The Woodworker's Wife

So incredibly arrogant of him, we'd both said no to his idea yet he'd gone ahead and arranged it. Also I thought it was so convenient, a studio with an attached bedroom. How long had he been planning that! I looked at her and I saw her glance at me. She saw the expression on my face and shook her head and squeezed my hand.

"That's a bit presumptuous of you," she said. "I texted you that the answer is no."

"But of course you will, it's the best option for all of us." He said.

"Not for me or my family, it isn't," she said with a shake of her head. "I won't do it to Siobhan."

"Who? ... oh yes, your daughter."

"Yes, my daughter, who I'd promised to spend all of next week with."

Marcus looked carefully at both of us, "Do I take that to mean you couldn't make Dave here see the benefits to you of my proposal."

"I think that's a fair assumption, "she replied. "You're early, I'm not ready, and I need to freshen up. Wait here I'll be back in a few minutes."

She picked up the empty plates and left. Marcus stood looking at me and I was sure that his mind was working overtime how to manipulate this apparent change in his fortunes to his benefit.

It was then I had one of those inspired thoughts. If Marcus could manipulate her then maybe I could do the same. I kept telling her I loved her but I wondered if she really understood the depth of my love for her and Siobhan. I had physical proof of my feelings for her, and as an artist I knew she would understand.

I quickly stood and retrieved a cloth wrapped object from a cupboard in my workshop and placed it in the middle of her worktable on top of her box of paints. There was something else I wanted to do but I needed the computer for that.

He said, "I'm can't believe that you are being as narrow minded as this, I can help her career in way you never could."

"Help her career, or is the reality that you want to help her into your bed."

"Now you are being narrow minded and ridiculous."

"If I remember correctly, what you actually said was 'She won't even know what I'm doing until I'm cock deep in her'. Please correct me if I've misquoted you."

His face went red and he poked his finger in my face. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"So that's not what I heard you tell Silvia at the restaurant, just after you described the painting she did for Linda as the perfect seduction tool."

"Prove it."

He walked into Zoe's studio to wait for her as I switched the computer on.

His arrogance got the better of him as he returned to the door of her studio. He spoke loudly, "You stupid little man, what would you know, she deserves better than you and I can give it to her."

He looked up and froze, a fresh looking Zoe had appeared at the entrance. Zoe stood in the doorway. She hesitated looking at me, then she ushered Marcus back into her studio. I lost myself to the intricacies of the web as I quickly searched for what I was looking for.

I looked up from the screen in front of me ten minutes later with a extremely satisfied feeling to see Zoe standing in the doorway. She had tears streaming down her face and she clutched the object I'd left on her paint box to her chest.

She walked around the desk and spun the chair I was sitting on around to face her. She couldn't speak through the sobs. A tear fell from her face to land on the surface of the object in her hands. It tricked slowly down the polished surface.

"It's... beautiful... when... did... you... do... it..." She said between sniffles.

"A few weeks ago, it suddenly called to me and I freed it from its resting place."

It was of course the zebrawood carving of a pregnant Zoe. I've always sensed that the person my carving was destined for would immediately know what it represents. And Zoe had just proved me right. Others would just see it as a simple stylised outline.

Her fingers delicately traced the curves as she fought to control her emotions. "Is this the only one?"

"There are a few more," I admitted.

"Show me!"

"Wait here," I told her. I packed the rest and brought them out to her in a box.

I sat down again and she sat on my lap. She reverently lifted the pieces I'd selected from the box and unerringly lined them up on the desk in the order I'd carved them and delicately stroked the surface of the pieces. None of the pieces were carved from the same type of wood. Each had been highly polished, the silky smooth sinuous curves highlighting the grain of each piece.

"Me," and she pointed at the first one. "Me again, me, me, a pregnant me, another pregnant me. Oh me and a newborn Siobhan." She continued down the line describing each piece.

"What have you done with Marcus?"

"Oh he's in there sulking, hopefully getting dressed. There didn't seem any reason to carry on today. I told him I'd finish it from the photos I've already taken, after we get back from next week."

