“Where did she get my earrings?” asked Emily, spotting them in her friend’s holiday photo.
“Em, come see the photos Lucy sent from her trip!” called William from the kitchen, stirring sugar into his tea. “She’s tanned like a biscuit!”
Emily dried her hands on a tea towel and walked in, where her husband was scrolling through his phone, sipping his drink.
“Let me see,” she said, smoothing her dressing gown as she sat beside him. “Where did they go, Spain?”
“Egypt, she said. Look, heres the beach, and this ones at a restaurant…” William flicked through the pictures, commenting on each. “Oh, this ones lovelythey went on an excursion…”
Emily studied the photos silently, nodding. Lucy had always known how to present herself well, the life of the party even back in school. Theyd lost touch after university, then bumped into each other at the GPs office years later, rekindling occasional calls.
“Oh, I like this one,” William paused on a shot of Lucy at a café table, smiling at the camera.
Emilys stomach dropped. In Lucys ears glinted familiar earringstiny golden roses with pearls. The very ones William had given her for their anniversary.
“Where did she get my earrings?” Emily asked quietly, not looking away from the screen.
“What?” William frowned.
“The earrings. The rose ones with pearls. You gave me a pair just like them.” Her voice wavered.
William squinted at the photo. “Dont be daft, Em. Similar, maybe. Jewellers sell loads like that.”
“No. Theyre identical.” She zoomed in. “See this scratch on the left rose? I caught it on the wardrobe dooryou remember?”
He said nothing, finishing his tea. Emilys pulse quickened.
“Will, where *are* my earrings?”
“How should I know? You keep track of your jewellery,” he muttered, avoiding her gaze.
Emily marched to their bedroom, yanking open her jewellery box. The earrings were gone. She checked every drawer, the bathroom, under the dressernothing.
“Will!” she shouted.
“What now?” he grumbled.
“Theyre gone. Not in the box, not anywhere.”
“Maybe you lost them on holiday?”
“What holiday? Last summer we visited your mumI didnt take them. This year we havent gone anywhere.”
William turned on the telly. “Dunno, Em. Maybe you sent them for cleaning?”
“Why would I? They were practically new.” She crossed her arms. “Will. Look at me.”
He sighed, glancing up. “What?”
“Do you know where my earrings are?”
“No.” The TV reclaimed his attention.
Emily returned to the kitchen, thoughts churning. The earrings had vanishedand now Lucy wore them. A coincidence? But theyd been custom-ordered. She grabbed her phone, fingers trembling as she texted Lucy:
*”Hiya! Saw your holiday picslooks fab! Whered you get those gorgeous rose earrings? Love the pearls!”*
Lucy replied fast: *”Thanks, Em! A gift from someone special. Wanted them forever.”*
*”Any idea where theyre from? Might treat myself!”*
*”No cluedidnt pick em. Why? Thought you said Wills tight with gifts?”*
Emily set her phone down, heart pounding. She stared out the window, trying to steady herself. Maybe she was wrong. Maybe it *was* a coincidence.
“Em, whats for dinner?” William called.
“Sort yourself out,” she said flatly.
“Whats got into you? Over a pair of earrings?”
“*Just* earrings?” she echoed. “Our twentieth anniversary gift. Twenty *years*, Will.”
“So? Losts lost. Ill buy new ones.”
“Thats not the point.” She turned to him. He was channel-surfing.
“Then what is?”
“That Lucy has them.”
“Who cares?”
“Did you *give* them to her?”
Silence. On-screen, a soap opera played.
“Dont be ridiculous.”
“Then howd she get them?”
William rolled his eyes. “Probably bought her own.”
Emily stepped in front of the telly. “Look me in the eye and swear you didnt give Lucy my earrings.”
He met her gazethen looked away.
“Em, enough. Making a mountain out of a molehill.”
“So you did.”
“I *didnt*.” His voice sharpened.
She sat opposite him. “Will, twenty years together. Ive trusted you completely. If somethings going on, just say.”
“Nothings going on!” He jumped up. “Youre seeing things! One photo and youve lost the plot!”
“Then why are you sweating?”
“Because youre *exhausting*! Work all day, come home to this inquisition!”
He slammed the kitchen door. Emily sat frozen. Twenty years. Their daughter Sophie married and moved to Manchester. Their son James at uni, visiting weekends.
She rememberedlast year, Will started working late, preening more, buying new shirts. Midlife crisis, shed assumed. Then came the distance: fewer hugs, no future plans. Shed blamed work stresshis construction firm *was* demanding.
Pans clattered in the kitchen. Will noisily washed his mug.
Emily reopened Lucys photos, scrutinising each. Thereon the beach, at dinner, by the pyramids*her* earrings every time.
She zoomed in. Lucy glowedtanned, styled hair, fresh manicure. A dream holiday.
*”Whod you go with? Solo or friends?”* she texted.
No reply. Then: *”With a mate. Busy nowchat later?”*
Lucy was lying. She had no close friendsshed said so herself after her divorce. Three years single, scraping by as a clinic receptionist. So howd she afford Egypt?
“Em, just popping to the garage,” Will called.
“Fine.”
The front door shut. Emily watched from the window as he lit a cigarettehed quit five years ago, but lately shed smelled tobacco on his coat.
She opened Lucys socials. Holiday snaps dominated, but others toocafés, the theatre, picnics. One photo showed a familiar jacketnavy, fur-lined hood. Just like Wills. But the woman wearing it wasnt Lucytall, slim, dark-haired.
Emily squinted. Similar, not the same. She checked Wills wardrobehis jacket hung there. But his pale-blue shirt, the expensive one from last winter, was missing.
“Dad back yet?” Jamess voice startled her.
She turned. Their son stood in the doorway, bag in hand.
“Jamie! Love that youre here. Dads in the garage.”
He hugged her. “Mum, you okay? Youre pale.”
“Just tired. Hows uni?”
“Alright. But… somethings off here. Dads been weird on the phone. I heard him yesterdayall hushed, saying my love, miss you. Thought it was you, but you were at work.”
Emily sat heavily. James took her hand.
“Mum… does Dad have someone?”
“I dont know. Lately hes been… distant.”
“Did you suspect?”
“Not really. Just… changes.”
James hugged her. “Talk to him properly. Get the truth.”
“He denies everything.”
“What tipped you off?”
She showed him Lucys photos, explained about the earrings. James studied them.
“Mum, could they *just* be similar?”
“I wore them daily, Jamie. I *know* them.”
“Then find out. You cant live like this.”
The front door opened. “Jamie! Good to see you!” Will boomed.
“Dad. We need to talk. Family meeting.”
Will washed up, then sat at the table. “Right. Whats this about?”
“Honesty,” Emily said.
“*More* earring drama? Em, give it a rest!”
“Its not just the earrings.”
Over a tense dinner, James filled the silence with uni updates. Afterward, in the living room, Emily cut to it:
“Will. Are you having an affair?”
He flushed, then paled. “What? Wheres this come from?”
“My earrings are on Lucy. Youve been acting odd. Jamie heard you whispering sweet nothings to *someone*while I was at work.”
Will paced to the window. “Fine. Lets be honest.”
Emilys heart clenched.
“Theres… someone.”
“Lucy?”
“Yeah.”
James exhaled sharply. Emily shut her eyes.
“How long?”
“Eighteen months.”
“*Eighteen months*.” Her voice cracked. “What now?”
Will turned. “I dont know, Em. It just… happened. We
