by Liz Davies
‘I wish you’d get on with it,’ Beverley interjected.
‘This is none of your business,’ Helen said to her snootily, her tears momentarily forgotten.
‘Yes, it is, because I get to have the spare room. I hope Kate isn’t too late back – I’d like her to put fresh sheets on.’
‘That does it! I’m calling a family meeting right now!’ Brett yelled.
‘What’s a family meeting?’ Ellis asked, not in the least bit fazed by her father’s raised voice.
‘A meeting of the whole family. Now. Right this minute,’ he said.
‘Why?’
‘Because I said so.’
‘Ooh, now you sound like mum,’ Ellis replied. ‘This should be fun – I’ll go and get the others.’ She dashed up the stairs, her usual ethereal wafting replaced by thudding and pounding.
‘Where’s Pepe?’ Beverley asked. ‘I do hope he’s not being naughty.’ She gazed around the kitchen hopefully.
‘I put him outside about half an hour ago. Maybe more.’
Beverley let out a cry of dismay. ‘Oh my God, he’ll have frozen to death. He’s not used to the cold.’ She hurried to the door and yanked it open, calling, ‘Pee-pee, darling, come to Mama... Pee-pee,’ at the top of her voice.
Brett shuddered, hoping the animal really had gone pee-pee outside and not saved it for a warmer spot indoors.
Pepe slunk inside, giving his mistress a sorrowful wag of his tail and giving Brett an I-hate-you look, but at least the dog didn’t growl at him, so that was in improvement.
Brett waited until everyone was present, then he began. ‘Mum is in a place called Brixham—’
‘Ooh, it’s got a lovely harbour. She’ll like it there.’
‘Yes, quite. Thank you, Beverley. Can I carry on?’
Beverley subsided, looking sheepish.
‘As I said, Mum – Kate – is in Brixham. Now, I don’t claim to know exactly what was going through her mind when she left yesterday...’ Was it only yesterday? It felt considerably longer. ‘But I think it might be because she felt a little overwhelmed.’
Six pairs of eyes stared expressionlessly at him, the dog not wanting to be left out.
‘OK, more than a little,’ he conceded. ‘We’re all guilty of taking her for granted, and I believe she’s gotten a bit fed up. We’re all guilty of being selfish and thinking only about ourselves. I’ve got to take the lion’s share of the blame, because I’m the adult in the house, and I should have helped out more than I have done.’
‘Too right,’ Portia muttered sullenly. ‘You never take me to the stables.’
‘See, that’s what I mean about being selfish, Portia. Instead of thinking about how this affects you, think about how your mum is feeling right now.’
‘You said you hated her, Ellis, and you did too, Portia, I heard you,’ Sam said. ‘I don’t hate her.’ His lip wobbled ever so slightly, reminding Brett just how young his son was, despite his newly acquired high-school bravado.
‘And you said Brett should never have married her,’ Beverley pointed out to Helen, who gave one of her theatrically loud sniffs. ‘No wonder she buggered off.’
‘I wish you’d bugger off,’ Helen muttered under her breath, but loud enough for everyone to hear.
‘And that’s another thing. I don’t know about Kate, but I’m sick to death of all this squabbling and bickering. None of you seem to get on, you all seem to hate the sight of each other, and for that reason, I’m cancelling Christmas this year.’
‘What?’ That was from Ellis.
‘You can’t.’ Portia cried.
‘Good idea, I hate Christmas.’ Beverley’s expression was smug.
‘We know, you keep reminding us.’ Helen said.
‘I want my mum.’ Sam wailed.
‘Christmas should be about families,’ Brett said, ‘and being together, and being kind to each other, and being grateful for what we have. I don’t see any of that in this family.’
‘Except for Mum,’ said Sam.
‘Out of the mouth of babes...’ he said.
‘I’m not a baby.’ Sam scowled furiously, and Brett bit back a smile. He’d always be a baby as far as Brett was concerned, and he felt a sudden rush of love for his youngest child, so strong it made his heart skip a beat.
