The Day My Husband Left: An absolutely gripping and emotional page-turner

by Amy Miller

  Max took a seat next to Heidi while Tuesday crashed around in the kitchen, collecting cups and plates.

  ‘She likes you,’ said Heidi quietly. ‘Tuesday likes you.’

  Max’s face darkened. ‘Heidi, I…’ he started, but let his words trail off.

  ‘She seems to be here a lot. Is she staying in Bournemouth?’

  Heidi nodded. ‘For the time being,’ she said. ‘She likes it here. I don’t think she misses anyone in Brighton.’

  ‘So, what were you talking to Johnny about?’ he asked.

  ‘Oh, nothing important. I was just wondering about some cash I can’t seem to find,’ Heidi said. ‘I had £100 in the workshop – one of the customers paid in cash – and I think I’ve mislaid it. Have you seen it?’

  Their gazes locked. Max rubbed his chin.

  ‘You’ve mislaid it?’ he asked doubtfully.

  ‘Definitely,’ she said. ‘You know what I’m like. Keep your eyes open in case I’ve dropped it in a drawer or into a toolbox.’

  ‘Okay,’ he said, ‘I’ll do that. Have you checked in with William? Maybe he’s seen it?’

  Heidi shook her head, but when William came out of the workshop for a coffee, Max asked him directly. Heidi’s heart thumped in her chest.

  ‘Haven’t seen it,’ William said quickly. ‘Did you want me to deliver that kissing chair you’ve finished? I can drop it on the way over to collect Freddy if you like?’

  Heidi felt relieved. He was proving himself to be an asset. It was all she could do not to throw her arms around him.

  ‘Yes,’ she said. ‘Thanks, William.’

  ‘Brownies!’ said Tuesday, bringing out a tray of cakes and coffee. ‘Brownies for the workers. Max, would you like to try one?’

  Heidi gave Max a small, secretive smile. He cleared his throat.

  ‘Thank you, Tuesday,’ he said. ‘Yes please.’

  The arrangement was a simple one. William would take the Morris van and drop the tête-à-tête chair at Karen’s address. It should have been easy. But two hours later, Karen called to ask where the chair was. She’d waited in all afternoon, but there was no sign.

  ‘We sent it over hours ago,’ Heidi said, confused and glancing over at Max, who looked up from his work. ‘William brought it over in the Morris. He can’t have got the wrong address. I don’t understand.’

  She listened as Karen explained that she’d been watching out the window and she hadn’t seen the Morris at all. Panic laced her voice.

  ‘Don’t worry,’ Heidi said, ‘we can’t have lost a chair. I’ll get back to you as soon as I know where it is.’

  Heidi put the phone down, unease slinking across her shoulders. Max was still looking at her.

  ‘Karen says the chair didn’t arrive,’ she said lightly. ‘I’ll phone William. Must be some explanation.’

  William’s phone rang out. Checking her watch, she realised he should be with Freddy, the grandson she was desperate to meet. Perhaps Freddy was poorly or something. Perhaps he’d had to collect him earlier than usual? Yes, that would be it.

  Despite wanting to believe that was true, a voice inside her head told her she was being a fool. She called William several more times, and on the fourth time, he picked it up. There was music in the background of wherever he was. Didn’t sound like a school. And he didn’t seem to be holding the phone to his mouth properly because his speech was muffled.

  ‘Who is it?’ he slurred. ‘Martha? Is that you again? You can’t stop me seeing my boy. I’ll find the money!’

  Heidi gasped.

  ‘Martha?’ he said again. ‘Is that you?’

  ‘It’s Heidi,’ she said loudly. ‘Don’t you dare drive my car in that state. Where are you? Tell me where you are. I’ll collect you.’

  William fell silent, then mumbled the name of a pub she recognised as being nearby.

  ‘Wait there,’ she instructed. ‘Do not move. I’m coming to collect you. I need to get that bloody chair.’

  He had ended the call. Shaking, she put the mobile down on the table and exhaled.

  ‘Come on,’ Max said, without needing to ask the details. ‘Let’s go and find him. I’ll drive.’

  Closing up the workshop and turning over the We Are Closed sign, they headed towards Max’s van. Heidi sat in the passenger seat and gave him the name of the pub, twisting her hands in her lap.

