Sue Fortin - United States of Love

‘I'm not. Look, I'd better go, I've left him downstairs while I've nipped up to get changed out of my work clothes. I'm really sorry about tonight.’

‘That's all right. It's karaoke night at the pub, so we won't be missing much.’

‘I'd say we've had a lucky escape then,’ said Anna, as she tucked the phone under her chin and wriggled into her jeans.

‘Look, you do what you feel is best, but please don't let Mark walk all over you. Do it because you want to, not because he wants you to,’ said Zoe. Her voice softened. ‘All I'm saying is to be on your guard. You know what a sweet-talking charmer he can be.’

Having had a rather restless night's sleep, Anna woke early and tiptoed downstairs. Mark was still fast asleep on the sofa but she was surprised to find Luke already up and sitting at the kitchen table.

‘Morning.’ Anna dropped a kiss on top of her son’s head. ‘You okay? Thought you’d still be tucked up in bed, fast asleep.’ She pushed the kitchen door closed and spoke softly so as not to disturb Mark.

Luke shrugged. ‘Couldn’t sleep.’

Anna filled the kettle and flicked it on to boil. ‘Are you okay with your dad being here?’ She took a seat next to him so they could speak quietly.

‘Yeah, ’course I’m pleased to see him. It just feels a bit odd.’

‘He’s been away for a year now, it’s bound to feel a bit strange him being around.’ Anna could identify with that feeling. It felt quite surreal last night as the three of them sat around the kitchen table sharing a Chinese takeaway.

‘He seems different,’ continued Luke. ‘A bit more interested in things, maybe.’

‘It’s been just you and me for a long time now, I suppose it’s bound to feel a bit odd, but it’s good he’s taking an interest in what you’ve been doing, isn’t it?’

Luke nodded and gave his mum a small smile. ‘Yeah. I mean, even when Dad was still living with us, it was almost like he wasn’t. Even then it was just, like, me and you. It was always you who gave me lifts, always you who came to parents’ evenings, sports days, that sort of thing. Dad was always too busy.’

Anna nodded. She couldn’t really deny it. Mark’s involvement with Luke had been sporadic. He was there when it suited him and him alone. More times than she cared to remember, she had felt like a single parent. When Mark had decided to move to America, it hadn’t really changed anything. Her and Luke had carried on as they were.

‘I don’t know how long your dad is back for,’ began Anna. She didn’t want Luke getting his hopes up that Mark would be around for any length of time. ‘Just try to take a day at a time with him. He may have to go back for work or something, you know that, don’t you?’

Luke gave wry smile. ‘It’s all right, Mum, I know what you’re trying to say.’

‘Do you?’

‘I know I can’t depend on him totally, not at the moment anyway,’ replied Luke, slowly spinning his mobile round on the table with his finger. ‘But I want to give him the chance. You never know, things may be better now.’

Anna slipped her arm around Luke’s shoulder and gave him a squeeze. ‘Okay, just don’t get your hopes too high, that’s all I’m saying.’

The sound of raised voices and shrieking seeped out through the front door as Anna stood on the doorstep, waiting for her knock to be answered.

‘Morning, Titch,’ smiled Nathan, opening the door and standing to one side so she could come in.

‘Morning, Lofty.’ It was a joke they had shared since childhood.

At nearly six feet tall, her brother Nathan took after their father with his athletic physique, fine-tuned by his career in fitness training. Anna, on the other hand, at five feet two, with a small petite frame and waiflike in her appearance, took after their more delicate mother.

‘Sounds fun in here this morning.’ Anna headed towards the kitchen where the noise of squabbling children seemed to be reaching fever pitch. ‘Morning everyone,’ she said as she poked her head round the door.

‘I don't want Coco Pops,’ whined Alex, one half of Nathan's seven-year-old twin boys. ‘I want Boulders.’

‘Just eat them now,’ sighed Zoe as she held a warmed bottle of milk in Emily's mouth with one hand, and with the other began pouring another bowl of Coco Pops for Jake, the other half of the duo. She glanced up as Anna walked in. ‘Well, good morning to you. What are you doing here so early?’ Then with a sudden anxious look on her face, ‘Everything all right?’

‘Fine, absolutely fine,’ said Anna reassuringly. She took the box of cereal from Zoe and finished pouring them into the bowl. ‘Here you go, Jake. Where's the milk?’

Jake wasn't paying attention, instead embarking on a tug-of-war with his three-year-old brother, Henry. Jake wanted the milk, but so did Henry. Giving the carton one final tug, Jake managed to pull the milk free from Henry's grasp. The momentum took Jake by surprise and the milk flew out of his hand, splashing all over the table and sending a cup of tea into Zoe's lap.

‘Oh, for God's sake!’ Zoe cried. ‘That's so naughty, look what you've done!’

Baby Emily began screaming in protest at having her breakfast whipped away as Zoe dropped the bottle while trying, and failing, to avoid the tea.

‘Hey! Hey! Hey! Boys!’ commanded Nathan as he strode across the kitchen. ‘That's enough.’

The boys exchanged a look and immediately sat quiet, as did Henry. Nathan picked up the bottle of milk and ran it under the tap to clean the teat before quickly popping it back into Emily's mouth. Peace.

‘Could have done with you down here five minutes earlier,’ muttered Zoe, simultaneously trying to mop up the milk on the table and sponge out the tea from her dressing gown. ‘I expect you've got to rush off to work now.’

‘Here, Zoe, let me clean that up,’ insisted Anna. ‘You sort yourself out.’

‘So how's your house guest?’ asked Zoe as she dabbed at the tea stain.

‘We had a Chinese last night and then he pretty much fell asleep. Jet-lagged. Left him asleep on the sofa this morning.’

‘I think you're asking for trouble,’ grumbled Nathan, looking at his watch. ‘Oh Christ, I've got to go. I'm going to be late for my client. We've got a five-k run this morning. Here, Zoe, take Emily.’

‘Always rushing off,’ complained Zoe, lifting Emily from Nathan's shoulder. She popped a kiss on her daughter's head and put her back in her baby chair. ‘You sit there, darling. Mummy's got to sort out those brothers of yours. Daddy's clearing off again, just when I could do with his help. Perfect.’

Anna glanced at Nathan who gave a small shake of his head, tension etched in his face.

‘I'll be back at lunchtime. Bye, love.’ He went to kiss Zoe but she turned away, busying herself with filling the kettle.

‘Right. Fine.’

Anna waited until she heard the front door close. ‘I'll make the tea, Zoe, you sit there for a bit. Is everything all right?’

Zoe looked thoughtfully out of the window for a moment before answering. ‘The official party line is yes, everything is fine. Nathan's personal training business is really taking off. I'm busy looking after the children and the house, sipping coffee with girlfriends and flicking through glossy home furnishing magazines.’ Zoe let out a big sigh.

‘And unofficially?’ prompted Anna.

‘Unofficially, Nathan's working all the hours God sends to keep a roof over our heads so I don't have to go back to work. We hardly see each other. I just feel so tired all the time, it's a struggle to do anything.’ She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. ‘I am a complete wreck, suffering from sleep deprivation, who can just about manage to pull on my baggy tracksuit and tie my hair in a ponytail.’