The Other Woman
Emily sat in her car, staring at the satnavs softly glowing screen. This was the right placeno mistake. All she needed now was the nerve to do what shed come for. Taking a deep breath, Emily climbed out from behind the wheel, her hands trembling. After walking the short distance down the high street, she stopped at the entrance to a small café. Bean Eden, the sign read in playful lettering. Emily couldnt help but snort. “Heavenly, really?” flashed through her mind. She was meant to step inside and meet her husbands mistressthe woman whod wrenched her family apart.
What did she even know about this girl? Not much at all. Her husband called her Kitten. That was his tender pet name for her, and it made Emilys stomach churn. She was a waitress here, apparently. Emily chose a seat near the window and waited, her nerves jangling every time someone approached. Then, there she was. No doubt about itshe recognised her from the picture, the girl making her way over now.
Those few seconds stretched on endlessly. Thoughts raced across Emilys mind, more than could fill a novel. When the waitress reached the table, she greeted her cheerfully. Emily flicked her eyes to her badge. Katie, it said.
So that was her name. Her husband didnt stretch his imagination much, did he, calling Katie “Kitten”? Meanwhile, Katie, oblivious to the tempest swirling inside her customer, continued, “Can I bring you a menu? Just give me a wave when youre ready to order.”
Emily gave her brightest smile while her eyes traced over her rival, scrutinising her as though under a harsh light. How had she ended up face-to-face with her husbands lover? That was a long story.
For ten years, Emily had been happily married to David. Or so shed thought. They had a daughter, Grace, who was eight and the centre of Davids worlda real Daddys girl, endlessly spoiled. Emily sometimes wondered if Grace loved her father more than her, but she didnt mind. Emily, trained as a psychologist and working as a therapist, knew better than most how important a fathers love was for a young girls future happiness.
She and David always tried to talk over problems before they boiled over; they rarely argued. They were a textbook, middle-class English family: a flat with a mortgage, a car, and a small cottage up in the Cotswolds.
Then, out of nowherean affair.
Emily found out by accident. David was in the shower when his phone rang. He called out, “Could you grab that, love? Itll be Dad, he said hed ring tonight!”
Emily had never answered his phone before, but since hed asked, she picked it up. But it wasnt his father callingit was someone else. Kitten, said the contact name, with a photo alongside it: a young woman, arms wrapped around David.
Emilys legs nearly gave way. Should she answer? Say something? Before she could, the call ended. She was about to put the phone down when a notification flashed up. “Davey, Im working Monday and Tuesday next week, pop by Bean Eden at the end of my shift. Ive been dying to make you my special coffee. Miss you, love you…” The message taunted her amid a string of smiley faces.
Emily snatched her hand away from the phone as if it were a snake. Her stomach twisted, but there was little room for doubt. “Kitten,” the embrace, the messagesDavid was seeing someone else. For how long? Was it just a fling, or something more? Whatever it was, the shock hit hard.
When David finished his shower, he asked if shed spoken to his dad. She muttered no, that she hadnt quite got to the phone, and mentioned feeling a headache, saying she was off to the chemist. But of course, she didnt go. She sat on a bench in the tiny square near their block, replaying their life together, trying to find where it had all gone wrong.
Emily wasnt the sort of woman to simply pretend nothing had happened and let the marriage limp along. That wasn’t her style. But neither was she given to dramatic arguments. She preferred calm, rational decisions, however painful.
Initially, she wanted to march up to David and demand the truth about “Kitten.” But that would mean admitting shed peeked at his messages. No, she needed another approach.
It was their ten-year anniversary next week. Theyd planned to celebrate at a cosy bistro with Grace, then have relatives over at the weekend. How could she celebrate now? Emilys frustration brimmed over; on that lonely bench, shed sobbed with rage and helplessness. She nearly packed up Davids things then and there, prepared to hurl them onto the street. Let him go to his “Kitten,” or away entirely.
But Gracewhat about Grace? How would she cope? She adored her father. What about the mortgage? What would she say to her parents? Worst of all, how could Emily carry on loving David? Her headache, this time, was very real.
Suddenly, she remembered the name of the café. The work schedule. She even knew what the mistress looked like. Maybe… Maybe shed go herself, see this girl with her own eyes. Maybe even talk to her.
The next few days passed in a fog of sleeplessness. She faked normality, but it was wearing on both daughter and husband. She blamed work, told Grace and David that she was stressed about a tricky client and would need to see her supervisor. Grace just hugged her, lost; David watched her, puzzled and wary.
Finally, Emily drove out here, driven by the need to see “Kitten,” and perhaps, put all her doubts to rest.
***
“Ill have a latte, and maybe a dessert,” Emily told Katie, keeping her tone even. “What do you recommend?”
“We do a good honey sponge,” Katie answered politely.
“Alright. Ill try that.”
When the supposed other woman set down the order, Emily barely touched it. The latte was unimpressive; the cake average. The place was quietunsurprising, it was only eleven in the morning. Emily had chosen this time deliberately, hoping to catch the waitress between orders. Soon enough, Katie wandered over.
