The Sexopaths (39 page)

‘Daddy – is that right?’

He procrastinates.  ‘What
did Miss McGregor say it was okay to lie about?’

‘Sophie Grainger was calling Esme
Paige ‘bossy eyes’ because her eyes aren’t straight and Miss McGregor said not
to say that but to say that she’s got nice blue eyes or it will make her
upset.’

‘I see.  That sounds like a
good idea.  She can’t help it if she’s got a problem with her eyes, can
she?  So it’s best to say she looks nice.’

‘Even if it’s not true?’

‘Maybe you should ask mummy about
this.’

***

‘I kept trying to phone you
– it was ringing off the hook.’

‘I am sorry, my darling – I
was on to my mother – you know how she can talk.’

Adam guesses she’d have felt able
to speak with her mother now that ‘the scare’ is over.  He says:

‘I think you’re crushing the
flowers.’

They stand in an embrace in the
hall, a fragrant bouquet crackling between them; Camille, who had initially
joined in their tight circle before scampering away, can be heard lecturing a
doll upstairs in her bedroom.

‘They will survive.’

‘Monique – it’s such a
relief – thank God you’re okay.  Jasmin… Sharon – she let it
slip that you’d told her.  I didn’t want to discuss it with her.’

For a second he feels Monique
stiffen, then she says, a sudden liquid warmth infusing her voice:

‘My darling, I did not mention
the clinic – it was something else I spoke about – I hope you don’t
mind – since she is going away, I thought...’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Oh – my darling.  You
know – I have noticed something strange about my breasts lately – I
have been checking them – I cannot believe how stupid I have been –
it has so preoccupied me – yet such a simple explanation…’

‘Monique – what is
it?’  It feels like she’s teasing him; that incomprehensibly there’s more
bad news while she sounds drunkenly happy.

‘My darling – the x-rays…
they are clear, there is nothing – except to tell you I am pregnant with
your baby.’

He draws her closer, squeezes,
wrings the misgivings from her tautology.  She drops the flowers.

‘Monique – that’s amazing.’

Her face pressed against his
throat, she says:

‘I am so happy – I’m sorry
I didn’t manage to tell you first – the doctor asked me if I had checked
whether I was pregnant – so I bought a test after you had dropped me off
– and it was positive!’

‘That’s incredible.’

‘My darling – are you
pleased?’

‘Monique – it’s
fantastic.’  He renews the force of the hug.

‘And my darling – I want to
change some things – you have been right – I can cause problems for
myself – I shall be more thoughtful – and I want to work less
– I can reduce my hours now, the senior position I am in – and I am
going to drop all my other unnecessary commitments – so that we can be
more of a family – be more for one another, strengthen our love,
concentrate upon what is most important – what do you think, my darling?’

He nods, fleeing words escaping
him.  Monique continues:

‘The European Board – I
emailed to Simone this afternoon – I have resigned – I shall not be
going back.’

Adam stares, unseeing of his
environs; joy fills his heart, purges the doubt; the first sob wracks his body;
Monique responds, reaches up, pulls down his head to rest upon her shoulder;
she holds him, conducts away his agony, his guilt, his fear.

Suddenly a frustrated wail of
anguish strikes down upon them, penetrates their little bubble of love,
releases them into their new life:

‘
Daddy!  Help!  I
can’t get the head back on!’

‘Come on, my darling –
let’s tell Camille.’