He was perfect, she was certain of it. There was no one else Anne would rather be watching now. Her life had become one big cliché. Perfect day, perfect family, perfect mane. She leant against the door frame and watched her husband stare into the crib with their two baby sons inside. When he noticed her watching him, Billy smiled. He held out his arms and she walked towards him and joined him in watching over their new family.

“I can’t believe it” he whispered, kissing the side of her head. “I’m a dad.”

“You noticed eh?” she replied with a grin, never taking her eyes off the sleeping babies.

The sun streamed through the living room windows and radiated off the gleaming white, newly decorated walls. ‘Minimalism’ Billy had argued, ‘less is more, trust me, I’m in the trade.’ Anne hadn’t bothered to argue that designing furniture wasn’t the same as painting walls, she knew better than to interfere with the decorating.

They had shared a flat before, just the two of them. But there was no way it was big enough for a couple of growing kids. And now they had found the perfect home, one she could see them spending the rest of their lives in.

Perfect. There was that word again. If she wasn’t careful she’d not speak a sentence without using it and it was at risk of becoming stale.

Billy noticed that far off look she got when she was deep in thought and gave her a nudge. When she blinked and looked at him blankly, Billy shook his head.

“What were you thinking?”

“Only how happy I am.”

He put his arm around her shoulders and she leant into him and placed her hand on his chest, feeling the muscles underneath is army green t-shirt. After a moment, Anne looked at his face. He now bore the far off gaze of someone thinking. Only his was troubled when her own had been blissful. Her brow furrowed.

“Bill?”

“Hmm?” He looked at her and saw her worry. “What?”

“You were thinking about that letter weren’t you?”

Billy shook his head. “No.”

It was a hesitant no, one filled with doubt and anxiety. Anne sighed. “If it’s bothering you so much, just call. You need to get your feelings off your chest. Tell him how you feel.”

Billy pulled away and stepped away from Anne and the cot. “Do I? I’m not so sure.”

Anne’s voice rose a fraction. “Yes, you do! I want to enjoy this time Billy, without any distractions. I can’t do that Billy until you talk to your dad, and neither can you.”

Billy turned away, staring at the white envelope that Anne had fished out of the bin and tacked to the notice board in the kitchen. His heart sank. He so wanted to read it, but he was scared about what it might say. The last time he had received something through the post from his father it was an invitation to his wedding. To her.

When his mum had told him that the wedding hadn’t gone ahead, he was so sure things would go back to the way they were between his parents. But it wasn’t to be. Of course he’d spoken to his dad sense, fairly regularly. But only about trivial things, neither had expressed what they were really feeling.

“You need to shout or scream at him or something, just sort things out.” There was more frustration in her voice, and it grew louder still. Too loud, one of the boys whimpered but Anne had moved closer to Billy now and couldn’t see which one.

“I can’t. That’s Libby’s style. I can’t sort things out over the phone, there’s too much…”

“Go see him then.”

Billy turned around. Anne shrugged. “I can’t do that. I’ve never met Isabelle and I intend to keep it that way. I don’t want to go back, I have a new life here with you.”

They had both calmed. Anne was only a few feet away from Billy now. She sighed and dropped her head, moving closer and wrapping her arms around his waist. “I just want you to be happy. I can’t see that happening unless you make things up with your dad.”

“Anne… It’s not that simple.”

“Billy!” She pushed him away again. “You’re too stubborn sometimes, you know that? Have you even though about how he’s feeling? Ever think Karl might want to make things up with you? I thought you’d have figured out by now what it means to be a father.”

“Anne, don’t…”

“When the boys were born I thought you’d realise how important the father/son relationship is. I was obviously wrong.”

* * *

“Susan, I don’t deserve this, after the way I treated you…”

Susan shrugged and attempted a smile to ease the tension. “Don’t worry about it.”