The solemn, reflective silence around the table was broken by a farting noise from under Beverley’s chair, which was followed by a rather disgusting smell.
‘What?’ Beverley said. ‘It wasn’t me; it was Pepe.’
‘I have been rather awful to her,’ Ellis admitted. ‘I didn’t mean it when I said I hated her and wanted to move out.’ Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes and she dashed them away with the back of her hand.
‘Neither did I,’ Portia said, quietly. ‘I was upset because she grounded me.’
‘I know you were, love,’ Brett said at the same time as Ellis growled, ‘And why was that? Something to do with stealing my top and ruining it?’
‘FYI, I didn’t steal it, I borrowed it; and it’s not ruined. You should ask Mum to wash it.’
‘I did.’
‘Well, then.’ Portia leant back in her chair and folded her arms.
‘Girls, this isn’t helping, and this is exactly the sort of thing I’m referring to. Portia, have you apologised to your sister?’
‘No, she hasn’t,’ Ellis said.
‘Then I suggest you do so, and sound as though you mean it. After that, you can wash Ellis’s top.’
‘But I don’t know how!’ The aghast expression on Portia’s face was rather comical.
‘Then it’s about time you learned.’
‘What about Pepe chewing my Doc Martens?’ she demanded.
‘It’s not quite the same thing, but I see where you’re coming from,’ Brett conceded. ‘Beverley, if you want to bring the dog when you visit us, then he’s got to be better behaved. And he’s got to be housetrained. No more peeing on my trousers or pooping on the bedroom carpet. From now on, he stays in the utility room until he’s been outside and done his business. And he sleeps in there, too.’
Beverley pursed her lips and folded her arms. ‘May never objected.’
‘I suspect Aunt May was so desperate for company she wouldn’t care. But I’m not, and I do. Pepe is your responsibility and it’s up to you to take care of him while you’re here. Oh, and another thing; if you mention that you hate Christmas one more time, then I’m putting you on the next train back to Brighton. We don’t hate Christmas, and we don’t need you making us all feel miserable. If you want to play Scrooge, you can do it by yourself in your own home. You’re not spoiling things for the rest of us.’
Helen had a supercilious smirk on her face at Beverley’s telling off, but Brett was just about to wipe it off.
‘As for you, Mum,’ he said, ‘I expect you to apologise to Kate unreservedly. How dare you suggest that I should never have married her. She’s a wonderful wife, a wonderful mother, and a wonderful person altogether. If you can’t accept that, then maybe you should go home. I’ll continue to visit you, but I’m not going to subject Kate to any more of your snide comments. I’ve ignored them up until now, trying to give you the benefit of the doubt, because I didn’t think you meant what you said. Clearly, I was wrong. Do you think you can apologise and mean it, or do I send you home?’
Helen lifted her chin and stared defiantly at Brett. Then she noticed the unflinching, accusing gazes of the three children.
‘Did you really say that, Nanna?’ Portia asked.
‘You can talk – you told her you hated her,’ Helen retorted.
‘I’m a teenager. You’re old, you should know better.’
‘She’s right, Nana. That’s our Mum you’re talking about,’ Ellis said.
Ellis must have wished she hadn’t drawn her father’s attention, when Brett said, ‘And as for you, you keep telling us you’re a grown-up and you can’t wait to move out. If that’s the case, then you need to start acting like a
n adult, and that means being less selfish and more considerate. I’m prepared to overlook some of Portia’s antics because she’s three years younger than you, but it’s about time you grew up and took more responsibility for yourself and your actions. Sometimes, your attitude stinks, and it’s not nice.’
‘What about me, Dad? What have I done wrong?’ Sam wanted to know.
‘You’re just being a kid, Sammykins. You’ve done nothing wrong. But it would be nice if you could get on with your sisters a bit better.’
‘They’re girls,’ Sam objected.
‘So they are, but they’re also your family. Don’t forget that.’
‘What happens now?’ Ellis wanted to know.
‘If you decide you want Christmas to go ahead, then the five of you will have to pull together and make it happen. I won’t be here, I’m afraid. I’m off to find your mother and bring her back home!’