  ‘That money,’ she said quietly. ‘I thought it was me at first, but I’m pretty sure it’s…’

  She let her sentence drift, unable to say his name.

  ‘You think William took it?’ Max said.

  Heidi’s silence said it all.

  The pub was awful. The sort of establishment Heidi would avoid at all costs. Max offered to go inside, and when he finally brought William out, he was swaying, his eyes were red and narrow, and he reeked of alcohol.

  ‘Give me the keys to the car,’ she said, holding out her hand. ‘What the hell are you doing? Aren’t you supposed to be with Freddy?’

  William rubbed his eyes and tried to focus on Heidi.

  ‘Martha won’t let me pick him up anymore,’ he mumbled, hanging his head. ‘Told me I wasn’t giving her enough money and that she was going to see a solicitor about getting a divorce and applying for full custody over him. Says I’m untrustworthy. Weak. A failure. But that’s my boy. That’s my BOY! I love him. I love my boy.’

  William dropped to his knees, tears dripping from his red eyes. Heat rose in Heidi’s face.

  ‘I know,’ she said calmly. ‘It’ll be okay. I know you love your son. I know you must be in pain right now.’

  ‘What do you fucking know about loving your son?’ he spluttered. ‘You gave yours away!’

  ‘That’s enough,’ said Max. ‘Stand up, William. Stand up and tell us where the chair is. It’s not in the van.’

  William said nothing. Max repeated his question. ‘Where is the chair?’

  ‘Sold it,’ William muttered. ‘I got the cash and… I had a bet. Just one last bet. I wanted to buy Freddy something; I wanted to be a good dad.’

  ‘You sold it!’ shrieked Heidi. ‘You need to tell me where you sold it. I have to get that back. Karen will be devastated. Our reputation will be ruined!’

  ‘Who cares about the chair?’ William said. ‘All I care about is my boy.’

  ‘I care about the chair!’ Heidi said. ‘This is my business. Your dad’s business. This is my life.’

  ‘He’s not my dad,’ he said, glaring at her. ‘And you’re not my mum. My mum is dead. Just sod off and leave me alone. I don’t know why you came to find me – though you obviously like collecting bits of junk.’

  Max pushed William in the chest. He stumbled backwards into the wall.

  ‘Don’t speak to her like that,’ Max said. ‘You’ve no bloody right! She’s bending over backwards to accommodate you, you selfish git!’

  ‘Thank you, Max, but I can fight my own battles,’ Heidi said, as calmly as she could. ‘Just tell me who’s got the chair?’

  ‘Pokesdown Antiques,’ William said, pointing vaguely in the direction of a shop Heidi knew very well. She closed her eyes – relieved. She knew the owner and hoped that she could convince him to sell her back the chair, though she’d probably have to pay him twice as much.

  ‘You wait in the Morris, in the passenger seat,’ she instructed William. ‘Max, please could you drive your van up to Pokesdown Antiques. I’ll pop in and speak to the owner.’

  Max nodded, glaring at William, before jumping into his van, with Heidi in the passenger seat.

  ‘Hope he doesn’t do anything else daft,’ Max said.

  Heidi held up the car keys. ‘He can’t go anywhere. I’ve locked the doors.’

  In the antiques shop, Heidi negotiated for the return of the chair, paying Jimmy, the owner of the shop, his money back, tearfully explaining there had been a misunderstanding. With the chair in the back of the van, they returned to the Morris, where William had fallen asleep and was loudly snoring.
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  ‘What are you going to do, Heidi?’ asked Max. ‘You can’t take this on. He needs professional help.’

  Heidi got into the driver’s seat of the Morris and wound down the window, smiling at Max.

  ‘Then I’ll help him,’ she said.

  ‘You don’t have to,’ he said. ‘You have enough to cope with. Zoe’s expecting. Scarlet’s a handful. Tuesday’s here. You’ve just lost Johnny.’

  Heidi sighed. ‘But he’s lost and he’s my son. What choice do I have?’

  ‘I knew you’d say that. I just think you need to be careful. I’ll drop the chair off to Karen, okay?’

  ‘Thank you,’ Heidi said, before driving home with a sleeping William by her side. She took a detour, to give him time to snooze, before drawing up outside the house, where she pulled on the handbrake, switched off the engine and rested her head against the headrest. Sliding her gaze left, she watched William wake, blink and frown, before he turned to her and then dropped his eyes to his hands. Rubbing his face, he mumbled something inaudible about Freddy.

