Trial by Media

I tried to have a little fun with the style here. I leave to see if you can spot what I have done.

*

"So, tell me, how did you two meet?" the interviewer asked gushingly about the smiling couple who were obviously in love.

"Well, I remember clearly. For me, it was like a thunderbolt. Love at first sight, you could say," replied Gwen Bradfield with a happy smile, taking her girlfriend's hand, and kissing it. "It was the 4^th of October, last year. Trish came into the room to do my makeup and I just fell for her."

Gwen Bradfield was the golden girl of television and had just come out as gay shocking the entertainment world. She was blond, beautiful, thirty-six years old, and had two children. Gwen played glamorous roles on television, and if she wasn't acting, she was still found on television advertising beauty products. She had a legion of male and female fans drawn to her by her glamour so it was a big surprise when she announced that she was leaving her husband of twelve years for a female makeup artist.

However, the response to her coming out was hugely positive. People hailed her as brave. Overcoming adversity, to finally be true to herself.

"It must have been hard for you to come out as a lesbian to your husband?" the interviewer asked sombrely.

"It was the hardest thing I had to do in my life," Gwen replied wiping away a tear. Trish squeezed Gwen's hand in support, looking concerned for her girlfriend.

"How did he take it?"

"I wish it went better. I broke the news as gently as I could, out of respect for Angus. Don't get me wrong, Angus is a wonderful man, he gave me two beautiful children and is such a great father. I had twelve happy years of marriage with him but I never knew how homophobic he was. As soon as I told him I couldn't lie to myself any longer. I needed to be who I really was, but he became someone I didn't recognise. If it wasn't for Trish," Gwen smiled at her lover, "I don't think I would have coped."

"Do you have anything you would like to say to Angus?"

Gwen turned and looked sadly at the camera,

"Angus, my love, I know you are hurting. It must have been as hard for you to hear that I was gay as it was for me to tell you so I forgive the cruel things you said to me. You must accept who I am now and that Trish is in my life. Please let's end all this silliness between us for the sake of our children. Violet and Daisy, Mummy loves you so much and will see you soon and you both, me and Trish will be one big happy family. Trish is so looking forward to being your mummy too," Trish smiled excitedly at the camera.

*

Angus stopped the recording on the television. He was in pieces. His life had been hell since Gwen left him. Contrary to what Gwen said in her interview, she had completely blindsided him with the news and was cruel in how she broke it. She told him how she had always been a lesbian and had only married him to have children. It was all his fault that she couldn't be "true" to herself and he had kept her in the "prison of a marriage" for too long.

Angus had been with Gwen since school and deeply loved her. He had supported her acting career from the beginning. He had been her shoulder to cry on after her many rejections after auditions and been her chief cheerleader. He had given up on his job as a financial advisor to look after their daughters were born to manage his wife's social media output while Gwen's acting career took off, so to be told that she was a lesbian and she was leaving him left him in shock.

He didn't notice it at first because it was so subtle but, in every interview, she said how grateful she was to him for their children and marriage but then would say that he was homophobic, not letting her be true to herself, forcing her to be who she wasn't all the while professing how she still cared for him even though they couldn't be together and with every interview, that Trish was always next to her.

With such a high-profile coming-out story, there was understandable press interest and he had journalists camped outside his home demanding a quote, demanding why he was so hostile to Gwen. The nation loved Gwen and he was now the angry and vindictive ex-husband. Ever since Gwen left, he had his curtains drawn, and drones with cameras regularly flew over his house trying to get a picture of him. Gossip television often discussed Gwen's coming out and they heavily criticised him. Social media was awash with praise and admiration for Gwen and cruel and unfounded rumours aimed at him and he hadn't been allowed to give his side of the story.

The press intrusion meant that Angus hadn't been able to leave the house and his children were unable to go to school.

Gwen's latest interview got his attention for two reasons. One reason terrified him. She said that she, Trish, and their daughters would be one big happy family. The implication was clear, she planned to take custody of Violet and Daisy. His daughters loved their mother but they did not like Trish. When they saw their mother, they would often return upset. Gwen in the beginning would be seen outside flaunting her relationship with their daughters, smiling happily with Trish as the paparazzi took their photo. Violet and Daisy never smiled in any of them. They would also return with small bruises.

Gwen must have noticed that her daughters were not smiling at the paparazzi because she stopped seeing them overnight. Angus often had to comfort his daughters at a loss to explain why their mother who used to be so active in their lives no longer wanted to see them.

The other reason was the date she said she met Trish. It was several months before Gwen told him she was a lesbian and she was leaving him. That could only mean that she had been cheating on him with her. It all made sense. Angus was unable to understand why after just coming out Trish was already such an important part of Gwen's life nor why she was so keen for Trish to be part of their daughter's lives, but now it was obvious.

Angus picked up his phone and called his lawyer.

"Angus, darling!" Ursula Yates warmly embraced Angus as she arrived at his house. "How are you holding up?" she asked with concern.

