The Missing Husband by Amanda Brooke Page B

said less and less, each syllable too much of an effort. After months of being patient and understanding, she had had enough and it was time for David to accept once and for all that they were having a baby. He had been excited about the idea of fatherhood once and she had caught glimpses of that excitement in recent weeks, but the irrational fears that had made him want to postpone their original plans were still there and she was at a loss as to how to break through them.
    She could see herself standing in the living room. ‘I’m tired so I’m going to bed. That’s what happens when you’re pregnant.’
    By all appearances, her husband was engrossed in a TV programme and didn’t respond.
    ‘You can’t make me feel guilty for ever, David,’ she said as her parting shot.
    Her remark hit its target and he turned to face her. ‘I don’t want you to.’
    ‘Then what do you want?’
    The pained look on his face softened and there was a twinkle of mischief in his eyes. ‘You’ll see.’
    His smile had done nothing to improve Jo’s mood and she had stomped upstairs to bed without a second glance, unwilling to engage in a game of cat and mouse. But that was exactly what it felt like now and David’s last words cut into her heart like jagged claws.
    You’ll see.
    What did that mean? Was he trying to prove something and if so, why be so cruel?
    When the phone rang, jolting her back to the present, the rush of adrenalin made Jo’s heart thump painfully against her chest.
    ‘Hello?’ Her voice shook and by the way the phone rattled against her wedding ring, so did her hand.
    ‘Hi Jo, it’s Jason.’
    ‘Hi,’ she replied, already trying to think of an answer before David’s colleague had even asked the question.
    ‘Erm, David was meant to be in a meeting that started ten minutes ago and we were wondering where he is.’
    ‘Me too.’
    There was a pause: Jason was clearly thrown by the remark but then said, ‘Jo, is everything OK?’
    She took a deep breath that was meant to compose her but her words still trembled. ‘I don’t know where he is, Jason. He didn’t come home last night from Leeds. Well, he didn’t come home to me. You wouldn’t know … Is there anything he said …?’
    Jason and David had worked in the same office for several years and spent most of their working lives together, so if David had been planning something, he might have confided in his colleague.
    ‘Jesus, Jo, I’m sorry but no, I never saw this coming. You think he’s left you?’
    So far the only person Jo had told was her sister, but if David had left then she would have to face that particular shame at some point. Not just yet though, and not with someone she barely knew. ‘I don’t know. What other explanation is there?’
    Before Jason had a chance to come up with his own theories, Jo quickly continued, ‘Look, Jason, I don’t know what’s happened yet, but it looks like he’s not coming into work either. I’ll put in a request for emergency leave on his behalf and hope that he gets in touch soon. In the meantime, if you hear anything – the minute you hear anything – promise me you’ll let me know.’
    ‘Of course, Jo. Of course I will.’
    Unwittingly, Jason had forced Jo to accept that David wasn’t going to show up any time soon, and the sense of despair was crushing – but a sudden spark of anger kept Jo’s mind focused enough to write the email to cover her errant husband’s absence. If David was doing this deliberately, then he was going to feel her wrath. As soon as she pressed send, Jo picked up the phone again. She had no idea what she was going to say beyond the opening line.
    ‘Hi, Irene. It’s Jo.’
    Her mother-in-law wasn’t used to receiving calls from her daughter-in-law without good reason, especially not at ten o’clock in the morning on a weekday, so she was immediately on the alert. ‘Hi, Jo. Is everything all right?’ she asked.
    Irene was in her late fifties and had devoted