. But at the last minute, she changed her mind.
“Ill look my best. Let him see what hes losing.”
The taxi driver had watched her in the mirror. As she paid, hed said softly, “Pretty thing like you, so sad? Chin upitll work out.”
The unexpected kindness lifted her slightly. She entered the restaurant smilinguntil she saw Peter holding a rose.
Why bring a flower if he was leaving? A funeral bouquet for their love? The thought almost made her laugh.
They made small talk over dinner. Inside, Rose was coiled tight, ready to snap. Finally, she couldnt take it.
“Peter, you said we needed to talk.”
He nodded. “Right. Short version, Rose” A pause, as if steeling himself. “Been thinking Howd you feel if we skip holidays, the fur coat, the quad bike?”
Her tension braced for impactbut he kept talking.
“Got nearly double pay todaybonus included. Daniels sixteen now. Thought what if we buy him a flat instead? Invest it, and by eighteen, its his. Good plan, yeah?”
Rose stared. “Sorrya flat? What flat?”
“Christ, Roseare you even listening? Lately, youre miles away. Whats going on?”
Then Peter shouted. In the restaurant, hed kept it down, but outside, he let loose.
“Have you lost it? An affair? Me? I explained everythingthe project, the late nights! You never complained! I bragged about how understanding you were! And this is your understanding? Accusing me of cheating?”
They walked home in silence, Rose smiling through his rant. Every word was music now. At their doorstep, Peter finally calmed.
“Didnt I promise you were the only one? Have I ever lied to you?”
Daniels day had been rubbish. His mums confession had thrown him. Late to training, chewed out by the coach, then a stupid row with his mate. Hed wandered the streets, itching for a fightany excuse to unleash the anger choking him. But no thugs obliged.
Returning home, he saw themhis parents, kissing on the doorstep. His mums coat was unmistakable. His heart boiled. All that rage at his dad for cheating, and here she was
Fists clenched, he stepped forward.
“Oh, son,” Peter grinned, slightly sheepish. “We were just”
Well. Alls well that ends well, eh?
