The Happy Family by Jackie Kabler (electric book reader txt) 📕

believe her, even though I’m certain she’s leaving because of last night and the row with Eloise and the stupid central heating and everything else that’s happened, I hug her back and tell her that of course I understand, and that it’s fine and we’ll see each other soon.

She kisses me on the cheek.

‘You’re the best, sis,’ she says, and skips off upstairs to pack her stuff, and for a moment I feel better.

Sis. I have a sister, and surely that’s what’s most important right now, the fact that we’ve found each other? All the other stuff, well, it’s not ideal, but we can get past it, right?

But then I make the mistake of going upstairs to see if she wants a coffee before she goes. I’m about to walk into the room when I hear low voices and realise Mum’s in there too. I hesitate for a moment, but I’ve already pushed the door open a little and the conversation stops abruptly.

‘Beth! I was just helping Liv pack …’

Mum’s voice is bright and cheerful, but there’s an awkwardness about her and I suddenly wonder what they’ve just been talking about.

‘And I was telling her I’m not five anymore and I can pack by myself!’

Liv, kneeling on the floor next to her open bag, rolls her eyes and laughs, but there’s definitely a strange atmosphere in the room and I’m certain, I know, that they were talking about me and are trying to pretend they weren’t. I laugh too (God, my little wannabe actress daughter would be proud of my Oscar-worthy performances today, if only she were speaking to me) and ask what I came up to ask and go back downstairs again. Somehow I get through the next hour and there are more hugs and more promises to meet again soon. And then she’s gone, and Mum and I stand at the door waving until the taxi goes out of sight.

‘Beth …’

I’ve just closed the door and I turn to look at Mum. My heart skips as I see the serious expression on her face and the concern in her eyes.

‘Yes? Is everything OK?’

‘Beth, look … I just wanted to say something. I don’t want to nag – God knows, I have no right to do that. I’ve only been back in your life for such a short time, but, well …’

She pauses, and I can feel a flutter of panic in my stomach.

She’s going to leave again, isn’t she? She’s finally got fed up with me, with everything that’s been going on. I don’t blame her, of course I don’t, but …

‘It’s just that, well, I’m worried about you, Beth,’ she says.

‘Wo-worried? Why?’

She sighs.

‘You just seem … so stressed. Last night … well, you’re drinking a lot, aren’t you? And you seem so forgetful all the time – the stuff with the central heating, and seeing faces at the windows …’

She hesitates, worried eyes searching my face, and I can feel my cheeks begin to burn with shame.

It’s not my past that will drive her away, is it? Not what I did back then, not the fact that her daughter is a monster. She doesn’t even know about that. It’s how I’m behaving now that will make her leave …

‘Mum, I’m fine honestly. I’ve just had a lot on. You coming back … well, it’s amazing, wonderful … but it’s kind of a big life change, you know? And Dad being ill and everything …’

I’m trying to sound upbeat and positive but she doesn’t look convinced. She’s still looking at me with those worried eyes, her brow creased in a frown.

‘You’re right. I need to watch the drinking though,’ I say. ‘I’ll cut down. I just get a bit carried away sometimes, but I’ll keep an eye on it, OK? And I’ll call the engineer again about the heating later and get to the bottom of what’s going on.’

She nods, smiles, and looks relieved.

‘OK. Good girl. Come on, I’ll make us another cup of tea.’

We head back into the kitchen and the conversation moves away from me and back to last night, but the good bits this time. We chat about Liv and how lovely it is that we’ve met now, how well we get on, how much we have in common, how she told Mum before she left how thrilled she was to meet me and how much she likes me. An hour later, I’ve begun to feel almost – almost – happy again.

I’ll sort things out with Eloise, won’t I? Mothers and daughters row all the time. This is just a little blip and we’ll be absolutely fine once she calms down. And everything else … I’m just overtired, that’s all …

The doorbell rings then and I run to answer it, my stomach flipping.

The kids, maybe, changing their minds and coming home again?

But it’s just the postman with a parcel, so I take it and thank him, suddenly feeling tearful again. And then as he heads back down the driveway, a movement by the gate catches my eye and for some reason, a shiver runs through me. I stare, blink, but … nothing. There’s nobody there. I glance up and down the empty street, once, twice. Then I double-lock the door and go and join my mother.

Chapter 24

‘Everything OK? Any issues I should know about?’

‘All good thanks, Beth. Everything all right with you? How’s Finley’s ankle?’

Lorraine, her arms full of dressings and blood bottles, smiles at me and I smile back.

‘Doing really well, thanks. He’s in a walking boot now and pretty much running around on it. Should be fine in another couple of weeks. Kids recover so quickly, don’t they?’

‘They do. Right, must get on. See you later.’

She deposits her supplies on her desk and I tick her off the list on the clipboard I’m carrying and head back to my own office. I’ve just done the rounds, checking that all the staff are all right and seeing if any of them have