Youre ancient! Im embarrassed to present you to my business partners, so Ive taken a lover! Stephen declared, his voice echoing like a cracked record.
Lately, Penelope had been swamped. She had opened a tiny bespoke tailoring shop in a narrow Kensington alley, pouring every spare hour into the venture, hoping it would soon bask in the daylight of success. Remembering that tonight a charity gala was to be held at the Savoya detail Stephen had mentioned in passingshe snapped to attention.
Stephen told her she neednt attend; he understood her workload and would go alone, but he also warned that treating the family with contempt was unacceptable. Penelope called the venue manager, apologising that she could not appear; she had evening commitments and needed to look appropriate.
She slipped into a bath scented with rosemary and bergamot, letting the steam curl around her thoughts. As citrus and pine scented the air, she closed her eyes. The phone on the edge of the tub rang. She rinsed her hands, dabbed the towel hanging nearby, and answered.
Mom? said a bright voice. It was Ivy, studying abroad in Florence. Penelopes heart swelled; she missed her daughter terribly, as though she wanted to hug the very idea of her. Though Ivy was no longer a little girl, she would always be Penelopes child.
Sunshine, hello! Penelope chorused.
Mother, congratulations on your shop! I read about it onlinebrilliant work. Dad must be proud. I cant believe you actually launched it after all those years of talking. How do you manage everything? You even help Stephen, dont you?
I didnt want to brag early, but the orders are already coming in. I love it; I always wanted to try something fresh. Honestly, the business Stephen and I tried to build together used to feel like a weight. I dreamed of a place where creativity could flow, and now that dream feels tangible.
They chatted about the weather for a moment before Ivy hurried off to her university. She had been on an exchange programme and would return in six months. Penelope smiled, grateful for her familys support, and let the warmth linger until she was ushered out of the bathroom and into the street, the Savoys illuminated façade looming ahead.
A burly security guard blocked the entrance. Im sorry, madam, we cant let you in without an invitation.
My husbands invitation covers two guests, Penelope replied, eyerolling at the disdainful tone.
Sirs surname?
Bennett, Stephen Bennett. Youll find him on the list.
The guard glanced at his tablet, exchanged a smirk with his colleague, and laughed.
Youre mistaken, madam. Stephen Bennett already entered with his wife, he announced.
What? With his wife? Penelope asked, baffled.
It says here he arrived with his spouse. This is a private event; if youre a journalist without an invitation
A velvety voice drifted from behind. Daniel, whats happening? It was her old schoolmate, Daniel Hartley, whom she hadnt seen since they left school.
Daniel! I didnt expect to see you here. The guards think my husband is already inside with his wife, so they wont let me through, Penelope complained.
Daniel smiled warmly, nodded at the guards, and said, Shes with me. He placed his arm around Penelope, shielding her from the absurdity.
Penelope felt foolish for not calling Stephen first; perhaps he, like Daniel, had already slipped through a back entrance. She hadnt spoken to Daniel in yearshed been the class clown, always getting sent to the headmaster. Yet now he seemed a respectable man.
How have you been? I hear you married well, given where we are, Daniel said, still grinning.
We built this together from the ground up. Now I run the shop. If you ever need a custom suit, just let me know, Penelope replied, handing him a business card.
Inside the grand ballroom, Penelope scanned the crowd for Stephen. Daniel stood beside her, his presence oddly soothing. He asked, Did you make it? Hows the husband?
Its a long story, Penelope sighed. We started from nothing, and now theres a thriving business.
Your husbands proud, Im sure, Daniel remarked. You still look as radiant as ever.
Penelope remembered how, in school, Daniel had once asked her out, but shed been too focused on her studies. She had refused, dreaming of degrees and a career, and their paths had diverged.
She finally spotted Stephen, radiant in a tuxedo, talking to a striking woman with a sleek bob. He turned, beaming, My wife is my inspiration, he declared, and Penelope felt her heart pound with a mix of pride and panic.
The woman leaned in, kissed Stephen on the cheek, and whispered, Polly, would you like a drink? Penelope stared, stunned. Was this a new wife? How could he be so brazen?
I dont mind, Penelope replied, standing a few feet away, watching Stephens arm wrap around the newcomer, a young dancer in glittering heels.
