The Marriage Mender by Linda Green Read Free Book Online Page A

other times couples came to see me and I knew, during that very first appointment, that I would move heaven and earth to try to help them sort things out.
    ‘It’s OK,’ I said. ‘We’ll find a way through this together. It might take time, but we’ll get there.’
    Bob nodded solemnly. Jayne took another tissue from the box.
    * * *
    Debbie was picking Matilda up after school. We’d arranged the play date – or rather, Matilda and Sophie had arranged it – the previous week. As it happened, it couldn’t have been better timing. I wanted to be there when Josh came home from school. To grab that small window oftime before Chris came home from work to be able to talk to him alone.
    I hadn’t spoken to Chris all day. I’d sent him a text telling him I loved him. I’d got one straight back saying the same thing. It was from his outbox. Number three on the scroll-down menu after ‘I’ll pick Tilda up from school’ and ‘Have we got anything planned for Saturday?’
    He didn’t do weddings if he could help it. He’d never advertised himself as a wedding photographer. But word got around, people passed on numbers and, if he took a family portrait they liked, people assumed that he’d be up to do weddings. And sometimes he did. If he was having a quiet month, and if they asked nicely, and particularly if they agreed to his suggestion to shoot it reportage-style in black and white. Anyone who asked for stiff, formal, bride’s-side-of-the-family group shots was told that, unfortunately, he was unavailable that weekend. Even if we had nothing on at all.
    It was four thirty before I heard Josh’s key in the door. Maybe he’d gone to Tom’s house. Perhaps they’d gone down to Hebden to hang out for a bit. Or maybe he’d just needed some time alone.
    I heard him throw his rucksack down in the hall. He came straight through to the kitchen.
    ‘I’m going to meet her,’ he said.
    ‘OK,’ I said, drying my hands on the towel and turning to face him.
    ‘If I don’t like her, I won’t see her again.’
    ‘Fine, you call the shots on this one.’
    ‘Is Dad going to be mad at me?’
    I shook my head. ‘No, but he’s going to find it hard. We need to give him some space and time to get his head around it all.’
    ‘Where shall I meet her?’
    ‘Well, probably not best to ask her here. Somewhere neutral where you’ll both feel comfortable. The Milk Bar in Hebden, maybe?’
    Josh shrugged. No doubt he considered himself too old for it now, but he was at that awkward age which was also too young for pubs.
    ‘I guess so,’ he said.
    ‘Do you want someone to come with you?’
    ‘I’m not a kid.’
    ‘I know. But it might be a bit awkward, and I expect you’ll both be feeling a little nervous. And sometimes it’s just better to have someone else with you to help break the ice.’
    He thought for a moment. ‘Not Dad,’ he said.
    I breathed a silent sigh of relief that I wasn’t going to have to ask him.
    ‘You can come. Just the first time, though. If I decide to see her again, I’ll be fine by myself.’
    ‘OK. How soon do you want to arrange it?’
    ‘Soon.’
    ‘What about the weekend? Saturday afternoon, maybe. Dad’s not working, so he could have Matilda.’
    ‘Are you going to tell her?’
    ‘I don’t know. I think I probably should do. I don’t want to have to lie to her about where we’re going.’
    ‘She’ll want to come too.’
    ‘I’ll explain to her that she can’t.’
    ‘OK. Saturday afternoon, then. I’ll text her. I don’t want to speak to her. Not before I’ve actually met her. I think it’s better that way.’
    I nodded. ‘Sure. Just let me know when you’ve got a time sorted.’
    ‘Will you tell Dad?’
    I nodded again.
    ‘And are you sure he won’t be mad at me?’
    ‘He won’t. I promise.’
    He nodded and walked out of the kitchen.
    A few seconds later, I heard him going upstairs, his footsteps seemingly lighter than they had been the day before.
    * * *
    I