Cookie (17 page)

‘Who?’ said Mum.

‘Rhona’s family.’

‘Oh, Beauty, we don’t know them properly. I don’t even know Rhona’s mum’s first name. I’ve only ever said hello to her. We can’t just turn up on their doorstep,’ said Mum.

‘I know Rhona,’ I said stubbornly. ‘And Mr and Mrs Marshall are ever so kind. They really like me. I know they’d like you too.’

‘No,’ said Mum. ‘Get real, Beauty. We can’t just up sticks and go and live with the Marshalls. This isn’t just for one night. This is for ever. Well, if we want it to be for ever.’ Mum slowed down. ‘We could go back.’

I thought hard. I was nearly crying too. It was so frightening having to make decisions. Dad had always told both of us what to do.
Should
we go back to Dad? If we went down on our knees and said sorry enough times he’d welcome us back with open arms. But then I thought of those arms swinging through the air and smashing all those cookies Mum had made so lovingly. I thought of his hands unlatching Birthday’s hutch and shooing him out into the garden.

‘We’re not going back. We’re going forward,’ I said.

‘Right,’ said Mum, and she reached out and squeezed my hand. ‘Two girls together.’

‘Driving on and on and on into the sunset,’ I said. ‘Driving and driving and driving until …’ I let my voice tail away. We were both silent. I took a deep breath.

‘I suppose we can always sleep in the car, Mum.’

‘Oh, Beauty, bless you. No, we’re definitely not doing that. I’ll make sure there’s a proper roof over your head. I’ll sell some more of my jewellery. It’s just tonight and Sunday that are the problem. But don’t worry, I’ll think of something.’

Mum drove on, staring straight ahead. She was gripping the steering wheel so tightly her knuckles looked about to burst through her skin.

‘What’s that song?
Don’t Worry, Be Happy!’
she said. She didn’t know all the words so she sang the same line over and over again.

I stared out of the window. Everything looked so astonishingly ordinary and everyday. Street after street, shops, restaurants, houses, a Happy Homes estate …

‘Mum! I know where we can go! Auntie Avril!’

Mum slowed down, thinking. ‘But she’s your dad’s ex-wife,’ she said.

‘Well, you’re going to be his ex-wife too. And she likes us. She’s just sent me those lovely felt pens. Oh, Mum, let’s go to Auntie Avril’s. She lives on the Fruitbush estate and that’s just over there, look!’

‘Well, maybe we could try,’ Mum said doubtfully.

She reversed into a side entrance and drove back to the Happy Homes Fruitbush estate.

‘Are you sure it’s this one? There are so many blessed Happy Homes estates,’ said Mum.

‘She lives at Seven Cherry Drive. I know it from writing her thank-you letters.’ I peered out of the car window. ‘That’s Lime Avenue. And Grape Lane.’

‘All these fruity names! I wonder what else your dad made up? Do you think there’s an Apple Alley?’

‘What about a Banana Bend? Or Raspberry Road?’

We started giggling hysterically as we drove round the estate.

‘Hey, look! Cherry Drive!’ I said. ‘Well done, Beauty.’

Mum drew up outside number Seven. It was less than half the size of our own house, a small shrunken semi-detached Happy Home with a narrow strip of grass at the front, but Auntie Avril had put trellis up on her brickwork so that clematis and wisteria hung lushly, softening the red of the brick. She’d planted pansies and geraniums in her garden and there was a hanging basket of pink petunias swinging above the blue front door. Her doormat said
WELCOME
. We hoped Auntie Avril would say welcome too.

‘Right, ready, steady, go!’ said Mum.

She opened up her handbag and peered at herself in her mirror. ‘God, I look such a mess!’

‘No you don’t, Mum, you look lovely,’ I said. ‘Come on.’

We got out of the car and went up the drive together. I rang the bell. We waited, holding hands. Then the door opened and Auntie Avril stared at us in surprise. She looked older than I remembered, and she was a lot plumper. Her hair was a very bright yellow blonde.

‘Good Lord! Dilys and Beauty!’ She peered behind us. ‘Where’s Gerry?’

Mum and I looked at each other uncertainly. Auntie Avril put her hand to her mouth, smudging her red lipstick. ‘Oh God, he hasn’t
died
, has he?’

