The Happy Family by Jackie Kabler (electric book reader txt) 📕
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- Author: Jackie Kabler
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She takes a shuddery breath.
‘Anyway, Gavin is coming round one night this week to talk. He’s been staying at his brother’s in Gloucester, but I’ve told him I’ve stopped and that I’m getting help, and I think … well, I hope, I’m keeping everything crossed, that we can sort it out, that we can get back on track. So that’s it, Beth. That’s why I’ve been so out of sorts recently, and I’m mortified and so sorry. It’s up to you whether you tell Gabby and the others now. I’m not going to put any pressure on you, OK? But I’m so sorry too that this has been of no help to you. I’m not your missing mum, love.’
She gives me a sad smile and I nod and try to smile back, but inside I’m starting to feel something close to despair.
I’m running out of options here, aren’t I?
‘Well, thank you for telling me. What a couple of days of insane revelations, eh?’ I say.
‘Quite unbelievable,’ says Ruth. ‘Have you talked to Brenda and Barbara yet?’
‘I have,’ I reply, and slide off the bed. ‘And no, it’s not either of them. They had some interesting things to say too, but I’ll catch you up on all that another time. Right now, I have to go. I have someone else to talk to, and I want to do it this evening, if possible.’
‘Let me guess,’ says Ruth. ‘Robin?’
‘Robin,’ I say.
Chapter 43
I call Robin from the car. The fact that she showed up for the party on Friday gives me hope that she might meet me, if I stress how important it is, and I’m right. She’s not exactly friendly on the phone, but she says she’s actually at her friend’s house in Prestbury and that she’s happy to pop in in about half an hour.
I drive home as quickly as I can, still feeling that doing the rounds of everyone I know who’s recently been in my house and asking them if they’re actually my mother is just the most absurd thing I’ve ever done in my life. But I’m also thinking again about Robin, about how she first appeared in my life. I’d thought it was fate that brought us together, but maybe not.
Could it be her? She’s so great with the kids, and they love her … Imagine if she really is their grandmother?
She’s already there when I arrive home, waiting outside the door. She’s dressed in khaki-coloured running tights and a sleeveless vest today and her arms are tanned and toned.
If she’s my mum, I certainly haven’t inherited her body shape, I think wryly. I cut the engine, telling myself to stay calm and breathe, breathe, as I get out of the car.
‘What’s all this about, Beth?’ she asks.
‘It’s kind of complicated,’ I say. ‘Come in, Robin. I really appreciate you coming over after … well, after everything that’s happened. And I really do owe you a massive apology, but I’m hoping that when I tell you what I’m about to tell you, you might forgive me. Things have been a little bit nuts around here, and not what they seemed.’
‘Oh. Well, OK. I’m glad I came then,’ she says, following me into the house. ‘I’m intrigued.’
I’m half expecting her to say, ‘I know, I know, Beth’ when I tell her that my mother is not actually my mother at all, but she doesn’t, and so I carry on with the story. When I’ve finished she jumps from her chair and throws her arms around me.
‘Holy frickin’ bananas!’ she says, and hugs me even tighter. I laugh and hug her back.
‘Holy bananas?’ I say. ‘That’s a new one!’
‘Well, this whole thing’s a new one on me,’ she replies, letting me go. ‘Phew-eeee! I was never sure about her, you know? There was always something a little odd; I couldn’t put my finger on it. But this … wow. I never suspected anything like this.’
‘None of us did,’ I say. ‘She fooled us all. Quite the actress, eh?’
Robin nods, then grimaces.
‘And what a cow, trying to make out it might be me behind all that stuff … the heating problems, and the cameras in your room, and all the rest. Bloody hell, Beth. And as for the trampoline accident, that makes me feel sick to my stomach. I love those kids. I would never, ever … I mean, Finley could have broken his neck; he could have died. I want to wring her neck for that. Is it awful that I feel a tiny bit glad she’s so sick now?’
‘No … Oh, I don’t know, Robin. It’s all so confusing. I hate her for what she’s done, but at the same time I kind of … well, I understand. She went through hell, and that was my fault – or at least, I was certainly partly to blame. I don’t know how to feel about it all. It’s weird.’
She nods again and then reaches for my hand.
‘And as for all the stuff back when you were a kid, you need to let that go now, Beth. It must be so hard for you, going around now telling everyone about it. We’ve all done things we wish we hadn’t. I know you, Beth. You’re a good person, OK? And if you want me to come back and work for you again, I’ll do it in a heartbeat now. I’ve missed you all.’
‘Thank you, Robin. Thank you so
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