The wife packed up her things and vanished off the face of the earth.
Stop acting like youre the sainted victim. Itll blow over. Women always calm down eventuallylet her have a shout, shell get over it, said George, digging into his dinner. Look, the main thing is, mission accomplished. Weve got a son! Carrying the family line and all that.
Diana kept quiet.
George, she leaned in, dropping her voice to a whisper, last week you told me youd sorted the matter of Sophies pregnancy. What exactly did you mean?
George put down his fork and leaned back in his chair, looking far too pleased with himself.
It means exactly what you think. She messed me around for five years. Im not ready, shed say, Ive got my career, lets wait. But when, eh? Im thirty-two, Di! I wanted an heir, a proper familylike normal people.
So you?
I swapped her pills.
Diana sat there, stunned.
Did you ever tell her that? When?
When she finally left, George grumbled. She started screeching at me, so I told her straight: Get used to it, love, you wanted this, I just gave you a little nudge. Figured shed calm down once she saw there was no going back. But no off she goes, bag in hand, running for the hills.
***
On the kitchen table, right next to a mountain of baby bottles waiting to be washed, was Georges forgotten hairbrush.
Diana eyed it, irritation bubbling below the surface. Why must it always be a tip with him?
In the next room, the baby had finally stopped wailing, but the silence brought no reliefat best it would last an hour, maybe two, and then all hell would break loose again.
She tightened her dressing gown and filled the kettle. It was only a month ago that George and Diana had fetched Sophie from the maternity ward. George had strutted around beaming, thrusting an absurd bouquet into the nearest nurses arms, but Sophie Sophie looked as if shed been sentenced to a firing squad, not a family home.
Diana had blamed it on new-mum nervesso much for premonition.
The front door bangedGeorge was back from work, tie already loosened. He breezed past into the kitchen, sniffing around the fridge.
Got anything decent to eat? he muttered, barely glancing her way.
Theres pasta in the pot. I did sausages too.
Shh, hes just gone down. Please, George, for the love of God, try not to wake him.
George snorted and fished out a plate. Im shattered, Di. On my feet all day. Clients, honestlyabsolute time-wasters.
Hows the little fella?
Thats your nephew, Diana clanged her mug down a little too hard. His names Arthur. He screamed for three hours straight tonighthes got wind.
Youre managing fine, George shrugged, helping himself to a generous portion. Youre a woman, its in your bones. Mum did it with the two of us when Dad was always off on the building sites.
Diana bit her lip so hard she could taste blood. She was only meant to crash for a few weeks, until her own studio rent arrears were sorted. Two weeks in and she was the house skivvy, unpaid nanny, and chief cook.
George carried on as if nothing was amissas if his wife hadnt just packed up and vanished without a trace.
Has Sophie rung? Diana asked, watching him wolf down his dinner.
George froze, fork mid-air, his face clouding over.
She wont pick up. Just keeps hanging up on me. Can you believe itleaving your child behind? All because I might havewell. Swapped a few pills to hurry things along
Youre a right piece of work, Diana said quietly.
What?! I did it for the family! I go to work, I bring in money! Shes the one who left the baby! Whos the real villain here?
You took away her choice, Diana stood up. You lied to the woman you supposedly love. Whats she meant to do, thank you for wrecking her life?
Oh, here we go, George waved his hand. Shell get over it. Where else is she going to go? The boys here, her stuffs still here. Shell run out of cash and come crawling back in no time. In the meantimeyoull help, right? Honestly, end of financial year and Im snowed under.
Diana left him to it and retreated to the nursery.
Arthur lay breathing quietly, his tiny fists tucked beneath his chin. Diana watched him, her heart twisting.
On one side, this defenseless scrap who hadnt asked for any of itand on the other, Sophie, driven into a corner. There was no good answer.
She pulled out her phone and opened WhatsApp. Sophie had been online just minutes ago. Diana typed, deleted, then retyped.
Sophie, its Di. Im not asking you to come back to him. I just want to know youre okay. And its hard, looking after him on my own. Can we talk, just calmly?
A reply came ten minutes later.
Im at a hotel. Work trip up north in three days, gone for three weeks. Was booked ages agobefore I even found out well, never mind. When Im back, Ill file for divorce. Im not abandoning Arthur, Di. I just cant be there right now. I cant even look at himhes all George to me, you know?
Diana exhaled.
I get it. Really, I do. He told me everything.
Hows he acting? Proud of himself?
Something like that. Hes still convinced youll come back.
He can dream on. Di, if it gets too much, just say. Ill find a way to pay for a nanny or send money, whatever. But Im never coming back to him. Not ever.
Diana put down her phone and sighed. She needed to find work, pay her debts, get her own life back on track. But she couldnt just up sticks and leave Arthur with George, who still couldnt tell a nappy from a napkin.
***
The next three days could best be described as an endless trudge through wet cement.
George would come in late, shovel down food, and fall into bed. Any time Diana asked him to help, it was always, Im knackered, or Youre better at this stuff.
