January 2011
Val opened the box, inside was a gold chain with a tiny gold and enamelled heart locket. She smiled to herself and carefully put the box back where she had found it. It's not like John to be so romantic she thought, but it was their fifteenth St Valentine's day. In the evening, she put the final touches to the dinner table, checked the chicken dish that was John's favourite, and opened the wine just in time to hear his key in the door.
John gave her a peck on the cheek, and poured himself a large scotch.
'Val, I'm leaving you.'
'Go on then.' she joined in the joke.
'I'll just finish this drink.'
He tossed back the drink, went upstairs and came down a few minues later with his travel bag in his hand.
She heard nothing from him for days. His secretary always promised that he would return her calls but he never did. Plucking up her courage she went to his office.
'Can I help you?' the bimbo at the desk asked.
Val was just about to ask for John when she noticed the gold chain with the little enamelled heart around the younger woman's neck.
'Er.. no, nothing' she hurried out of the building.
So, she thought, that's what it's all about.
It hadn't been difficult to find out where the bimbo lived. Knowing John had to go to a late board meeting every Wednesday she drove round to the bimbo's house. The bimbo opened the door, the horror on her face made Val want to laugh.
'Hi, I'm John's wife, I've brought you these,' she dumped a bin bag of dirty laundry inside the door, another bag followed. 'These are clean but need ironing.'
'You'd better come in.'
'Thanks, I have some things for you, Now this is his denture fixative, these are his backache pills, make sure he takes one every day or you'll be at his beck and call for weeks while he's in agony, this body belt usually helps. Make sure he takes these blood pressure pills, one a day. Here's his hair dye, and this is the nose hair remover. Now the boys are due home from school on Friday, they're bringing a couple of friends. You have to pick them up from the station at three o'clock. They'll be no trouble if you get in enough chips, sausages, fish fingers and ice cream. A few DVDs will help, though they'll have their games, and their guitars. Oh yes, I shall be away for the weekend so you'll have to have the dog. In fact it's John's dog so you had better keep him.'
'Dog? I don't like dogs, what make is it? Bimbo asked backing away behind the sofa.
'Oh, just a German Sheperd, he's very gentle as long as he gets his three walks a day, he has to have a pill every morning, just open his mouth and pop it in. He needs to be brushed every day or you'll have hairs everywhere. I'll drop him off Friday morning.'
Val made for the front door, 'Good luck.' She hurried to the car. There's no way you're getting your hands on the boys she thought, or the dog.
The call came sooner than she expected.
'Val, it's John, I've been talking to Suzi, she thinks we're being rather unfair to you. She thinks maybe I should come back to you and the boys.'
'What do you think John?' Val could hardly stop herself from cheering.
'I think I should come back home. I think you need me.'
'Actually I've enjoyed being by myself, I don't need you, I think you'd better go back to the Bimbo, if she'll have you. Val put down the phone.
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. She quoted grinning.