Chapter 18
‘Oh, sweetheart, I didn’t realise you were leaving now.’
Bridie glanced at her mum as she opened the front door. She turned around on the doorstep. ‘Yes, I’m off now. Will you tell Dad—’
The sound of a car turning up on the driveway cut her off. She turned to see her dad getting out of the car. He walked up to her, looking at her suitcase. ‘What’s this? Are you returning to London to stay with your grandad already?’
Bridie wasn’t surprised he’d said that. It was probably what they’d all expected.
‘Bridie’s got a job working in a shop,’ Kate said, her voice dripping with derision.
Her mum added, ‘It’s in Cobblers Yard in Aldeburgh, and she’s renting a flat.’
Her dad looked stunned. ‘My goodness, sweetheart, that was quick. But do you have to leave right now?’
Bridie looked at her dad, who was staring at her suitcase and looking crestfallen. He was the only one who was disappointed she was leaving. ‘Oh, Dad – I’m only down the road, so I’ll be popping in.’
‘I’ll bet, for dinner and to have your washing done.’
Bridie frowned at her sister. Her dad put an arm around her shoulders.
‘Good, because I like having you around. Actually, I brought home your favourite takeaway.’ He held up several bags of Chinese food.
‘Can’t you stay for dinner? Better still, have one more night with us and leave in the morning? ’
Now her dad was back, making her feel welcome in her own childhood home, Bridie was starting to regret leaving on impulse. But there was no backing out now everyone knew she had somewhere to go.
She looked at the bags of Chinese takeaway. It smelled so good. If she left now, she’d have to pick up some takeout for dinner. She grinned. ‘Oh, all right, Dad, you’ve twisted my arm.’
‘Didn’t take much,’ she heard her sister mutter under her breath. ‘What about me?’ Kate asked their dad.
‘What about you?’
‘Can I stay for takeout?’
‘Yeah, of course,’ he said.
Bridie caught her sister frowning at her dad. Bridie had always been his favourite, and Kate knew it.
He turned to Bridie. ‘So, you’ll stay one more night?’ he asked as he took her suitcase and wheeled it back into the house before she’d had a chance to answer.
‘Yeah – why not? By the time I’ve finished, it will be too late.’
‘Too late for what?’ Kate asked. ‘Aldeburgh is only down the road.’
Bridie didn’t want to let on that she hadn’t got the keys to the flat. If she didn’t leave now, Hannah would be gone and the shop, together with the flat upstairs, would be locked up for the night.
‘It will be dark soon,’ said her dad. ‘I’d rather you drive along the country lanes to Aldeburgh in the morning.’
‘You’re not bothered about me going home in the dark if I stay for takeaway,’ commented Kate.
He chortled, ‘Oh, Kate. I’ve never had to worry about you.’
Kate said, ‘She’s a grown woman now too. Why do you have to worry about her?’
Bridie was following her mum, dad and sister into the kitchen. She caught her parents exchange a glance.
‘I’m just going to take my coat off,’ Bridie said, hanging back to put it on the coat rack in the hall. She did not fancy getting into another slanging match with her sister. She wished she’d just leave.
She heard her dad say, ‘I know it’s daft really, Kate, but she’s the youngest and I’m afraid it just became second nature to be that bit more protective of her.’
‘Yeah, because she chose a silly profession, which is precarious.’
‘It’s not silly,’ he said, surprising Bridie. ‘There is nothing silly about pursuing your passion and living your dream.’
Bridie paused before she hung up her coat, surprised that he’d said that.
She remembered when she was a teenager and they’d refused to let her join the local drama club and star in plays, and the shenanigans she’d had to engage in, saying she was doing homework with a friend, when she was really going to after-school drama club.
‘Yeah, until it all goes wrong,’ scoffed Kate.
‘She’s had a setback. These things happen,’ said Rufus, ‘especially when you take the road less travelled, which isn’t easy – not like just going out and getting a job.’
‘Are you saying my job is easy?’
‘I’m saying you are not self-employed and working in the arts. You have a good job with a stable income, and while it’s hard work—’
‘You’re damn right it is!’
‘So is acting, singing and dancing on stage, entertaining a live audience.’
‘Yeah – until you screw it all up.’
‘That, I believe, was Julian’s doing.’
‘That’s as may be, but it was what she did afterwards that—’
‘I think we should have our takeaway before it gets cold.’
Bridie grinned as she approached the kitchen door, thinking good, let’s just drop it and enjoy the takeaway – although she knew Kate wouldn’t.
‘But here, look at what someone posted on social media, Dad,’ Kate said as Bridie walked into the kitchen and saw her sister getting out her phone from the back pocket of her jeans.
Her dad sighed. ‘Kate, I’m not interested in social media. I thought you didn’t have time for that nonsense.’
‘I don’t. Layla showed it to me.’
Bridie didn’t want to be reminded of how she’d let Layla down. She was meant to be a role model. Now, all because of her, Layla wouldn’t be attending drama club.
‘What are you doing here, anyway?’ said her dad. ‘Shouldn’t you be at home having dinner with your family?’
‘Are you saying I’m not welcome here?’
‘Of course you’re welcome.’ He walked over and gave her a hug. ‘What a silly thing to say. I was only asking.’
Bridie looked at her mum. ‘I think they were doing some planning for your retirement party.’
‘Bridie!’ Kate exclaimed. ‘It’s meant to be a surprise!’