  ‘Let’s go in,’ said Heidi. ‘Then you can sleep this off and I’ll bring you some headache tablets and some water.’

  ‘I feel like I’m fourteen years old,’ he said. ‘I’m so ashamed. Why are you doing this?’

  Heidi got out the car and headed towards the house without saying anything. William stumbled behind her and lurched in through the front door, where Zoe was pulling on her coat, about to go out.

  ‘What’s with him?’ she asked.

  Heidi hung her keys up on the hook and started to take off his coat.

  ‘He’s unwell,’ she said, then addressed William. ‘Why don’t you go up and have a lie-down?’

  William nodded bleakly and climbed the stairs, gripping on to the bannister, while Heidi threw her arm around Zoe’s shoulders and guided her towards the kitchen, so she couldn’t study William.

  ‘How are you feeling, Zoe?’ she asked as cheerfully as she could. ‘I was thinking we should celebrate your news. Invite some friends over, Leo’s parents – everyone – and do something fun? It’s been so long since we had any kind of party. What do you think?’

  ‘A party?’ said Zoe. ‘Really? I’m not sure our news will be met with a celebratory response! Everyone will probably be shocked and think we’re too young.’

  ‘Well I’m celebrating your news,’ Heidi said. ‘I think if we take the lead then everyone else will follow. Sometimes you’ve just got to – I don’t know how to put it – pretend you’re not in any doubt. Perhaps people will appreciate a get-together for a happy occasion.’

  Their conversation was interrupted by a sudden crash from upstairs – William knocking into furniture or falling over.

  ‘What’s going on with William?’ Zoe frowned. ‘He looked like he was swaying. Was he drunk?’

  Zoe’s face was creased with concern.

  ‘No,’ said Heidi, clearing her throat. ‘He’s got a bug, I think.’

  ‘You know what you said about pretending?’ Zoe said, raising her eyebrows. ‘I think you might be good at it.’

  Twenty-Nine

  Heidi tried to ignore the Dallas theme tune playing at the edges of her thoughts while a customer told her about a chaise longue that she wanted reupholstering, with cushions to match. She nodded now and again but wasn’t really listening. She was worrying about William. She wanted to help him, but if she meddled too much, would he leave? If she didn’t try to help him, would he sink further into an abyss? She sighed a deep sigh, mulling his words over in her head. Shame. Failure. She didn’t want to frighten him away when he was so vulnerable. He had only just come into her life – she couldn’t risk losing him so quickly.

  ‘… and I’ve chosen red velvet… because that’s my favourite colour and that will look good, won’t it?’ the customer said, finally pausing for breath. ‘What do you think? Can you do it?’

  ‘Yes,’ Heidi said, blinking. ‘Yes.’

  ‘You think “yes”?’ the customer said, frowning. ‘You think yes to red velvet?’

  ‘R-Red velvet, yes,’ stuttered Heidi.

  The customer gave her a tight smile.

  ‘So, when are you looking to bring the piece in for us?’ Heidi continued.

  ‘Well I’ve just spent twenty minutes explaining that you’ll need to pick it up yourselves,’ she said. ‘I only have a push bike.’

  ‘Right,’ said Heidi, fishing a pen and some paper from the tabletop to hide her blush. ‘Well you can’t bring in a chaise longue on a push bike, can you? Of course we can collect it. Can you give me your address and we’ll get that organised?’

  Heidi took down the woman’s details, and after she left, she slumped down on a chair and put her head in her hands.

  She was disturbed by a knock on the workshop door. It was William, looking hungover and sorry for himself.

  ‘Can I talk to you?’ he asked.

  ‘Yes,’ Heidi said. ‘Come in.’

  William took a seat and Heidi noticed that his hands were shaking. Whether that was nerves or alcohol, she wasn’t sure.

  ‘I’m sorry about the chair,’ he said. ‘I really am. I don’t recognise myself anymore. I had a call from Martha a few nights ago. She said she was going to stop my visits to Freddy because I’m late with the maintenance I pay. She was so cold. I wanted to prove to her I could get the money, that I wasn’t as hopeless as she thinks.’