Chapter 34
Kate couldn’t believe it was nearly Christmas Eve already. She’d been away from her family for only twenty-four hours, but she felt like she’d been gone for weeks. As she headed to her room to drop her shopping off, she knew in her heart that something good had come out of her headlong flight to the south coast; the first was, as Essie had quite rightly stated, her realisation that family was, indeed, everything; and the second was that Kate felt more in control of her life than she’d done for years.
The children weren’t babies. Gone were the days when they needed her for every little thing. If she wanted her children to grow into resilient, responsible adults, then it was up to her to ensure they did. She took full responsibility for the selfish, spoilt brats they’d become (well, mostly, but Brett had to bear some of that burden) and it was now her job to rectify that. Kate was under no illusion it would be easy – there were going to be some spectacular tantrums as all three children reacted to the changes she was about to enforce, and there might be times when she felt like running away again. If it got that bad, then Brett would have to step up to the mark while she treated herself to a spa weekend, or something. Of course, she’d do the same for him. Although the lion’s share of the home-making and child-rearing would still fall on her shoulders, because, let’s face it, Brett worked longer hours than she did, her husband would have to be more supportive. And not only with the children, either. It was high time Kate and Brett, as a couple, stood up to his mother.
If Brett wasn’t prepared to do that, or if he agreed with Helen’s hurtful comments that Brett should never have married Kate, then the pair of them would have to have a serious discussion regarding the state of their marriage.
‘Dave?’ Kate caught the hotel owner’s attention, as she walked past the reception desk. ‘Is it OK if I check out tomorrow?’
‘Oh. You’re not stopping for Christmas Day?’
‘No, sorry. I need to get back.’
‘No problem. Thanks for letting me know. Got any plans for the rest of the day?’ he asked.
‘I’m going to have a nice walk along the coastal path to Shoalstone Pool to try to work some of your delicious breakfast off, then I’m going to come back and read my book before dinner.’ It sounded wonderful, so relaxing, but even as her shredded nerves knitted back together, she found she was desperately missing the children, despite how obnoxious they could be. She was also missing Brett, and her heart did a funny little skipped beat when she thought of him.
It was a pity he didn’t think of her in the same way.
As she took a stroll past the harbour, then on to the marina and Berry Head (apparently there was a lighthouse at its furthest point, but she didn’t intend to walk that far), Kate felt the sting of tears behind her eyes.
Brett had fallen out of love with her, she was convinced of it, although he probably did still love her as the mother of his children and as his long-term companion, but he’d stopped seeing her as her. She was just as guilty, she realised. She most definitely loved him, but was she in love with him? Her heart did still miss the occasional beat when she thought of him, but somewhere between raising three children and washing his smelly socks, the magic had dissipated, like smoke from a doused fire.
But could not having a fluttery tummy at the mere thought of Brett be enough to turn her back on over twenty years of relatively contented marriage?
She thought not. However, she wasn’t so sure about Brett’s thoughts on the matter. She was scared to check her phone (she’d left it switched off in her hotel room for that very reason) in case she saw or heard a message from him telling her they were all getting on just fine without her, thank you very much, and that she could stay where she was and not bother coming back.
A twinge of hurt so sharp it made her gasp, stabbed through her heart. Dear God, what if he didn’t want her back? What had she done?
She sank onto a nearby bench and put her face in her hands, ignoring the sea crashing against the rocks and surging into the man-made salt-water pool, and the pretty beach huts, and the odd jogger and dog walker who gave her an occasional curious stare. She’d been so silly, so selfish. Running away, even for a day or two wasn’t the answer. In fact, she had the horrible fear that she’d made things worse, that she’d brought everything to a head. And at Christmas, too. The children would never forgive her for ruining their Christmas – hell, she’d never forgive herself. She should have stayed at home and toughed it out. After all, the nans would only be staying until Boxing Day – they were both supposed to go back to their own homes the following morning – and surely she could have gritted her teeth until then. Once they’d left, the family would be back to normal and—
But that was the problem, wasn’t it? Normal wasn’t good enough. Normal was shouting and griping at each other; squabbling and sulking; ignoring each other one minute and being in someone’s face the next. Did she honestly want to continue with that?