Ursula was Angus's divorce lawyer and the older sister of his best friend. As soon as Gwen had publicly come out as a lesbian, she arrived on Angus's doorstep and told Angus that she was going to represent him. She never gave him any other option. Not that he wanted one. Angus and Ursula always got on, even as children. They just hit off straight away. People thought they were going to date, but they never did.

"It is hard," Angus said disconsolately replying to Ursula. "I feel like I am a prisoner in my own home and the world is against me."

"The world is not against you," Ursula told him firmly. "You have friends. You are not going through this alone! Now tell me what is so urgent?"

"Have you seen Gwen's latest interview?" Angus asked

"Not yet, is there anything I should know about?"

"There are two things, the first is that I think that she intends to take my girls away from me and the other is that she says she first met her girlfriend on the 4^th of October last year yet she only came out to me two months ago."

Ursula smiled knowingly, "That means there are six months unaccounted for. She was unfaithful! I always thought Gwen spoke before thinking. I had better see this interview."

"I don't want to lose my daughters," Angus blurted out worriedly when they had finished watching the interview.

"It isn't happening," Ursula said confidently.

"But-"

"It isn't happening! I won't allow it. I will not let Gwen take your beautiful daughters from you. You are an incredible father and Violet and Daisy need to be in your care," Angus felt reassured at Ursula's words. "Also, Gwen has unwittingly admitted infidelity. Let's see if we can change the narrative. She has told cruel lies about you and tried to turn the country against you. Also, I got a private investigator to do some digging on this Trish after you showed me the bruises on Violet and Daisy. He found out that several accusations of physical abuse on children of her past lovers have been made against her."

"Jesus Christ!" Angus said worriedly.

"It is not enough to make a public accusation but we can slowly feed the rumours into the world. Now, we need to do something about the vultures outside. I think the best thing to do is give them a reason to go away and proof of Gwen's infidelity will put a crack in that golden girl persona she likes to flaunt. Would you be happy if we went outside and I made a statement on your behalf?"

Angus gave it some thought, "Okay," he said nervously.

"Good," Ursula smiled. "Do not worry, you will not answer any questions. Also, would you allow Violet and Daisy to stand with us?"

"No!" Angus said with certainty. "I don't want them in the public glare."

Angus had no choice but to allow his daughters to join them after they refused to stay indoors alone.

Angus nervously stepped outside behind Ursula with Violet and Daisy clinging on to him either side of him. The murmur of the reporters chatting stopped as they saw Angus approach. The air filled with the clicking of cameras before questions were shouted at him,

"Are you homophobic?"

"Is it true that you abused Gwen?"

"Why are you fighting your divorce?"

"Why are being cruel towards Gwen?"

"Do you think Gwen is brave?"

Ursula raised her hands, to indicate she wanted quiet so she could speak,

"Ladies and Gentleman, my name is Ursula Yates and I am representing Angus Bradfield during this very difficult, emotional and confusing time for him and his daughters. Angus has been subject to some cruel and unwarranted accusations by Gwen Bradfield regarding homophobia and the nature of their separation. Furthermore, Angus has not been given a chance to defend himself. In her latest interview last night on the Harriet Williams Hour, Gwen told us that her relationship with Ms Patricia Palmer began on the 4^th of October last year. We have evidence that Ms Bradfield only informed Angus two months ago that she was gay. That is nearly six months unaccounted for and the only conclusion we can take from that is that Ms Bradfield was unfaithful on Angus for six months with Ms Palmer. Far from being the villain, Angus has been a loyal and loving husband to Ms Bradfield before he was cruelly betrayed."

Silence fell upon the reporters as their mouths dropped open as they realised that the story of Gwen Bradfield's coming out had taken a dramatic twist. The questions then began to be shouted out.

"Is Angus homophobic?" a reporter shouted out.

"I am happy to confirm that Mr Bradfield is not homophobic," Ursula smiled looking back at Angus. "This is not an opinion; this is from my personal experience. I am gay and Angus helped me come out to my family and the world. He held my hand every step of my journey until I was ready to face the world."

"Did Angus abuse Gwen?"

"No, he did not. We are waiting for Mrs Bradfield's evidence of this."

"Why is Angus being cruel to Gwen?"

"Angus isn't being cruel towards Ms Bradfield. In fact, it is Ms Bradfield who has been cruel towards Angus by telling untruths about him knowing full well he had no way of repudiating those untruths."

"Why won't Angus let his daughters visit Gwen and Trish?"

"We hate Trish," Violet shouted out.

"She hurts us!" Daisy added and both girls rolled the sleeves of their arms up to show large bruises on their arms.

The cameras zoomed in on the children and their bruises.

*

Quentin Smith stopped the television and looked at the lesbian lovers sitting in his office.

