“It really isn’t any of your business.” She applies lipstick onto stretched lips, sliding each lip back and forth over one another. I used to love watching her apply make-up. In fact, the only job I have known her to have was as an Avon lady.
“I don’t want it to be. But you’re making it my business!”
“Look I don’t want to talk about this any further. If your dad gets in touch, text me straightaway. I’ll get away from Shane and call him back.”
“I don’t know why you don’t just answer your phone yourself when he rings you. Keep me out of things.”
She sighs. “We’ve been through all this Fiona. Don’t you ever listen to me? I don’t want to speak to your father in front of Shane – for the same reason I don’t like him speaking to his wife in front of me. Shane and I keep our phones on silent when we’ve got our precious time together. Besides, we’re too busy doing other things, if you know what I mean.” She smiles to herself.
Ugh. “On that note, I’ll leave you to get sorted. I’ll put the kettle on.”
“Not a word to Rob, eh? He was quizzing me last night about my plans. My love life is none of his business either.” She pulls a brush through her hair. At fifty-six, she easily looks ten years younger than she is. Not like Dad, who, at the opposite end of the spectrum, looks ten years older than his fifty-eight years. It’s the decades of being Mum’s puppet on a string. But he’s old school and believes marriage is for life. He might moan about Mum, but it would break his heart if he found out she was having an affair. Again.
“Trust me. Rob wouldn’t want it to be his business.”
The last time Mum left Dad, Jack had been three. She went off to Corfu with some married man she’d been carrying on with for months. Luckily, I found Dad in time to get him to hospital. He had to have his stomach pumped and months of therapy. He was extremely sorry afterwards, saying it had been a moment of madness and desperation. But he’s been on anti-depressants ever since. He daren’t come off them.
“Shame you found him,” Mum had said when I rang to tell her what had happened. “I don’t know why you’re even telling me. I’ve got a new life now. If you want to take your father’s mental problems on, that’s up to you.”
I had put the phone down on her and it was over eighteen months before I spoke to her again after her callous attitude. I couldn’t bring myself to. I helped Dad put himself back together, but then Mum’s boyfriend left her in Corfu to return to his wife, daughter and sons in the UK. Mum returned to Dad, her tail between her legs. Of course, he naively believed her apologies and promises that she wanted to make a go of things with him. Neither of them had started divorce proceedings, so they just picked up where they had left off. But I was worried when I discovered Dad had increased his life insurance, and let Mum talk him into re-mortgaging the house so they could have more holidays. Rob ordered me to keep out of it.
I’ve kept my distance from them since, not really going over to visit, and only ringing Dad when I knew Mum wouldn’t be around. But a year ago, she started approaching me again and making a big fuss of Jack. Then within a couple of months, it emerged what she really wanted from me. An alibi. For her latest affair with another married man. Maybe the re-mortgage money was running low, and she wanted excitement.
Chapter 2
At the sound of Rob’s voice, I pause outside the kitchen door. “Ring me back the minute you get this message. I’ve been trying to get hold of you for days.” There’s an angry edge to his voice, one I don’t hear often. He’s normally easy going.
He jumps as I walk in, slopping the protein shake he’s making. He looks as though he’s got the woes of the universe on his shoulders. His phone is still lit up on the counter beside him.
“Who were you on the phone to?”
“Just something to do with work.”
“No prizes for guessing what you’re up to today.” I look at his lycra-clad body and notice his cycle helmet on the breakfast bar. “Are you not at work?”
“Not until this afternoon. I booked a half day.” He flicks the switch on the kettle. “A bike ride will blow away a few cobwebs.”
“Are you OK? I noticed you were up half the night.” He’s in the same league as Dad at the moment, looking ten years older than his thirty-eight years. “It’s not like you to suddenly book a half day either.”
“Yeah. I’m fine. I’ll have a brew with you before I set off. Let the traffic die down, especially on that back road.”
“I take it I’m dropping Jack off at school then?” I rummage through the letter rack for his school trip letter.
“I assumed your mother would want to go with you to drop him off. It’s been months since she’s seen him.” The sarcasm in his voice is not lost on me.
The thundering of footsteps through the hallway stops our conversation. Jack bursts into the kitchen. “Granny Maggie’s going to take me to school,” he announces.
“Where is she?”
“On the phone in the lounge.” He takes a loud slurp from his cup. “She said I had to leave her alone for a minute, then we will set off. She’s closed the door.”
No prizes for guessing