Their dad said, ‘Actually, I’m afraid I know.’
Kate rounded on Bridie. ‘Did you tell him?’
‘Of course I didn’t.’
They both looked at their mum. She said, ‘Sorry. It proved impossible to keep it a secret when I started buying stuff and inviting people.’
‘Inviting people?’ Kate looked at her mum. ‘I thought it was just meant to be a family party.’
‘Yeah, I thought that too,’ said Bridie, surprised. The last thing she wanted was all their friends and neighbours from the village invited over, asking her about her life in London. She sighed. Thanks to Hannah, at least she wouldn’t have to tell them she was back living at home.
Their dad looked at their mum. ‘I thought you’d finished the party planning.’
‘Yes, that’s true,’ she replied.
‘Mum!’
Bridie looked from her mum to Kate. ‘What are you doing here, then?’
Bridie’s mum said, ‘Kate and Andy had a little falling-out this morning, so she came here.’
‘Oh dear,’ said Bridie, not feeling sympathetic at all, which she knew was mean – but then her older sister never felt any sympathy towards her when things weren’t going well in her life.
She couldn’t resist adding, ‘You can have my room.’ She tried not to grin but failed miserably. How funny it would be if Kate ended up living back at home with their parents.
‘It’s all Bridie’s fault.’
Bridie looked at her sister. ‘Excuse me? What’s my fault?’
‘Andy and me falling out.’
‘I don’t know what … you … mean.’ Actually, Bridie did. ‘Layla.’
‘Exactly.’
Their dad started to unpack the takeaway. ‘Perhaps someone can tell me what’s going on?’
‘Andy promised Layla she could attend drama classes at school – the drama club. He signed the permission slip and everything.’
‘She still wants to go to the drama club after …?’ Bridie trailed off, thinking that after Layla had seen her impromptu performance on stage, she probably wasn’t her favourite auntie anymore.
‘Yeah, it hasn’t put her off, obviously.’
Bridie was relieved to hear it.
Rufus said, ‘But, of course, you’re putting your foot down.’
‘Of course.’
‘Why – of course?’
‘I don’t want her on stage embarrassing herself or meeting unpredictable arty types who will ruin her life.’
Bridie was about to tell her that what had happened in her life should have no bearing on Layla’s future or the decisions that her sister and Andy made, when their mum slammed her fist down on the table, making everyone, including her husband, jump.
She said, ‘I am heartily sick of the arguments that arise whenever we get on to the subject of theatre and acting.’
‘Well, at least two of us agree on something,’ Kate said smugly.
‘Be quiet, Kate, for once.’
Bridie looked as shocked as Kate at that comment coming from their mum.
Although Bridie always thought of herself as their dad’s favourite, she knew Kate was their mum’s.
Not that either of their parents would ever admit to it.
But for their mum to tell Kate to shut her face, essentially, was unprecedented.
Bridie glanced at Kate and was surprised to see the ice queen’s bottom lip quivering at the put-down.
‘Now, I don’t want to hear another word on the subject. Although it wasn’t nice what happened to Bridie – and I’d like to give that arse, Julian, a piece of my mind …’
‘Hear, hear!’ said Rufus, nodding in agreement with his wife.
‘Bridie has put her life in London and on the stage behind her – finally.’
Bridie opened her mouth. That wasn’t strictly true. This was just temporary. Her dad knew it too because he knew what she was going to say before she’d had a chance to open her mouth. He raised his eyebrows at her and imperceptibly shook his head, warning her off contradicting her mother.
Bridie kept her mouth shut for the time being. They’d know soon enough when she got another show and headed back to London.
Kate turned to her sister. ‘I know what you’re thinking – this is temporary. You better get used to the fact that it’s not. You’ll never work on the London stage again.’
It was their dad’s turn to tell her to shut up. ‘Kate, there is no need for that.’
‘But there is. You should have seen her outburst on stage. She needs a reality check.’
‘Well, perhaps so do you, sweetheart,’ said Mum. ‘Your daughter is nearly fifteen. She will make her way in the world doing things she wants to do, eventually. Now, you’ve got to decide whether you are going to support her and show a united front with Andy, or not.’
‘Oh, like you and Dad did when Bridie announced she wanted to go to drama club and act on the stage?’
Bridie started helping herself to some takeaway, thinking how her parents had showed a united front all right; they hadn’t wanted her on the stage – although she had always believed, for some reason over the years, that her dad secretly supported her.
Now, the three of them were arguing over Layla, over Kate’s refusal to let her do what she wanted. But Bridie knew her parents really didn’t have a leg to stand on, given that they had tried to stop her too when she was around Layla’s age.
Bridie sighed. At this rate, they’d be standing there bickering all evening, and the food would get cold.
She looked at the door and started to retreat.
Nobody noticed her step out of the kitchen with a plate full of food and head up the stairs to her room.
She could still hear them, their voices dulled but arguing nonetheless.
If she could have slipped out with her suitcase she would have done, but now she’d have nowhere to go.
The shop would be closed, and Hannah would have gone home.
She left her food on her desk and returned downstairs to look in on the puppy.
His food bowl was empty. She had planned to take him out in the garden in case he needed to go, but he was fast asleep in his crate.
Bridie gently closed the door and headed back upstairs, passing the argument in the kitchen.
She was looking forward to moving into a little flat all on her own with blessed peace and quiet in the morning.
Who could have known that moving back with her parents would be so … complicated?