My sister kissed my husband in front of thirty people at her own anniversary party and called it a joke. kertati Her husband had a wrapped present in his hands and an envelope she had never opened.

“Why would you marry me if you loved him?”

Sasha’s eyes filled with tears.

“Because I loved you too.”

Bram stared at her.

“You don’t get to say that.”

“I did.”

“You didn’t.”

“I did.”

“No.”

His voice finally cracked.

“You loved what I gave you.”

Sasha wiped her face.

“That isn’t fair.”

“Fair?”

He laughed bitterly.

“You kissed my wife’s husband in front of me.”

Nobody moved.

He looked at Callan.

“And you stood there while she did it.”

Callan lowered his head.

I finally spoke.

“The kiss wasn’t the secret.”

Everyone looked at me.

“The kiss was the part they finally stopped hiding.”

---

PART 3 — THE OTHER PHONE

I couldn’t stay in the garden.

I couldn’t breathe.

I walked back into the house.

Nobody stopped me.

I went upstairs.

My son was watching cartoons.

My daughter was drawing at the desk.

Neither knew anything.

Neither knew that their father’s life had just exploded downstairs.

I stood in the doorway for several seconds.

My daughter looked up.

“Mum?”

I smiled.

“I’m fine.”

She went back to drawing.

I walked over and kissed her forehead.

Then I kissed my son.

I stayed there longer than I needed to.

I memorised the sound of the television.