replied.
Feeling a surprising sense of relief, as though it was her own secret that was finally out, Charlotte pulled back a chair and sat down facing her mother. ‘There’s nothing wrong with it,’ she stated. ‘He’s still the same person we all know and love. It doesn’t change anything about him . . .’
‘I know that, but Bob . . . It’ll be hard for him . . .’
‘Says who? Why won’t anyone let him speak for himself?’
‘Because Bob’s a man’s man, a traditionalist, and finding out that his son’s . . . That he’s . . .’
‘The word is gay.’
Anna’s eyes sharpened. ‘You think you have it all sorted out, don’t you,’ she said tartly, ‘that all you have to do is decide it’s time the truth was out and that everything will be just fine. Well it doesn’t work like that, Charlotte. There are people’s feelings to consider . . .’
‘Of course there are, but why should Rick have to hide who he is? Can’t you see that the longer he goes on pretending, the more hurt everyone’s going to be . . .’
‘Listen,’ Anna cut in angrily, ‘you’ve hardly been here five minutes, and if it’s your plan to turn this family inside out . . .’
‘What are you talking about, turn the family inside out? I deeply resent that comment, when I’ve done everything I can to try and fit in, to build a home here for me and Chloe, to create a new life for us . . .’
‘I know, I know, I’m sorry. I should have chosen my words more carefully. I just don’t want you involved in any upset that might come about because of this. In fact, given the position you’re in, don’t you think it would be wiser to keep your head down and mind your own business? At least until you’ve been here for a year or two. It might also be a good idea to cut down on the drinking. I understand why you feel you need it, but it’s not the answer. If anything you’re going to end up making things a hundred times worse . . .’
‘Please tell me exactly how they could be any worse,’ Charlotte broke in hotly. ‘Here I am in your little piece of paradise, loving it just like you said I would, but it doesn’t mean everything else has just gone away.’
‘Of course it doesn’t, but if the past is going to come to find us we’ll deal with it then. Meantime, there’s no reason to think it will, and if you carry on like this you’re going to end up having some sort of breakdown. And where would Chloe be then?’
Charlotte was already starting to snap a reply before realising she didn’t have one.
‘You owe it to her to pull yourself together and give her the life she deserves,’ Anna pressed on. ‘You can’t change what went before, none of us can, but you only have to look at her now to see how she’s come on during these last few months. She’s a different child to the one she was when she first arrived. OK, she still has problems, but we’ll work on them when the time is right and I’m sure we’ll get past them. The question is, when are we going to face what’s going on with you?’
‘Nothing’s going on with me. I’m fine . . .’
‘Oh, Charlotte . . .’
‘Just stop, will you?’ Charlotte cried, throwing out her hands. ‘I know Chloe’s doing great. I spend virtually every minute of every day making sure of it, and I’ll continue to do it, because she’s mine and I love her and nothing matters to me more than her. I’d never let anything bad happen to her. God knows, I’d never go off and leave her the way you left me when I was her age.’
As the words fell between them like stones a horrible, echoing silence followed.
‘So here we have it,’ Anna said quietly in the end.
Charlotte turned her face away.
‘You know the reasons why I had to leave you,’ Anna continued, ‘and you know very well how deeply I regret it . . .’
‘Do you?’ Charlotte snapped. ‘What were you doing all those years I was growing up with a mother who
Feeling a surprising sense of relief, as though it was her own secret that was finally out, Charlotte pulled back a chair and sat down facing her mother. ‘There’s nothing wrong with it,’ she stated. ‘He’s still the same person we all know and love. It doesn’t change anything about him . . .’
‘I know that, but Bob . . . It’ll be hard for him . . .’
‘Says who? Why won’t anyone let him speak for himself?’
‘Because Bob’s a man’s man, a traditionalist, and finding out that his son’s . . . That he’s . . .’
‘The word is gay.’
Anna’s eyes sharpened. ‘You think you have it all sorted out, don’t you,’ she said tartly, ‘that all you have to do is decide it’s time the truth was out and that everything will be just fine. Well it doesn’t work like that, Charlotte. There are people’s feelings to consider . . .’
‘Of course there are, but why should Rick have to hide who he is? Can’t you see that the longer he goes on pretending, the more hurt everyone’s going to be . . .’
‘Listen,’ Anna cut in angrily, ‘you’ve hardly been here five minutes, and if it’s your plan to turn this family inside out . . .’
‘What are you talking about, turn the family inside out? I deeply resent that comment, when I’ve done everything I can to try and fit in, to build a home here for me and Chloe, to create a new life for us . . .’
‘I know, I know, I’m sorry. I should have chosen my words more carefully. I just don’t want you involved in any upset that might come about because of this. In fact, given the position you’re in, don’t you think it would be wiser to keep your head down and mind your own business? At least until you’ve been here for a year or two. It might also be a good idea to cut down on the drinking. I understand why you feel you need it, but it’s not the answer. If anything you’re going to end up making things a hundred times worse . . .’
‘Please tell me exactly how they could be any worse,’ Charlotte broke in hotly. ‘Here I am in your little piece of paradise, loving it just like you said I would, but it doesn’t mean everything else has just gone away.’
‘Of course it doesn’t, but if the past is going to come to find us we’ll deal with it then. Meantime, there’s no reason to think it will, and if you carry on like this you’re going to end up having some sort of breakdown. And where would Chloe be then?’
Charlotte was already starting to snap a reply before realising she didn’t have one.
‘You owe it to her to pull yourself together and give her the life she deserves,’ Anna pressed on. ‘You can’t change what went before, none of us can, but you only have to look at her now to see how she’s come on during these last few months. She’s a different child to the one she was when she first arrived. OK, she still has problems, but we’ll work on them when the time is right and I’m sure we’ll get past them. The question is, when are we going to face what’s going on with you?’
‘Nothing’s going on with me. I’m fine . . .’
‘Oh, Charlotte . . .’
‘Just stop, will you?’ Charlotte cried, throwing out her hands. ‘I know Chloe’s doing great. I spend virtually every minute of every day making sure of it, and I’ll continue to do it, because she’s mine and I love her and nothing matters to me more than her. I’d never let anything bad happen to her. God knows, I’d never go off and leave her the way you left me when I was her age.’
As the words fell between them like stones a horrible, echoing silence followed.
‘So here we have it,’ Anna said quietly in the end.
Charlotte turned her face away.
‘You know the reasons why I had to leave you,’ Anna continued, ‘and you know very well how deeply I regret it . . .’
‘Do you?’ Charlotte snapped. ‘What were you doing all those years I was growing up with a mother who
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