Out Of Time | A Shelby

twenty

"New necklace?"

Nancy immediately grabbed the pendant that was hanging around her neck when Henry mentioned it, his eyes flickering between the diamond on his ex-wife's chest and her eyes.

"Yes."

"Who bought you that?"

"Does it matter?"

Henry was stood on the doorstep of Nancy's home waiting for Vincent to finish tying his shoelaces before they left to watch the football together. Nancy had been trying her best to let Vincent see his father, even if she desperately wanted to have him with her at all times, she knew that she needed to be the bigger person in their situation.

It wasn't often that Henry asked to see his son, but he'd waited by the school gates on the Friday to catch Nancy and ask if he could take Vincent out the following day for the match. She hesitated at first, knowing it was the day Arthur was coming home and that Vincent would want to see him, but she agreed anyway.

"Not really, just interested in who's around my boy."

"Well," Nancy sighed and pulled Vincent's coat down from the hook on the wall, "It's nothing for you to worry about."

Henry said nothing, just narrowed his eyes at Nancy before breaking into a smile as Vincent squeezed past his mother in the doorway and jumped down the step.

"I might take him out for some food after, that alright?"

Nancy nodded, "I'll be home, bring him back whenever he's ready for bed."

"See you later mum, I love you."

Vincent hugged his mother's knees and she hugged him back, making sure to give him a kiss before sending him on his way with his father.

The house felt empty without him. There was no noise, no footsteps running around and no echoing of toy cars being raced across the floorboards. Nancy was so used to being at home with her son all the time that it felt strange for her to be in their house alone.

She tried to pass the time as quickly as possible. Nancy wasn't sure what time Arthur was due to return home, but she wanted the house to be spotless when he walked through the door. She cleaned the floors and changed the bed sheets, even running to the corner shop to make sure she had everything to cook Arthur's favourite meal that evening. She missed him dearly and had felt like a part of her was missing since he'd been gone.

Nancy pulled on a clean dress after spending the last hour cleaning. She opted for a white slim fitting dress with beading detail across the front, deciding to add some red lipstick and some blush to her cheeks. She wanted to make sure she looked her best for Arthur.

After spritzing herself with some perfume, Nancy sat and watched the seconds tick by on the clock before the knock at the front door finally came another hour later.

She rushed to the door, smoothing out her dress and taking a deep breath before swinging it open.

"Henry?"

"Nancy," Henry blinked a few times as he stood and gazed at her, his eyes racing up and down her body over and over again, "You look incredible, absolutely beautiful."

Nancy wasn't sure where to look, feeling incredibly awkward at the compliment from her ex-husband as he looked at her in the most admirable way he had done since their wedding day.

"I thought you were taking him for food after the football?"

Vincent ran past his parents back into the house, heading straight up the stairs and closing the door to his bedroom with a loud thud.