“Youve barely touched your pudding. Not to your liking? Would you like to try something else?”
“No, its not the cake. Just have a lot on my mind.”
“Sorry, Ill leave you be…”
“Actually, Katie, youre not troubling me. Im just weighing up my next move. Should I finish my dessertor file for divorce? What would you do?” Emily fixed her with a searching gaze.
Katie looked alarmed, the customer seeming more than a little off.
“Ive never had to make a choice like that…”
“But if you did? What if you found out your husband was cheating?”
No answer. Katie just stared, increasingly uncomfortable, so Emily shifted tack.
“Have you worked here long?”
“About a year,” she replied, wary.
“Are you a student?”
“Yes,” suspicion colouring her tone, but she kept answering.
“And what do you study, if you dont mind me asking?”
“The arts, at UCL,” Katie said, glancing away.
“Interesting. You must have a vivid imagination then?”
“I… Im not sure I follow.”
“For instance, could you put yourself in the shoes of a wronged wifeor, say, the other woman? Feel what theyre feeling?”
Katies silence grew tense. Emily realised the whole situation was pointless. Shed seen the girl; what now? Should she attack her, pour cold latte down her top? Would that help? No, of course not. Emily let out a tired sigh.
“Could I get the bill, please?”
When Katie brought it back, Emily was gone, leaving the payment beneath a glassgenerous tip and all. Katie glanced after her, sighed, and returned to her cleaning.
***
Sitting in that café, Emily made her choice. She would go through with their anniversary, for Graces sake. The child had spent weeks planning for the day, making a homemade Happy Anniversary sign for her parents. Emily could wait; after the celebrations, she would have it out with David.
The evening of the anniversary arrived. They were in their favourite bistro, all three together. Ten years. What was this one calledthe tin or wood anniversary? “More like glass,” Emily thought bitterly. “Ready to shatter as I keep pretending everythings alright.” The meal wound down. David flashed Grace a twinkle.
“Cant have a party without cake!” he declared.
“I want the biggest slice!” Grace squealed.
David signalled to the staff. Emily watched, just holding it together for her daughter, when she saw who emerged from the kitchen with the cake. She gaped. It was Katieor rather “Kitten,” or the affair herself, no denying it.
Katie set the cake down and lingered, David grinning at her before turning to Emily.
“Happy anniversary, darling! This ones especially for you.”
A childrens entertainer distracted Grace and whisked her away to join a game. Emily was too shocked to speak. David stepped in.
“Turns out youre already acquainted with Katie,” he said breezily.
Katie nodded at Emily, all politeness.
“Nothing will ever break what weve built together. Im so lucky to have you,” David said, going in for an embrace. Emily recoiled.
“What is all this, David?” she found her voice at last.
He shrugged sheepishly. “Its a prank. Silly, really. I booked through an event agencythey do custom surprises. For us, it was me ‘having an affair.’ But you, Emily! You handled it so wellcool, dignified. Honestly, Im in awe.”
“Are you actually telling me there is no other woman?” Emily said, her voice rising.
“No! Katies a drama student, works here part-timeand occasionally for the agency. Thats all.”
Katie piped up, “Im still learning, but the agency gives us jobs. You were so composed, Mrs. Edwards. Once, someone threw coffee all over me. Some women shout the place downbut not you. You just talked to me, left a tip…”
Emily sputtered. “And you think this is funny? Acceptable? How on earth could you think of this on our anniversary?” Her voice shook and threatened to breakanger boiling over.
Katie made to leave, but Emily raised her hand. David, for the first time, saw his wife snap. Normally calm and level-headed, she let her feelings pour out.
“Do you have any idea how Ive spent these last days? Why did you even think of doing this, now?”
“Its justwellEmily, youre always so… measured. I thought maybe, you know, a bit of drama might liven things up. Im sorry, I really am”
Emily barely restrained herself. Katie managed to slip off.
“Oh, spice, is it? Need more excitement? Here you go!” Emily picked up the dessert and, with one angry swipe, smeared it across Davids stunned face. “Heres your spice. Filling too. All in one!”
David scrambled to wipe cream from his eyes, sputtering.
“Have you lost your mind?”
“No, darling,” Emily sang out, sweet as sugar. “Just decided to shake things up a bit!”
With that, she stood and strode towards the exit.
“Whats got into you?” David shouted after her. “I havent even cheated, for goodness sake!”
Emily paused, turned, and said, with all the feeling in the world, “Wouldve been better if you had!”
She went to Grace, took her hand, and the two stepped out into the cool evening air. Emily took a deep breath, inhaling the London dusk, and suddenly laugheda full, honest laugh.
“Mum? Whats so funny?”
“Oh, nothing, love. I just remembered a joke.”
“Will you tell me?”
“I will. But first, we need to have a proper chat. You see, its likely well be living without Daddy for a little while…”
“Without Daddy? Forever?” Graces eyes widened fearfully.
“Im not sure yet,” Emily replied truthfully. “Time will tell. But youll be with me. Alright?”
Grace nodded, trusting, and together, they walked down the glowing, busy street into the night.