"I don't think I need to tell you this doesn't look good, do I?" Quentin asked rhetorically. Underneath his normal unflappable exterior, he was furious. His clients lied to him, they then went on national television and admitted infidelity when they were expressly told it would harm them and now it was proving to be so. "Mrs Bradfield, I'm afraid it will be very unlikely that you will get full custody of your daughters after they accused Trish of harming them. In all likelihood, you will only be allowed supervised access. You probably will also have to pay a lot in child support."

"Are you saying I have to choose between my daughters and Trish?" Gwen asked dismayed.

"It's ok Gwen," Trish tried to reassure her. "We don't need Violet and Daisy. We can find a great sperm donor and have our own children."

"What are you saying, Trish? I can't disown Violet and Daisy. I love them too much!" Gwen looked horrified at her girlfriend.

"It's me or them, Gwen!" Trish replied firmly.

"I thought you loved them! I thought we agreed the four of us would be a happy family," Gwen was incredulous at Trish's demand.

"Their spoilt brats, Gwen! Do you know how often I have to punish them? Those girls never do as they are told!" Trish was now sounding aggressive.

"Did you really leave those bruises on them?" Gwen asked worriedly. "Did you hurt my girls?"

"Come on, Gwen! They are just little bruises. You're too soft on them, you're too soft with everyone. You would have given that doormat of a husband everything he wanted if I wasn't with you."

Gwen wiped away a tear as suddenly the world she thought was real turned into a lie, "Angus is a good man and a good father," she objected. "I can't live without Violet and Daisy. I think it would be better if we stopped seeing each other." Gwen was trying to sound brave but she was falling to pieces inside at the awful realisation that she had thrown away everything she held dear.

"Are you breaking up with me? You fucking bitch!" Trish stood up and raised her hand to hit a cowering Gwen.

"Ms Palmer, please show some restraint," Quentin told Trish firmly before Trish stormed out.

An uncomfortable silence permeated the office. Gwen just stared into space, numbed with shock, contemplating the mess she had made of her life.

"Mr Smith, can you arrange a meeting with Angus," she asked her lawyer. "I think I need to make peace with my husband and write a letter to him."

*

Angus sat across from Gwen reading the letter she had written for him. Tears were streaming from both soon-to-be ex-spouses eyes.

"I know sorry is nowhere near enough for what I have done to you but I am," Gwen confessed. "I thought Trish the "one"."

"I thought you were the "one"," Angus told her forlornly.

"I know, I am sorry for everything. I am open to reconciling if you are?"

"Are you telling me you aren't gay after all?" Angus asked with hurt incredulity.

Gwen looked away, "I am, at least I think so."

"Then how can reconciling work?"

"I love you, Angus. You were so good to me. I should have never left you. I propose an open marriage. We stay together for the children but are free to have sex with who we want."

"You mean you will sleep with women while I stay at home looking after the girls like I was doing when you were with Trish."

Gwen looked distraught.

"I can't do that, Gwen. You say you're sorry but you're showing no remorse

"Angus, I have lost everything!" Gwen implored. "My career is in ruins. I miss Violet and Daisy and I miss my old life."

"You cheated on me. You told me you never loved me and that I was just a sperm donor for you! I dedicated my life and career to you. You betrayed me and tried to take everything from me."

"You're a good man, Angus. I was cruel and horrible; I realise this now. We can still make it work," Gwen begged. "I will do anything. I will stand in front of the world and say all those things I said were lies."

"Can you love me, Gwen? Love me like a wife?"

Gwen was unable to look at Angus in the eye.

"That is what I thought," Angus said with hostility when he got no answer. "I want to divorce. I want custody of Violet and Daisy until you sort yourself out then we can discuss co-parenting. You can visit them and look after them when I need a babysitter. We will have to sell our home and move back to Bristol. With the sale of the house, you can buy a good house for me, Violet and Daisy, and a place for yourself. Anything left over, we will split 50-50. I deserve at least that for what I did for you. The girls will have to leave their school and go to a state school. We will have to cut back and I will go back to work." Seeing Gwen looking horrified at the upheaval of her daughters' lives, he continued, "What did you expect? This is what consequences look like. I'm not going to ask for child support. You can't afford it. You wasted so much money that you never needed. In the meantime, you can live with us until we move, and you can work at being a mother again. We will need counselling to learn to live cordially."

Gwen broke down completely. The fog had lifted, and she could now see the shredded mess that was now her life. She no longer had a husband, she had broken up with the lover who abused her children, her career was in tatters, and she had a strained relationship with her children. Not only that, she ruined Angus's career by forcing him to support hers and created financial uncertainty for the whole family. She had the world at her feet, but in a few months, she had thrown it all away.

"It sounds fair. I will look after the house while you find work," she conceded morosely. "I truly am sorry for everything I have done. I wish I had done everything differently. You deserved better from me. I will be forever grateful for what you did for me. You will make some lucky woman a wonderful husband like you were with me. I am so sorry I could never be the wife you deserved."

"Call me when you are ready to move back," Angus told Gwen coldly, "and I'll get the spare room ready."

Angus strode out of the room and didn't look back.