Chapter 7
Yes, there was no doubt about it. The twins definitely took after their mother.
Their attempts to manipulate Alison on the drive over to their house were shocking, as they remembered various other things they’d like to have with them overnight – ‘But Grandma, we really need our tablets’ – and decided that she should raid the fridge for a certain brand of yoghurt that Maister’s didn’t sell but which their mum had plenty of, and which they’d love to have for breakfast the following morning.
Fearing they’d be stuck in the house for hours while the twins did a massive search, Alison informed them they were to stay in the car and wait for her while she rushed in and picked up their project.
‘But you won’t know where it is. We should come in and get it,’ Hallie said, while Ada nodded determinedly.
Alison pulled up outside their home and turned off the engine.
‘Right,’ she said, turning round to face them, ‘let’s get this straight.
You two will stay here so that I can go in, get your project and leave again.
I’m not spending the next two hours stuck in that house while you decide you want this, that and the other.
You’ve still got the project to finish, remember?
So tell me where I’ll find it and I’ll be out before you know it. ’
Ada and Hallie gave her a mutinous look.
‘It’s that or we go straight back to my house, and you can face the wrath of your teacher tomorrow,’ she told them, unmoved.
The twins sighed. ‘All right. It’s on the desk in our bedroom,’ Ada said, sounding resigned. ‘Oh, and our tablets are right next to it.’
‘That,’ Alison said firmly, ‘is irrelevant.’
‘It wouldn’t take you long to get the yoghurts out of the fridge.’ Hallie gave her a pleading look.
‘You’ve just cost me a small fortune at Maister’s. I think there’s plenty for you to choose from for tomorrow’s breakfast,’ Alison said, unclipping her seatbelt. ‘Now stay put or we go straight home, understand?’
The twins nodded and Alison removed her keys from the ignition, left the car and almost ran up the garden path to Jenna’s front door.
She hurriedly unlocked it thinking that if she found the project quickly enough, she might still have time to watch an episode of Lewis while the twins finished their work.
She just hoped they wouldn’t fall asleep in class tomorrow.
She flicked on the landing light and headed straight upstairs to the twins’ room.
It was at the back of the house, next to the family bathroom, and was a large, airy room, flooded with sunshine on bright days.
She glanced around, noting with approval the bookcase loaded with classic children’s books – she and Jenna were at least on the same page about encouraging the girls to read – and the large desk with two chairs, where the girls could do their homework.
The project! She spotted it almost immediately and grabbed it from the desk, tucking it under her arm and heading, with relief, to the landing.
The bathroom door opened, and Alison let out a yelp of shock as she bumped into—
‘Jenna!’
Her daughter looked horrified. ‘Mum!’
‘What are you doing here?’ Alison, her nerves steadying, frowned. ‘You’re supposed to be at a meeting and…’ Her voice trailed off as she stared at Jenna in astonishment. ‘What the hell are you wearing?’
Jenna’s face was scarlet and, as she clearly struggled to give her mother an adequate response, Alison suddenly realised what was going on.
‘I don’t believe this!’
She leaned against the banister, almost too stunned to support her own weight. Jenna was dressed like… like…
‘Is Joel here, too?’ Alison didn’t want to imagine how he might be dressed.
The mind boggled. ‘Is this some sort of role play or something? Look, I don’t mind you two wanting to spice up your sex life but at least do me the courtesy of being honest with me.
All that meeting at the school rubbish. It’s not fair, Jenna.
And couldn’t you have made it another night? What was the sudden urgency?’
Jenna pushed past her and shot into her own bedroom. Alison followed and plonked herself down on the bed while her daughter hastily reached for her dressing gown to throw over the black basque, lacy knickers, stockings and suspenders she was wearing.
‘You’ve got a price label sticking out of that basque,’ Alison said, reaching up to remove it. Her eyes widened. ‘How bloody much?’
‘Do you mind?’ Jenna wrenched away and pulled the dressing gown on, wrapping it around her and fastening the belt tightly. ‘What are you doing here anyway? You’re supposed to be at yours and – oh God! Where are the twins?’
She looked fearfully at the door and Alison tutted impatiently. ‘They needed to finish their school project for tomorrow. They’re outside in the car, luckily for you. Imagine if they’d seen their mum looking like a—’
‘Like a what?’ Jenna challenged. ‘A slut?’
‘I never said that,’ Alison said indignantly.
‘You didn’t have to. It’s written all over your face.’ She glanced at the clock on the bedside cabinet. ‘You’d better take the project and get off, then. I don’t want them up too late tonight.’
Alison gaped at her. ‘You’ve got a nerve! I’ve got a better idea. Why don’t I bring them in? Since you and Joel are clearly going to be at home all evening you can have them. They can finish their project in their own room then go straight to bed.’
‘No!’ Jenna gave her a terrified look. ‘Not tonight, Mum. Please. Just take them back to yours.’
‘Wow, you two really are desperate, aren’t you?
Do you pull this trick on me regularly? How many other times have I been conned into babysitting due to some big emergency when really you’ve been planning a bit of sexy time?
I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m really glad that you two are clearly still having fun, but you could at least tell me the truth. It’s not much to ask, is it?’
‘Mum, can we discuss this tomorrow? You need to go!’
