glasses, saying as she took them into the living room, ‘Sorry, this is the only cold drink I’ve got. If you’d prefer, I could make a pot of tea.’
‘Orange juice is fine, Mum,’ John said as he reached out to take a glass.
‘It’s too hot for tea and this will do,’ Anne agreed.
‘So, Anne, what’s this news?’ asked John.
Anne’s eyes danced as she looked at her brother. ‘When Mel wasn’t well in Spain, we put it down to the food, but since returning she’s been to see the doctor. You’re not going to believe this. Dad said he didn’t want any more children, but she’s pregnant. Mel’s pregnant.’
Betty felt herself going rigid with shock. ‘Pr…pregnant?’
‘Yes,’ Anne said dismissively, as though unaware how her mother was feeling as she turned to her brother again, ‘and John, that means we’re going to have a new baby brother or sister.’
‘Half–brother or–sister,’ he retorted, ‘and if you ask me, it’s a bit sick. Bloody hell, Dad’s old enough to be the child’s grandfather.’
Betty’s head was reeling. Somehow, deep down, she had always hoped that the marriage would end–that, as Richard aged, Mel would want a younger man. He was already twenty–five years her senior, and it sickened Betty that at fifty–eight years old he was about to start another family. ‘How…how does your father feel about it?’
‘He’s really happy, cock–a–hoop and strutting about with his chest puffed out with pride.’
‘I thought you said he didn’t want any more children.’
‘Yes, but Mel had other ideas. She’s thirty–three now and I think felt the time was right if she was going to have children. She was feeling really broody so, without telling Dad, she stopped taking the pill.’
‘Wasn’t he angry?’
‘No, I told you, he’s full of it, and it seems to have knocked years off him. You should see him fussing over Melissa, even getting a cleaner to come in once a week.’
Betty’s head was low. A cleaner–Melissa had a cleaner. Oh, not for her slaving to keep the house and garden up to scratch. Then, feeling a hand on her shoulder, she looked up to see John leaning over her, eyes full of concern.
‘Are you all right, Mum?’
‘Ye-yes, but I must admit it’s come as a bit of a shock. Oh, it’s awful,’ she then blurted out, ‘somehow I didn’t expect the marriage to last, but…but now…’
‘Mum, don’t tell me that you still hold a torch for Dad?’
Betty stared up at her son, fighting to hide her true feelings. She would never admit it to him, or anyone, but yes, she still held a torch for Richard. Despite what he had done, she still loved him, and felt she always would. ‘Of course I don’t,’ she lied.
John’s eyes narrowed in doubt, but Betty made a supreme effort to regain composure and change the subject. ‘Come on, we’ve heard Anne’s news, now what about you? It’s been ages since I’ve seen you, so tell me, what’ve you been up to?’
‘I’m sorry I haven’t been round, but I ring you every week. It’s work, Mum, I’ve been snowed under.’
‘John, how’s your love life?’ Anne asked.
‘I’ve got a new girlfriend and this one might be serious.’
‘Really…’ Anne drawled.
‘Now then, there’s no need for sarcasm,’ he protested. ‘Surely a man has a right to sow his oats before settling down.’
Doing her best to keep her mind away from Richard, Betty said, ‘Tell me about this girl.’
‘She’s a cracker, Mum. Her name is Ulrika and she’s from Sweden.’
‘Goodness, how did you meet her?’
‘My boss invited me round to dinner. She’s their au pair.’
‘How long have you been seeing her?’ asked Anne.
‘What’s this, twenty questions? Still, if you must know, I’ve been seeing her for two months.’
Anne laughed. ‘Two months–and you call it serious?’
‘It is for me.’
John was so like his father in looks that Betty gulped. They were both tall, both dark and
‘Orange juice is fine, Mum,’ John said as he reached out to take a glass.
‘It’s too hot for tea and this will do,’ Anne agreed.
‘So, Anne, what’s this news?’ asked John.
Anne’s eyes danced as she looked at her brother. ‘When Mel wasn’t well in Spain, we put it down to the food, but since returning she’s been to see the doctor. You’re not going to believe this. Dad said he didn’t want any more children, but she’s pregnant. Mel’s pregnant.’
Betty felt herself going rigid with shock. ‘Pr…pregnant?’
‘Yes,’ Anne said dismissively, as though unaware how her mother was feeling as she turned to her brother again, ‘and John, that means we’re going to have a new baby brother or sister.’
‘Half–brother or–sister,’ he retorted, ‘and if you ask me, it’s a bit sick. Bloody hell, Dad’s old enough to be the child’s grandfather.’
Betty’s head was reeling. Somehow, deep down, she had always hoped that the marriage would end–that, as Richard aged, Mel would want a younger man. He was already twenty–five years her senior, and it sickened Betty that at fifty–eight years old he was about to start another family. ‘How…how does your father feel about it?’
‘He’s really happy, cock–a–hoop and strutting about with his chest puffed out with pride.’
‘I thought you said he didn’t want any more children.’
‘Yes, but Mel had other ideas. She’s thirty–three now and I think felt the time was right if she was going to have children. She was feeling really broody so, without telling Dad, she stopped taking the pill.’
‘Wasn’t he angry?’
‘No, I told you, he’s full of it, and it seems to have knocked years off him. You should see him fussing over Melissa, even getting a cleaner to come in once a week.’
Betty’s head was low. A cleaner–Melissa had a cleaner. Oh, not for her slaving to keep the house and garden up to scratch. Then, feeling a hand on her shoulder, she looked up to see John leaning over her, eyes full of concern.
‘Are you all right, Mum?’
‘Ye-yes, but I must admit it’s come as a bit of a shock. Oh, it’s awful,’ she then blurted out, ‘somehow I didn’t expect the marriage to last, but…but now…’
‘Mum, don’t tell me that you still hold a torch for Dad?’
Betty stared up at her son, fighting to hide her true feelings. She would never admit it to him, or anyone, but yes, she still held a torch for Richard. Despite what he had done, she still loved him, and felt she always would. ‘Of course I don’t,’ she lied.
John’s eyes narrowed in doubt, but Betty made a supreme effort to regain composure and change the subject. ‘Come on, we’ve heard Anne’s news, now what about you? It’s been ages since I’ve seen you, so tell me, what’ve you been up to?’
‘I’m sorry I haven’t been round, but I ring you every week. It’s work, Mum, I’ve been snowed under.’
‘John, how’s your love life?’ Anne asked.
‘I’ve got a new girlfriend and this one might be serious.’
‘Really…’ Anne drawled.
‘Now then, there’s no need for sarcasm,’ he protested. ‘Surely a man has a right to sow his oats before settling down.’
Doing her best to keep her mind away from Richard, Betty said, ‘Tell me about this girl.’
‘She’s a cracker, Mum. Her name is Ulrika and she’s from Sweden.’
‘Goodness, how did you meet her?’
‘My boss invited me round to dinner. She’s their au pair.’
‘How long have you been seeing her?’ asked Anne.
‘What’s this, twenty questions? Still, if you must know, I’ve been seeing her for two months.’
Anne laughed. ‘Two months–and you call it serious?’
‘It is for me.’
John was so like his father in looks that Betty gulped. They were both tall, both dark and
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