‘If you’re hoping for shower sex, you’re going to be sorely disappointed,’ Tully said. ‘I could barely stand up in there.’ She reached for a white fluffy towel and wrapped it around herself. ‘Why is it so quiet? Did someone die?’
‘I gave the boys a Kit Kat and an iPad each. I even put Miles in a nappy so he wouldn’t need us to take him to the toilet.’
‘Bloody hell. You’re much better at this parenting thing than I ever give you credit for.’
He gave her what started as a smile but turned into a grimace halfway through.
Tully’s brain was working so slowly it took her a minute to compute that this wasn’t normal. ‘What’s wrong?’
‘I just got off the phone from the real estate agent.’ He exhaled, looking at his hands. ‘The house is officially on the market. They’re sending photographers this week. And those people who . . . you know . . . stage the house.’
Tully sat down on the edge of the tub beside him. It wasn’t unexpected; Sonny had already said the house would need to be sold. Still, there was something about this next step that felt like a sharp kick to the kidney.
‘Okay,’ she said. ‘Well, that’s that, then.’
‘God, I’m just so sorry, Tul,’ he said. ‘I know this is your dream house. And the boys . . .’
‘It’s not my dream house,’ she said, scooting up beside him. ‘At least, it’s not my only dream house. My dream house is wherever you and the boys are. As for the boys, do you think they give two hoots what kind of house they live in?’
Sonny looked unconvinced. Admittedly, Locky did have a taste for the finer things. When they went to Fiji last year, he’d located a button by their beach loungers that summoned the waiter. When the waiter arrived he ordered hot dogs and waffle fries and vanilla milkshakes. On the flight home, they’d asked him what was his favourite part of the holiday was and he’d replied, ‘The button.’ But now was not the time to focus on that.
‘I’m sorry, Tul,’ Sonny said again. ‘I’m just so sorry.’ He was hunched over. After a moment, he dropped his head into his hands. ‘I have a headache,’ he said.
‘It’s going to be all right,’ she said, putting an arm around his shoulders. ‘It’s really not that bad.’
‘Daaaaad!’ Locky called. ‘Miles has taken another Kit Kat, even though I told him you said we could only have one.’
Tully stood up. ‘I’ll go. You take some Panadol and get yourself together. It’s all okay, Sonny. Really.’
Tully pulled on her dressing-gown and gave him a quick kiss. On her way out the door, she felt a stab of optimism. If things were good between her and Sonny, she could handle this. This wasn’t just going to be fine; it was going to be better than fine. They would live simply for a while, that was all. If they did ever get back to a similar financial position, Tully would find charities to donate to. Perhaps she’d start volunteering her time at the local charity shop? There was so much more to life than shopping and going out for lunch. She’d end up so much more fulfilled. She actually couldn’t wait. Most important, she was going to stop stealing. This was just the shot in the arm she needed to make a change. This whole thing had been a blessing in disguise.
‘Tul,’ Sonny called after her, ‘there’s no Panadol in the medicine cabinet.’
‘Try my bedside table drawer,’ she called back.
She was almost in the living room when she realised her mistake. She turned on her heel and ran back immediately, but she was too late. Sonny was holding the shoe, the candle and the scarf in his hands. They still had the price tags on. The scarf still had the security tag. He spun around when he heard her come in.
‘What’s all this?’ he said.
Tully stared at him. Her mouth started to bend around some lies, something that would explain it. But no words came out.
15
RACHEL
‘I’m going on a date.’
Rachel stood in her kitchen and said the words out loud. They sounded ridiculous, almost comical – at least when spoken in relation to her. When she’d agreed to the date, she’d been 100 per cent sure that she would cancel – after all, a woman who hadn’t dated since she was sixteen years old didn’t just start dating because her sister decided to commandeer her phone one day at lunch. And yet today she was only ninety-nine per cent sure that she would cancel. She even put on a dusky rose sundress, the one that always made her feel especially pretty. Then, to put the whole thing out of her mind, she made the finishing touches to Peter and Emily’s wedding cake.