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what’s the matter, has the Ice Queen been at you again?” She whispered a little too loudly.
    “Shush, Louise!” Karl’s concerned reply sent a shiver through Hayley. She had an inclination that something wasn’t right between her husband and his brother’s wife. There was no solid evidence. She just had a feeling about her. There were several incidents over the past few years where she had seen them exchanging glances, maintaining eye contact a little too long. Now she knew that she called her the “Ice Queen” behind her back, and that rankled her. The two women had never gelled, never got on or liked each other. Karl, on the other hand, got on with her like a house on fire and he defended her far too quickly for comfort. They constantly teased each other, to the point of embarrassment.
    Hayley noticed that Karl’s brother Steve wasn’t altogether happy with the attention that his sibling paid to his spouse either. Steve was the quieter brother. He had dark eyes and boyish handsome features. He was sensitive and thoughtful, but also very dull. Karl was the opposite, selfish and brash, but good company. He had a wide jaw and rugged good looks. There was no doubt which brother had had the most success with females during their younger years.
    Karl had a string of young babes through his university years and Hayley was flattered when he asked her to go steady with him. She was a stunning blonde with piercing blue eyes and Karl was the envy of his friends when they started dating. At first, she revelled in his attentions and physically she was as keen and eager to explore as he was. But having the twins was like flicking a switch for her and sex was no longer enjoyable. Hayley was very aware of her shortcomings in the bedroom but she didn’t think that they justified her husband seeking solace elsewhere, especially with his brother’s wife. Her face darkened and she felt her heart beating faster. Anger was rising in her throat. Jealousy is a powerful emotion and she could feel it coursing through her veins. Was it all in her mind? She couldn’t be sure they had done anything at all, but she couldn’t prevent herself from suspecting them either. She took one last glance at her beautiful twins as they lay sleeping, and then she breathed deeply before she unzipped the flysheet and climbed out of the tent.
    “Have the twins gone off to sleep then, Hayley?” Louise asked. She always adopted a baby girl voice when she spoke about the children. It irritated Hayley immensely. Hayley ignored the question and zipped the tent closed. She took another deep breath before turning to face the others.
    “Are the twins alright, Hayley?” Louise persisted. “Here, have a glass of wine.” Louise picked up a bottle of Australian Chardonnay from a cool box. She tipped the remaining contents into a plastic cup. There was barely enough left to fill it halfway.
    “Oh my God, we’ve drunk all the white already,” she giggled as she passed the wine to Hayley. Hayley glared at her as she took the cup. She felt like sloshing the wine in her face. Louise giggled again and walked away on unsteady legs towards the barbecue. “I don’t think your wife is talking to me,” she whispered into Karl’s ear as she approached him. It was said loud enough for everyone to hear. Karl looked up from the smoking grill and he saw the anger in his wife’s eyes. He blushed and Hayley wondered if it was embarrassment or guilt that made his face flush red.
    “The sausages are ready,” Karl announced. A forced smile creased his face as he tried to make the best of the situation. The atmosphere was tense to say the least. Karl carefully placed burnt sausages onto four paper plates, but he couldn’t maintain eye contact with Hayley.
    “I’ll nip to the shop and get another bottle of wine if you like,” Steve offered. He ripped open a floury bun and handed it to his brother. Karl plonked a frazzled sausage onto the bread and handed it back.