Winning and Losing

Dave and Sue were spending Saturday night in front of the television. There was cold beer, takeaway pizza and rubbish television. The perfect night in. In between the quiz show and the Saturday night film, there was the lottery results. Dave and Sue played the lottery every week, sticking to the same so-called lucky numbers. Not that they ever won. Dave always grumbled that it was a scam, that they should stop playing. Sue would insist that if they stopped, the next week their numbers would come up.

And here are tonight’s winning lottery numbers, the voice onscreen announced. 

As Sue headed to the kitchen for more drinks, Dave picked up the lottery ticket from the coffee table. He stared at the numbers on television in disbelief. He waved the ticket in trembling hands.

‘I think we’ve won.’ He said.

Sue joined him on the sofa. She looked from the paper ticket to the screen and back again. The numbers were the same. They were exactly the same. 

‘Are you winding me up? Is this one of your practical jokes?’ Sue asked. 

Dave simply shook his head.

‘They are definitely the same numbers.’ Sue said.

‘Our lives will never be the same again.’ Dave said laughing in delight. 

‘I can’t believe this.’ Sue said. 

There was a telephone number to call on the back of the ticket. You were to call it if you thought you had a claim. The guy on the telephone was really helpful, explaining that those were the right numbers and it did appear they were the winners. There were emails back and forth, photo of the winning ticket sent. They were told to report to lottery HQ.

On Monday morning, they took the train down to London, to the lottery headquarters. They handed over the ticket and filled in lots of forms. The guys at the lottery offices confirmed they had indeed won the jackpot. All those millions of pounds was theirs. The staff shook their hands and congratulated them. 

In the foyer, on the way out of the building, Sue and Dave made calls to their friends and family. The first person Sue phoned was her mother.

‘Mum, it’s true. They have confirmed it. We have won the lottery. We’re rich, mum.’ Sue said.

‘I’m delighted for you, love. That’s wonderful.’ Her mum said.

On the train back to Manchester, Dave gave her a nudge.

‘We’ll be travelling first class from now on, Sue.’ He said.

The weeks that followed were a whirlwind. Sue’s head span with how quickly things were moving. They packed in their jobs. When Sue had told her friends at the office that she was leaving there had been hugs and tears. There had been a massive night out, that her boss, Derek, had insisted on paying for. They had raised their glasses as toasted her. Everyone was delighted. Sue had tears in her eyes as she promised to keep in touch.

They moved out of the tiny, boxish house they had lived in since they got married over a decade ago. They bought a lovely, detached house out in the leafy Cheshire suburbs. On their last week in the old house, they threw a party for all their family and friends. The small house was packed with their loved ones. While Dave kept calling the bash a send-off, Sue would insist it wasn’t goodbye and that they’d keep in touch.

As they packed up the last of their belongings into the removal van and prepared to leave, the tears ran down Sue’s cheeks. She looked around the modest house, now empty of all their clutter.

‘We had some good times here, love.’ She said, wiping her eyes on her cardigan sleeve.

Dave put an arm around her and pulled her in close.

‘And we’ll have some good times in our new home. We just need to start making new memories, that’s all.’ He said.

Looking back, Sue would say that the move was when things really changed. 

The house was in its own grounds in a quaint little Cheshire town. The place was just so picturesque. There was a green in the middle of town, with a fountain and a church that dated back hundreds of years. The area had the feel of one of those cosy crime shows on television. The town was all tea-rooms and quaint little shops. There was no graffiti, no junk food takeaway stores. Sue could just see an elderly landlord being murdered and an eccentric detective gathering them all together to reveal his findings.

The house itself was like something from a lifestyle magazine. There was so much more space than they were used to. There were several sitting rooms, a separate kitchen and dining room. Back at the old house, the dining table was in the kitchen, with the couple eating most meals on their laps. The new house had a conservatory and a room for a desk and computer, and another room for a massive wall-mounted television set. Dave had ordered a few rows of cinema seats to be installed. One room had a full-size snooker table. Dave ran a hand along the green baize.

‘How cool is this?’ He said.

‘You don’t play snooker.’ 

‘Well, I’m gonna start.’ He said, miming taking a shot.

