‘Knocked a glass of water over.’
Nick was a professor of Egyptology, ridiculously intelligent and endearingly clumsy with everyday items. At least Maggie had found it endearing in the beginning. It had become less endearing as the years had passed and he’d broken half her favourite china. She’d used to joke that he was so used to dealing with pottery fragments he didn’t know how to handle an entire piece.
‘She and Dan are getting married in Colorado at Christmas.’
‘This Christmas? The one happening next month?’
‘That’s the one. Dan’s family own a hotel. I’ve forgotten what it’s called.’
‘Snowfall Lodge.’
‘How do you know that?’
‘Rosie mentioned it when she told me about her plans for Thanksgiving. Goodness… Married… I didn’t see that one coming. Our little Rosie. Always doing the unexpected.’
There was a pause and she heard rustling in the background and the click of a light switch.
‘How do you feel?’ he asked.
Sad. Lost. Confused. Anxious.
She wasn’t sure how many of those feelings could be attributed to Rosie’s news.
‘I feel fine.’ That was as much of a lie as letting Rosie think Nick was out for a walk and would soon be back in bed with her. ‘It’s Rosie’s life and she should do what she wants to do.’
‘What about Christmas? I know how important it is to you.’
‘We’ll still be having Christmas—just not at Honeysuckle Cottage. The wedding is planned for Christmas Eve.’ She didn’t quite manage to keep the wobble from her voice.
‘Are you going to go?’
‘What sort of a question is that? You seriously think I wouldn’t attend my daughter’s wedding?’
‘I hadn’t given it any thought at all until two minutes ago when you first mentioned it. I know how you love Christmas at the cottage, and how much you hate flying. I know pretty much everything about you.’
She thought about the file she’d left open on the kitchen table.
He didn’t know everything.
‘If you, Katie and Rosie are going to be in Aspen at the wedding, then that’s where I’ll be too,’ she said.
‘How? I’ve never managed to get you on a plane. Not even for our honeymoon.’
‘I’ll find a way.’
A course to stop her fear of flying would be a ridiculous waste of money. Alcohol would be cheaper. She didn’t often drink, so a couple of gin and tonics should do it.
‘We can sort out the details later. She wants you to call her back so that she can tell you in person.’
There was a pause. ‘Where does she think I am? What did you tell her?’
‘That you were out walking because you couldn’t sleep.’
His sigh echoed down the phone. ‘This has gone on long enough. We should tell them, Mags.’ He sounded tired. ‘They’re not children any more. They deserve to know the truth.’
‘We’ll tell them when the time is right—and that time isn’t when your youngest daughter has just called all excited to tell you she’s getting married.’
‘Fine. But we tell her before we arrive in Colorado. We’ll call her together next week. We’ve been living apart for months now. It’s time to tell both girls that it’s over.’