Marcus appeared at the door and took in the sight of Zoe sitting on my lap. He said, "Zoe can we talk about this next week, maybe we could all meet up for lunch one of the days you're in London."

"Sorry, that won't be possible." I said. "We won't be there. I've just cancelled everything."

Zoe stiffened, "Dave what have you done?" She looked at me with fear in her eyes. Had she stepped over the line? Was I walking away from her? Had I decided that enough was enough?

Marcus gave me a puzzled but slightly hopeful look. Not a chance arsehole I thought, I'm not going to make it easy for you. I spun the chair we were sitting on so Zoe could see the computer screen and the web page displayed. The words 'payment confirmed' sat in the middle of the screen.

"What have you done? She repeated tentatively.

"Booked the three of us into Disney Florida for the week. We fly on Monday morning love."

Marcus's face was a picture; Zoe just froze and then threw her arms around me.

"Thank you, that's a perfect way to spend half term with you and Siobhan," she sobbed into my neck. Her lips sought mine and we descended into a long passionate kiss that seemed to go on forever. Her expression went from scared to elated.

Marcus stood forgotten by the doorway until he coughed and we both turned to look at him.

He said, "Zoe, I'll call when you get back to reschedule."

"No need," she said, "I have all I need to finish it. We will call your office when it's ready."

She stood up and went over to him. He started to bend his head to give her a kiss, but she shook her head and held out her hand.

"It's been interesting working with you, but not an experience I would like to repeat."

He looked startled at her words. "Zoe, are you sure this is what you want? I thought you wanted to submit to the academy?"

"I do and I will, just not yours," she said. "I know there's a much better one coming soon," and she looked back at me with a content smile.

Marcus turned on his heels and walked out of our lives. He left with his usual flourish of scattering gravel.

~ ~ ~ ~ <> ~ ~ ~ ~

Zoe sat and held on to me sobbing. Occasionally a finger would stretch out and gently caress the evidence of the years of my love. We sat like that for over an hour until she struggled off my lap.

She kissed me and said. "I'm just going to pack my paints away, then we can go and collect our daughter and tell her the great news."

As she cleared up I opened her folder on the computer intending to delete the contents. As I did so, a new text from him appeared in the folder. Looking up I could see her pick up her phone and frown as she read the message. I opened it.

Zoe I can't go a whole week without seeing you. I think I've fallen in love with you. You deserve so much better than him.

Her reply appeared a few moments later.

Marcus what are you talking about, I liked you but you were never more than a friend. I love Dave and that's not going to change, he's my soul mate and the father of my child. I think it's best if you stop trying to contact me. If Dave knew you were still texting me he'd go ballistic. I'll contact your office when it's ready for collection.

I watched her look at her phone and then delete the texts and put it down with a sigh. She looked up and saw me watching her and she came over to me.

"I've been a fool haven't I," she said. "He was after me all the time wasn't he?"

I nodded, "He was, the painting always was a means to an end for him."

"Pity, I thought he was nice, I guess that was all part of his act."

"I think that everything he did was calculated to try and get you in bed with him."

She pulled a chair up and sat down on the other side of our daughter. "He had an affair with Linda didn't he?" She said. "That's how you knew what he was up to."

I nodded my head, "I'm sorry I just couldn't say anything, she made me swear I wouldn't tell anybody even you. I tried to tell you what he was up but I couldn't let you know how I knew so half the time it sounded sour grapes." She gave me an embarrassed look.

"Does Paul know?" she asked.

"God no, and he mustn't if their marriage is to survive," I said. "If he ever found out it would be destroyed. Marcus managed to seduce her, while he failed with you. But he failed in part because Linda pre-warned me and I had a chance to thwart him as best I could. I wasn't at all sure I'd succeed."

She reached across our daughter and gently caressed the side of my face. "We need to start packing for our holiday and then we need to make a baby my love. It's time for a brother or sister for this one." and she looked down at our daughter.

~ ~ ~ ~ <> ~ ~ ~ ~

The End

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