Page 64 of The Missus

Alanna seemed appalled. ‘I’m sorry about that.’

‘She was just shocked. But can you just check in with her? I don’t think I can face her until I know it’s all sorted.’

‘Sure. Where is she?’

‘I think she’s in your… in the study…’ Keira said, rolling her eyes.

Alanna left and came back a moment later. ‘She’s not there. I think she’s out.’

‘Oh.’

‘Maybe she’s with Ed, sorting things out. Maybe you seeing her tits was the last straw, and she’s gone to beg him for a second chance,’ Alanna said, snorting.

‘I sawnothing,’ Keira said emphatically. ‘It was all steam. You have to believe me.’

‘I’m just messing.’ Alanna’s smile faded. ‘Look, while we’ve got a moment, I need to… Can I talk to you about something?’ Alanna asked, suddenly serious.

‘OK…’ Keira said nervously. She wondered if she was about to get a fake divorce. Maybe Alanna was ready to move on from the arrangement? Maybe she was getting her own place?

The thought of Alanna leaving made Keira want to throw up. She was shocked by that gut reaction.

‘Great. Ummm. The thing is—’ Alanna began.

There was a loud rap on the front door. ‘Hold that thought.’ Keira went to the door to find Ed looking anxious and forlorn.

‘Keira, hello. I’m so sorry to impose on you like this. I was just…’

‘Ed, hi!’ said Keira. She was sort of glad to see him again. And she was grateful for the interruption. If Alanna was leaving, Keira wanted to keep that moment as far in the future as she could. Even if only an hour.

Right then was the moment. She knew.

This feeling would not simply go away in a week or two. The possibility that Alanna might leave was so utterly unbearable to her. It had brought the miserable truth into sharp focus.

It was love, and Keira was neck-deep in it.

‘Is your mother here? There’s something I need to say to her,’ Ed asked.

‘No. We thought she might be with you?’ Keira said, putting aside all shock realisations for the time being.

‘No. No. If she’s not here, she’s probably at the bank,’ Ed said sadly.

‘Why would she be at the bank?’ Keira asked.

‘Trying to get them to…’ Ed paused. ‘Did she tell you what happened?’

‘No,’ Alanna said. ‘My mother’s being secretive about everything. As ever.’

He looked at them. ‘I suppose I don’t have to protect her anymore, considering what she’s done. She got scammed.’

Alanna and Keira swapped a look. ‘Scammed?’ Keira repeated.

‘She met a man on the internet. He told her he was a retired astronaut living in Florida. She was leaving me for him.’

‘Jesus, Ed,’ Keira exclaimed. ‘A bloody astronaut?’

‘It would have been bad enough if he’d actually existed. But of course, he didn’t. He conned her out of sixty grand. Told her he was going to build her a new house, amansion, but that the plot of land he wanted to build on was up for sale now and his money was tied up in investments. She believed it.’

‘She can’t have been that stupid!’ Keira cried.