“31GrandStreet,thanks.”
Alicepolitelygavethedrivertheaddress;shealwaystooktimeforherselftorelaxwhenevershewasalone.Itwasnotsomuchthatshewasaintrovertedorprivateperson,shejustpreferredwhenshewasnotrequiredtoaccommodateanyonewithoutherownwill.
ThemomentarilyintoxicationallowedhertoreminiscethetimewhenshefirstmeetPeter.Shemissedwhentheyseemedtobetheonlycoupleintheworld,whenshefeltspecialwhenevertheywerealone.Noweverythingbetweenthemhasbeensomewhatbecomemechanical,evenmakinglove.ItwastruethatPeterhadgivenhertwobeautifulchildren,abeautifulhome;theywerethefamilythateveryoneintheneighborhoodenvies.
“Thismustbetheemptyglassbottletalking.”Aliceremindedherselfthatshewasawife,muchmorethanthat,shewasamother.Shewashappy,shetoldherself.
Forthosewhocouldlookclosely,somethingofherpastthatshehadbeenhidingwastauntingher.
Thesmoothridehadbroughtherhomewithoutmuchnotice.Shepaidthedriverandgotoutofthetaxiwithhobblingsteps,shecouldbarelygettoherfrontdoorwithoutstumbling.Justassheclumsilyreachedintoherbagtogetthehousekey,thesoundofhousephonerangloudlythatechoedinthesilenceofthelatenight.
IfitwerePeterwhohadbeenlookingforher,hewouldnothavecalledthehousephone.Itwaslate,andthekidswerealreadyasleep,hewouldhavecalledhercellphoneinstead.Wherecouldbetheimpetuousphonecallcomefrom,Alicethoughttoherself.
Randompossibilitiescameacrosshermind;nothingfittedthepuzzleassheopenedthedoorofherluxurioushome.Peterboughtthishousesoonaftertheirwedding,asherweddinggift.Shedidn’tknowhowandwherePetergotthemoneyfrom,onlythingsheknewwasPeter’sfirstjobrecruitmentofferedhimquiteanalluringsalaryandbenefits.
Aliceslowlytookoffherswayleatherhills,gentlyyelledoutforsitter’sassistantsimplytowalkproperly.
“Lorry,Ihavetoomuchtodrink,makesometeaforme,anddon’twakethekids.”
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