Kłamca 2,5. Machinomachia. Jakub Ćwiek

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      ‘Mummy, I like my new daddy. I wanted to go with him,’ Charlotte said, pouting, when Luigi had gone.

      Megan was peering through the window, watching as he climbed into a sleek black Mercedes. ‘I know you did, sweetheart, but Mummy has to work, I can’t take time off or I’ll lose my job.’

      ‘Will he come back again?’

      ‘I don’t think so.’ In fact she prayed he wouldn’t. ‘But it won’t be long before we go to his house.’

      ‘Where does he live?’

      ‘I don’t know.’

      ‘Why don’t we live with him? Laura’s daddy lives with them, and Katie’s.’

      Megan turned back into the room and gathered her daughter into her arms. ‘Sometimes, sweetheart, Mummies and Daddies stop loving each other and they live in separate houses because if they didn’t they’d always be arguing.’

      ‘Did you used to argue with Daddy?’

      ‘Not really.’

      ‘So why don’t you live together? I want you to. I want my daddy with me all the time.’

      How could she explain to a three-year-old that her father was a workaholic and couldn’t care less about his family? It wouldn’t be the heaven Charlotte thought it would be. Fortunately Jenny phoned at that moment wanting to know if Megan was doing some washing and if so would she throw in her white jeans. By the time their conversation was finished Charlotte had thankfully forgotten her question.

      But as far as Megan was concerned her whole day was spoilt. Usually Jenny and her boyfriend lounged about the house and she and Charlotte never had any time to themselves. She had been so looking forward to it. And now all she could think about was Luigi and the fact that they were going to spend Christmas with him.

      She ought to have been strong; she should have said no, but how could she deny her daughter what she so obviously wanted? It would be purgatory, she was sure of that. And there was no way on this earth that he could persuade her to move in permanently.

      The next four days were sheer hell. She finished her Christmas shopping, not even entertaining the idea of buying Luigi a gift. Why should she? She truly and deeply resented the fact that he was forcing them to spend the festive period with him.

      It looked as though another move might be in the cards because she most definitely didn’t want to live the rest of her life with a man who hadn’t an ounce of love in the whole of his body. It wouldn’t even be fair on her daughter to be thrust into such a situation.

      Jenny and her fiancé were flying to Paris for Christmas, another reason why Megan had been looking forward to Christmas alone with her daughter, and on Christmas Eve morning it was chaos as they all got ready at once. Finally Jenny and Jake left but Megan had only a short period of breathing space before the car arrived.

      She was expecting a polite but indifferent driver and was annoyed to discover that Luigi himself had come to pick them up. Charlotte had been looking through the window and she gave a hoot of delight, though when Megan let him into the house she became suddenly shy again.

      ‘Are you ready?’ he asked. He was wearing a suit this morning, an immaculate dark grey with a crisp white shirt and a patterned mustard tie. He was the epitome of the successful businessman, gorgeously handsome to boot, and Megan couldn’t stave off a brief flash of the old feelings that had once filled her with such excitement. Had he taken time off work to fetch them? Would he be shooting straight back? It would be good if that were the case because then she and Charlotte could explore his house on their own.

      She couldn’t help being curious as to where he now lived. Had he sold the house in Derbyshire or did he still own that as well? He had always said how much he loved the Peak District with its beautiful countryside and interesting little villages.

      ‘I’m as ready as I’ll ever be,’ she admitted.

      ‘So you’re still not happy about spending Christmas with me?’ he asked, his eyes hard and enquiring on hers.

      ‘No, I’m not.’

      ‘Perhaps I should take Charlotte on her own? Leave you here to—’

      ‘Not on your life!’

      He gave a faint smile of satisfaction. Not the sort that reached his eyes and made them crinkle at the corners, not the sort that had once made her reach out to him and kiss him soundly. Nothing like that. It was a getting-his-own-way kind of smile.

      ‘Good, then let’s go. Are these your things?’

      There wasn’t much, two small suitcases. One with their clothes and one with the presents she had bought for her daughter, already wrapped and hidden away from her prying eyes. She saw him look at them doubtfully. ‘We’ll be coming back for the rest of your stuff after Christmas, I take it?’

      ‘We won’t be staying,’ she answered evenly. ‘Didn’t I make myself clear?’

      ‘Perfectly, but I thought you might have changed your mind.’

      ‘I never will,’ Megan muttered, keeping her tone low for Charlotte’s sake. She didn’t want her daughter to hear her sniping at her new-found daddy. But Luigi heard the determination in her tone and his mouth compressed grimly.

      He picked up the two cases and headed out to the car. They looked ridiculously small in his hands and as he tossed them into the boot Megan wanted to cry out that she had changed her mind. She had the strongest feeling that if she went with Luigi now it would change her life for ever.