Back at the old house, Sue had been a member of the local council-run gym. Here, on the outskirts of the town, was a gym. Sue and Dave went along one morning to check it out. The gym out here was nothing like the gym back home. As well as the gym and swimming pool, there was courts where you could play tennis, badminton and squash. The place even had a coffee shop and a restaurant. Members sipped fancy coffees while read the morning newspapers. It reminded Sue of a spa hotel she’d been to with the girls for a pamper weekend. The type of place that had once been a special treat, could now be an everyday hang-out. When the guy showing them around the gym club told them the price, Sue gasped.

‘That’s more than the mortgage on our old house.’ 

‘Relax, love. It’s not like we can’t afford it.’ Dave whispered, his cheeks reddening. 

Their neighbours in the new area were nice and welcoming. They would call over to the house, bearing gifts of wine, single-malt whiskey or a lovely casserole. 

They found they were suddenly moving in different circles. Where they had once called round to their friends for a few beers and a curry takeaway, now their evenings were taken up with dinner parties with their neighbours. They also had friends, people they knew from the gym club. 

They did try to keep in touch with their old friends, but somehow winning the money seemed to have created a gulf between them. When Sue went back to the inner-city, she felt like she was visiting from another planet. They were in different worlds. When Sue did see her friends, she felt so out of touch with everything. When the girls would complain about their jobs, or the price of the weekly food shop, she would try and make the right noises, but her connection with the group didn’t feel the same. With her new life, she couldn’t quite relate to the struggles and strife of her old life. 

The new friends were nice, but they were not really her type of people.

‘Thomas and Beverley, and that lot. They’re not really our cup of tea, are they?’ Sue said.

‘They are now, love. We’ve moved up in the world.’ Dave said. 

Sue nodded. They had what her mum would call ‘airs and graces’, but they did seem lovely people. They were all into horses and fine dining. The only thing about horses Sue knew, was that her dad liked a flutter now and then. 

When Dave joined the golf club, their friendship group and social calendar increased. Between the neighbours, the gym and golf club crowd, Sue and Dave suddenly had even more friends. Dave was revelling in the new lifestyle. He enjoyed it all. Each week there was a new flash car to test-drive, a new designer watch to try. Sue did try and enjoy the lovely restaurants and the fine wines, but Sue couldn’t help feeling sad. They had everything they wanted, the nice house, the cars. Her clothes cost more than last years’ holiday. And yet there was something missing.

One evening she called an old friend for a catch up. Her husband explained that she wasn’t home. Her friend was out with the girls at the bingo. Sue hung up and reached for her coat.

‘Where are you off, love?’ Dave asked.

‘The girls are out at the bingo. I thought I’d join them.’ She said.

‘Are you sure that’s wise?’

‘Why shouldn’t I have a night out with the girls?’

‘A night out, fair enough, but the bingo? If you win so much as a tenner, and the comments will start, how much money does she want?’

Sue sighed. Dave was right. On those bingo evenings, all talk was what they would do if they won big. And here Sue was, living the so-called dream. It would have been awkward for her to join them in the bingo of all places. She shook her head in frustration and shrugged out of her coat.

It really struck home that, after their windfall, and their change in lifestyle, she really didn’t belong with the old crowd. A line from a Neil Diamond song came to mind, LA’s fine but it ain’t home, New York’s home, but it ain’t mine no more. 

One evening, while Dave was at a golf evening, Sue called over to see her parents. As they sipped tea and watched television, Sue explained that she was fed up with the way things were.

‘You’re fed up? All that money in the back and you’re complaining?’ Her dad said, laughing.

‘It’s true what they say, dad. Money doesn’t buy you happiness. I just feel a bit lost. I’ve got these new friends and they’re dead nice and everything, but I don’t fit in with them, and when I come home to my old friends, I don’t belong here either. It feels like the money has come between us somehow.’ 

‘This was bound to happen, unfortunately, love.’ Her mum said. ‘Life is like that sometimes, as sad as it is. All you can do is make the best of things. You’ll get there. You’ll be okay. Things will settle down soon enough.’

Sue nodded, hoping her mother was right.

‘How’s Dave coping?’ Her dad asked.

‘Yeah, he seems to be doing okay with everything. He seems to be enjoying himself. I think he’s worried about me.’ Sue admitted.

‘There you go. Take a leaf out of Dave’s book and stop over-thinking.’ He said.

That evening, as they were getting into bed, Dave paused.

‘Are you okay, love?’ He asked.

‘I dunno. I just miss the way things were.’

