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CHAPTER TWELVE

A bad argument

Life was not too easy for Ruth at the moment. She had to continue working at the restaurant to help pay some of the bills. She spent the day cooking food for the children, taking care of the baby, and reading Thomas stories. It was tiring and sometimes boring as well.

She wished she had more friends with children nearby. She wished she got on better with Carlo’s parents.

She wished Carlo could get a job in England and she could go and live near her own family. But this was not possible at the moment.

At five o’clock that day she gave Thomas his tea and then gave him a bath. She was changing her clothes to go to work when Carlo came home. Ruth did not want an argument, but she wanted to ask about last night.

‘Max didn’t know that you and Stephany went to the festival alone,’ she said. ‘Why didn’t she tell him?’

Carlo looked at her. ‘I’ve no idea,’ he said. ‘How do you know she didn’t tell him?’

‘I met Max in town today, and he thought I was there last night,’ she replied.

‘Perhaps they hadn’t had a chance to talk.’

Ruth looked hard at Carlo.

‘Carlo. I want you to tell me the truth. Is Stephany trying to hide something?’

Ruth wanted to stay calm. She didn’t want to get jealous and angry. She wanted to believe Carlo. After all, he had told her Max was ill last night. If he had had something to hide, he wouldn’t have told her.

He had other women friends. She knew Carlo was not the kind of man to go with other women. unless he was pushed! And Stephany, Ruth couldn’t help thinking, was the kind of woman who might push him.

‘Let’s not start all this again,’ Carlo said.

He was afraid Ruth knew in her heart what had happened last night. He didn’t want her to find out.

‘But I don’t understand!’ Ruth went on. ‘Why didn’t Stephany tell Max she spent the evening with you at the festival?’

How should I know?’ asked Carlo, quite angry now. Ask Stephany if it’s a problem for you!’

Ask Stephany?’ Ruth shouted. ‘I don’t want to ask Stephany! I hope I never have to speak to that woman again!’

‘You are just jealous of her!’ Carlo shouted, really angry now. ‘You’ve always been jealous of her!’

‘Yes, I have, because you were in love with her!’ said Ruth.

Carlo’s voice went quiet.

‘I’ve got too many other problems at the moment to talk about this . I just hate it when you get jealous!’

Before she knew it, Ruth had picked up a cup and thrown it hard at Carlo. He moved his head and the cup flew past his ear.

‘Watch out!’ he shouted, as Ruth left the house angrily.

When she had gone, Carlo sat in his chair for a long time looking at the carpet.

He wished Stephany had never come back to Italy and that he had not spent yesterday evening with her. Why had he done it? He was now really afraid Ruth would leave him.

It was much later when Ruth returned from her night’s work at the restaurant.

‘I’m sorry,’ Ruth said. She’d had a chance to think, and she realised she was being stupid. Carlo and Stephany had always been good friends. She had to trust him. Carlo smiled, and put his arms round her.

‘I’m sorry too,’ he said. ‘I just feel tired at the moment. But if it would help,’ he said, ‘I won’t let Stephany use the flat again. It seems to make you so unhappy. And I want you to be happy.’

‘It makes me sound so bad,’ she said. ‘But I just don’t like Stephany, or believe her. I can’t explain why.’

Carlo put his face in Ruth’s hair. He felt he was going to cry. He wanted to tell her everything. But if he told her, she might leave him, and that was something he didn’t want to think about.

Ruth felt good with Carlo’s strong arms round her and she went to bed that night feeling better. But she would be happy only when Stephany had gone back to England. There was something about that woman that made Ruth very unhappy.