She wasn’t sure she did...
Chapter 35
It hadn’t taken Brett as long to drive to Brixham as he’d anticipated, although it had been dark for a good hour or so by the time he found a car park and pulled into it. The Pirate Inn was Kate’s last known whereabouts, according to Ellis, so he’d start with that. If she wasn’t there, then he was prepared to march into every hotel in the village until he found her.
The guy on the desk was dressed as Jack Sparrow and had a real live parrot on his shoulder. Brett raised his eyebrows. This didn’t seem the sort of place Kate would want to stay in. But then, they hadn’t been away without the kids for years where every accommodation choice was based on their needs and wants, so he had no real idea anymore what appealed to his wife. Perhaps the parrot had been the selling point for her?
‘Kate Peters, please,’ he said, in his no-nonsense business tone.
‘I’m afraid she’s gone out for the afternoon,’ the guy behind the desk replied. ‘Is she expecting you?’
Brett narrowed his eyes, wondering how to answer. The fact that she’d gone out was a strong indication that she wasn’t expecting him, so he’d best not say that.
‘She isn’t. I wanted to surprise her. I’m her husband.’
‘She’s booked into the restaurant for dinner, so I’m sure she’ll be back before seven, if you’d like to wait in the lounge. I can arrange for coffee or tea, if you want?’
Brett didn’t want her first sight of him to be in a hotel lounge. What he wanted to say to her was best done in private. ‘If you show me to her room, I’ll wait for her there.’
‘Sorry, no can do.’
‘I’ve got ID. I’m definitely her husband. Honest.’
‘I don’t doubt it, but I’m still not letting you into Mrs Peters’s room without her permission. And if you stay the night, I’m afraid I’ll have to book you in. Don’t worry, the room rate is the same.’
Brett didn’t give two hoots how much the room cost per night. All he wanted to do was see his wife. God knows how awful she must be feeling to have jumped into her car and driven all this way. The sooner he told her he loved
her and begged her to come back, the better. He didn’t think he could stand much more of this.
‘I’ll have to wait, won’t I,’ he said, not having any other choice. His shoulders slumped and he let out a sigh.
‘She said she was going for a walk to Shoalstone Pool,’ the guy with the parrot said. ‘If that’s any help?’
He wasn’t sure it was, but after getting directions, Brett set off. He knew the chances of bumping into Kate were slim, especially in the dark, but anything was better than cooling his heels in the hotel lounge and getting twitchy on too much coffee. A walk would do him good anyway, would blow the cobwebs away and stop his thoughts doing laps in his head. The same ones kept running through his mind, on a continual loop, and he was fed up of them. He just wanted to find his wife and get the whole sorry mess sorted.
And he was sorry, more than he could ever tell her. To think that she’d felt so trapped was awful. To think that she felt she couldn’t talk to him about it was even worse.
Brett didn’t see the bright lights spilling out of the shops and restaurants. He didn’t see the twinkle and shimmer of the fairy lights strung around the harbour, and he didn’t hear the cacophony of festive music filling the air, nor smell the alluring aromas of spiced wine and hot chocolate wafting from the cafes and bars.
His attention was fixed firmly on finding Kate.
She was the only thing that mattered right now.
Chapter 36
She’d best be getting back to the hotel, Kate thought. Not that she had anything to go back to, except a hot drink, a warm bath, and her book, although reading had lost its appeal suddenly. How could she concentrate when her mind was filled with images of her husband and family getting on with Christmas without her? Hah! She’d prayed for a typical family Christmas, and now her family’s Christmas would be as far from typical as it was possible to get. Especially if Brett decided her absence was something he could begin to get used to, even if he did have to deal with the children all on his own. No doubt his mother was perfectly happy sticking her nose in, and he’d let her, too. He’d probably be grateful for her help because, let’s face it, Brett was clueless when it came to the kids.
