A Spot Of Bother

124

Jean felt awful.

Jamie was the final straw. Everything was out of kilter. George. Eileen and Ronnie. Alan and Barbara. It was Katie’s wedding day. It was meant to feel special. It was meant to run smoothly. It was meant to be romantic.

Then something happened in the car.

There were roadworks on the dual carriageway and they had come to a halt as the traffic funneled into a single lane. George said, “I’m afraid I’ve not been a terribly good husband.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” said Jean.

George was looking straight ahead, out of the windscreen. There were drops of fine rain on the glass. “I’m a rather cold man. A rather stiff man. And I always have been. I can see that now.”

She had never heard him talk this way. Was it the madness coming back? She had no idea what to think.

She put the windscreen wipers on.

“And I realize that this coldness, this stiffness has been at the root of many of my recent problems.” George brushed some fluff off the door of the glove compartment.

The traffic ahead began to move again. Jean put the car into gear and pulled away.

George laid his hand over hers. This made changing gear a little difficult.

“I love you,” said George.

They had not said that word to one another for a long time. There was a lump in her throat.

She glanced sideways and saw that George was looking at her and smiling.

“I’ve made things terribly difficult for you recently.”

“There’s no need to apologize,” said Jean.

“But I’m going to change,” said George. “I’m tired of feeling frightened. I’m tired of feeling lonely.”

He put his hand on her thigh, leaned back and closed his eyes.

And she realized that her adventure was coming to an end. That she and David might never make love again. But it was all right.

Her life with George was not an exciting life. But wouldn’t life with David go the same way eventually?

Perhaps the secret was to stop looking for greener grass. Perhaps the secret was to make the best of what you had. If she and George talked a little more. If they went on a few more holidays…

The rain had stopped. Jean turned the wipers off and the register office came into sight on the right-hand side of the road.

She indicated and pulled into the car park.