I was stood in the doorway as my husband greeted his daughter with a warm hug. My mouth was nearly on the floor, my hands started to shake, and my heart rate had increased way beyond normal.
"Dad, Kay, this is Rob," Samantha announced.
She gave him a beaming smile and squeezed his hand. Her new boyfriend Rob, was my ex lover Robert!
She had gone on about Rob for the last month. It was Rob this and Rob that, all the bloody time. I watched Rob, as my husband shook his hand. They smiled at each other, and then Rob turned to me.
"Well hello, Kay," he said, as he reached out a hand.
I could barely look at that grin. I shook hands with him. Just feeling his hand was enough to have me gulping. Those hands that did so much to me, and now I guess they were doing the same to my stepdaughter!
I was just glad to get in the kitchen away from them. My palms were sweaty and my heart was still racing. I told myself to keep calm. But my head was full of worry and dread.
My husband and I had a trial separation two years ago. It was Mark's idea, because things between us were strained. I went out with a couple of friends and bumped into Robert as I knew him then. I thought my marriage was on the rocks so I was drinking quite a bit. My friends egged me on to let myself go, and before I knew it I was smooching on the dance floor with Robert. He walked me home, back to this very house! He pecked me on the cheek and left his number in my bag without me knowing it. Yes I phoned him, and I met him. I went back to his flat and that was where things kicked off. Even after the sex I told him that was it. He was so bloody confident he just smirked and said you'll be back, and I was.
"Kay, are you okay?"
I turned to my husband.
"You were miles away. I asked what you wanted to drink."
I pushed the kitchen door closed. My husband gave me an enquiring look.
"What do you think of him?" I asked in a whisper.
"He seems fine, a little older than Samantha I guess."
I nodded.
"Good, we'll have dinner, and then later you can phone her and tell her she should dump him."
"Jesus, Kay, we've only just met him, give him a chance. God I'm surprised at you."
"He's a control freak. I, I mean, he looks the sort. All smiles and agreeing with everything you say."
Mark chuckled and shook his head again, "I'll admit he is a little different from her usual choice of boyfriend, but bloody hell, give him a chance. Now is dinner ready?"
Why couldn't he see, why didn't he trust me on this?
I sat through dinner barely speaking a word. I just watched my husband being drawn into Robert like a willing fish jumping on the bloody hook! Samantha only had eyes for her new boyfriend. She was really into him, just like I had been. She was only 19 and very impressionable. Rob, as she called him, reeled them both in, he even laughed at the jokes my husband told. They were old jokes and well used. I remembered telling Robert that my husband was useless at telling jokes. We laughed about it, and now here I was cringing every time Robert chuckled at Mark's jokes. I took the plates to the kitchen and jumped as Samantha slid the other plates in the water.
"So, what's wrong with him then?" she hissed in my ear.
I closed my eyes and thought here we go again, another stepmother/stepdaughter argument.
"Dad likes him, so why don't you?"
I took a deep breath, but she started on me before I could say anything.
"You fucking bitch. I don't know why dad came back to you," she hissed in my ear again.
I spun round wanting to yell at her. I controlled myself just in time.
"Look, he is a little too old for you. I'm sure he knows things, I mean, can't you see he is just using you because you are young and pretty?"
"How do you know I'm not using him?" she whispered.
"Because you are not clever enough," I spat back, a little too quickly.
She just stared at me for a few seconds. Her eyes searched mine, like she was trying to eat into the thoughts in my brain. She spun round and her blonde ponytail hit my face. I watched it swing and sway defiantly back to the dinning room. Almost like it were two fingers sticking up at me.
Dessert was quickly followed by coffee. Both Mark and Samantha looked a little shocked at me, as I returned with the coffee in record time. I knew Mark would be asking me with his eyes what the hell I was up to, so I didn't look at him on purpose. 10 minutes later I sat there wanting to scream as Mark suggested more booze.
I went and got the last bottle of wine and sat there feeling the minutes tick by like hours.
Now and then Robert would give me a little look that had me squirming in my seat. He was good at that, just the odd glance with his eyes that had me gulping with embarrassment.
"Dad, um, I've got something to tell you," Samantha said as she gripped Robert's hand on the table.
I held my breath and tried not to imagine the worst.
"Well, Rob has asked me to move in with him, until I go back to college next month."
I raised my wine glass wanting to throw the contents it down my neck.
"Well, what does your mum think about that?" Mark asked.
God I wanted to scream at my husband.
"She is okay with it, but she said I should ask you, well dad?"
"Well you've only known each other for a month or two," Mark mumbled.
The wine glass I was holding was now hiding a smirk that I briefly let Robert see. Swivel on that you bastard I thought.
"Well, I guess it is okay," Mark said with a grin.
I nearly dropped the wine glass as Robert grinned at me.
"Now, I guess we should get some more booze," Mark said, as he stood up grinning from ear to ear.
I watched a rather drunk husband get his car keys.
"I'll go you've had too much to drink," I snapped.
"Oh can I drive, I passed my test two months ago, and I haven't had anything much to drink."