The Torn Up Marriage Read Online Free PDF Page A

a cheeky grin in return.
    She liked Mel. They had clicked several months ago when Emily and her son, Jack, had made friends at nursery. The children began playing over at each other’s houses, she and Mel chatting easily over coffee, sharing toddler-tantrum stories and remembering how life used to be BC – Before Children. Mel was different from most of the mums Kate had met, the ones who seemed intent on competing with you, having Superkids and being Supermum. With Mel, it was okay to be yourself and admit it wasn’t always easy. And Jammy Dodgers and chocolate fingers were fine at snack time, all the better for sharing with the parents, in fact, not a homemade sugar-free, sunflower-seed, organic muesli bar in sight.
    “Well,” Mel started, “I’ve just had to endure Miss Rebecca’s full-on tantrum about wanting to wear her brand-new satin shoes to school.” Rebecca was Mel’s eldest, a year older than Charlotte. “
Yes
,” she carried on, recounting the argument, “they are black and black is allowed, but
no
they are not suitable for school and will be ruined within an hour. And yes, I know they were for your birthday and it’s only three days ago, but I’m sure Granny Hall would not want to see them spoiled the next time she pops in.” Mel rolled her eyes exaggeratedly.
    Kate smiled. So the world was carrying on as normal. God, it would be so nice to go back a day, to when a six-year-old’s tantrums were the worst thing you had to face. But she was grateful for the easy chatter.
    “Oh, Mel,” she sighed, “It’s a minefield isn’t it, parenting.”
Parenting. Marriage.
    They reached the top of the hill, rounded the corner and turned through a wooden gate into a courtyard. Bright pots of primulas marked the nursery entrance. They made their way in through red swing doors to a large playroom painted with murals of flowers and animals. Pictures the children had created were pinned to boards, colourful mobiles hanging from the ceiling. Kate helped Emily take off her coat, the mittens swinging with an air of vulnerability on their ropes emerging from the sleeves. Emily hung it on her peg.
    A young assistant came across. “Hello, Emily. Hi, Jack. Are you ready to play?”
    Emily nodded seriously, her blue eyes gazing up at the girl. They were so very like her father’s. Kate leaned in to kiss the top of her head, where the blonde curls were wispy, fine and baby-like, around the fringe. The kiss caught in Kate’s throat and she knew tears were close behind. Christ, she had to get a grip on herself.
    She coughed, muttered, “Bye. Have a lovely morning, sweetheart,” as Emily took the assistant’s hand and wandered across to a low table set out with play-dough and plastic rolling pins.
    She had to get outside and pushed through the swing doors. Didn’t know how much longer she could hold it together.
    Damn. Mel was there at her side, “Well, they seem happy enough.”
    “Uh-huh…Well, I’d better get on.” Kate started manoeuvring the empty buggy, keeping her glance low.
    “Kate, is everything alright?” The words echoed Michael’s from last night.
    She took a slow breath, staring at the wall, not wanting to catch Mel’s eye. Not wanting to catch herself out. She kicked up the brake on the pushchair and looked down at that instead. “Yep, fine. Just a bit tired. Sorry, got to dash. Got a lot on today. We’ll catch up soon, okay?”
    “Yeah, that’d be great. Maybe we could meet in town. A latte, or lunch? What do you think?” Mel found herself talking to the back of Kate’s head.
    “Yep, that sounds good.” Kate started to walk away, emotions clutching her chest, making it hard to speak, “I–I’ll ring you.”
    She was glad to get out of the nursery’s courtyard to the space and anonymity of the street. She sped up, didn’t want Mel catching up with her, just heard the slightly bemused tone of her friend, “Bye, then. See you soon.”
    But what to do now? Where to go? A whole