Jean rang the doorbell. She didn't know why. It had been her home for the last twenty five years but all of a sudden, just overnight, it didn't feel like that anymore. She had contemplated not turning up at all. That had been her decision more than once during the day, but James had been so insistent that she went and gave Richard the chance to speak to her one last time before the separation was final. She really didn't understand James sometimes, yes she loved him, she really did, but sometimes he did things that reminded her just how young he was. It wasn't just his age; she also worried about his lack of experience when it came to love. He told her he loved her all the time, but was he really sure that what he felt for her actually was love? What had he got to compare it to? The sound of footsteps from behind the door shook her from her contemplations and again the nerves in the pit of her stomach took over. Richard Innocent, the man that she knew better than any other person on earth, the man that she had once loved more than any other person on earth, stood in front of her smiling nervously.

"You didn't need to knock Jean, this is your house," he said leaning towards her, attempting to kiss her cheek but missing as she leant backwards to avoid his touch. She followed him into the house where the smell of cooking invaded her senses. Her eyes were met with the sight of a candlelit table complete with fresh pink roses in the centre. "Your favourites," he said proudly, seeing her looking at the flowers.

"Look Richard I..."

"Don't say anything yet Jean, please," he began "let's just have a glass of wine and something to eat. There's plenty of time for talking." He pulled the chair out for her and she sat down. Her mind drifted to the last time she could remember him being so attentive, pulling the chair out, buying her flowers. The last time she could recall must have been at least five years ago - their twentieth wedding anniversary. He had cooked for her then and had bought her the same pink flowers as well as a pretty bracelet that she had loved. How things had changed. How had they got from that day, where she remembered being happy, to where they were today? Sitting at this same table felt so very different now.

James hadn't wanted to go to Robbie and Laura's but Robbie had insisted. He had asked to meet Robbie for a drink at the Trout; an idea that he had decided was preferable to drinking himself into oblivion alone at home. He knew that talking to Robbie might help him to get through this excruciating evening in one piece. Robbie had known something was wrong and hadn't hesitated in agreeing to his request, despite being tired from the excitement of his celebrations the previous evening. It had taken him almost half an hour to drag the whole story out of James and when he heard it he couldn't believe his ears. He hadn't held back in telling James that he thought he was an idiot for encouraging Jean to go, neither had he spared his young friend's feelings when telling him that he was 'too ethical' for his own good, as James explained how he had given Richard Innocent his word. Despite this initial reaction, he had gone on to try to reassure James that Jean loved him and would not be swayed by a few carefully chosen words from her love-rat of a husband. He had insisted that James should not be heading home to an empty flat to wallow, knowing that Laura would be much better than he was at trying to say the right thing in a situation like this. So reluctantly, James agreed and now found himself sat in an armchair in Laura's beautiful old Oxford house, which had recently become Robbie's home also, while they relayed the whole story to a sympathetic Laura.

James had always loved Laura. Not in any romantic way, but he loved her kindness and patience, the way she always knew exactly what to do and say in any situation. She had been a saint waiting for Robbie to get his head together, but when she had her mind set on something she wasn't one to give up. James admired this about her and even though he hadn't been at all sure about returning to the house with Robbie, he now felt pleased that he had.

"She loves you James. You have to trust that she'll do the right thing, but she needs to make a clean break from Richard in order for the two of you to ever be happy. She knows how you feel and what you've given up for her. True happiness comes with a lot of patience and a fair amount of heartache... I can testify to that," she smiled at Robbie sweetly and he looked back at her lovingly. James noticed how happy and at ease they looked together now. After years of being the third person in their awkward games, they had made it. He knew that him and Jean were close to making it too, but somewhere deep inside him was the nagging doubt that they were actually going to get there at all.

Jean had noticed that Richard Innocent had already opened the second bottle of wine. He had been refilling her glass throughout the meal and although she was trying to keep a clear head, nerves were forcing her to drink. They had talked about lots of things while they ate the steak dinner he had prepared for her, topics including their son and his blossoming police career, her parents, his bridge club to name but a few, but they hadn't yet mentioned their marriage or her affair with James Hathaway.

As Richard cleared the plates into the kitchen, Jean took her wine and moved into the living room. Within minutes Richard joined her with the bottle in one hand and his own glass in the other. Placing the bottle down, he paused briefly to switch on some music, Jean feeling uncomfortable as slow, romantic music filled the room. She exhaled deeply. "Richard, I think we've probably danced around the real reason why we're here for long enough tonight."

He looked across at her, trying to make eye contact, but she looked down at her glass. "We're here because we've been married for over twenty five years Jean. We've both made mistakes in that time, me more than you I know that, but most of that time has been good, really good, and I don't think we should just throw that away without trying."

The honesty in his voice filled her with a sadness that she never thought she would feel again where he was concerned. All the times, all the years, she had hoped he would say these things and be like this with her again, but the time never came, and now suddenly... suddenly she felt sorry for him.

To be continued... reviews gratefully received