pinpoint the exact moment when it began to go wrong, but the increasing number of times that Bishop rang him with night work was an irritant, while the work itself preyed on his mind, eating away at his nerves. Even then it only showed in small, petulant out- breaks of temper that never seemed to ruffle Lisa.
No, if there was one moment when he knew it couldn't last it was on the Friday night at the end of May when he arrived back at the maisonette, worn out by countless retakes and sudden script changes, longing for a quick shower and bed and instead found Lisa dressed up in a black backless dress, the table set for an intimate dinner for two.
'What the hell's up?' he snapped. 'It isn't my birthday, is it?'
Realising that he was in a mood, Lisa didn't laugh. She'd already learnt that he didn't like being laughed at. 'Of course not. It's just that I've got something to tell you and I thought it would make a nice change if I cooked you a decent meal for once.'
'I fancy fish and chips,' he said churlishly, and slammed off to the bathroom.
When he emerged wearing his oldest pair of denims and a short-sleeved shirt with a hole in the back she realised that he wasn't going to go along with her plan. Sighing inwardly, she placed a stuffed pepper in front of him.
'What's this?'
'An hors d'oeuvre.'
'Why not just call it a starter, you stuck-up bitch?' he complained, reaching for the wine bottle lying in its wicker basket. 'I'll have a drink instead. How about you?'
'You know I don't drink red wine.'
'Bloody affectation. You can drink some tonight, can't you?'
Despite knowing that she'd end up with a migraine she decided she'd better placate him and held out her glass. 'Only a little, thanks.'
Filling it to the top, he smiled unpleasantly. 'Drink it all up!'
She wasn't quite sure how to handle his mood and felt uneasy. 'I will, later on,' she promised.
'Now!'
'Toby, I don't want it. I… '
Picking up the plate with the stuffed pepper still on it, he flung it across the room. 'Then I don't want your bloody pepper filled with dog meat!'
'Toby, please…'
'Toby, please!' he mimicked.
She went over to the stove and produced the Chinese-style steaks she'd prepared. He looked suspiciously at his. 'What the hell's all that stuff round the meat?'
'What on earth's the matter with you?' she snapped, losing her patience.
'I'm tired,' he said sullenly. 'I wanted a bit of peace and quiet, not all this fuss.'
'I'm very sorry but unfortunately I'm not psychic, and it so happens that I wanted to tell you something important tonight.'
'You're moving out? Hurrah!' 'I'm pregnant.'
'Oh, well, that's… You're what?'
'Pregnant. Toby, I know it isn't what we intended but… ' 'Who's the father?' he asked softly.
She blinked in surprise. 'Don't be silly!'
'And don't talk to me like one of your kindergarten brats! Now answer the question, who's the father?' As he spoke he drank his third glass of wine and stood up to fetch a second bottle.
'You, of course.'
'Why of course? You spread your legs quickly enough for me, why not for other men as well?'
'But I'm living with you!'
'I thought you were taking precautions?'
'It must have been that night when I'd forgotten to put the diaphragm in and you didn't want to wait.'
'I see, so it's my fault, is it?'
'It isn't anyone's fault!' she shouted. 'This isn't a crime we're talking about.'
'No, just a hideous mistake. Well, you can bloody well get rid of it.
I don't want any bawling babies messing up my life.' 'Get rid of it?'
'Sure, or get out. Suit yourself, so long as I don't ever have to visit you both. And there won't be any child support either. I shall deny paternity.'
'Haven't you had enough to drink?' said Lisa after watching him drain the second bottle of wine.
'Nothing like enough, and I see you haven't drunk anything at all.' 'I don't feel like drinking.'
'Nauseous already, are you? See what I mean. Babies are the biggest killjoys invented. I expect you'll go off sex
No, if there was one moment when he knew it couldn't last it was on the Friday night at the end of May when he arrived back at the maisonette, worn out by countless retakes and sudden script changes, longing for a quick shower and bed and instead found Lisa dressed up in a black backless dress, the table set for an intimate dinner for two.
'What the hell's up?' he snapped. 'It isn't my birthday, is it?'
Realising that he was in a mood, Lisa didn't laugh. She'd already learnt that he didn't like being laughed at. 'Of course not. It's just that I've got something to tell you and I thought it would make a nice change if I cooked you a decent meal for once.'
'I fancy fish and chips,' he said churlishly, and slammed off to the bathroom.
When he emerged wearing his oldest pair of denims and a short-sleeved shirt with a hole in the back she realised that he wasn't going to go along with her plan. Sighing inwardly, she placed a stuffed pepper in front of him.
'What's this?'
'An hors d'oeuvre.'
'Why not just call it a starter, you stuck-up bitch?' he complained, reaching for the wine bottle lying in its wicker basket. 'I'll have a drink instead. How about you?'
'You know I don't drink red wine.'
'Bloody affectation. You can drink some tonight, can't you?'
Despite knowing that she'd end up with a migraine she decided she'd better placate him and held out her glass. 'Only a little, thanks.'
Filling it to the top, he smiled unpleasantly. 'Drink it all up!'
She wasn't quite sure how to handle his mood and felt uneasy. 'I will, later on,' she promised.
'Now!'
'Toby, I don't want it. I… '
Picking up the plate with the stuffed pepper still on it, he flung it across the room. 'Then I don't want your bloody pepper filled with dog meat!'
'Toby, please…'
'Toby, please!' he mimicked.
She went over to the stove and produced the Chinese-style steaks she'd prepared. He looked suspiciously at his. 'What the hell's all that stuff round the meat?'
'What on earth's the matter with you?' she snapped, losing her patience.
'I'm tired,' he said sullenly. 'I wanted a bit of peace and quiet, not all this fuss.'
'I'm very sorry but unfortunately I'm not psychic, and it so happens that I wanted to tell you something important tonight.'
'You're moving out? Hurrah!' 'I'm pregnant.'
'Oh, well, that's… You're what?'
'Pregnant. Toby, I know it isn't what we intended but… ' 'Who's the father?' he asked softly.
She blinked in surprise. 'Don't be silly!'
'And don't talk to me like one of your kindergarten brats! Now answer the question, who's the father?' As he spoke he drank his third glass of wine and stood up to fetch a second bottle.
'You, of course.'
'Why of course? You spread your legs quickly enough for me, why not for other men as well?'
'But I'm living with you!'
'I thought you were taking precautions?'
'It must have been that night when I'd forgotten to put the diaphragm in and you didn't want to wait.'
'I see, so it's my fault, is it?'
'It isn't anyone's fault!' she shouted. 'This isn't a crime we're talking about.'
'No, just a hideous mistake. Well, you can bloody well get rid of it.
I don't want any bawling babies messing up my life.' 'Get rid of it?'
'Sure, or get out. Suit yourself, so long as I don't ever have to visit you both. And there won't be any child support either. I shall deny paternity.'
'Haven't you had enough to drink?' said Lisa after watching him drain the second bottle of wine.
'Nothing like enough, and I see you haven't drunk anything at all.' 'I don't feel like drinking.'
'Nauseous already, are you? See what I mean. Babies are the biggest killjoys invented. I expect you'll go off sex
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