Copyright Natasha Walker 2013. All rights reserved.

. No part of this publication may be reproduced, ored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopyin recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Copyright Natasha Walker 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, ored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopyin recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

ONE

rom the kitchen at the back of the house where she was preparing for a dinner party, Emma Benson heard people talking and laughing. She wiped her eyes and walked to the hallway and saw shadows in the glass panels on the closed front door. She could hear her husband Davids deep voice. Her rst thought was to slip out the back door quickly she even returned to the kitchen with escape in mind but pulled herself together with an It will be okay, while all the while knowing it wouldnt be. Spying her glass of wine she took it up in her hand.
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Copyright Natasha Walker 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, ored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopyin recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Natasha Walker

Davids keys rattled against the lock and she braced herself. Emma? he called from the door. Im in here. Do we have enough food for one more? She couldnt answer him. She knew who that extra person was. Hed been sitting in his car out front of the house for the last hour waiting for his chance to ruin her life. There was more noise as David ushered their dinner guests into the lounge room. More laughter. The word champagne came to her clearly above the indistinct chatter. She could make out her best friend Sallys voice and then the lower tones of Sallys husband, Mark. Emma drank from the glass and then resumed cutting onions, facing away from the hall. Her eyes were stinging and tearful. The champagne was in the fridge beside her. He would come for it soon. She had a minute, maybe less. She knew a crisis was imminent and yet she kept preparing dinner as though it would be served and eaten. She poured more wine into her glass. That afternoon she had been told that her husband was having an affair with her best friend, the woman who was now in her front room. She had already
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Copyright Natasha Walker 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, ored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopyin recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. The Secret Lives of Emma

decided to do and say nothing. Not that night. She needed time to think. But there was a chance she wouldnt get time to think. And she couldnt stop crying. She wiped her eyes with kitchen towel. Her lover, Paul, had told her about her husbands affair and threatened to crash the dinner party after Emma said she wouldnt leave David. She felt Davids heavy tread as he made his way down the hallway. She noticed there were two sets of footsteps and waited for her husband and her lover, her back turned, tears streaming down her face, knife slowly dicing an onion. That morning she had woken blissfully ignorant of the truth. Her relationship had shown no signs of trouble. Things with David had been better than ever. They were planning to have a baby. What did David and Sallys affair have to do with her? Hadnt Paul said of their own cheating, The fact is, our relationship has little impact on anyone elses life. Does David accuse you of not paying him enough attention? Does he feel unloved? No, he doesnt. He has no right to disturb us. But now Paul was asking Emma to react in exactly the way he had insisted David had no right
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Copyright Natasha Walker 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, ored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopyin recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Natasha Walker

to. He wanted Emma to end her marriage. Emma wasnt ready to leave the life she had made with David. Yet with Paul determined to expose them all, she felt she would have little choice. David reached the kitchen. Emmas heart was pounding. Look who I found out on the street. She turned around. Emma was so sure Paul would be standing beside David that for the briefest of moments that was who she saw. But it wasnt Paul, it was a man she couldnt place at rst. She wiped away her tears the best she could and forced a smile. Whats wrong, Em? asked David, stepping towards her. She raised her hand to stop him. Im ne. Its the onions, she said, wiping her eyes again. She found she could not look at him. David stopped then and turned to his guest. You remember Seb, dont you? Emma didnt recognise the name and looked at the man blankly for a split second. Sebastian Jones, said the friend. We met briey last year. It wasnt long after you two started dating. You were probably meeting a lot of Davids stuffy friends back then. He had a slight English accent.
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Copyright Natasha Walker 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, ored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopyin recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. The Secret Lives of Emma

You dont look stuffy, she said, glancing at him quickly from head to toe. He wore thongs on his feet, a faded pair of jeans and navy blue v-neck t-shirt. His hair was unkempt and his tanned face was unshaven. The name rang a bell but not the man. Ive had the stufng kicked out of me since then. That sounds interesting and Davids friends arent normally interesting. Well, if I had it my way, I would have preferred to have remained dull. David stepped in. I accosted Seb out the front. He was walking up to get some Thai. I had no idea he was back in town. Ive only just arrived. Im minding a friends house while I work out what Im going to do. Is there enough food for one more? asked David. Yes, there is. Youre most welcome. Now, get out of the kitchen or I will ask you both to help. Please, let me help. I love to cook. Seb walked towards the work bench. What are we having? Emma looked at the onions, at the chicken breasts still in their packages, at the oven clock which displayed ve to eight, and said, Takeaway.