“We used to have date night. Whatever happened to date night?”
“I think it vanished somewhere between your business taking off and Caitlin getting that drama scholarship.” She slid her hands round her mug. “Life is about priorities, isn’t it, and we didn’t make it a priority. We didn’t make us a priority.”
“There’s nothing in life more important to me than you, so if that’s the case it was carelessness not design.” He reached across the table and took her hand. “I’d forgive you for not believing it, but you are my priority. The work, everything I do, is for us.”
“I know.” She felt tired and emotional, and so, so pleased to see him and to finally be talking. “It was my fault as much as yours. I was too focused on the whole family, and I neglected us. I think it all goes back to my childhood and wanting to be present. I went too far the other way—I see that now.”
Outside the rain had stopped and a patch of blue sky had appeared. It gave her hope, as did the feel of his hand tight on hers.
“You’re the best mother and the twins are lucky.”
“That’s not true.” It was difficult to admit it, but she knew she needed to. “I do things for them, instead of encouraging them to take responsibility. The conflict with Caitlin makes me feel like a bad mother, so I do everything I can to keep the peace. I want her to be happy, and I let her manipulate me. That’s my mistake and I need to address it.”
“I don’t think you’re going to need to. The girls have done some pretty deep soul searching since they found that article.” On cue, his phone pinged with a message and he checked the screen. “It’s Caitlin, wanting to know if we’re getting a divorce.”
“A divorce? That’s what they think?”
“That’s what the end of that article said. Can you fix things or should you end it?”
“I never read the end of it.” The article had made her panic. It had been like reading medical symptoms on the internet and becoming convinced you were dying of something hideous. She hadn’t wanted to believe her marriage was terminal.
“On the drive here, I kept going over that last day. I was distracted, thinking about clients, work, anything but the two of us. And you were trying to nudge me into going out for dinner, doing everything you could to remind me it was our anniversary.”
“I should have reminded you.”
“You shouldn’t have to remind me. It was my job to remember. I should have booked a table for dinner and taken you on a romantic night away without making you book it yourself. I’m sorry things had to get to the point where you snapped. You should have felt able to reach out to me and tell me. It’s my fault that you didn’t. I was rushing, trying to get to work—as you say, prioritizing everything else.”
“Maybe I needed this time on my own. It’s been good for me.” Talking to Finn had been good for her too. It had helped her clarify what was important to her.
“You’re sure you were planning to come home?”
“Of course!” She was appalled that he felt the need to ask. A shaft of sunlight shot across the kitchen and she stood up. “Let’s go to the beach.”
“Now?”
“Why not? We used to love going there after a storm.”
“We were teenagers.”
“And? Fun isn’t only for the young.” She thought about her mother. “There are no rules that say you can’t still enjoy the things you used to enjoy. The waves will be rough, it will be blowy and there will be no people.”
He drained his coffee. “Are you planning to get dressed? And do you want breakfast first?”
“We’ll take breakfast with us. The light will be wonderful after that storm. I’m going to take some photographs I can use later for painting.”
They dressed quickly and Liza grabbed some fruit and a couple of muffins she’d bought the day before and pushed them into a bag.
Sean emerged, hair damp from a hasty shower and a sweatshirt looped around his shoulders. “I haven’t seen you in shorts for years. You seem to have bought an entire new wardrobe.”
“I didn’t have the right clothing.” She slid her feet into flip-flops and together they walked across the field and down onto the beach.
Apart from a lone dog walker in the distance, they had the place to themselves.
Liza kicked off her flip-flops and walked barefoot to the water’s edge. The sea was choppy, but the storm clouds had cleared
, and it promised to be another sunny day.
“We met on this beach.” Sean put his arm round her. “I was intimidated by you.”