Traditions

Claire reflected on how it all came to this, it was such a mess. When her mum had suggested an arrangement she dismissed it, but Dianne kept on at her about it for months. Then she had seen Glen Fraser at a dance, he was very handsome and delightfully respectful. She danced with him a few times at the socials and they got on well. Dianne told her about her own arrangements and how exciting they were. She made it sound like a romantic guilt free adventure and never viewed it as an affair, it was just the tradition. Despite that she knew Steve would not see it that way, so she hid it... if he never knew it couldn't hurt him. The week with Glen was fantastic; he planted the trees during the day and spent the evenings in her bed. He was very nervous but quite charming and so keen to please. By the end of the week he was a very competent lover combining his size and fitness with greater patience and technique. Claire though she excelled in the educator role. The week filled her with confidence feeling she had rediscovered her sexuality which had faded during the long years of motherhood.

Was it the tradition or just illicit sex like Steve had suggested? She had to admit it was both, but didn't she deserve some fun having spent 22 years bringing up her children and being a good wife? She was certain it hadn't harmed her relationship with Steve, things had never been so good, she loved him more than ever and they made love more often after that week.

Jake was even more handsome and she couldn't help but be excited by the thought of taking him to her bed. Steve was always smart and worked the tradition out, damn Aunt Melissa's memoirs for giving it all away. Claire and her mother tried everything to convince Steve to go along with things but he wouldn't have it. On reflection her decision to go ahead behind his back was the worst she had ever made.

She was sure though that when the pain faded, she could win Steve back. She just had to remind him how good they were together and their future aspirations. He'd also want to stay together because of their daughters and future grandkids, that angle could really help her case.

To Steve's surprise their daughters arrived on the island two days later. Nicola wasted no time criticising Steve for his appalling behaviour towards her mother and pointing out that the idea of a separation was just ridiculous. Michelle seemed to be hanging back for more information.

Steve could see the slight smile on Claire's face, had he missed her manipulation and lies over the years? Clearly she thought he would never tell his daughters about their mother's actions, as always he would protect them above anything else.

Any doubts Steve had were swept away but Claire was wrong, dead wrong.

Steve raised his voice, not something his daughters could ever recall happening, "Your mother has conducted two week long affairs with men, boys really younger than both of you. She does not seem to understand that I never will accept that behaviour."

Claire immediately denied it, saying Steve had misunderstood the situation and that men had simply been undertaking landscaping work. Steve had to admit she was good, she almost convinced him. Both girls knew something had happened but what their father was suggesting was just too far-fetched, maybe he had started going a bit 'Island crazy'.

Steve might have agreed with the last thought, but suggested they invite their Granddad Bill or the elders over to help decide who was telling the truth.

Claire feinted or more accurately pretended to!

It wasn't too convincing. The three of them just looked at her perplexed and waited for equally poorly feigned recovery.

Steve looked on with contempt, "I can never trust you again. This is over there is no going back or going forward with blinkers on. How will you feel looking in a mirror and knowing you betrayed me, nothing can erase that. And how would I feel looking in the same mirror if I accepted it?"

"We need each other Steve; we've always depended on each other, made each of us stronger. I'm good for you and you still know that deep down. Don't throw your life away in order to punish me."

"I'll cope Claire, I won't let you destroy me and I will build a new life. We all have to live with our decisions and be true to ourselves. You will have to live with the fact you cheated and lied and threw away what we had. I will live with walking away from the woman I love, but then you're not the person I thought you were, that inherently good and kind person I fell in love with, I'd like her back but not you."

Steve left the island with his daughters and decided to rent a flat closer to their University. For their parts the girls were appalled by their Mother's and Grandmother's behaviour. He never did return, his final act was to burn the trees in the orchard. Claire watched the orange glow with tears in her eyes.

Bill helped Steve sell the house as Claire didn't have the finances to keep it going. Dianne's and Claire's divorces were a scandal and sealed the fate for the remnants of the tradition. Dianne was the first person ever to be removed as an elder. Both her and Claire become pariahs, no women would trust or befriend them, despite this they remained resolutely on their Island home.

Several months later Helen Brown resigned as an elder. Islanders noticed that she split her time on and off the island. Eventually she only returned for a couple of weeks per year. When asked about it she confirmed that she living with family... somewhere near a place called Durham.