43. The serious stepdad crush
43
THE SERIOUS STEPDAD CRUSH
Netta was at the foodbank, helping out in the job club they’d set up not long after she’d first started volunteering here. Back then, she used to give interview advice, but it had been so long since she’d had one of those sorts of jobs that she was out of touch. These days, she left that to the volunteers who came in from her old firm and she stuck to form filling and helping people find the right outfits to borrow for their interviews.
She was just finishing off taking someone’s details when Neil signalled to her that she was needed. She let someone else take over and went over to see what the problem was.
‘Liza’s here,’ he said. ‘She’s upset. Fliss has taken her over to a quiet room in the church.’
She speed-walked over to the church that the foodbank was attached to, cursing herself for putting off that heart to heart talk she’d been meaning to have. What kind of a crap mother was she?
The door to the quiet room had been left open and she could see Liza and Fliss, the vicar’s wife, talking. Liza looked like she’d been crying. Netta crouched down by her side. ‘What’s happened?’
‘It’s Dad. I’ve had it with him. I’m just so fucking angry.’ She gave Fliss a sheepish look. ‘Sorry for swearing in church.’
Fliss assured her it wasn’t a problem and left them alone. Netta sat down in the vacated chair and held her daughter’s hand. ‘He’s turned up then?’
Liza nodded. ‘He looks so bad. I think he’s been sleeping rough and drinking. We had a fight. He was being his usual self and not taking responsibility for his actions, and I just lost it. I ripped him apart. I told him Will despised him and I hated him, and he was evil and a shit dad.’
‘Oh my poor sweet girl, it’s okay.’
Liza sniffed back a sob. ‘The thing is though, Mum. He looked really, really upset when I left him. But I was just so mad.’
‘He’ll be all right. We’ll sort it.’
Netta’s phone rang. She pulled it out of her back pocket. It was Doogie. He hadn’t come back last night. He was probably calling to apologise now that he’d cooled off.
‘Take it,’ said Liza.
She answered the call. ‘I haven’t got time right now for a chat.’
‘I’m calling about Colin. He’s had a meltdown but he’s all right now. My mum and stepdad came over. Clive’s a doctor. I’m worried about Liza though. I think they had an argument.’
‘She’s here with me. A bit upset but otherwise all right. Will you stay with him?’
‘Yeah, yeah. He’s in Will’s bed. I’ll keep an eye on him.’
‘Is it Dad?’ said Liza.
Netta ended the call. ‘Yes. Doogie must have gone home and found him in the middle of a meltdown. He’s taken care of him and he’s resting in Will’s bed. I’ll collect my things and we’ll go. Why don’t you drop a message out to the group chat and let them know he’s safe and sound?’
‘Okay. Mum, do you think if Doogie hadn’t turned up he might have done something?’
‘No, I don’t. You mustn’t think this is on you, Liza.’
She frowned. ‘But it sort of is, isn’t it? Maybe it was about time though. Maybe I had to tell him the truth to make him see.’
The last time Netta had seen Doogie’s mum, she’d had gorgeous, long, naturally red hair. It was shorter now and there was more silver than red but as soon as Julie smiled at her, the years slipped away.
‘Well this is turning out to be quite a momentous day. For the first time since he was a wee boy, that one’s asked for my help, and now I get to see you again. And if that’s not enough excitement, I’m about to meet the mother of my granddaughter.’ Julie looked over Netta’s shoulder. ‘And you have got to be Liza. You look just like your mum did the last time I saw her.’
‘Yeah, people say we look alike,’ said Liza.
Julie gestured towards the man standing behind her. ‘This is Clive, my husband.’
Clive shook her hand. ‘Hello, Netta.’ It was a formal gesture, but it was done in a warm and friendly way. That would be his doctor’s training kicking in.
Netta took him in, this clean-cut, quietly spoken man. Everything about him was understated. He was nothing at all like Doogie’s dad. Nevin Chambers had been loud and flashy. Not in a negative way, but he was definitely the kind of man who filled the room with his presence. When he was around, you knew about it.
‘Shall we move from the hall so we can talk more freely?’ said Clive.
‘How about the living room?’ said Doogie.
Clive touched Doogie’s back. ‘Perfect.’
She didn’t know whether it was the touch or the one single uttered word, but a look temporarily settled on Doogie’s face that she didn’t think she’d ever witnessed in him before. Adoration was the only word she could think to describe it. Quiet man or not, Clive had achieved something that Nevin Chambers had never been able to do.
Clive positioned himself in front of the fireplace. ‘He’s going to be all right. He’s very dehydrated and I doubt if he’s eaten anything substantial for two or three days. He’s been on quite a bender, but I think he’ll survive with some rest. By the look of him, he’s been through the wars.’
‘He doesn’t drink a lot normally,’ said Liza.
‘I think he’s been having a rough time with his partner. She may have lashed out at him,’ said Netta.
‘That would explain it. He’s rather underweight for his frame and height. Just an observation. It’s probably nothing. When he’s up to it, I’d suggest a proper medical. I can recommend someone who’ll do it quickly, and reasonably, if necessary,’ said Clive. ‘Well, we have to go. We’re meeting Claire. Doogie, call me if you need to.’
‘Are you not going with them?’ said Netta.
‘Not this time. Anyway, I’ve got to keep my eye on Colin. Clive’s given me instructions.’ Doogie looked to Clive and all at once he was a little boy hoping for approval. He got it. Clive returned the look with one that was so genuinely full of affection and pride, Netta’s heart almost burst with love for him.
‘I’ll go and look in on Dad,’ said Liza, after they’d gone.
Netta went into the kitchen and filled the kettle. She didn’t really need a drink but making a tea in times of crisis was the thing people did, wasn’t it? British people anyway. There was a bundle of cloth on the table that looked a lot like Will’s favourite old sweatshirt. The one that had been missing for a while. She picked it up and found it was indeed the sweatshirt. In two rather unequal halves. Then she noticed the kitchen window was cracked.
‘Colin did that,’ said Doogie.
‘How?’ She had visions of him putting his head through it.
‘Threw a stone, I think. I was upstairs. I saw him tear the sweatshirt up though. I don’t think he was thinking straight. He was in a bad way.’
‘It’s Will’s. Was it genuine, d’you think? You never can tell with Colin.’
‘It was genuine. It wasn’t something you could put on.’
‘That bad then?’
‘Yeah.’
She carried on making the tea that she didn’t really need or want. ‘So, Clive’s lovely.’
‘Yeah, he’s okay.’
Okay? Yeah, right. Doogie the hard man was fooling no one. There was definitely a serious stepdad crush going on there. The big softie. ‘He’s nothing like your dad.’
‘No, he’s not.’ He ran his finger along the back of a chair, caught her watching him and stopped. ‘I really wasn’t here to get your permission. That’s not what this was about. I promise.’
‘Okay. Can we talk about it another time? When Colin’s not having a nervous breakdown.’
‘Sure. I just wanted you to know.’
She opened the door to let the dogs in from the garden. Spike loped in first. ‘Spike’s back.’
‘Yeah. I need to tell you something. There’s a chance, a slim chance, Betty might be having Spike’s babies.’
Netta closed her eyes and let out a long, weary sigh. ‘Oh you’re just full of fucking surprises, aren’t you?’