Karl rubbed his face with both hands and looked across the kitchen table in the home they once shared. “I’m truly sorry. I’m so grateful to you for letting my stay. I don’t think I could have faced going home.”

Susan took another sip from her tea cup. “That really was quite an impressive show you put on.”

Karl shook his head and let out a small laugh despite himself. “Susan, don’t. I can’t believe I shouted that much in front of the whole Scarlet Bar.”

Susan smirked. She couldn’t help it, she was over the moon that her hospital detective work had paid off. Everyone had finally discovered what she had suspected all along. That Isabelle Hoyland was a lying, cheating waste of space. And she deserved everything that was coming to her.

It was true, Karl had caused quite a scene. Listening to him call Izzy out on her years of deceit was definitely the highlight of Susan’s week. When he’d waved her medical records in her face and flung them across the room, Susan took great delight in watching her face fall as she realised that the game was up.

Karl hadn’t let her get a word in edgeways as he told her exactly what he felt and exactly how much she’d hurt him. ‘You destroyed my marriage’ he’d yelled. ‘You ruined 30 years of my life, for a lie. My children hardly talk to me, and all because of a baby that wasn’t even mine.”

He spat that last bit with such venom that it made her jump, and with that, half the residents of Ramsey Street, including Izzy’s family, knew exactly what she was like. And at the rate that gossip spread in Erinsborough, she had no doubt that by now, the other half had found out too.

But the best but about watching this afternoons events, was watching Izzy’s walk of shame through the packed bar, as Karl told her she had an hour to pack up her things and get out of his life forever.

Which was why he was here. There was no way he could return home after that. And he was in no mood for work. So now he sat in Susan’s kitchens, nursing a cold cup of tea. Milk, one sugar. She hadn’t forgotten.

The same as he hadn’t forgotten when he’d bought her the apple green v neck she was wearing now. Nor had he forgotten what happened afterwards. It was a birthday, Libby and Ben were out.

What was he doing? Now was no time to let his mind wander. He sighed deeply and let his head fall to the table. “I can’t believe what an idiot I’ve been.”

“You couldn’t have known Karl, she used you.”

“You saw what she was like from the beginning. Why did it take me so long to realise you were right.” He raised his head from the table and looked straight into Susan’s beautiful sparkling hazel eyes. “Thank you for making me come to my senses.”

Susan shrugged. “Don’t thank me, thank Darcy.”

“I still can’t believe it, he was telling the truth all along. You believed him. Another thing I was wrong about.” Karl took a long pause. “Look at the mess I’ve created, I don’t even want to think about all the trouble I’ve caused.”

“The mess she’s created” Susan corrected. “It’s her fault Karl, don’t go blaming yourself.”

“She’s not the one who left you is she? I am.”

“You never would have left if it wasn’t for her.” Susan didn’t even want to say her name. Not that she spoke it much as it was. ‘Jezebel’ was how she was most commonly referred to between her and Lyn and Lil. But she didn’t want to tell Karl that, she hadn’t wanted to hurt him. Not that it mattered now.

Susan continued. “She got her claws into you and manipulated you with her lies.”

Karl shook his head. “No, some of it’s my fault. If I wasn’t so weak and trusting then it never would have worked.” He stopped, suddenly, as if something had just hit him. “What am I going to say to the kids? Oh god, I’ve caused them so much pain. Mal and Libby have made their feelings perfectly clear and Billy hardly speaks to me.”

Susan suspected he had caught sight of the portrait of the three of them that still hung over her mantel from when they were younger. They had grown up a lot, she had no doubt that they would forgive him now that he had finally got rid of the woman that drove them apart in the first place. It would just take a bit of time.

“They’ll come around” she told him.

“I hope so.”

Susan’s voice grew lighter and she spoke with a new energy. “I’m going up to see Billy, Anne and the twins next week, you’re welcome to join me.”

Karl smiled. “Nah, you should go on your own. He’s still talking to you. You should spend time with them.”

