Chapter Twenty-Seven
Ros usually liked Sundays but the thought of her mother still being at her dad’s made her feel tense. The fact that Cameron was going with her this time was both good and bad. She was pleased to have his support, even though she knew she was paying for it. But she feared their fa?ade may not withstand her mother’s scrutiny. Ros hadn’t slept much, desperately thinking through all possible scenarios and even more desperately looking for ways to mitigate them. The problem with that was that the scenarios she was able to conjure up appeared infinite and none of them good.
The other issue was that Ros really didn’t know her mother at all, so trying to predict how she would react to Cameron was almost impossible. Would she even care that he’d moved in with Ros only a few months into a relationship? She had no idea because the bottom line was her mother was a stranger to her. How could she not be, having walked out on Ros when she was seven years old? Ros huffed into her healthy muesli mix that Cameron had made for them both.
‘Let me guess,’ he said, pointing a loaded spoon at her across the table. ‘You’re worrying about your mum?’
‘Very astute.’
He shrugged one shoulder. ‘I think you’re overthinking it. Barry was cool about me moving in. And when your mum gets to know me she’ll love me too.’ He beamed a smile at her.
‘I admire your optimism but I don’t think it will be that easy this time. And whilst she is my mother, it feels odd to call someone I feel I barely know “Mum”.’
‘Then just call her Amanda. Can I offer some advice?’
‘Of course.’
There was more spoon waving. ‘Don’t let her wind you up. Or at least don’t let it show.’
‘Again very easy to say but—’
‘Yeah, I know. Look at it this way. All of this was for Barry, not your mum. If she disapproves, so what? Making Barry feel that you won’t be alone after his demise is all that matters. It’s all about Barry’s peace of mind and that’s still what we’re focused on. Okay?’
‘I guess you’re right. I wish I knew how long she was planning on staying around for.’
‘Probably until... you know,’ said Cameron, finally eating the muesli on his spoon.
It made her realise that Cameron would be the same. ‘I suppose that’s the end point to our arrangement. Well, it actually is the end point because we wrote it into the contract.’ Ros concentrated on her cereal bowl. The weeks were disappearing, which meant time with her father was too.
Cameron put down his spoon. ‘I’ve been thinking about that and I’m here for you as long as you need me, and before you say anything about money you don’t need to pay me anything more. You’ve been brilliant about me moving in here and picking up the food bills and stuff. And anyway, I’ve grown fond of Barry. I feel I owe it to him to make sure that you really are okay. So I’m here for the funeral and for as long as you need a friend.’ He fixed her with sincere eyes. ‘I mean it.’
‘I know you do and it’s very kind of you. Thank you,’ she said.
How come something so lovely made her feel so sad?
For once Ros was pleased to be greeted at the door by Gazza. Although he bypassed her quite quickly in favour of Cameron. ‘Hello,’ she called tentatively into the hallway.
‘Hello, come in. I’m in the kitchen,’ called Barry.
Ros was surprised to see her father on his feet whisking something. ‘You’re at the Yorkshires early.’
‘I had a few eggs that needed eating so I thought I’d made a bread and butter pudding.’
‘Top idea,’ said Cameron, greeting Barry warmly.
‘You probably should be sitting down,’ said Ros. She’d not seen him this active for a while.
‘I’m fine. While I’m feeling good I figure I should get on with things.’
‘Good approach,’ said Cameron. ‘But you’ll still be doing your Yorkshire puds right?’ He seemed to freeze while he awaited Barry’s response.
‘Of course.’
‘Phew. That’s a relief.’
‘Where’s Amanda?’ asked Ros.
Barry stopped whisking. ‘Your mum popped out for a coffee maker. She’s not keen on instant.’
‘She’s making herself at home then.’ There was dis-comfort in her words.
‘She’s just trying to help, Ros. You don’t need to be so wary of her.’
‘I’ll get the potatoes started,’ she said.
‘Come on. Let me finish preparing the bread and butter pudding and then we can have a coffee and a chat like always.’
Cameron gave her a look that said she was being unreasonable. She remembered what he’d said about this all being about Barry and to not get distracted by her mother. Ros took a breath and slapped on a smile. ‘Sure, I’ll put the kettle on.’
Ros was feeling easier once they were all settled in the living room, with Gazza lying by Cameron’s feet with his legs in the air, and them all chatting about who the next Doctor Who might be. The moment burst like a balloon as a key went in the front door. The chatter stopped and everyone waited. The front door closed and Amanda appeared in the doorway holding a large box.
‘Here, let me take that,’ said Cameron, getting up quickly. Gazza looked on with disappointment that his tummy rub had been interrupted.
‘Oh, you must be the boyfriend,’ said Amanda.
‘Yes, I’m Cameron. Lovely to meet you, Mrs Foster.’
Ros and Barry winced at the same time. ‘I am not, nor have I ever been, Mrs Foster,’ said Amanda, fixing Cameron with an irritated look.
