My Husband Kissed His Girl Best Friend in Front of 200 People, So I Filed for Divorce novel · Chapter 22 of 24

Chapter 22: The Wife

The sign-writer looked down at her from the second rung.

"Love, I need to get up there."

"No," said Steph.

She pushed her hood back.

No make-up. Hair scraped back. She looked like she hadn't slept.

I'd known her six years and I'd never seen her face without a performance on it.

"Morning, Steph," I said.

"You're not taking it down."

"I am, actually. At eight. We're on a schedule."

"I named it." Her voice cracked. "I stood on that pavement on the fourteenth of November with the keys in my hand and I named it. It's the only thing in there that's mine."

The barman stopped filming.

The cook stood in the doorway with his tray of bacon rolls, not sure what to do with them.

"It was never yours," I said. "It was my gran's house with a sign on it."

Steph's hands tightened on the ladder.

"I've got nothing," she said. "The flat's going. The landlord wants me out by the end of the month. Nobody on North Street will serve me a coffee. Alf won't answer. Sandra's told the whole church." She laughed, high and thin. "You've taken everything."

"I took back what was mine," I said. "You spent the rest."

She stared at me.

For one second I thought she might actually cry.

Then her face closed up again.

"I'll be here tonight," she said. "At your little party. And everyone will see who you really are."

"Come," I said. "Everyone's welcome. Until they're barred."

She let go of the ladder.

She walked off down North Street with her hood up.

The sign-writer went up the rungs two at a time.

By nine, THE GOLD HOUND was gone.

By four, in red and gold, the letters were done.

THE WIFE.

At seven that night the pub was so full they were standing in the beer garden in the drizzle.

Nathan's channel was there, live, for the reopening.

He was back on air, in a jacket for once, with the microphone in his fist and his producer hovering behind the camera looking pleased with himself.

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