One night, Arthur howled so much that Diana snapped. She marched to her brothers room, flicked on the light.
Get up. Now.
George winced, pulling a pillow over his head.
Di, go away. Im up at six.
I dont care. Go and rock your son. Hes hungry and my hands are shaking from exhaustion.
You lost your mind? George blinked at her, hair wild. Youre living here rent-free, bills and all!
Oh, I see. So Im the household help now, am I?
Call it what you want, he muttered. Once Sophies back you can have a break. Till then, earn your keep.
Diana left before she threw something. She spent the rest of that night on the kitchen floor, rocking the bassinet with her foot and plotting her next move. George had gone completely off the rails.
Once he left for work in the morning, Diana sent Sophie another message.
We need to meet. Today, if possible. While hes out. Please.
Sophie agreed, sounding exhausted.
They met in a tiny park round the corner. Sophie looked terrible: pale, shadows under her eyes, thinner than ever.
She stared into the pram for ages, hands trembling.
Hes grown, she whispered. Changed so much in just two weeks.
He wouldnt recognize you now, Diana said softly.
I know. Sophie covered her face. Di, I know I sound like a monster. I think I love him, somewhere deep downI know hes mine. But when I think about staying here with George, sleeping in the same bed as the man who lied to me like that I can barely breathe.
What if you didnt have to stay with George? Diana asked.
Sophie looked up, confused.
What do you mean?
He thinks youre not going anywhere. Like you and the baby belong to him. But lets be honest: hes not a father, hes running some kind of Perfect Family project with Arthur as the trophy. He never gets up for night feeds, hasnt got a clue how much formula to make. All he wanted was a son on paper, not the actual business of parenting.
So, what are you saying?
You go on your business trip as planned, Diana said firmly. Work, collect yourself. Ill stay here for three more weeksgive us a little time to set things up.
What sort of things?
Divorce. Figuring out custody. You dont have to go back to him. You can get your own flat, Ill move in with you and help with Arthur while you work. My freelance gigs are starting to trickle back in; well manage, just us two.
Sophie stared at her, uncertain.
Youd go against your brother?
Hes my brother, but what he did was rotten. I wont be part of it. He thinks Im on his side because Ive nowhere else to gohes wrong.
A sunbeam bounced along the prams hood. Sophie watched it, silent for a long time.
What about him? He wont just give up Arthur. Hell hit the roof.
He will, Diana said. But weve got one ace up our sleevehe admitted swapping your contraception. If that comes up in court, with witnessesits done. Ill testify to the whole lot. And Ill mention his help at home, too.
He doesnt want the child, Sophie. He just wants control. Once reality hits and he sees how much hard work Arthur really is, hell step back. Much easier to play the heroic abandoned father for sympathy than actually do the nappy changes.
For the first time in weeks, Sophie managed a weak smile. Youve grown up, Di.
Had to, Diana smiled. So, do we have a deal?
Yes. Thank you.
The next three weeks passed in a blur.
George grew more irritable by the day, finally noticing that Diana had stopped leaping to attention with his dinner every time he walked in the door.
Whens Sophie back? he snapped one evening, slamming his briefcase onto the sofa.
Tomorrow, Diana answered, clutching Arthur.
About time. Maybe we can finally eat something decentdone with your pasta. Better get her a present, so she cant have a go at me. Earrings or something Women love all that.
Diana eyed him with real disgust.
You honestly think a pair of earrings is going to fix this?
George strode over and tried to ruffle her shoulder affectionatelyshe dodged. Stop making a drama out of nothing. Shell get over it. You women always do. The point is, I got us the son, the family carries on.
Diana said nothing.
***
Next morning, Sophie arrived while George was still at work. She didnt even come upwaited outside in the car. Diana had already packed Arthurs things, her own suitcase, everything essential.
It took three trips to ferry it all down. Arthur slept soundly in his car seat.
With the last bag loaded, Diana went back up to the flat to leave the keys behind. She placed them on the kitchen table, in the same spot Georges hairbrush had been three weeks earlier. Next to the keys, she left a note.
Georgeweve gone. Dont bother looking for Sophie. Shell be in touch via solicitor. Arthurs with her. Im going too. You wanted a family, but forgot families are built on trust, not trickery. The pastas in the fridge. From now on, youre on your own with it.
And they drove away.
Sophie rented a small, but cosy, place across town. The first few days were tough: Arthur fussed at his new surroundings, Sophie cried at odd moments, and Dianas phone pinged constantly with Georges furious calls and abusive texts.
He ranted, threatened to take them to court and take the baby, leave them penniless.
Diana listened calmly.
They survived.
Once hed raged himself hoarse, George quietly disappeared off the radar.
The divorce went through in court; George didnt even pretend to want full custody. Diana had been righthe wasnt interested in the bother, just wanted rid, and sent over child support like paying a bar bill.
He didnt even bother insisting on seeing his heir. And neither Diana nor Sophie shed a single tear.
