Excerpt

Image by: Saeko Ozaki

 “I can't talk about this now” Dan says quietly whilst reaching forward and turning up the heat to stop the windscreen from fogging up.  Brighton rolls past in a grey drizzle as the silence throbs in time with the wipers.

He says nothing when they pull up outside the shop.  Not knowing what else to do, Charlie follows him in.

“Coffee?” Dan asks, throwing the keys on the table.  He doesn't look at her, and walks into the kitchen without waiting for an answer.  
“Please.” Charlie whispers, taking her coat off.  She sits down. 
The silence is unbearable.  
“Dan?”
The sound of pulverizing beans in the grinder.
“Daniel.”
Tamping.
Frothing milk.
“I can’t hear you.  Be out in a minute."
Charlie leans back and looks around the room, her eyes falling on a picture of them taken 15 years ago, "I can't believe you got drunk on margaritas in Disneyland," Dan had teased. making her giggle, cheeks flushed from the alcohol.  Tears spring in her eyes. How did they get here?

“So,” he says, placing the cups on the table.  He pushes a cup towards her, but still doesn't look at her.
“So.” Charlie looks down and runs her finger along the handle of the cup.
There is a long silence. Then he looks straight at her, “I guess my first question is, when did you start lying?” 
It was the first time they've had eye contact since Dan picked her up and Charlie's throat tightens.  She looks away.
“Am I an idiot?” he says softly.  “I took your word that there was nothing going on.  So where exactly along this extra marital adventure did you start to lie?" He's still looking right at her.  "Am I an idiot?” he says a little louder.  
"Dan." Charlie starts to sob.  "Dan, nothing happened.  I didn't lie to you.”
“But you’ve been more than a little economical with the truth though, haven't you?"  He stands up. "This is bullshit Charlie!"  His voice breaks, "I am an fucking idiot.”
“I said no, Dan, I said no!" Charlie looks up at him, pleadingly,  "We didn’t do it, we didn’t have sex.” 
Dan turns and looks at her.  Charlie can't read his expression, it's one she's never seen before.
“Well bravo. Give the girl a medal.” He starts to cry and turns to walk back into the kitchen.

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I've just started going through some old paperwork and journals in preparation for the forthcoming move and have been coming across scraps of ideas jotted everywhere for a book I was dreaming up.

Kind of plan to see where it goes now...