Betrayal, Shock, and Secrets
Natalie was preparing dinner when there was a knock at the door. “How odd,” she thought. “Everyone we know uses the doorbell.” She opened it to find a woman around her own age staring back at her with curious eyes.
“Good eveningare you Natalie?” the stranger asked.
“I am. And you are?” Natalie replied, unable to place her.
“You wouldnt know me,” the woman said smoothly. “Im a close friend of your husbands.”
“Olivers?”
“Ollies,” the woman corrected with a faint smile.
Natalie sighed. “Shouldve seen that coming. Though I must say, none of the others have had the nerve to show up unannounced. Usually, they just call. So, what should I call you?”
“My names Helen. Look, I I think we should talk.”
“Dont worry yourself, Helen. Let me guessyou and my husband are in love, and Im somehow in the way?”
“How did you?”
“Not my first rodeo,” Natalie cut in dryly. “But go on, take him if you want. Whats his excuse this time? That the kids are too young? That he cant leave me in such a state?”
Helen shook her head. “No, nothing like that. I know your boys are grownuniversity students.”
“Then what? That Im ill and hes too decent to abandon me?” Natalie gestured at herself. “Clearly, Im fine.”
“Thats not it either.”
“Then what *is* it?” Natalie crossed her arms.
Helen hesitated. “He said we had to wait. Until well, until your father passes.”
Natalie stiffened. Her father, Thomas, wasnt even seventyfit as a fiddle, rarely ill, and nowhere near deaths door.
“You must be mistaken.”
“No, Im not. Ollie said once your dad was gone, hed leave you straightaway.”
“And why wait? Did he claim my father would somehow retaliate?”
“Its not that. He respects your father. But he said once hes gone, youd move into his flat.”
Natalies jaw tightened. “Excuse me? My fathers in perfect health, and I have no intention of moving anywhere. That flat was mine before we marriedinherited from my grandmother. The renovations were paid for by my parents, and Dad kept every receipt. Its *mine*.”
Helen blinked. “But Ollie said it would go to him, and youd take the country house, the car, and the garage instead.”
Natalie let out a sharp laugh. “Fascinating. So why come to me now instead of waiting for this grand plan to unfold?”
Helen sighed. “Im not getting any younger. I want to enjoy my happiness while I can. I dont care about the flatwe can live at mine.”
“How noble. So what do you want from me?”
“Just let him go. Thats all.”
Natalie shrugged. “Take him.”
Helen faltered. “Just like that?”
“Why not? I dont hold him. Never have. I loved him once, foolishly thought hed grow out of it, then stayed for the children. Lately, I even hoped hed stopped his wandering. Seems I was wrong.”
“You were,” Helen admitted. “So youll really let him go?”
“Absolutely. You can take his things now if you like.”
“Oh no, I couldnt carry them. Hell fetch them when hes ready.”
“Fine. Dont worryIll file for divorce tomorrow. Well split things fairly, though the flat stays with me. Like I said, it was my grandmothers, and Dads kept all the paperwork. But youve got your own place, so Ollie wont be homeless.”
Helen nodded. “He wont.”
“Wouldnt lose sleep if he were. Ollies always landed on his feet.”
“Goodbye, Natalie.”
“Goodbye, Helen. Lets not meet again.”
As Helen left, Natalie began packing Olivers things. She had no intention of arguingjust ensuring hed leave on his own. Hed assume, as always, he could return whenever he pleased. But not this time.
*Wait for my father to die so he can take the flat? The audacity. And its my faultletting him get away with it for years. Well, no more. Off you go, Ollie. Live long and prosper.*
When Oliver returned from work, he noticed nothing amissuntil Natalie declined to join him for dinner. Not that he minded; a hearty meal meant he could slip out for his usual “evening walk” undisturbed.
“Dont wait up, darling,” he said, patting his stomach.
*Oh, I wont.*
“Of course, dear. A stroll will do you good at your age.”
Oliver frowned. “My *what*?”
“Youre over fifty now. Not as spry as you think.”
“Excuse me? Im in my prime!”
“Are you? Because just last week, a young woman offered you her seat on the bus. Said you looked tired.”
“That never happened!”
“Memory slipping too? Not surprising. Maybe its time for those vitamins the doctor mentioned.”
Oliver bristled. “I could outrun any man half my age!”
“Could you? We havent shared a room in a year.”
“So?”
“So nothing. But Petermy friendhes your age and has no such issues.”
“Who the hell is Peter?”
“The man Ive been seeing. Since you checked out of our marriage, I thought Id find someone who still appreciates a woman.”
Oliver gaped. “Youre joking.”
“Not at all. But dont fretgo enjoy your walk. Clear your head. Well sort things out later.”
“Youyou *pity* me? A woman who thinks Im past it doesnt deserve me! I couldve forgiven an affairthese things happenbut *pity*? Pack my things. Dont expect me back.”
Natalie smiled. “Already done. Call if I missed anything. Oh, and dont count on inheriting my fathers flathes got decades left.”
Oliver froze. “Whats that got to do with anything?”
“Nothing at all. Off you go. Ill file for divorceyou wont object, will you?”
“Me? Object? Just dont think youre keeping everything!”
“Wouldnt dream of it. Though you seem to have forgotten the flat was never yours.”
“The what?”
“This one. Where youve lived rent-free for twenty-five years. Lucky youDad paid for the renovations, remember?”
Oliver paled. “Well split it.”
“No, we wont. Grandma left it to me. You just happened to live here.”
Oliver snatched a suitcase and stormed out, straight to Helenswhere he was coddled and assured he was still a virile, youthful man.
The divorce went smoothly. Oliver got the car and garage; Natalie, the country house. She sold it, then traveled across England with her fatherfirst to Bath, then Cornwall, then countless other places. Thomas, hale and hearty, had no plans to depart this world anytime soon.
Six months later, Helennoticing Olivers increasingly long “evening walks”packed his bags and left them outside. He tried reasoning with her, but she wouldnt even open the door.
With nowhere else to go, Oliver trudged back to Natalies. *So what if she thinks Im old? A roofs a roof.*
But the neighbors informed him she was awayagain, with her father.
Left with only his garage, Oliver considered his options. The plumbing could be fixed, a stove installed summer was coming, after all.
Or maybe hed find another naive woman. He *was* still young, wasnt he?
