United States of Love

Luke beamed back.

Anna had to marvel at the laser-precision, pincer movement Mark and Luke had just executed. Attack from both sides. She never stood a chance. Now it looked like she had Mark here indefinitely.

‘Just give him a chance, Mum,’ said Luke after Mark had gone upstairs for a shower. ‘Everyone deserves one. You always say that yourself.’

‘It's not that simple,’ said Anna reticently.

‘Of course it is. You're just making it difficult.’

Anna sighed. How much did you tell your son about your marriage? ‘Listen, Luke. You know I wouldn’t say anything bad about your dad to you, but you have to understand lots of things happened between me and him, things that you wouldn’t know about.’

‘I’m not stupid,’ grumbled Luke. ‘I remember the arguments. Dad being out late or all night. You crying.’ He paused, looking at her before dropping his gaze. ‘I know about the baby and the other women.’

Anna gulped. She had often wondered if he knew more than she or, indeed, Mark gave him credit for. ‘I’m sorry you do. I guess I never protected you from it as much as I thought.’

‘But you could still give him another chance. Now that he’s had a year to sort himself out. Couldn’t you?’

Anna gave Luke a hug, which felt slightly ridiculous as he was several inches taller than her already. ‘Let’s just worry about you and Dad getting to know each other again. That’s the important thing.’

Jamie had asked her to step in at the last minute to cover for another member of staff who was sick. She was to accompany a German woman and her two children on a school visit in Brighton and help with the interpreting. Anna had really enjoyed this assignment. It was great to be able to practice her German and the family were very charming and polite. An unexpectedly busy week as it had transpired, as a small document concerning a property transaction in France had also come in for translating. However, Anna was glad to have Friday free, which meant she could implement phase one of her ‘Help Zoe’ plan.

‘Just be ready in half an hour,’ said Anna down the phone to Zoe. ‘Both you and Emily.’

‘Can't you just tell me what we're doing? Just a hint?’ pleaded Zoe.

‘Nope. Bye.’ Anna hung up before her sister-in-law could delve any deeper. She checked through the two bags on the kitchen table to make sure everything was there. Satisfied, she placed them by the door ready for action.

The gym was quiet. When Zoe protested she didn't have any sports clothes with her, Anna produced the bag from the boot of her car. ‘All your stuff's in here. Nathan got it for me the other day,’ she said, grinning triumphantly. ‘And before you say anything about Emily, she's booked into the crèche, which Nathan has checked out, so you have absolutely nothing to worry about or any reason to duck out. Come on, girly, we're getting you sorted.’

Picking up the car seat with Emily still strapped in, Anna strode off across the car park, leaving Zoe little alternative but to follow obediently.

Anna called back over her shoulder. ‘Anyway, I could do with your advice about something. Come on.’

Anna had been grateful to get out of the house a couple of times in the week. There had definitely been a shift in dynamics since Mark had wrangled what seemed to be a pretty much open invitation to stay. She didn't want to seem paranoid but, as she explained to Zoe while they strode side by side on the treadmills, it was like Mark and Luke had their own little club now, one that she was excluded from.

‘Luke's bound to be a bit like that,’ puffed Zoe, turning the speed setting down. ‘For the past year all he has really wanted is to have a relationship with his dad. Now Mark's here, he has finally got it. The only thing that would top that is you and Mark getting back together. It's only natural he doesn't want to upset Mark. Luke knows that you will always be there for him and that's why you're getting the brunt of everything. It's a familiarity thing.’

‘I know you're right,’ sighed Anna, taking her lead from Zoe and slowing the speed down, ‘and I do try to put Luke first in all this but it's very difficult. I wish Mark wasn't living under the same roof as us though. It's not like I've even got the space really. I feel quite claustrophobic at times.’

‘And he hasn't said how long he's staying for?’ asked Zoe, as she pressed the red stop button and wiped her face with her towel.