His eyes were dark with shadows and the pain in his face made the guilt and regret twist inside her. Annie tried to say something, ‘Martin, listen to me, I don’t know …’ but he wouldn’t let her finish.‘Not now,’ he said coldly.He left his breakfast, picked up his briefcase and his coat, and walked out of the house without looking at her. Annie wanted to shout after him, or to put her head down on the table and cry until she couldn’t cry any more, but Thomas and Benjamin were standing in the doorway watching her.‘Are you angry?’ Ben asked.‘No, love.’ She tried to smile. ‘A little bit sad, today, that’s all.’Their round faces reproached her.After delivering them to school and to nursery, Annie came back and wandered in aimless circles through the house. She watched the silent telephone, willing Martin to ring so that she could begin to talk to him.When at last it did ring it was Steve. Annie gripped the receiver as if the strength of her fingers could bring him closer.‘Thank you for yesterday,’ Steve said.