Stephens eyes flickered with horror as he realized the scene. He cleared his throat, apologized to the guests, and slipped away with his lover, who trailed behind in stiletto clicks.
What are you doing here? Stephen asked Penelope, halfwhispered.
I came to support my husband, as you said this was an important event, she answered calmly, eyeing the dancer. Do you have any explanation?
You shouldnt be here! Stephen snapped, then turned to the dancer, Polly, go get a bite. Ill be back soon. He dragged Penelope by the elbow toward a quiet garden.
Once they were away from the crowd, Stephen glared. You could have ruined everything. I didnt invite you.
And because you brought someone else? Penelope retorted. The absurdity of the night swirled like smoke.
Youre old, Penelope! Im ashamed to show you to my partners, so I took a mistress. In our circle a wife must shine, not look like a tired horse, Stephen blurted. Shes perfectshe doesnt have to worry about annual reports or where to invest money. Good choice, Bennett.
Penelope felt a crushing disappointment, as if the ground had shifted beneath her.
Twenty years of marriage, and you think youre the only one Ive had? Stephen continued, shaking his head. It wont affect the future. Go home; well talk later.
There was nothing left to discuss. Penelope resolved she would not cling to a picture of a perfect marriage just because others did. She would not be fooled again. After twenty years, a betrayer would likely betray once more; she would not waste her life on illusion.
She left the garden, sat on a bench beneath a flickering streetlamp, trying to digest the nights revelations. Daniel slipped onto the bench beside her, silent but present. He didnt intrude; his calm proximity soothed her. He recalled school anecdotes, and Penelope laughed, releasing the tension that had coiled inside her. For a fleeting moment she felt herself back in her teenage years, carefree and bright, before adulthoods weight settled in.
I always dreamed of growing up, now I wish I could return to school, she sighed.
I understand completely. If you ever need anything, just ask, Daniel offered. I can give you a lift home.
Though Daniel watched from the edges, he too sensed the undercurrents. He, like the other guests, kept a polite mask, playing his part without rehearsal.
Will your wife mind? Daniel asked politely.
I have no wife, Stephen muttered to himself, a hollow echo in the night. Ive never truly loved anyone.
Daniel chose not to reveal how Penelopes image lingered in his mind, how he still thought of her. He simply offered support, then faded back into the shadows.
Penelope had built her shop from scratch, never relying on Stephens income. She had stayed up late when Ivy was born, balancing accounts and inspiring Stephens ideas. Now, exhausted, she felt the flame dim.
She said goodbye to Daniel at the doorway of her modest flat above the shop, stepping into a space that once felt like home but now seemed foreign. She decided to tell Ivy about the divorce later, when the girl returned from her studies; she didnt want to add to her daughters stress abroad.
Stephen had never wanted a divorce. He argued that a tidy public image required a beautiful wife, and that Penelope fit the role. He accused her of draining money, of failing to think of their daughters future. Penelope, voice cold, replied, You think about her only now, Stephen?
They slept in separate rooms. The next morning Penelope arranged to move into a nearby flat, far enough from Stephen that she could breathe. He resisted the split, but the law, aided by competent solicitors, divided assets fairly. Penelope kept the shop and the house; Stephen retained the larger business. Their daughter Ivy sided with her mother, refusing to visit Stephen after learning of his infidelity.
Life gradually settled. Letting go of two decades of marriage was hard, but Penelope pressed on, buoyed by her work and her daughters support. Stephens own ventures faltered without her insight; he attempted reconciliation, promising fidelity, but trust, once shattered, could not be rebuilt.
The tailoring shop flourished, orders swelling, prompting thoughts of expansion. One afternoon the phone rang. An unfamiliar number displayed, but Penelope answered.
Daniel Hartley, its me. You left me a card for a suit?
Hey, Dan. Were swamped, but well make an exception for you, she laughed.
To be honest, I just called to see if youd meet for coffee, Daniel said.
Penelope chuckled, accepting the invitation. Perhaps this was a chance to begin anew. She had learned to love herself first, to cherish time without fearing loneliness in old age. The future felt uncertain, yet her heart whispered that she wasnt wrongthere was still a chance for happiness with Daniel.