‘It’s going to take time to adjust, that’s all. You’ll get there.’ He said.

‘That’s what mum says.’ 

‘There you go. Listen to your mother.’ Dave said, pecking her on cheek.

The following afternoon, when Sue got back from her yoga class, Dave met her in the hallway. He waved some printed pages at her.

‘What’s this?’ 

‘I’ve booked us a holiday. We’re going to the Maldives.’ Dave said, handing her the booking confirmation.

‘I’m sorry, Dave. I don’t want to go.’ She said.

‘But, I’ve booked it to cheer you up. Keith and Karen say the Maldives is just wonderful.’

‘How long is the flight?’ 

‘Just over fourteen hours. Then we’ll be staying in a luxurious beach house. They say the views have to be seen to be believed.’  

‘Can you cancel it, please? I’m really sorry. I just can’t face it.’ Sue said.

‘Yeah, sure. I’ll get onto them now.’ He said.

‘Tell you what, Dave. We’ll go to that fancy restaurant you like. We’ll have a nice meal out instead. How’s that?’ Sue said, forcing a smile.

‘Deal. I’ll cancel the holiday, then book us a table.’ Dave said.

As they dined in one of Manchester's finest restaurants, Dave took a sip of wine and spoke.

‘I can’t believe we cancelled the Maldives. It looked like the best holiday.’ Dave said. 

‘If we’re talking holidays, give me Benidorm and Tenerife. I love the tacky bars with cheap draught lager and Karaoke.’

‘You never sing Karaoke.’ Dave said.

‘That’s not the point. It’s the feel of the place. Remember that bar we saw the Elvis Presley tribute act?’

‘Oh yeah, geez he was awful.’ Dave said.

‘That was part of it. He was so bad he was good.’ She laughed. 

They lapsed into a thoughtful silence. Eventually, Sue put her knife and fork down.

‘I don’t think I want this, love.’ She said.

‘You don’t have to eat it. Just leave it. Mind you, it is Chateaubriand, a lovely bit of meat. We’d never heard of it until we struck it rich.’ Dave said.

‘I’m not on about the steak, Dave. I don’t want all this.’ She waved a hand at their luxurious surroundings.

Dave placed a hand on hers.

‘You’ll be okay, love. You just need to adjust, that’s all.’ He said.

It was at that moment it occurred to her. While she had been really struggling with the culture shock of suddenly being millionaires, Dave was thriving. Her husband had come into his own. It was a cliché, but he was living his best life. He looked well. He was tanned from all the holidays and the sessions with the personal trainer and tennis coach had got him in the best shape of his life. His hair was now gelled and styled by a city centre salon, rather than buzz-cut at the barbers near his old work. His clothes were tailor-made. He looked well; he looked good. While Sue had also had a new wardrobe and her hair and nails done by the best in town, she had a haunted expression on her face, and bags under her eyes from the trouble sleeping in the new house.

‘I’m sorry, love. You’re living your best life, and I just want my old life.’ She said, sadly.

Dave said nothing for a long moment as the realisation hit home. He simply looked at Sue, tears filling his eyes.

‘Are we splitting up?’ Dave asked, his lip trembling with emotion.

‘I think so.’ Sue nodded.

‘I’ll always love you.’ He said.

‘Same.’ 

A few weeks later, in a city-centre lawyers office, they went through the divorce settlement. Things would be done fairly and amicably. They just wanted different things, to live different lives. Dave suggested that it was only right to halve the winnings. 

‘It’s only fair.’ He said.

‘I don’t want it. What I want, all I want, is to live in our old house.’ Sue replied.

‘The terraced house on Earlham Road hasn’t been sold yet. It still belongs to you.’ The solicitor said.

‘That,’ Sue said. ‘is my demand.’ 

On the pavement outside the court, Dave checked the time on his new Rolex watch.

‘Are you sure about this? You’re entitled to millions you know? You can’t just let me have it all.’ Dave said.

‘I don’t want anything, I just want to go back to normal, to go home.’ She said.

‘Can I give you a lift?’ Dave asked, jangling the keys to his Porsche.

Sue shook her head and jerked a thumb up the street.

‘My bus is due in a minute.’ She said.

Dave watched her cross the road to the bus stop. When she reached the pavement on the other side, Sue turned and waved, a smile on her face.

Dave realised he hadn’t seen her smile like that in months.

By Chris Platt

From: United Kingdom