‘No, no, he’s fine,’ said Mum. ‘It’s just …’ She swallowed. ‘Can we come in, Avril?’

‘Yes, of course, only I’m going out in about half an hour. Still, there’s plenty of time for a cup of tea. In you come.’

We trooped in after her. We automatically took our shoes off by the front door. Auntie Avril kept her high heels on and laughed at us.

‘I see Gerry’s got you well-trained,’ she said. ‘Come into the living room.’

It was a warm little room with a dark crimson carpet and a black leather sofa with furry cushions
as
pink as the petunias. There was a big white cat curled decoratively at one end.

‘You’ve got a cat!’ I said.

‘That’s my Cream Puff. Give her a gentle shove and she’ll make room for you,’ said Auntie Avril. ‘Goodness, you’re getting a big girl, Beauty. Of course, it’s your birthday today, isn’t it? Many happy returns.’

‘Thank you ever so much for my lovely felt tips, Auntie Avril. They were just what I wanted,’ I said, nestling near Cream Puff. I delicately ran my fingers down her soft fur and she sighed and quivered.

‘You’ve brought her up very nicely, Dilys,’ said Auntie Avril.

‘Oh, she means it, Avril. She loves crayoning. She’s ever so good at art. Well, Beauty’s good at most things. Not a bit like me,’ said Mum.

‘Not much like Gerry either!’ said Avril. ‘Well, he’s bright enough, no flies on him. I’ll go and make us that tea then. Or would you like something stronger, Dilys? You look as if you could do with a pick-you-up. Shall we have a little gin?’

‘It’ll have to be a
very
little gin because I’m driving,’ said Mum. ‘Unless …’ She didn’t dare say the rest.

Auntie Avril bustled around, making two gin and tonics and a special lemonade for me with a
couple
of cherries and a weeny paper umbrella, just like a real cocktail.

Cream Puff crept right onto my lap and started purring when I stroked her.

‘It’s lovely to see you both,’ said Auntie Avril. ‘We’ll have to get together more often. After all, we’re family, sort of.’

I started to dare hope we might be at the start of a wonderful new life together, Auntie Avril, Mum and me. I imagined living in this cosy little house, playing with Cream Puff every day, sipping cocktails every evening, all of us dancing up and down the carpet in our outdoor shoes with no one to tell us off ever.

‘Come on then,’ Auntie Avril said, glancing at her watch. ‘Tell me why you’ve popped round out of the blue. It’s Gerry, isn’t it?’

‘Well, yes,’ said Mum. ‘We’ve split up.’

Auntie Avril sighed and downed the rest of her gin and tonic. She reached over and patted Mum’s knee. ‘You poor little darling. Still, you know what it feels like now. So who has he left you for? Not another little blonde?’

‘No, no, Gerry hasn’t left me.’ Mum took a deep breath. ‘I’ve left
him
.’

‘
What?
’ Auntie Avril looked astonished. ‘When?’

‘Just now. We packed our bags, Beauty and me, and walked out.’

‘But
why
?’

‘I just couldn’t stand it any more,’ Mum said shakily.

‘What did he
do
?’

‘He just kept shouting at us, belittling us, telling us what to do all the time,’ Mum said, starting to cry. ‘I know he’s very stressed about his work, it’s all going wrong, there’s even some talk of bribery, I suppose he could be in really big trouble – but that’s no excuse for being so mean to us.’

I eased Cream Puff off my lap and went to put my arm round Mum.

‘Oh, don’t you worry about our Gerry,’ said Auntie Avril. ‘He’s always stressed, he’s always in trouble, but he’ll fix it, just you wait and see. I know he can be a royal pain at times. That’s just the way he is. The way most men are, come to think of it. But he’s not such a bad egg, Dilys. He thinks the world of you and Beauty, he’s set you up in a lovely home, he’s lavished money on you. What more could you want?’

‘He was terrible today, humiliating me in front of Beauty’s party guests. He organized this ridiculous stretch limo and tickets for
Birthday Bonanza
.’

‘Oh yes? Well, that doesn’t sound particularly humiliating! It sounds like he was doing his best to give Beauty a lovely birthday treat. Grow up, Dilys. Gerry’s got many faults, as I know all too
well
, but you could do a lot worse.’

