‘Well I’m here now. Just let me order a peppermint tea and then I’m all ears,’ Sue said airily, catching a waiter’s eye with an imperious wave. It was a wonder she hadn’t clicked her fingers, Hilary thought irately as Sue gave her order without even bothering to ask if Hilary would like a fresh beverage.
Hilary took a deep breath. ‘I’ll get straight to the point, Sue. I’m pressed for time,’ she added pointedly. ‘I can’t continue to bring your mum to her warfarin clinic and her various medical appointments. I have parents of my own to take care of, and a demanding job, as well as a husband, children and a house to manage. I—’
‘But I simply can’t take time off willy-nilly, Hilary. You’ve got to understand I have a very demanding boss and a very demanding job indeed,’ Sue cut in indignantly.
‘I appreciate that,’ Hilary said smoothly. ‘That’s why I’ve worked out a rota for you and Niall, and of course I will bring Mrs Hammond to some of her appointments because I love her and she’s a wonderful mother-in-law and grandmother. I just want you and Niall to pull your weight. After all Gran H is your mother.’
‘I know she’s my mother,’ Sue snapped. ‘But you have a sister to help you out. I don’t!’ She played a trump card.
‘You have Niall,’ Hilary retorted.
‘He’s not much use,’ Sue said insultingly.
‘Well the pair of you’d better work it out between you,’ Hilary snapped back.
‘I don’t like your tone, Hilary.’ Sue glared at her.
‘Deal with it, Sue,’ Hilary said sharply. For once in her life she wasn’t going to be the pacifier. She wasn’t going to swallow down her irritation and have heartburn for three days after their encounter. She was sick and tired of being taken for granted by the pinched-faced, self-absorbed woman opposite her. She was done trying to be nice. With Sue nice got you nowhere. She was fed up pandering to her and her moods and her airs and graces. Hilary took a typed-up sheet of paper out of her bag. ‘Here are your mum’s appointments for the next three months, including her next warfarin appointment. Niall will be away for that and I have an appointment but it’s ten days away so you have some leeway to schedule it in. Sort the other dates with Niall and I will fit in as best I can,’ she said crisply.
‘Are you suggesting I take time off? Annual leave?’ Sue exclaimed, aghast, taking the paper between her finger and thumb.
‘It’s what I have to do, Sue,’ she retorted. ‘I take time off to bring your mother to her appointments. I’m up to my eyes. I can’t do it any more.’
‘But your job is much more flexible than mine.’
‘Actually it’s not. And even if it was, that’s not the point. It’s not up to me. And let me tell you something else, Sue, you might as well prepare yourself. As time goes on there are going to be more appointments and more demands on your time, so you’d better get used to it. I will help out as much as I can but you need to start taking your share of the burden. You could start by cooking Margaret a meal every second weekend or inviting her over for dinner. Niall and I pay for the garden to be maintained; you could contribute to having her cleaner come an extra day. I actually shouldn’t have to be sitting here saying these things to you, Sue. And because they have to be said, it’s Niall that should have been saying them. I don’t want to fall out with you but frankly I’m sick of your self-absorbed behaviour and I’m heartily sick of being taken for granted. I have a family to rear, and parents to look after myself. I would love to be able to go to the gym and go hill walking and partake in all the activities you have time for. I don’t even have time to read. So, Sue, there comes a time when you have to step up to the plate and your time is now. OK?’
Hilary stood up and stared at her shocked sister-in-law. ‘I’d love to stay and have another coffee,’ she said acidly, ‘but I had to reschedule because you were late. I think it’s disrespectful to keep someone waiting so I have to go now to be at my next appointment on time. Work out the dates with Niall and try not to make your mother feel like a burden.’
‘I really don’t like your attitude, Hilary.’ Sue was furious at the way she’d been lectured. ‘In fact I strongly object to it and—’
‘Sue, build a bridge and get over it,’ Hilary retorted. ‘You’ve got away with it for years because I took so much on. Your mother deserves a lot more from you than what she’s getting and if I have to point that out to you, that’s such a sad reflection on you. Now I’m going. Bye.’
She hurried out of the hotel without a backward glance and headed towards Pearse Street. She’d taken the DART into the city, unwilling to deal with bumper-to-bumper traffic and the hassle of looking for parking. She didn’t care if Sue was mad with her, as Hilary knew whatever polite façade they had kept up over the years there would be no coming back from today’s encounter. She scowled, jaywalking across Kildare Street. Frankly she didn’t really care any more. The older she got the less inclined she was to put up with crap from people and Sue was full of it. You couldn’t like everyone. And she didn’t particularly like Sue. So be it – she wasn’t going to lose sleep over
