Paper Chains by Nicola Moriarty

Can’t possibly do it all before he gets home. Her breath quickened further. Look at the clothes on the couch, they need sorting. I still haven’t showered, I haven’t brushed my hair. There’s all those dishes in the sink, I need to empty the dishwasher so I can pack it. Her chest heaved up and down. She began to gasp for air. Gracie appeared in front of her. ‘Mummy, I’m hungry,’ she said, seemingly unaware of the fact that her mother was hyperventilating on the couch before her.
    Hannah tried to slow her breathing. Calm down, you’re being ridiculous!
    ‘Of course, you need dinner, don’t you, sweetheart! You poor thing, it’s almost your bed time and I haven’t even fed you yet!’ she exclaimed between gusty breaths.
    As she stood up from the couch she realised her legs and arms felt weak and tingly. Come on, pull yourself together!
    ‘No, Mummy, I need lunch first!’ Gracie said in an exasperated voice. She had her dad’s mocha coloured eyes and right now they were wide with indignation.
    ‘Lunch?’ Hannah asked sharply. ‘But, but, you’ve had lunch . . . haven’t you?’ she asked falteringly.
    ‘Umm, no I had brekkie and then . . . now it’s lunch time,’ Gracie responded after thinking carefully.
    ‘Oh, God! Gracie! I never gave you lunch? Why didn’t you tell me?’
    ‘I want a sandwich for my lunch,’ Gracie replied, oblivious to her mother’s panic.
    Hannah checked the time again. Twenty minutes until her husband would be home. ‘Gracie,’ she said, her voice pleading, ‘you won’t tell your daddy, will you? You won’t tell him that we forgot to have lunch? Please, please – it’s our secret, right? I promise we won’t forget again.’
    ‘I want ham on my sandwich,’ said Gracie.
    ‘Sure, of course, whatever you want,’ Hannah said in a rush. She raced to the kitchen and opened the fridge. She scanned the contents and her heart sank . . . no ham. Fucking brilliant.
    ‘Umm, Gracie, what about this yummy chicken Mummy has in the oven? Why don’t you have some of that? It’s what Mummy and Daddy are going to be eating tonight. Don’t you want to eat the same thing as us?’
    ‘But I wanted ham, I said!’ Gracie stood with her hands on her hips. ‘Ham, ham, ham!’ she yelled.
    ‘Gracie, please. No tantrums for Mummy. You can have anything you want for dinner, as long as we’ve got it. Noodles? Chicken? Avocado on toast? Please, there must be something you want?’
    ‘HAM!’
    Ethan began to cry again.
     
    Liam was worried as he pulled into the driveway. Hannah’s first day at home on her own with the two kids and he was late. That had not been his intention. He had felt a bit unsure when he’d said goodbye to Hannah that morning; her words told him she was fine – but her eyes spoke differently. He was hoping he was just imagining things though. He had picked up takeaway Thai on the way home, but he left it sitting on the front seat as he had a box of samples from work to carry inside. Liam had started up his own online boutique beer and wine business over five years ago. He never would have dreamed that it would be doing so well now – a staff of twenty, a couple of trucks, an office in the city. But it did mean long hours, which he felt guilty about.
    When he let himself in the front door, his eyes widened in surprise. The place was immaculate, a garlicky smell was emanating from the kitchen, and as he walked through to the eating area off the kitchen, he was greeted by the sight of Hannah, turning from the bench with two steaming plates in hand.
    ‘You cooked!’ he exclaimed, mentally congratulating himself on leaving the Thai food in the car. Obviously he should have called and checked rather than just assuming she wouldn’t have had a chance to even think about dinner.
    ‘Of course I did,’ she responded, and he thought her voice sounded a tad edgy. Uh oh, was she annoyed that he was home so late? He changed tack. ‘You look beautiful,’