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

Yes, it’s Ruth. What’s she doing here?

‘She’s not in a good way at all,’ Mum’s saying. ‘I’m so worried, Ruth. I went out this morning to give her some space, you know? I don’t want her to think I’m watching her all the time. But I think she needs medication, at the very least. She’s all over the place, and now Jacob doesn’t even trust her with the children. He’s taken them to stay with him. Did you know that?’

‘Gosh … no, I didn’t! That’s awful. Poor Beth,’ Ruth says.

Out in the hall, I’m squirming.

They’re talking about me. Oh shit …

‘Oh, please don’t say anything,’ Mum says. ‘She’s so upset about it and she’s trying to hide it. I’d hate for her to think we’ve been gossiping about it. She tried to pass it off as Jacob having some holiday and wanting to spend some of it with the kids while they’re on Easter break, but it was pretty obvious what was going on. I think he was really angry about that awful video. I mean, I don’t blame him I suppose …’

‘Well, no. God, poor Beth. It’s all so embarrassing for her, and when I heard yesterday the docs had decided to send her home, well … has she got to the bottom of it yet, the video?’

‘Well, this is the thing.’ Mum’s lowered her voice and I take a step closer to the kitchen door, straining to hear.

Mum’s not stupid. Of course she’s worked out that I lied to her about the true situation with Jacob and the children. Why did I do that? Why?

‘She had a man in this morning from some electronic bug-sweeping company,’ she’s saying. ‘And apparently he found absolutely nothing. No cameras. And do you know what, Ruth? I really hate to say this, but I’m starting to think all this hidden camera stuff is all in her mind. She’s so confused at the moment, and I’m now wondering if she filmed herself, and posted it herself too. All these allegations she’s making, they just don’t make any sense, you know? And did you know she’s fired Robin over it all? They’ve had a few fallings out recently and she thinks it might be her idea of revenge. I thought that might be the case too, at first, but now I’m suddenly changing my mind. I think it might be a sort of attention thing, a cry for help. I mean, it makes sense when you think about it. All the pages the link was posted on, they all belong to people she wants attention from, don’t they? Or people she’s not on great terms with. Jacob, her friend Brenda …’

‘NO! NO!’

I burst into the room, horrified. They’re standing at the patio doors and they whirl around, both with shocked, guilty looks on their faces.

‘Darling …’ Mum says, eyes wide. She takes a step towards me but I’m still shouting and she shrinks back again.

‘THAT IS NOT TRUE! I DID NOT FILM THOSE PICTURES MYSELF. WHY ON EARTH …? I MEAN, EVEN IF I DID, WHY WOULD I POST THEM TO THE SURGERY PAGE? THAT’S RIDICULOUS!’

‘Beth, calm down!’ Ruth is moving towards me now, hand outstretched, but I can’t seem to help myself.

‘I DON’T KNOW WHY THERE AREN’T ANY CAMERAS. IT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE TO ME EITHER, BUT IT WASN’T ME, OK? IT WASN’T, AND I DON’T KNOW HOW YOU COULD EVEN …’

And then, quite suddenly, all the rage dissipates and I look at their stunned, worried faces and burst into tears.

‘I’m sorry … I’m so sorry … Ruth, Mum … I shouldn’t have lost my temper. I’m sorry …’

Ruth takes another step towards me and wraps her arms around me, pulling me close, and I let her. She’s wearing a soft, fluffy jumper today, baby pink, and I bury my face in her shoulder.

‘It’s all right, it’s all right, let it out, that’s it. Of course we believe you, don’t we, Alice? My poor Beth. It’s all going to be OK, I promise you,’ she murmurs, and I stand there for a long time, crying, her palm making soothing circles on my back. When I eventually stop weeping and look up, Mum’s standing next to us with a box of tissues. Wordlessly, she offers me one and I take it, nodding my thanks. I wipe my eyes and blow my nose loudly.

‘I sound like a seal,’ I say, and that makes us all laugh, just a little.

‘I’m so sorry, darling. I shouldn’t have said any of that. I’m just trying to make sense of it, and you know how worried I’ve been about you. But Ruth’s right, of course we believe you. Forgive me?’

I hesitate, just for a minute, then nod. She’s just as confused as I am about all this, isn’t she? I think, and I can’t blame her for speculating.

‘Of course I forgive you, Mum.’

‘Thank goodness. Look, come and sit down,’ she says, and I do. Ruth pulls out the stool next to me and sits down too.

‘I need to get back in a minute,’ she says. ‘I just wanted to zoom out in my lunchbreak and see if you were OK. Gabby told me about what happened yesterday and I didn’t want to just call; it seemed too impersonal. Deborah was going to come too, but, well …’

She shrugs awkwardly, and I wonder again about Deborah, but Ruth’s still talking.

‘Anyway, do you really think it was Robin? You’ve actually fired her? Why would she do such a horrible thing though? I don’t understand.’

‘Oh Ruth. I just don’t know. But she did have the most access, the most time …’

Even as I say it, the Robin thing still isn’t ringing quite true. There’s something just not right about it being her, even if she did have the best opportunity.

Unless maybe Mike paid her to do it? She can’t be very well off, and maybe she needed the money …

That makes