Louise Bentley is a feisty, wild, 'let's-go-to-Capri-for-the-weekend-yeah?' kind of girl. She spends her days working at a party-planning company. Oh, and she never wants kids. Ever.
Ben Langford is a studious, quiet, 'I'm-busy-reading' sort of man...
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Louise woke to an empty bed.
She sat up, squinting in the early morning light. Ben's briefcase was gone, and a warm, humid cloud drifted from the bathroom, mixing with the scent of pine aftershave. Heat rushed to her cheeks. Jesus, had Ben showered in their room? Had he walked around in a towel while she slept a few meters away?
Not that it was theirroom, Louise thought quickly. Definitely not. It was Ben's room; she'd just stayed the night in it.
Still.
She'd managed to sleep for a few hours, and that was something to celebrate.
Louise shrugged on a white cardigan, tiptoeing to the kids' room. Hugh was awake, reading a picture book in bed. Vienna was out cold, drool dribbling from her mouth. Louise pressed a kiss to her forehead.
"Morning," she said. "Did you sleep okay?"
Hugh looked up. Nodded.
"Good." Louise scooped a sleepy Vienna into her arms, balancing the toddler on her hip. "Is pancakes okay for breakfast?"
Hugh's nose wrinkled. "It's a school d-d-day."
"Oh," Louise said. "Right." She'd forgotten that Millie was a "pancakes-on-Sunday" type of person, as opposed to Louise, who believed that pancakes were an everyday meal — usually doused in chocolate syrup and strawberries. "So no pancakes?"
Hugh shook his head. "Cereal, p-p-please."
Louise sighed.
Well, fine. Boring breakfast it was.
She went through the morning on automatic: breakfast was made; lunchboxes were packed; Hugh needed a form signed, and Vienna needed her hair brushed. By the time Louise shepherded the kids out of the house, they were running fifteen minutes late. She glanced at the car. Would it be faster to drive?
Nausea crawled up her throat.
It didn't matter.
Louise couldn't bring herself to drive. Not yet.
They took the tube instead, weaving in and out of harried-looking commuters talking into cellphones. Luckily, Hugh's school and Vienna's daycare were only a street apart, and Louise managed to drop them off just in time.
"Bye, darling!" Louise waved at Hugh as he ascended the steps. "Have a good day."
Hugh clutched the strap of his backpack, giving her a wounded look that clearly said, how could you abandon me here? Louise sighed. She didn't blame him; she hadn't exactly relished sitting in a classroom and reciting multiplication tables after her parents died. School had seemed so trivial compared to everything else going on.
Still.
It had to be done.
Louise backtracked towards the tube station, stopping at the nearest Costa to place an order for a large black coffee. She'd need it today.
