The Desperate Wife’s Survival Plan by Alison Sherlock Page A

friend.’
    ‘Right.’
    The silence hung in the air between them.
    ‘Well, I’d better go,’ he told her.
    Charley hung up the phone beforedisintegrating into tears. She had just made it through the conversation without breaking down.
    She needed time to think, to adjust, to come to terms with everything that had happened. But she didn’t have that luxury. She had to dust and vacuum a stranger’s flat before mopping the kitchen floor and cleaning the windows.
    Take the money first. Then she could fall apart.

Chapter Seventeen
    THE FOLLOWING DAY, Charley again had the morning free. Once more she slept in, craving the quiet of her bedroom. Except it wasn’t her bedroom and it was never going to be quiet.
    ‘Time to get up,’ said her mother, coming in and flinging open the curtains. ‘Caroline’s downstairs.’
    ‘I don’t want to see anyone.’
    ‘She’s your friend. Of course you want to see her. Come on. Up withyou.’
    As Charley slowly got out of bed, her mother tutted to see the baggy t-shirt of Steve’s that she was wearing.
    ‘We must get you a nice nightie. And have a shower before you come down. You mustn’t lose your looks as well as everything else.’
    Half an hour later, Charley trudged into the lounge.
    Caroline stood up and gave her a hug. Only her eyes, widening momentarily, betrayed how bad Charleymust look.
    ‘How are you?’ asked Caroline.
    In reply Charley’s eyes filled with tears. Her heart ached with emptiness and betrayal.
    ‘I should have guessed,’ she croaked, the tears rolling down her cheeks. ‘Should have known something wasn’t right. I’m such an idiot.’
    ‘No, you’re not,’ replied Caroline.
    ‘Quite right,’ said her mother. ‘Now why don’t you get some nice fresh air? You could buythe local paper whilst you’re out as well, and have a look through the property section.’
    ‘I can’t afford to buy anywhere,’ said Charley, dragging her hand through her hair. The last thing she wanted to do was go out in public where she might see somebody she knew. At least with the cleaning work she could stay anonymous.
    ‘Not to buy, silly,’ her mother told her. ‘To rent. You’ve got to livesomewhere.’
    Charley was horrified. ‘I thought I could spend a bit of time here until I get my act together?’
    Her mother turned away and began to tidy a newspaper on the coffee table. ‘Well, yes,’ said Maureen, avoiding eye contact. ‘We were going to tell you, but then all this happened.’
    ‘Tell me what?’
    ‘Your grandmother’s had a bit of a shock. Literally, as it happens. She was fiddling aboutwith the electrics and flew four feet into the air. Broke her wrist when she landed on a nest of tables. She can’t even manage the kettle, so I’ve said she can stay with us for a while.’
    Charley began to shake. She couldn’t handle this. There was nowhere else for her to go.
    Her mother walked over and held on to her shoulders. ‘I know it feels like the world has fallen apart, but you’ll get throughthis. Do your mourning and then face up to things.’
    Huge tears rolled down Charley’s cheeks. ‘I don’t think I can,’ she wailed.
    ‘You will.’
    ‘But . . .’
    Her mother shook her head. ‘No buts,’ she said, before enveloping her daughter in a bear hug. ‘You know we’ll always love you. They can never take that away from you. But it’s time to be strong.’
    Charley had never felt less strong in the wholeof her life. ‘But where will I go? What’s going to happen to me?’
    ‘You will find your feet and carry on living,’ her mother told her. ‘It’s what women have done for centuries.’
    ‘I’m not sure I can even afford to rent anywhere.’
    ‘Your father’s worked it all out for you. If you find a cheap enough place, we’ll get the deposit for you somehow. You’ll have to take on all the cleaning jobs you can,but a bit of work won’t do you any harm.’
    Charley and Caroline left the house and walked towards the