Silver Tears(60)

The ma?tre d’, a young guy with glossy brown hair and wearing a white polo shirt and shorts, gave Faye a look of recognition.

“To be honest, we’re full tonight, but what wouldn’t I do for two such incredible beauties,” he said, waving them over to a table.



Alice chortled happily, while Faye rolled her eyes.

“Pompous ass,” she muttered.

He stopped at the table, drew out their chairs to let them sit down, and then gestured to a waiter.

“Get the ladies something to drink while they decide what they’re eating.”

Before long, they each had a glass of bubbly.

“How was the trip to Madrid?” Alice asked.

Faye smiled.

“That good?” Alice remarked, raising her glass.

They let their glasses meet with a chime and both burst out laughing at the same time, putting on affected voices.

“Vulgar!”

They laughed again and took a few generous mouthfuls.

“Where’s David?” Alice asked. “I’d like to meet him and ask what he did to net you.”

“He’ll be here a bit later. You’ll get to meet him.”

“Finally.”

The annoyance that Faye had felt for the last couple of hours had immediately lifted in Alice’s company. Life felt uncomplicated. Fun. Exciting.

They ordered parmesan-crusted prawns on sourdough and a bottle of white wine, then they settled back. A boat with wide-eyed tourists passed by slowly, the waves from the boat making the wooden jetty they were sitting on bob pleasantly.

Her thoughts about David and Johanna slid away. Alice told her that Henrik had initiated a campaign to win her back. He had promised to change, go to couples’ therapy, and work less.

Alice clenched her fists in irritation while rattling off all the promises.

“What do you feel like doing about it?” Faye asked.

“Nothing. A woman can put up with so much, but eventually her tolerance runs out. And life is more fun now. I loved just being a mom, focusing on my home, the kids, because it was a pleasant and sheltered life. But I’m never going to be dependent on a man again. Nor am I ever going to be an extra in my own life again. And I’m certainly not going to accept the combination of a tiny dick and some dodgy technique.”



Faye snorted with laughter. Then she said: “Alice, there’s something I have to ask…”

“Just a sec,” said Alice, raising a finger. “I need the ladies’. The booze is going straight through me.”

Alice pushed her chair out and stood up.

Faye watched Alice go and heard a beep from her mobile in her handbag. An Instagram notification. Johanna Schiller had accepted her follower request. Just as she was about to go to her profile, Faye saw David step onto the jetty and look around. She put away her phone, half stood, and waved.





David kissed Faye before sitting down next to her. When Alice returned a minute or so later, she and David hit it off almost immediately. Faye noticed that he was affected by her presence, just like all men.

Alice tossed her head back and laughed at something that David had said. He leaned across the table and gesticulated. Alice laughed even more.

They clearly had chemistry. Was it too strong? Faye felt David’s hand on her thigh, and heard their laughter as if through a fog. How well did she actually know David? Should she have taken her conversation with Ylva more seriously? Maybe she should meet Johanna and hear what she had to say?

“Faye?”

The conversation had ground to a halt. She looked from one to the other and back again in confusion.

“What do you think about it? Wouldn’t it be wonderful?”

Alice twinkled at her.

“Sorry, I must have had one too many. What do I think about what?”

David looked at her in concern.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

She waved away his worry.

“Just a little dizzy, but I’ve only got myself to blame. And the wine.”



She dutifully threw herself into the conversation, albeit with her thoughts still elsewhere, and she put her hand on top of his.

The fact you were with someone didn’t mean you stopped being attracted to other people. Obviously David thought Alice was attractive. He hadn’t turned into an asexual robot simply because he and Faye were moving in together. Just as Faye did all the time, he too was allowed to find other people sexy, fantasize about them, be turned on by the thought of them, see a woman and want her.

There was something healthy about it. Regardless of what got into your head. Because the knowledge that your partner was attractive kept you on your toes. Ensured that you invested in the relationship. In yourself. If she wasn’t afraid of losing David, would Faye be as attracted to him? People’s driving forces when they were looking for a mate were roughly the same. That was why some individuals were deemed more appealing than others.

But if Faye had known she was the only one that David could have, would she have wanted him?

Wasn’t it just that very knowledge—that Faye had no other options—that had allowed Jack to deceive Faye over and over again? She had had nowhere to go. Couldn’t opt out of him. She had been stuck in her cage. Financially. Emotionally. In her world, Jack had been a god. But in Jack’s world, Faye had been a toy that he knew no one could take away from him.