Free Betrayal by Karin Alvtegen

Mamma.’
    She felt the little swelling on the back of his head. It was hardly noticeable and definitely nothing Linda should feel guilty about.
    ‘It’s nothing serious. It could have happened anywhere.’
    Linda smiled shyly again and went towards the door.
    ‘We’ll see you tomorrow then, Axel. Bye.’
    They held each other’s hand on the way home. When Axel had got over his anger at having to walk and not ride in the car as they usually did, he seemed to enjoy the walk.
    A welcome respite.
    He was the only one talking. She walked in silence and replied in monosyllables when necessary.
    ‘And then when Ellinor took the ball we got mad and then Simon hit her on the leg with the stick but Linda said that you couldn’t do that and then we couldn’t play any more.’
    He kicked at a pebble.
    ‘Linda is really nice.’
    ‘Yes.’
    ‘Do you think Linda is nice too?’
    ‘Yes, I do.’
    ‘That’s good, because Pappa does too.’
    Yes. When he’s not fucking someone in the shower at home.
    ‘Of course he does.’
    He kicked the pebble again, farther this time.
    ‘Yes, he does, because one time when we were having a snack with her he gave her a big hug and they didn’t know I saw.’
    Everything stopped and turned white.
    ‘What is it, Mamma? Aren’t we going to walk any more?’
    In a single instant everything turned upside down.
    In a second the realisation erased every hint of trust, belief, confidence.
    Linda!
    It was Linda.
    Everything she had believed and could count on had suddenly turned into yet another lie, another betrayal.
    That woman, who had just been sitting so protectively with her lips against her son’s skin, whom she had just reassured and told it wasn’t serious, she was the one, she was the person who was trying to destroy their family. Like an amoeba she had wormed her way into their life and hidden her intentions behind her feigned concern.
    Was there anything to hold on to? Anything she could trust to be as it should be?
    How long had this been going on? Were there any others who knew about it? Maybe all the parents knew. Only she, poor Axel’s jilted mamma, was left in the dark about whether her husband was having a secret affair with their child’s day-care teacher.
    The degradation was like a razor blade pressed against her wrist.
    ‘Mamma, come on.’
    She looked around, no longer conscious of where she was. The sound of a car approaching and slowing down. Jakob’s mother rolled down the window.
    ‘Hi, are you on your way home? You can ride with me if you want.’
    Did she know something? Was she one of them who knew and gave her pitying looks behind her back?
    ‘No.’
    ‘Please, Mamma, can’t we?’
    ‘We’re walking.’
    Eva gave her a swift glance, took Axel’s hand and pulled him along with her. Jakob’s mother drove alongside.
    ‘By the way, the parents’ group has to have a meeting soon to plan that Stone-Age camp at the day-care. Do you have time this week?’
    It was impossible to answer, there were no words. She quickened her steps. Five metres more to the path across the park. Without answering she turned and pushed Axel in front of her along the path. Behind her she heard the car idle and then drive off.
    Linda. How old could she be? Twenty-seven, twenty-eight? She didn’t have any children, Eva knew that at least. And now she had managed to seduce one of her day-care children’s fathers without havingthe least idea of what it meant to be responsible for a life.
    She looked at the little body in front of her. Colourful red PVC-coated trousers like balloons around his short legs. He started to run when he saw his house.
    She stopped.
    Axel took a short cut through the lilac hedge and vanished through the front door. Her son in the same house as the traitor. That cowardly shit who didn’t even have the courage to admit his betrayal.
    What he had done was unforgivable. She would never ever forgive him for it.
    Never.
    Ever.

F or the first time in two years