The silent TREATMENT

They weren't talking after their fall-out but who would crack first - Gina or her husband?

- Eirin Thompson

Gina stomped down the stairs, her dressing gown buttoned right up to her throat.

In the kitchen, she found Trevor, staring into space, a mug of coffee and a plate of toast on the table in front of him.

For a split second Gina forgot herself and was about to ask her husband if there was any hot water left in the kettle. But, in the nick of time, she remembered - she couldn’t ask about this, or anything else, because she and Trevor weren't talking.

Instead, she wordlessly spooned coffee granules into her favourite mug and reheated the kettle. She didn’t ask Trevor if he wanted a top-up, as she usually would. She did not turn to smile at him, or even send a glance in his direction.

For his part, Trevor sat there in stony silence.

This had been going on for three days. But Gina wouldn't yield. Trevor could apologise when he was ready. Until then, it would have to be separate bedrooms and the silent treatment, as far as she was concerned.

'Are you feeling all right?’ Nancy asked Gina as they unpacked a new delivery in the shop.

‘Me? I'm fine! Why?’ Gina replied.

‘It’s just that you haven't stopped talking since you got here - you're not usually this chatty on a Monday morning. We normally take until lunchtime to get the week properly up and running.’

Gina clamped her jaws shut. Was she being a motormouth? Well, she knew why - she hadn’t uttered a word to anyone all weekend, what with not speaking to Trevor. She was probably desperate for a chinwag.

It crossed her mind to confide in Nancy, but, if she did that, her colleague might advise her to climb down off her high horse and forgive her husband.

And Gina wasn’t ready to do so - because this fallout was Trevor's fault, so it was down to him to make the first move.

‘Was I talking a lot?’ she asked airily. ‘I hadn’t noticed.’

She would be more careful for the rest of the day - she didn’t want anyone asking further questions.