Page 70 of A Letter to the Last House Before the Sea

How drunk was she? Lettie grabbed Daisy’s arm more securely and began to half-pull her up the steep path.

‘I’m not luckier, so pack it in.’

‘You are. You really, honestly, truly are. Two men! Huh.’

‘You have Jason.’

‘I know. Lovely dependable Jason. Mum says he’s just like Dad.’

Daisy stopped sniffing and started to sob, loudly.

‘Come on,’ said Lettie, patting her sister’s shoulder awkwardly. ‘Come on… sis. You’ve just had too much to drink after a tiring day.’

‘I’m thinking of leaving him,’ said Daisy, stopping so suddenly, Lettie almost slipped and fell.

‘Leaving who?’

‘Jason, of course.’

Jason, Superman Jason, ‘the best husband in the world’ Jason? Lettie could hardly believe what she was hearing.

‘Why would you be thinking of leaving him? Is he playing away?’

Daisy stopped crying and stared at Lettie. ‘An affair? Are you mad? Why would Jason find someone else? Do you think he has? Is he cheating on me?’

‘No, of course not. He wouldn’t. I just thought… you said you were thinking of leaving him.’

‘I am.’

‘Why?’

‘Because my life is rubbish.’

‘Your perfect life?’ Lettie began to laugh but stopped when she saw Daisy’s scowling face. ‘You’re joking, right? You’re always telling me how wonderful and perfect your marriage is.’

‘I’m lying,’ said Daisy bluntly. ‘It’s no fun at all. In fact, it’s boring. I’m either working or doing housework or looking after the kids.’

‘You have a lovely house,’ said Lettie desperately.

‘It’s only lovely because I work my fingers to the bone on it.’

‘You are quite…’ Lettie winced. ‘House-proud. Maybe you do more housework than you need?’

Daisy stared at her sister as though she’d taken leave of her senses. ‘House-proud? I have standards, Lettie. That’s all. Standards. But do you know what my loving husband surprised me with for my birthday last month?’ She barrelled on without giving Lettie a chance to reply. ‘A steam mop.’

‘You said he’d bought you a night in a spa.’

‘I… was economical with the truth. I got it myself off the internet when it was on special offer.’

‘A mop isn’t the most romantic of presents, but Jason’s quite a practical man, I suppose. That’s what you love about him.’

‘He’s boring,’ wailed Daisy.

‘But you’ve always told me that boring is just the way life can be and there’s no point in wanting more.’

‘Are you quite sure I said that? I thought solid and dependable was what I wanted, but now I’m not so sure. I want to have two men on the go, like you.’

Daisy blew her nose loudly into a tissue while Lettie wondered what on earth to do. She’d never seen her sister like this before.