“You dont know how to forgive,” said her friend, crossing her name off the guest list.
“Emily, are you really still angry with me?” Margot perched on the edge of the sofa, fingers twisting the strap of her handbag. “Its been six months!”
“Six months is no statute of limitations for betrayal,” Emily replied coolly, eyes fixed on the iron as steam hissed against the crisp white blouse.
“Dont be ridiculous! What betrayal? It wasnt intentional”
“Not intentional?” Emily finally looked up, her gaze sharp. “Margaret, you were seeing my husband for three months. Three months sneaking off to the cottage we rented together. Three months lying to my face about how fine things were with Ian. And all the while”
She bit off the words, turning back to the iron. Margot swallowed.
“Em, you know how I am. I cant sit around waiting. Ians always away on business. I was lonely.”
“So you thought youd pass the time with my husband,” Emily dragged the iron hard over the fabric. “How original.”
“It just happened! We were talking, he understood me, and then”
“Then you drove to the cottage and slept in my bed.”
Margot flushed.
“How did you know?”
“Mrs. Harris from next door saw you. She called me, said shed spotted you with some man at our place. At first, I thought it was Ian. Until I heard the description…”
Emily unplugged the iron and hung the blouse on a hanger, her hands trembling faintly.
“Em, lets talk properly,” Margot stood, taking a step forward. “Weve been friends for yearssince uni! Are you really going to throw it all away over one stupid mistake?”
“One mistake?” Emily turned fully to face her. “Margaret, you slept with my husband! In my bed! And you call that a mistake?”
“Keep your voice down! The neighbours will hear.”
“I dont care about the neighbours!” Emilys voice cracked. “I dont care about anyone! You stole him from me!”
“I didnt steal anyone!” Margot shot back. “If anything, its your fault! When was the last time you made an effort? Those baggy jumpers, your hair always tied back”
Emily paled.
“So its my fault my husband cheated?”
“Not fault, but… Well, think about it. Men need attention. Admiration. All you ever talk about is work and bills.”
“I see,” Emily nodded slowly. “So Im the bad wife, and youre the good mistress. How fair.”
“Em, dont twist my words!”
“How else am I meant to take them? You think you had a right to my husband because I wasnt looking after him properly?”
Margot faltered, realising the conversation had spiralled out of control.
“I just want us to make up. To go back to how things were.”
“Back?” Emily laughed bitterly. “Will you give me back my husband too, exactly as he was?”
“Emily, he came back to you! He admitted it was a mistake!”
“He came back. And now every time hes late from work, I wonderis he with another one of my friends? Every time you call, my stomach knots.”
Margot sank back onto the sofa.
“Em, I know youre hurt. But you cant hold onto this forever. You have to learn to forgive.”
“Forgive.” Emily tasted the word. “Margaret, forgiveness is for those who repent. Youre not apologising. Youre justifying why you had the right to do it.”
“Thats not what Im saying”
“It is. Just in prettier words. You think I drove him to it. That you simply took advantage of my failings.”
Margot opened her mouth, then shut it. Emily was right.
“Fine,” she muttered. “Suppose I was wrong. Forgive me. Lets forget this ever happened.”
“Exactly,” Emily shook her head. “You want me to forget. But you remember every minute with him. And you dont regret it. You only regret getting caught.”
Margot paced the room.
“What do you want from me? Tears? Grovelling? Were grown women, not schoolgirls in some melodrama.”
“I want you to understand the pain you caused. Real pain. Not excuses.”
“I do understand! Im sorry, alright? But life goes on. How long will you punish me for something thats over?”
Emily studied her, then walked to the desk and pulled out a notebook. She flipped to a marked page and scratched out a name with her pen.
“What are you doing?” Margot demanded.
“Removing you from Mums birthday list. Fifty-fifth. I was planning a big partyall the people we love.”
“Emily, are you mad? Aunt Claras known me since I was a child! How can I not come?”
“Simple. Visit her another day. But youre not welcome at the party.”
“Why? We agreed”
“Because you dont know how to forgive,” Emily shut the notebook. “You cant apologise sincerely. You waltz in here demanding I forget your betrayal because its inconvenient for you. But not once have you considered how I feel.”
“I have!”
“No. Or you wouldnt blame me for my husbands infidelity. Or act like my forgiveness is yours by right.”
Margot stared at the woman shed shared two decades withlectures, weddings, secrets. All crumbling over one summer.
“Em, do twenty years mean nothing?”
“They mean everything. Thats why it hurts. If it were a stranger, Id have slammed the door. But you? I let you in, hoping youd see what youd done.”
“See what?”
“Understand. Apologise because you meant itnot because youre uncomfortable.”
Emily moved to the kitchen, Margot trailing behind. The kettle boiled; Emily took out two mugs, then put one back.
“No tea for me?” Margot asked bitterly.
“No. Youre no longer a guest here.”
“Emily, weve known each other thirty years!”
“Which is why I cant fathom how you did this. Another woman mightve seduced him out of greed or stupidity. But you knew us. Knew we were trying for a baby. Knew about the job stress. And still, you decided your loneliness mattered more than my marriage.”
Margot slumped into a chair.
“I wasnt thinking then. It just… happened.”
“Three months of just happening?”
“Wellthe first time was impulsive. After that…”
“After that, you chose to continue. Every time, picking your pleasure over our friendship.”
The tea steamed in Emilys solitary cup.
“You know what cuts deepest?” she stirred in sugar. “Not that you slept with Tom. Men are weakthey succumb. Its that you sat in this kitchen, drinking tea, sharing your troublesall while betraying me.”
“Emily, I was miserable!”
“Not enough to stop.”
Silence. There was no arguing with truth.
“So what now?” Margot whispered. “Are we done?”
“I dont know yet.”
“And your mum? Why punish her?”
Emily set down her cup.
“Because I dont want to see you. Dont want to pretend for politeness sake. Dont want her asking why were barely speaking.”
“But we could try”
“We could. When you learn to ask for forgivenessnot demand it.”
Keys jingled in the hall. The door opened, and Tom froze at the sight of Margot.
“Hello,” he said flatly.
“Hi, Tom,” she managed a weak smile.
He kissed Emilys cheek and sat, pouring tea without glancing up.
“How was work?” Emily asked.
“Fine. Margarets here about your mums party?”
“Emilys uninviting me,” Margot said.
“Good,” Tom replied.
She flinched. This man had once been like familyholidays, barbecues, inside jokes. Now his voice held nothing but frost.
“Tom, you cant seriously”
“Cant what?” He finally met her eyes. “Cant resent being used? Played for a fool?”
“It wasnt like that! We had something real!”
“Real?” He scoffed. “You told me you loved Ian. That he was your one. I was just… summer entertainment.”
“Thats not what I said”
“Word for word. And you swore youd never wreck a marriage. That come autumn, itd be over.”
Emilys lips pressed thin. Margot felt the ground vanish beneath her.
“Tom, what we had was special”
“Was. Until you sold it as a fling. Then, when Emily found out, suddenly it was love.”
“I was scared to admit”
“Enough,” Emily cut in. “First, you were lonely.
