“Should’ve married Val! She was always so elegant, slim, and younger than you. I’m still in my prime, and here I am stuck with an old wife…”
“What’s got you bringing up Val Simmons? Seen her somewhere? She wouldnt give you the time of dayshe married that general, living the high life!”
Rosie was frying cheese pancakes for her husbands breakfasthis favorite. Hed wake up any minute, and theyd be ready, hot, with a dollop of clotted cream.
“Rosie! Wheres my trousers?”
He was up. Rosie moved the pan aside and headed to the bedroom where he was shouting.
“Nick, I put them in the washthey were filthy. Heres a clean pair.”
“Filthy? When did I even get them dirty? Youre always taking liberties!”
“Oh, so youd rather wear dirty ones for a month? Stop fussing. Here, take these.”
“Ugh! Hate thesetheyre tight and uncomfortable! Hurry up and wash my proper ones!”
“Theyre already in, stop shouting. Go wash up, breakfasts ready. Pancakes are on the table…”
Nick stomped off to the bathroom. Rosie poured his tea, two sugars, just how he liked it, and set out the cream in a small bowl.
“Ugh, stinking the place out with your pancakes! Got nothing better to do?”
“Made them for you, Nick. Whats got into you? Wrong side of the bed?”
Nick ate in silence.
“Teas scalding! Couldnt cool it down? Blimey, burnt my tongue! And these pancakes are rubbery. Shouldve just made bacon sandwiches!”
“Dont exaggeratetheyre fine, same as always. Eat up. You dont need more sandwiches, your bellys big enough as it is…”
“Oh, now my bellys the problem? Look whos talkingwhens the last time you checked the mirror? Gone to seed! And your grey rootswhy not dye it? Look like an old hag.”
Rosie stared, stunned. Hed never spoken to her like this. What on earth had got into him?
“Nick, watch your mouth! Ive always been curvysince whens it bothered you? And I dont dye my hair because of my allergies, you know that. Health comes first. Im not a spring chicken anymorepushing seventy!”
“Your guts from all that beer, not my cooking. I make healthy meals. Maybe if you moved more instead of glued to the telly…”
“Shouldve married Val! She takes care of herself, stays slim. Im still full of life, and what do I have? A worn-out wife…”
“Whyd you bring up Val Simmons? Seen her lately? As if shed look twice at youmarried a general, living in luxury. No kids, no worries, just spoilt rotten.”
“And what about us? We raised a fine son, didnt we? Good job, helps us out. Grandkids toono complaints there.”
“Like youd know! Val chased after me back then, throwing herself at me…”
“When? Oh, pull the other one!”
“Back in the day… happened more than once.”
“And whatd you say?”
“What could I say? Im a bloke. Didnt want to hurt her feelings. She was stunningnothing like you. Mum warned meDont marry Rosie, shes plain and older. Shouldve listened. Now Im stuck with a nag who cant even make a decent sandwich!”
“Well, let Val make your sandwiches, then! Couldnt say no, could you? All these years wastedwhyd you stay if Im such a burden?”
“Dunno. Retired now, realised my mistake. Bored stiff with you. So many women fancied meand I came home to you. Never appreciated me!”
“Not appreciated you? Ive always put you and our son first! Never splurged on myself so youd have enough. When did I ever ask for money? Look at your wardrobefull of gear. Mine? Cheap basics. Saved up for your car, your fishing boat, your gadgetsdid I ever complain?”
“Whatd you ever buy us? Dont act the martyr. And your cookings rubbishnothing like Mums, God rest her.”
“Nick, was it really so awful all these years? Cant you say one nice thing? Whats wrong with you today? Are you ill?”
“Youre the one whos ill! Im off to watch the newshad enough. And for the record, there was Tamara too. Years ago, but it happened. You were visiting your mum…”
“Oh, Tamara was wild, wasnt she? Not like boring old me. Always ill, popping pills, clutching your chest. What a prize I got stuck with…”
Rosie untied her apron and walked out, heart pounding. She couldnt breathe.
So hed strayed. And she never noticed. Thought they were happy.
Theyd married for love, made vows, built a life. Now hed spat it all back in her face. A bad wife, apparently. How do you come back from that?
Hed proposed on his knees. Shed loved him all her life, bent over backwards for him. And hed loved her tooeven if hed stopped saying it. But never like this.
“Tamara… Val… How could he?”
Rosie had never let anyone close, though thered been chances. A colleague once tried his luck. An old schoolfriend turned up when she was thirty-fiveStill love you, hed said. Leave your husband, Ill take you and the boy.
Shed sent him packing. What kind of woman did he think she was?
And her cookingher son and husband always cleared their plates. Pancakes, pies, stews, bakes. What was this nonsense? Waited till they were old to drop the bomb.
“Nick, Nick… I did everything for you…”
Rosie wandered the streets, lost in thought. Her chest burned, but she barely noticed, wiping salty tears away. His words cut deep. A cheat, a liar…
Meanwhile, Nick sat watching telly, devouring the cold pancakes with cream, washing them down with tea.
Mood foul. Bad dreamRosie leaving on a train, laughing at him. Woke up furious. And heartbroken.
Decided to take it out on her. Head pounding from last nights pints with the lads. Mike kept topping him upfor courage. Now he was seething. Wrong side of the bed, just like shed said.
A loud knock at the window startled him. He rushed to the doorneighbour Deena stood there, pale.
“Nick, its Rosie… Hurry!”
“What about her? Whats happened?”
“Just come quick!”
He threw on a shirt and ran after her, front door left wide open.
“Deena, whats going on? Tell me!”
“See for yourself…”
She led him to the small park nearby. An ambulance stood there. Nicks stomach dropped.
“That womanis she my wife?” he gasped at the paramedic.
“Im afraid shes passed. By the time we arrived, she was gone. Just slipped away on the bench… Any heart conditions?”
“Gone? My Rosie? But she just left the house… She had a weak heart, pills all her life…”
“Possibly severe stress triggered it. Any recent upset?”
“She was fine.”
“Well need a post-mortem. Leave your details…”
…Nick woke at home. No memory of getting back. No memory of Deenas words. Rosie was gone. And it was his fault.
Whyd he said those awful things? Thered never been other womennever even looked.
Loved only her. Plump, grey, wrinkled, in her flowery apron. Warm, familiar. Loved her, but never said it.
How would he live without her? None of it was true, Rosie! Your cookings brilliant, our sons wonderful, we had a good life.
How could his words kill her? Knew her heart was weak, but never thought…
A womans hearts fragile. When did he last say something kind? Couldnt remember.
But shed always smiled, encouraged him, cooked, kept his clothes fresh.
What had he done with his cruel words? Burned up all their good years.
And that stupid dream… All fits. Whatd he tell their son? The grandkids? How to go on? A loose tongue wrecked everything.
Nick paced like a madman. Too late now… Rosie was gone. His Rosie, his darling…
Shed dreamed of the seasidenever been. Wanted a cruise. Wanted to see grandkids marry. Now never would. Because of him…
He collapsed on the bed, sobbing.
“Nick, wake up! Lunch is ready, lazybones!”
Nick