“They’re your grandchildren too.” Susan sighed in exasperation. “One of you has to make the first move. Honestly, you’re both as stubborn as each other.”

* * *

When it was dark, and he was sure Izzy had left, Karl had reluctantly ventured home. He didn’t want to leave. He and Susan had moved onto wine after their initial few cups of tea and had spent the evening reminiscing over their lives together. They talked about holidays, and Christmases, life before they got married and after. They talked about their kid’s childhoods, their weddings and their children. But the most important thing was that they just talked.

He felt more relaxed than he had in ages. He finally realised what a fantastic life they’d shared together and once again berated himself for throwing it all away. They never talked about the future, not directly and not in any great detail. But they’d shared a moment. Oh yes, there was definitely a moment.

Karl had started to sing along to the CD they were listening to. Susan groaned and picked up a cushion from and whacked him on the arm. That started off a rather childish play fight that only came to an end when their screeching started the bird off and she landed on the back of the sofa, wings flying everywhere.

He took that as a signal to leave. He’d looked at his watch and realised just how late it had got. When he got up and retrieved his coat, he made his way towards the door and Susan also rose to say goodbye.

Standing at the front door, looking into each others eyes, it felt like it was the end of their first date. Neither of them wanted to lean in for the kiss, but there was definitely a connection.

Karl made a hasty retreat after that, it was the last thing Susan needed from him.

He reached his apartment building and walked apprehensively up to the front door. Climbing the steps to his floor and walking along the corridor, the sense of dread inside him rapidly grew.

He paused before he put the key in the lock, wondering whether she really had gone or if she was waiting inside to say she was sorry and beg him to take her back. That wasn’t going to happen, he’d made that mistake too many times before.

He sighed with relief when he built up enough courage to open the door, and found the apartment eerily quiet. He flicked on the light switch and threw his jacket onto a chair. What a day.

He slumped onto the sofa and put his legs up on the coffee table. It was the first chance he’d had to really think about what had happened. She was really gone. He didn’t know how he felt about that. I knew how he should’ve felt, but despite everything he had grew to love her. That love was based on a lie, he knew. But still, it was hard.

He caught sight of the end table. Something was missing. He could picture quite clearly the photo of the him and Izzy by Lassiters lake, at a picnic he’d organised to surprise her. She had taken it. Karl shrugged, it was fine by him. She could cling on to the past as much as she liked but he just wanted to forget. He wanted a clean break from everything that had happened between them.

Karl was disturbed from his thoughts by the phone ringing. It made him jump. He sat there, wondering whether or not he should answer it. It could be her. He really didn’t want to deal with things tonight.

Before he could make up his mind one way or the other, the answer machine made it up for him.

“Karl? Ok, you’re obviously not in….”

Karl made a grab for the phone when he recognised who the voice belonged to.

“Anne. Hi, how are you?”

* * *

Anne sat on the decking outside their French windows fiddling with the cord on her sweater. It had got dark long ago and Billy had decided to get and early night, he had a big job on tomorrow.

She knew that if he found out that she’d called he’d go mad. But he wasn’t about to, so someone needed to.

“Hey Karl, I need to talk to you.”

On the other end of the line she could hear the worry in his voice.

“No, nothing’s wrong.” She hesitated. “Well… I think you and Billy need to talk.”

She didn’t think, she knew. The frustration her husband was feeling was slowly spoiling the happiness that they’d felt since Charlie & Blake had been born 3 months ago.

“He would never call you himself, he’s way too stubborn.”

She heard Karl laugh. ‘You don’t need to tell me, I lived with him for 18 years.’

“You should come and see us. In a few weeks.”

It took Karl a moment to realise that Anne was talking to him again. “Oh, no. You should spend time with Susan on your own, I don’t want to ruin it.”

“You won’t be.” Anne sounded defiant. “I’m inviting you. Come on, you’ve not even met your grandsons.”