Days Like These Read Free Page A

shook her head. It was hard to hold back the tears.
    'I'm so sorry,' Jenny said as they moved apart. 'How are you?'
    Meg shrugged and turned to lead the way into the kitchen.
    'You've heard nothing?' Jenny said, following her.
    'He called me at work, to say he'd been to collect his things. But that's all.'
    'That's not good, is it? So he isn't coming back?'
    'I don't know. Oh, Jenny! I just don't know what's happening.'
    Jenny gave a sad smile and walked over to put the kettle on. She was so competent, Meg thought dully, watching her. Nothing like this would ever happen to her.
    'But what do you think?' Jenny asked.
    Meg shook her head. 'I don't know,' she repeated miserably. 'I really don't know.'
    'Was anything wrong? Have you been having problems?'
    'No. Nothing was wrong. Nothing at all.'
    'We did wonder, Mike and I. We seem to have seen Jamie about the town a lot lately.'
    'Oh, he's always out and about. That's what he likes. He can't be stuck in the house all the time.'
    'Without you, though?'
    'I like to be at home. I'm too tired to be out every night.'
    Jenny sipped her coffee thoughtfully. 'Had he been drinking more than usual?' she asked.
    'Not really, no. He doesn't drink a lot anyway. Why?'
    'Just wondered. Maybe he's having difficulties at work?'
    'No, he isn't. He's selling more cars than ever.'
    'What about in bed?'
    Meg coloured. 'No problems there either,' she said with some resentment. 'Anyway, what are you and Mike going to do about your holidays this year? You've never said.'
    They were both teachers, and holidays were important to them.
    Jenny smiled. 'You're hopeless at changing the subject,' she chided. 'You really are.'
    Meg smiled back reluctantly.
    'Do you still love him?'
    'Of course!' she said quickly. 'Don't be so silly.'
    She could tell Jenny was thinking, if not actually asking, if Jamie still loved her. She didn't know the answer to that one. Until two days ago, she wouldn't have had any doubts at all. Now she didn't know.
    'Let's go shopping?' Jenny suggested.' See if we can find some shoes we like. You need to think about something else for a while.'
    Meg shook her head. 'No,' she said firmly. 'I can't do that.'
    'Lunch, then? That little pizza place round the corner?'
    *
    Gianni's was quiet for once. The place was still recovering from the night before. The waiters solemnly distributed dishes and plates as if they were part of a religious ceremony. No candles burned in the holders that were smothered with congealed wax. Very little light penetrated the grimy windows and the still-closed blinds. In its very dishevelled ordinariness, Gianni's was comforting. Meg began to relax.
    'He's gone for good, hasn't he?' she said, surprising herself.
    Jenny looked up from the menu.
    'Jamie, I mean.'
    Jenny squeezed her arm. 'I don't know, sweetheart. What did he say?'
    'He said he was going for good.'
    'Well, that's ….' Jenny paused. She had been going to say that was a pretty good clue. But she started again: 'It's too soon, Meg. He might just have been saying that. He'd had a bad day.'
    'No.' Meg shook her head. 'He meant it. He's gone. What am I to do?'
    'Have a glass of wine?'
    They stared at one another until it sank in and became the funniest thing Meg had heard in a long time. Then she began to smile, to chuckle and finally to laugh out loud. 'Yes!' she said. 'A glass of wine. That's the answer!'
    It did her good, too. The wine. And the company. It really did help to talk.
    'So what will you do?' Jenny asked as they were about to leave.
    'Wait,' Meg said with more confidence than she could have found an hour or two earlier. 'I'm not throwing everything away just because Jamie's in a funny mood. I'll give him time. He'll come round.'
    'You're very sensible,' Jenny said. 'And for what it's worth, I think you're right. You can't throw all those years away just because of a little upset. Men, eh?'
    They linked arms and made their way outside, where they parted.
    Sensible? Meg wondered as she set off