Jenna grabbed Alison’s arm and began to pull her off the bed.
‘All right, all right. Bloody hell! Word of advice, that’s way too much make-up. Tone it down a bit. Hey, are you okay?’ She realised her daughter was shaking and close to tears. ‘Jenna? What’s wrong?’
‘Nothing! Nothing’s wrong. I just – I need the loo.’
She darted out of the room and the bathroom door slammed shut.
Alison waited, confused and worried. She didn’t like to think it, but was it possible that Joel was making his wife do something she didn’t want to do?
Was this all his idea? She knew it wasn’t really any of her business but something about Jenna’s expression frightened her.
If her son-in-law was making unreasonable demands, she’d have to get involved.
She couldn’t bear the thought of her daughter being part of something she wasn’t happy about.
There was a beep and Alison realised Jenna’s phone was on the bedside cabinet. Maybe it was Joel to say he was on his way. She leaned over and noticed his name, and without even meaning to, her eyes quickly scanned the brief message on the home screen.
Joel
Arrived in Derby. Traffic horrendous as usual. Give my love to the…
Jenna walked back into the bedroom, wiping her scarlet lipstick off with a tissue.
‘Mum, I’m not being funny, but I don’t like the girls being left alone in the car for long. Can we leave this for now?’
‘Who are you expecting, Jenna?’ Alison asked icily.
Jenna stared at her. ‘What – what are you on about?’
Alison waved the phone at her. ‘Joel’s in Derby, as expected. He said to give the girls his love. So, for whose benefit is this get-up?’ She waved a hand at Jenna’s attire, even though it was hidden under the dressing gown. ‘Wow, you really are a piece of work.’
Jenna sank on to the bed. ‘It’s not what you think.’
‘So you’re not having an affair?’
‘No!’
‘And you’re not expecting a man round this evening?’
Jenna bit her lip.
‘Is this the first time? Is that what you mean?’
Jenna’s face was scarlet. ‘I just – we haven’t – I mean, yes. It’s the first time.’
‘You bloody idiot!’ Alison leapt to her feet, glaring down at her daughter.
‘What the hell are you thinking? You’ve got a husband who adores you and is working so hard to give you and the twins everything you could possibly want, and you’ve got two little girls outside who need their parents together. ’
‘You think I don’t know that?’ A tear rolled down Jenna’s cheek, but Alison was having none of it.
‘Save me the waterworks! I can’t believe this. Of all the stupid, thoughtless, selfish things you’ve ever done, this takes the cake, it really does.’
Jenna wiped her cheek. ‘What do you mean? What have I done?’
‘Are you serious? How about dumping your kids on me every chance you get, and giving me a hard time when I have to work instead of babysit for you?’
‘Dumping them on you? I thought you liked having them? I thought they were company for you.’
‘Oh please, don’t make that your excuse.
I have a life of my own! Well, I would have if I could have five minutes alone.
I put up with it because I thought you and Joel were busy working to pay the bills and build a better life for your family, but all the time you’ve been carrying on with God knows who!
I mean, how many others have there been? Poor Joel.’
‘Poor Joel!’ Jenna spluttered, whether with anger or amusement Alison couldn’t be certain. ‘And where is Joel? Oh, of course. He’s at a hotel for the weekend. Again.’
‘Working! For you! For his family!’
Jenna lowered her head. ‘I’d rather have him here.’
‘So that’s a good enough excuse to cheat on him? What time is this creep coming round, then? No wonder you were desperate to get me to leave.’
Jenna glanced at the clock. ‘Any time now,’ she said dully.
‘Right.’ Alison clutched the twins’ project tightly to her.
‘I’m going to take the girls home with me and make sure they get this finished.
I suggest you take the opportunity to send lover boy packing and then spend the evening having a good long think about your future.
You have responsibilities, Jenna. My God!
’ She shook her head. ‘Your dad would be so ashamed of you.’
She didn’t wait to hear any more of her daughter’s feeble excuses but ran down the stairs and out of the front door, slamming it shut behind her.
Hallie and Ada waved cheerfully to her, and she swallowed down the lump in her throat.
Jenna could blow these little girls’ lives apart.
What on earth was she thinking? Her heart broke as she contemplated the very real possibility that her granddaughters might soon be part of a broken family, with a mother and father at each other’s throats. She couldn’t bear it.
‘Did you get it, Grandma?’ Ada asked as Alison sat in the driver’s seat and stuck the key in the ignition.
Alison forced herself to smile, for their sake, as she dropped the project in the passenger seat. ‘Sure did. Now, let’s get back home and get this finished, shall we? And I’ll make you a lovely mug of hot chocolate as a reward when you’re done.’
The girls cheered and she drove steadily out of the road, despite her racing heart and trembling hands, then turned towards home.
It was the final straw. She couldn’t carry on being taken advantage of by her daughter any longer, and she could see now that by allowing herself to be manipulated she’d enabled Jenna to start whatever this relationship was.
She needed to withdraw her help so that her daughter would be forced to spend more time with her family.
Only then would Jenna realise what she was endangering.
Maybe, with any luck, Alison would be in time to save the marriage from collapsing and ensure her granddaughters didn’t have their hearts broken.