The Anniversary

Someone else in bed with her.

Toby had had to shut his thoughts down by that point. He didn’t want to think about his wife, the woman he loved, in bed with another man.

He was really screwed up if his brother’s attempts to taint their marriage were starting to work. Or maybe it was that adage if you go at it long enough something will happen. Toby hoped that wasn’t the case.

He had finally fallen asleep just after three, sprawled out across the cushions. The clock on the wall said six-thirty when he woke again. But he wasn’t alone. Sometime during the night Simone had come into the lounge and laid down on the couch beside him. Toby had rolled over and now his arm was around her waist with their legs tangled together. He had lain there for a moment before his brain kicked in, shaking away the sleepy cobwebs.

Simone had woken the moment Toby pulled away and sat up, trying to put as much distance between them as he could. The expression on her face had broken Toby’s heart. He wanted to go and comfort her, tell her that he was sorry and he was being foolish, but his pride told him he couldn’t comfort her until he knew the truth about her.

The rest of the morning had passed awkwardly. Toby had taken his clothes into the bathroom and dressed alone after his shower. Simone was already dressed and making breakfast for the children when he came back in, cooking up their usual breakfast spread. But with the lead settled in his stomach, Toby couldn’t eat a thing. He nibbled on a bit of toast before saying he was going into his office.

He had hung around trying to do something that wasn’t twiddling his thumbs until he heard the front door open and close. Simone would take Craig and Nick to school and then she was going to see her sister for her weekly coffee morning, which they kept to without fail. Toby had thought Simone was a predictable person and she always shared her schedule with him.

He wondered what she had been keeping from him over the years.

Toby waited a few minutes until he was sure they were out the house before venturing out. Carl was still at the dining table. He had ventured out for breakfast and managed a healthy amount, which had made Simone relieved that his appetite was back. He was still finishing off another helping. Toby wondered where the food went and how his three children weren’t built like balloons; the amount of food they ate needed to go somewhere.

“Dad?”

Toby realized he had been staring and pressed his fingers to his temples, telling himself to get back to reality.

“Sorry, Carl, I was miles away.”

“I noticed.” Carl sipped at his juice and peered at his father curiously. “You okay?”

Toby sat in his usual chair and sat back, snagging a piece of toast.

“Shouldn’t that be my question to you?”

“Possibly.” Carl looked pained. “My head hurts like hell. I’m lucky my skull wasn’t cracked, just bruised.”

Toby was glad as well. It went to show that the Reynolds boys were certainly hard-headed. He sat forward and reached for the coffee pot, finding it still warm, and poured himself a cup.

“Well, you don’t need to worry about anything today. The school said they can get a tutor out to you but not until tomorrow so all you need to do is just rest.”

“Are they going to press charges?”

Carl sounded worried. Toby didn’t blame him. He sighed.

“If you don’t I’m sure the school will if they find security footage. It would be easier if you’re more forthcoming about it but until someone presses charges you don’t have to do anything right now.”

That seemed to ease Carl a little bit. But not much. Toby knew if it had been him he would have said something immediately. But Carl was different and always thought of the wider picture. He was a lot like his mother in that aspect.

“I’ll also be at home today so I can check on you.”

“I managed to get through last night on my own. I’m okay.”

“Says the boy who tried to put the milk on the kettle stand and the kettle in the fridge this morning.”

Carl hung his head but he gave a small chuckle. Toby bit back a laugh, remembering the look on his son’s face as he tried to figure out what was going on when he couldn’t get the milk carton to stay on the stand where the kettle was housed, nearly spilling it everywhere. Craig and Nick had been in stitches and Simone didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

“Okay, I am a bit sleep-deprived. Those painkillers eased the headaches but they gave me insomnia.” Carl stood, refilling his glass with juice. “I’m going to my room for a bit. I’ll try and get some sleep.”

“If you need me I’ll be outside.” Toby sipped his coffee. “I’m going to make the most of the sun today.”

*****

“Dad?”

Toby looked up from his book. He had been reading but the words had been blurring together. He couldn’t concentrate. Doubts about Simone and worries that she was doing exactly what Mike predicted had been going around in his head. He didn’t believe Simone could do something like that but people did things others didn’t expect.

Squinting against the sun behind his glasses, Toby saw Carl standing next to his sun lounger. He had changed from the t-shirt and shorts he had been wearing for bed into his swimming shorts and a clean t-shirt. The bandage around his head had gone but the one holding the wad over his wound was still there, held down by medical tape. His hair was stuck up in different directions from being stuck in the same position for twelve hours.

“What’s the matter, Carl?” Toby put his book aside and sat forward. “You okay?”

“I’m fine.” Carl looked sheepish. “Can I ask for some help with something?”

“Of course you can.” Toby urged him to sit on the lounger beside him. Then he swung his legs around so he sat on the edge, elbows on his knees and clasping his hands. “What sort of help were you asking for?”

Carl sat opposite, holding himself in the same position as his father. Toby couldn’t believe how grown up his son looked. Seventeen years old and the world ahead of him. He would be grown up and leaving the home soon. Toby suddenly realized he didn’t want his son to leave him.

Where had that come from?

Carl sighed and looked down at the floor.

“There’s a girl at school.” He started hesitantly. “Louise. She’s really nice.”

“The girl I met at the hospital? The one who used to date the guy who attacked you with a baseball bat?”