Together forever

Michelle’s parents were both in for a huge surprise…

They look good,’ my mother said when I took the quiches round.

‘Yes, they’ve turned out well,’ I said, finding room for them in her fridge. ‘And that’s all the food here now, except for the cake.’

‘I know, and it all looks amazing, love,’ Mum replied as she sank down on to one of the chairs by the kitchen table. ‘But I think we’re going to have to cancel the party.’

‘What?’ I cried. ‘Why? Are you feeling ill?’

Mum shook her head. ‘No, but your dad’s been acting strangely, and I think he’s seeing someone else!’

‘Of course he isn’t.’ I sat down opposite her. ‘He wouldn’t dream of having an affair.’

‘But he keeps going out!’ Mum wailed as tears appeared in her eyes.

‘Well, he’s allowed to go out, isn’t he?’

‘Of course he is, but he usually tells me where he’s going, and he’s been really secretive for the last few weeks,’ Mum sobbed.

Then she produced a tissue from her sleeve and dabbed at her eyes.

‘Well, perhaps he’s sorting out a special present,’ I said. ‘I reminded him a few months ago that it was a special anniversary this year, so maybe he’s been making some arrangements.’

‘Like what?’

I shrugged. ‘I don’t know, Mum, but I’m sure he’s not having an affair. He doesn’t know anybody he could have an affair with, does he?’

Mum sniffed in an unladylike way. ‘Not as far as I know, but he could have met somebody in the pub, couldn’t he?’

‘Oh, I shouldn’t think so,’ I said, wondering who’d be attracted to my dad.

‘Or he could have chatted somebody up round the shops.’

‘But why would he?’ I asked. ‘He’s happy with you.’

Mum sighed as she dabbed at her eyes again.

‘Well, yes, I thought he was, and I thought we’d be together forever, Michelle, but maybe he’s got bored with me. We have been married for 45 years!’

‘Yes, and that’s something to celebrate,’ I said. ‘Look, I don’t know what Dad’s been up to, but I’m sure he hasn’t been cheating. You’ll just have to ask him where he’s been when he gets home. Did he say when he was going to be back?’

Mum shook her head. ‘No, he just sneaked out when I was in the bathroom without saying a word, and I don’t even know if he’ll be back in time for the party.’ ‘Oh, I’m sure he will.’

‘And I think I’m going to

have to cancel it anyway,’ she added as fresh tears loomed in her eyes.

‘But you can’t,’ I replied. ‘All of your friends are going to be here in a few hours, and there’s enough food to feed an army.’

‘Well, we could give the food to the homeless.’

‘What?’ I shrieked. ‘But

I’ve spent weeks cooking it all!’

‘I know, love,’ Mum said as she reached across the table and patted my hand. ‘But I can’t face everybody if your dad’s been cheating on me, can I?’

‘But I’m sure he hasn’t,’ I said, wishing he’d just come home so we could get to the bottom of it all. ‘And he’s going to be thrilled when he finds out about the party. He’ll love seeing all of his friends, won’t he?’

‘I don’t know.’ Mum sighed. ‘He…’

‘And he’s going to love the cake. Have you looked at the photo of it that I sent you earlier on?’

She shook her head. ‘No, I’ve been too busy fretting about…’

‘Well, I made a good job of it, if

I say so myself.’ I opened her laptop, which was there on the table, and found the photograph. ‘See!

The blue flowers look amazing, and

I managed to do all the piping without any wobbling.’

‘It looks beautiful,’

Mum breathed as we heard the sound of a key in the door. ‘Oh, there’s your dad! What am I going to say?’

‘Just ask him where he’s been.’

‘OK.’ She gulped.

‘Hi, John. Where have you been?’

‘I’ve been out,’ Dad said as he walked through to the kitchen with a bunch of flowers and a grin on his face.

‘Yes, I know that,’ Mum said, glaring at him. ‘But you didn’t tell me where you were going.’

‘Well, it was a secret,’ Dad said, pulling out a chair and sitting down at the table. ‘I was getting you a special present because it’s our anniversary today.’

‘I’m well aware of that, but…’

‘Forty-five years…’ said Dad, shaking his head. ‘It doesn’t seem that long.’

‘Oh, I don’t know about that,’ Mum muttered.

‘And I have no regrets,’ Dad added as he produced a piece of paper and handed it to my mum. ‘Happy anniversary, love.’

Mum looked puzzled as she stared at the paper. ‘What’s this?’

‘It’s a voucher for a tattoo parlour!’ I gasped, hardly able to believe my eyes.

‘What?’ Mum gasped even louder than me. ‘Why would I want that?’

‘So we can have matching tattoos,’ Dad said, putting his arm on the table. ‘You can’t see mine right now because of the dressing they put on it, but it’s beautiful. It’s a little heart with our names inside it.’

Mum’s jaw dropped. ‘But why did you get it done?’

‘Because I love you, Sandra,’ Dad said, not seeming to care that I was listening to every word.

‘OK,’ Mum looked slightly embarrassed. ‘But why have you had it done now?’

‘Well, it looks as if we’re going to be together forever,’ Dad replied with a twinkle in his eye. ‘So I won’t ever need to get your name scrubbed out.’

Mum smiled. ‘But I had no idea you wanted a tattoo — and why have you been going out so often?’

‘Well, I had to meet up with the tattoo artist so she could do a design and then… well, I chickened out the first time.’

‘You didn’t!’ I said.

‘I did,’ Dad laughed. ‘I thought it was going to be ever so painful, Michelle, but it hardly hurt at all.’

‘Oh, good,’ I said. ‘Well, you’re braver than me, Dad. I’d be far too scared to have a tattoo. Are you going to go for it, Mum?’

Mum nodded as she looked down at the voucher. ‘Yes, why not?’ ‘Why not indeed,’ Dad said as his eyes were drawn to the laptop. ‘Ooh! What’s that?’

‘It’s a cake,’ I said.

‘I can see that. And it’s a blue cake — is it for us?’ ‘Yes, it is,’ I said, because it couldn’t have been for anybody else.

‘It looks rather big,’ he pointed out.

‘Yes, well, we’re having a party,’ Mum told him.

Dad’s eyes opened wide. ‘Really? When?’

‘In a few hours.’ Mum grinned. ‘Michelle’s been cooking things for weeks.’ ‘Oh, thanks, love,’ Dad said.

‘You’re welcome,’ I replied. ‘Mum was having second thoughts about the party earlier on, but…’ ‘But I’m looking forward to it now,’ Mum interrupted, warning me with her eyes. ‘It’s going to be amazing, isn’t it?’ I grinned. ‘It certainly is.’

‘And I’ll have to start getting everything ready soon,’ she added as she pulled back her sleeve and checked her watch. ‘But first I just need to make a call, so I can book that tattoo.’

‘Your dad’s been acting strangely, and I think he’s seeing someone else!’