CHAPTER 3
802 Words
CHAPTER 3
LYN TWISTED HER new jade eternity ring around and around on the third finger of her right hand as she finalised the month-end accounts. She had a sort of gut feeling that something was missing in the figures. She looked at the ring as she twirled the stone back and forth, and realised with a start what it was that had been puzzling her: Neil had not sent any invoice to Mickey Reeve for the out-of-hours’ work done on the night of their doomed anniversary dinner.
That particular customer’s name had stuck in her mind, as with one random telephone call he had unknowingly managed to ruin the whole of their special evening. Checking on the computer she could see that no new account had been set up in that name. She looked through the in-tray in case she had missed any paperwork, but there was nothing to find. She picked up the receiver and tapped in the speed dial button for her husband’s mobile phone.
“What’s up?” His voice was terse as he shouted over the background noise of drilling and hammering.
“I’m finishing up the month-end. Remember our anniversary night that never was? You haven’t done an invoice for Mickey Reeve or set up an account.”
“I forgot.”
“Well, I reckon he should be charged at least one hundred and fifty pounds for an emergency call out. You were gone all evening.”
“Yeah, I’ll sort out the paperwork and do it.”
“Where’s the work sheet?”
“It’s in the van somewhere. I can’t talk now. See you later after the gym.”
Lyn sighed as she replaced the receiver, and looked up at a recent photo of them that Neil had hung on the office wall. Granted they were not Spring chickens, but considering they were in their fifties she did not think they were ageing too badly. Neil’s brown hair was greying and thinning a little on top, and they both had to wear glasses for reading, but they still had all their own teeth, their marbles, and fully functioning bladders. They were smiling as though they had not a care in the world.
She looked at herself in the photo and saw how well she had managed to hide her sadness. She supposed they probably would have been grandparents by now had they produced any children of their own in their younger days, but despite the many courses of IVF motherhood had eluded her, and some time ago it had become clear to her that she was never going to enjoy hearing the patter of tiny feet.
Satisfied with the month’s accounts, she logged out and switched off the computer at the end of the day. Thursday evenings were hers alone while Neil lifted weights. Stretching her arms up to the ceiling she decided to pamper herself and have a soak in the bath before cooking their meal.
She went into the bathroom, turned on the mixer tap, and added some liquid bubbles. Hot water gushed into the Jacuzzi, and the whirlpool effect whipped up the foam into mountainous ridges. Throwing off all her clothes she sank down with a sigh and closed her eyes.
As she sloshed the bubbles around with her hands she recalled their excitement when the Jacuzzi had first been delivered; how they’d had s*x in the swirling waters while Bad Company had belted out ‘Feel Like Making Love’. She had been the envy of all her girlfriends then, who had told her she had it all; the handsome husband, the big house with the fluffy carpets, and one had even commented how jealous she was of the large gas barbeque taking pride of place on the outside decking. However, she could not help but notice that nowadays it seemed that Neil preferred to take a quick shower; the barbeque had turned rusty through lack of use, and she struggled to remember the last time she had enjoyed s*x.
Her achy joints pummelled into submission, Lyn stepped out of the Jacuzzi and took a warm towel off the heated rail. As she dried herself the sound of the house phone ringing jolted her out of her daydream. Wrapping the towel around her she ran quickly to the bedroom and picked up the extension.
“Hello gorgeous!”
“Hi Gary. How are you?” She had recognised the voice straight away.
“I’m fine, but more to the point how’s Neil?”
“What d’you mean?”
“Has he been ill? Why has he missed the last two Thursdays? It’s no fun working up a sweat on me own.”
“He’s had a lot of work lately. I think he’s just been too busy.”
“Tell him from me he’s getting out of condition. I tried to tell him myself, but his phone’s switched off.”
She could hear Gary laughing at the other end. Rubbing the back of her neck with the towel, Lyn forced a chuckle.
“I’ll tell him.”
“Bye, darlin’.”
“Bye.” She replaced the receiver with a frown.
- Writer