  Heidi wanted to jump in and talk, make a speech about how you can turn your life around if you really put your mind to it, but she said nothing – to give him more time to talk.

  ‘I…’ he started. ‘I thought maybe if I had a bet, I’d get lucky and then get some money together. I know I have a problem. I have a big problem. I told you about the debt I’m in, but I can’t stop gambling. It’s got me, around the throat, and even when I tell myself over and over to stop, I can’t. And each time I give in to the compulsion, I imagine that this will be the time I make a big win so I can win back Martha and be with Freddy more. I’d just like to get back on my feet and not be living off you like this.’

  ‘You’re not living off me,’ said Heidi. ‘And I would imagine that Martha is lashing out because she’s frightened. You need to be completely honest with her.’

  He hung his head.

  ‘I’ve promised her I’m going to change,’ he said. ‘I’m going to stop being this way before it gets completely out of hand. It already is.’

  Heidi felt sweat prickle her forehead. She thought of the £100 that had gone missing.

  ‘William, have you taken some cash from the workshop?’ she asked.

  William’s eyes shone. He nodded once, his mouth twitching.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ he said. ‘I’m so ashamed. How could I do this to you? It’s as if I’m not in control.’

  ‘You’re being self-destructive,’ she said, ‘and I don’t know why, but perhaps it helps you cope with something, breaking up with Martha?’

  ‘I was doing it before then,’ he said. ‘The gambling and the drinking were the reason Martha asked me to leave. Perhaps it was something else, something in my past.’

  Heidi froze. Was this all her fault?

  ‘I’m going to stop,’ he said. ‘I’ve had enough.’

  Heidi worried that if she spoke, she would cry. She took a deep breath.

  ‘I think you can get through this,’ she said. ‘With my help and maybe some professional help, if you’ll allow me to look into that for you.’

  They were interrupted by Tuesday bursting in through the door, wearing a bright blue dress and rainbow-coloured beads. She had a scarf tied around her hair, which stuck up on her head like a child’s scribble.

  ‘Zoe says you’re planning a party?’ she said, beaming. ‘Heidi, there’s nothing I love more than a party. Please can I help you? I make the most delicious canapés you’ve ever tasted, and I’ve been known to make a cocktail or two in my time. Sorry, have I interrupted something?’

  ‘Don’t worry,’ s
aid Heidi. ‘Yes, of course, your help would be brilliant. Thank you.’

  William stood up and started moving some tools around.

  ‘Will you be inviting Max?’ Tuesday asked, raising her eyebrows.

  ‘Of course, yes. Why?’ Heidi asked.

  ‘I think he’s rather nice,’ said Tuesday, letting out one of her explosive laughs.

  ‘Oh, I thought so,’ said Heidi, grinning. ‘Yes, he would of course be coming. He’s one of the family these days. But, Tuesday, you know Max lost his wife not too long ago. He might not be ready for—’

  Tuesday waved her hand in front of her face. ‘I’m not trying to marry the man,’ she said. ‘I just think we could have a little bit of fun together.’

  Though she smiled at Tuesday’s comment, she felt protective of Max and didn’t want him to get hurt. Perhaps she was overthinking it. She pushed the feeling away and looked at William.

  ‘I hope you’ll come too,’ she said to him. ‘You’re one of the family too.’

  William half smiled, and something in his eyes made Heidi blush. She had an acute sense that William felt nothing of the sort.

  Thirty

  Heidi pushed her toes into the cold sand. Wrapped in her towel, she sat on a camping chair while Rosalind stayed inside the beach hut with a blanket draped over her back like a resting racehorse, making tea. The air smelled of the ocean, mingled with Calor gas and chips. Still in the sea after swimming all the way to the pier, Max was now heading in their direction, powering through the swell. He swam confidently and steadily, as if he could carry on going until he reached France without even looking up.

  Rosalind cleared her throat then stirred the sugar in Heidi’s tea so vigorously Heidi wondered if the cup would crack.

  ‘What is it, Mum?’ she asked, glancing up at the sky, squinting in the sun. It was the brightest blue, the sea one shade darker, the sky and sea melting together on the horizon. The beach was her happy space, no matter how hard Rosalind stirred her tea.

  Rosalind passed her the cup and sighed an enormous sigh.

  ‘What?’ asked Heidi, smiling up at her. ‘What are you sighing about?’