‘He broke all the cookies Mum made specially and let my birthday rabbit out of his cage and a fox killed it,’ I said, starting to sob too.

‘Oh dear, oh dear. That’s a real shame, darling – but you don’t break up a happy home just for that.’

‘It isn’t a happy home, even though it’s got that stupid name,’ said Mum. ‘We’ve not been happy there, Avril. It’s getting to Beauty as well as to me. I’ve never been able to stand up for myself very well but I
can
stand up for my little girl. She needs a fresh start, somewhere quiet and peaceful where she’s not shouted at all the time.’

‘And where’s that?’ said Auntie Avril.

There was a silence. ‘You don’t mean … you don’t mean here with
me
?’ she said.

‘Well, if we could just stay a few days, until we get on our feet and I’ve found myself a job?’ Mum suggested timidly.

‘You have to be joking! You can’t stay here. Whatever would Gerry say? Well, I have a rough idea what he’d say, only I’m not using that sort of language in front of Beauty here. Don’t forget Gerry’s given me this house. I’m not risking putting his nose out of joint. I don’t want to find myself shoved out on the streets, homeless.’

‘But
we’re
homeless now,’ said Mum, snuffling. ‘We haven’t got anywhere else to go. What are we going to
do
, Avril?’

‘
I
don’t know, darling.’ She looked at her watch again. ‘I’m going to be late. I’m meeting three of my girlfriends in town for a pizza and then we’re all going to the Gala Bingo. It’s not exactly a wild night out for a Saturday but it’s not likely a tall dark stranger is going to come calling at my time of life. Do yourself a favour, Dilys. Gerry’s not tall and he’s not dark and he’s certainly not a stranger, but he’s all man and if I remember rightly he can be fun to be with. Stop this nonsense and get yourself back there sharpish.’

‘No,’ said Mum. ‘I know you mean well, Avril, but we’re not going back. We’ll just have to find some place else.’

‘
Where
, exactly?’ said Auntie Avril.

‘Perhaps … perhaps we can go to the council on Monday and they’ll find us a little flat,’ Mum said desperately.

Auntie Avril laughed at her. I was starting not to like her now.

‘They’ve got a waiting list a mile long, you silly woman. You and Beauty would never qualify in a million years. You’ve got a luxurious six-bedroom house. You’ve deliberately made yourself homeless.’

‘Well, there are still refuges, aren’t there?’ said Mum.

‘For battered wives. So has
Gerry
battered you?’

‘He slapped my face. And he twisted my wrist.’

‘Oh, get a grip, Dilys! Most of those poor women in those places have been beaten to a pulp. They’d give their right arms to swap places with you. If I’m honest
I
still would, even though I know Gerry’s no angel.’

‘Well, you have him then,’ said Mum.

‘I don’t stand a chance. I’m way past my sell-by date as far as Gerry’s concerned. And most men too, apart from the daft old codgers. You think twice, Dilys. It’s a lonely life without a man.’

‘It’s a lonely life with the
wrong
man,’ said Mum. She drained her glass and then stood up. ‘Well, thank you very much for the drink, Avril. We must let you be off to your friends.’

‘
You
don’t have to go. Look, you can stay here tonight by all means, if you really won’t go back. There’s heaps to eat in the fridge, you just help yourselves. Have another drink or two, watch a bit of telly, whatever. I’ve only got one bed in my spare room, but I’m sure you won’t mind squashing up together. I’ll be back around half ten or eleven. Then we’ll talk about things in the morning. I’m sure you’ll see things differently then. You’ve got
to
consider Beauty and what’s best for her. Think about it, Dilly. Ta ta then.’

She kissed Mum, she kissed me, slipped on her lilac leather jacket, and rushed off. Mum and I sat either side of Cream Puff, neither of us saying a word. Mum nibbled the edge of her fingernail, staring down at the deep red carpet.

‘Are you thinking about it, Mum?’ I asked in a tiny voice.

‘I’m thinking so hard my flipping head’s going to burst,’ said Mum. She bit harder, breaking one of her lovely manicured nails.

‘
Don’t
, Mum!’

‘What?’ She hadn’t even realized what she was doing.

‘You’ll chew right down to your knuckles if you don’t watch out,’ I said. ‘I don’t want a mum with fingers all frayed at the edges.’