door, and Betty smiled with delight when she saw her daughter. ‘Anne, it’s about time. It’s been a month since I’ve seen you.’
‘Sorry, Mum,’ Anne said as she stepped inside. ‘I’ve been a bit busy, but I’m here now.’
‘John hasn’t been to see me either, but at least he rings me now and then.’
‘I haven’t heard from him. Is he still seeing the same girl?’
‘Yes, and I think it really is serious this time.’
Anne snorted with derision as she sat down, but Betty ignored her, instead asking, ‘And how are things with you?’
‘To tell you the truth, I’m a bit fed up. I didn’t get the promotion I was hoping for and I might look for another job.’
‘But, Anne, you’ve been with that company for years. Do you really think it’s wise to leave?’
‘That’s just it. I’ve been there for so long that they see me as part of the furniture. I’m taken for granted, but maybe if they think I’m leaving it’ll make them sit up a bit.’
‘I hope you’re right,’ Betty said as she went through to the kitchenette to find a bottle of Coke for her daughter.
When she returned, Anne had risen to her feet and was standing with her arms folded across her chest, shoulders hunched as she gazed out of the window. For the first time in ages, Betty could see a trace of vulnerability in her daughter, and impulsively she put a comforting arm around her. ‘Don’t let your job get you down, love. I’m sure it will all work out.’
‘It isn’t work that’s upsetting me, it’s Mel. The way she’s been carrying on has been a bit of an eye–opener.’
‘Why, what’s she been doing?’
‘Lately she’s been behaving like an absolute bitch. Oh, I won’t deny that I like her, but you’d think she was at death’s door instead of pregnant. All right, she had a bit of morning sickness, but she’s using the pregnancy as an excuse to do absolutely nothing. When I go to see Dad I end up like a servant, waiting on her hand and foot. I’ve tried to tell him that pregnancy isn’t an illness, but he won’t listen and still treats her like an invalid. Dad’s so wrapped up in Mel that he hardly notices I’m there.’
So, Betty thought, her daughter was jealous. Her precious father was showing his wife more attention than her. Anne had always been a daddy’s girl, but now felt she was coming second in his affections. ‘I didn’t have any help when I was carrying John, or you, and you’re right, pregnancy isn’t an illness.’ Betty shrugged. ‘Still, you never know, maybe there’s a problem.’
‘Dad did say something about her blood pressure being high, but she looks all right to me.’
Betty loved her daughter, but Anne had always shown a selfish streak. Yes, and I’m getting as bad, she thought, because in truth she was pleased that Anne was less enamoured with Mel. She’d been jealous of their relationship–jealous that they’d become friends. She too had had high blood pressure when carrying Anne, but there’d been no chance to rest. It hadn’t done her any harm and Betty was sure it would be the same for Mel. She held out the glass. ‘Here, Anne, drink your Coke.’
Anne took it, gulping it down and then saying, ‘Right, I’m off.’
‘But you’ve only just got here!’
‘Oh, Mum, you always say that, but I need to buy a few things and I promised Tony I’d be back before two. We’re going riding, and I’m trying out a new horse. I don’t know how many times I’ve told you that I’d love to see more of you, but it takes up most of the morning just getting here and driving back.’
‘Anne, don’t exaggerate. I’m not that far away.’
‘You are to me, Mum. I wish you hadn’t moved away from Farnham.’
Betty felt a lump in her throat. Anne was making her feel that she’d abandoned her, just as Paula had been abandoned, but it just wasn’t the same. Anne was a grown woman, already living away from home when she’d left the area; even when she had
‘Sorry, Mum,’ Anne said as she stepped inside. ‘I’ve been a bit busy, but I’m here now.’
‘John hasn’t been to see me either, but at least he rings me now and then.’
‘I haven’t heard from him. Is he still seeing the same girl?’
‘Yes, and I think it really is serious this time.’
Anne snorted with derision as she sat down, but Betty ignored her, instead asking, ‘And how are things with you?’
‘To tell you the truth, I’m a bit fed up. I didn’t get the promotion I was hoping for and I might look for another job.’
‘But, Anne, you’ve been with that company for years. Do you really think it’s wise to leave?’
‘That’s just it. I’ve been there for so long that they see me as part of the furniture. I’m taken for granted, but maybe if they think I’m leaving it’ll make them sit up a bit.’
‘I hope you’re right,’ Betty said as she went through to the kitchenette to find a bottle of Coke for her daughter.
When she returned, Anne had risen to her feet and was standing with her arms folded across her chest, shoulders hunched as she gazed out of the window. For the first time in ages, Betty could see a trace of vulnerability in her daughter, and impulsively she put a comforting arm around her. ‘Don’t let your job get you down, love. I’m sure it will all work out.’
‘It isn’t work that’s upsetting me, it’s Mel. The way she’s been carrying on has been a bit of an eye–opener.’
‘Why, what’s she been doing?’
‘Lately she’s been behaving like an absolute bitch. Oh, I won’t deny that I like her, but you’d think she was at death’s door instead of pregnant. All right, she had a bit of morning sickness, but she’s using the pregnancy as an excuse to do absolutely nothing. When I go to see Dad I end up like a servant, waiting on her hand and foot. I’ve tried to tell him that pregnancy isn’t an illness, but he won’t listen and still treats her like an invalid. Dad’s so wrapped up in Mel that he hardly notices I’m there.’
So, Betty thought, her daughter was jealous. Her precious father was showing his wife more attention than her. Anne had always been a daddy’s girl, but now felt she was coming second in his affections. ‘I didn’t have any help when I was carrying John, or you, and you’re right, pregnancy isn’t an illness.’ Betty shrugged. ‘Still, you never know, maybe there’s a problem.’
‘Dad did say something about her blood pressure being high, but she looks all right to me.’
Betty loved her daughter, but Anne had always shown a selfish streak. Yes, and I’m getting as bad, she thought, because in truth she was pleased that Anne was less enamoured with Mel. She’d been jealous of their relationship–jealous that they’d become friends. She too had had high blood pressure when carrying Anne, but there’d been no chance to rest. It hadn’t done her any harm and Betty was sure it would be the same for Mel. She held out the glass. ‘Here, Anne, drink your Coke.’
Anne took it, gulping it down and then saying, ‘Right, I’m off.’
‘But you’ve only just got here!’
‘Oh, Mum, you always say that, but I need to buy a few things and I promised Tony I’d be back before two. We’re going riding, and I’m trying out a new horse. I don’t know how many times I’ve told you that I’d love to see more of you, but it takes up most of the morning just getting here and driving back.’
‘Anne, don’t exaggerate. I’m not that far away.’
‘You are to me, Mum. I wish you hadn’t moved away from Farnham.’
Betty felt a lump in her throat. Anne was making her feel that she’d abandoned her, just as Paula had been abandoned, but it just wasn’t the same. Anne was a grown woman, already living away from home when she’d left the area; even when she had
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