‘Oh sorry. My mistake I just assumed you and Barry were married. My apologies. Hello and pleased to meet you...’
He left a pause that Amanda didn’t fill. Barry cleared his throat. ‘We were married but she didn’t take my surname. Maybe just call her Amanda.’ He was looking to his ex-wife for her agreement.
‘I’ve never been keen on complying with social norms or bowing to the patriarchy,’ said Amanda. ‘I was also establishing myself in my profession at the time so a change of name would have been detrimental.’
‘Right,’ said Cameron, for once appearing as if maintaining his smile was a little tricky. ‘I’m very pleased to meet you, Amanda. Let me help you with that.’ He went to take the box from her.
‘I am quite capable of carrying it into the kitchen. I managed to get it from the car to here. Is your assumption that I’m not capable as a mere woman or that you would like to be seen as a knight in shining armour by coming to my aid?’
‘Err, well. I was just trying to help. But if you’re good, I’ll leave you to it.’ Cameron shoved his hands in his pockets. Amanda went off to the kitchen. Cameron hovered awkwardly in the doorway looking confused by the rebuff.
Ros was incensed by her mother’s rudeness and stormed out after her.
‘Ah, Ros, can you move whatever that is?’ she asked, nodding at Barry’s bread and butter pudding. ‘I need to put this box down.’
‘I thought you didn’t need anyone’s help. Or was it just Cameron you were being rude to?’
Amada seemed taken aback. ‘I wasn’t being rude. Simply asking what his motivation was. Are you going to move that?’
‘If you ask politely I might.’
‘Fine.’ Amanda put the box on the edge of the worktop and used it to shove the pudding out of the way.
‘Everything okay?’ asked Cameron, joining them and placing a reassuring hand on the small of Ros’s back.
Ros could feel emotion bubbling in her gut. It was anger mainly and she wasn’t sure how to deal with it. ‘Barry tells me you’ve moved into Ros’s apartment and that you’re a student on a low income,’ said Amanda as she stared Cameron down.
‘I didn’t say that exactly!’ called Barry from the other room.
‘It’s fine – that’s all accurate,’ said Cameron. ‘But once I graduate, hopefully I’ll secure a good job and that will put things on a more even keel.’
‘Hang on,’ said Ros to Cameron. ‘It’s not really any of her business. I could be shacked up with all of Southampton football club including the reserves team and it would not be for you to pass judgement.’
‘I would if you’d said Portsmouth,’ called Barry and Cameron laughed. Ros and Amanda both glared at him.
‘Despite what you may believe, Rosanna, I am interested in your welfare,’ she said as she began unpacking the coffee machine. ‘Now that’s cleared up would anyone like a decent cup of coffee?’
‘Grrr,’ was all Ros could manage in response and she stomped out of the kitchen.
***
Ros managed to keep out of her mother’s way for most of the run-up to dinner but once they were all seated with their full plates in front of them it wasn’t as easy to avoid her.
‘Amanda, what is it that you do for a living?’ asked Cameron.
‘I’m a quantitative analyst.’
‘Wow, impressive.’
‘I like to think so,’ said Amanda.
‘What is that exactly?’ he asked.
‘I gather key data, study and report on the mathematical and statistical components of a business. Primarily I help companies manage or avoid financial risks.’
‘Oh, like Ros,’ he said, pointing at her proudly.
‘No, not really,’ said Amanda. ‘What attracted you to Rosanna?’
Barry almost choked on his roast potato but Cameron remained unfazed by the question. ‘She’s smart, funny, kind-hearted and she’s really straightforward. What you see is what you get.’
His unexpected kind words brought a lump to Ros’s throat. She couldn’t remember anyone ever saying something so nice about her before. Then reality gave her a slap and she remembered she was paying him.
‘Oh and she’s gorgeous too,’ he added quickly.
‘I see. And Rosanna. What do you see as Cameron’s key attributes?’
‘Amanda, maybe leave the inquisition until after dinner,’ said Barry, looking embarrassed.
Amanda was still waiting for a reply. Ros put down her cutlery and what she said came from the heart. ‘He works really hard, with his job, his studying and volunteering but he still has time for me. He’s really thoughtful. He’s like human sunshine. He always sees the positive in situations and people and in me, no matter what. And I feel blessed to have met him.’
Cameron rested a hand over hers and they both glanced at each other at the same time. Was Ros imagining that they had a connection? Perhaps it was just the ridiculousness of the situation they found themselves in, but she felt connected to Cameron in a way she never had to anyone else. And in that moment she knew her feelings for him ran deep. When they’d drawn up the contract she’d never considered she might get her heart broken in the process; that definitely wasn’t a risk on her list. She realised they were still looking into each other’s eyes when Cameron squeezed her hand.
She broke eye contact, looking down to slosh a bit more gravy over her Yorkshire pudding. She couldn’t risk him reading her face like a book and figuring out what she was thinking about him.