Chapter 24
TWENTY-FOUR
Florrie followed Ed to the kitchen, Gerty plodding along behind; she was clearly ready for bed, too.
He flicked the light on, then scooped up the kettle – the very one that had caused so much grief with its delivery – and took it to the sink, the sound of cold water splashing into it filling the room.
Florrie’s stomach was in turmoil, not daring to imagine what words of recrimination were thrown about in the conversation with his parents, but desperate to hear it all the same.
‘I know it’s late, but I think it’s only right that I tell you what was said.’ He pulled out a chair and flopped down onto it. ‘But first, is there any news on your dad?’
She opened the cupboard door and pulled out two mugs, which clinked together as she set them down on the table. ‘My mum rang, said he was properly awake, which is good.’ She relayed what her mum had told her, Ed listening with interest.
‘That’s great news. Let’s hope he’ll be home soon.’ His mouth tugged into a small smile though it didn’t quite reach his weary eyes.
‘Yeah, let’s hope so.’ She was eager to find out about his conversation with his parents. ‘Where did you speak with your mum and dad?’
‘I tracked them down to my mother’s B the rubbish they came out with didn’t match what your mum told us had happened in the street, and I know who I believe.
Luella completely denied egging the shop; denied being there at all.
All three of them did – it’s total rot.’
Florrie listened as she threw a handful of teabags into the pot. She knew who she believed, too, though she held back from saying it out loud. Why would her mum make up such a story? ‘Did you mention the key?’ she asked.
‘I did, and I’m sure you won’t be surprised to hear my mother flatly denied that, too.
Even had the nerve to feign offence; her over-the-top act was sickening.
She demanded to know who else had a key – I didn’t tell her – and told me it must be one of them.
I decided not to share the small detail of our decision to get the locks changed and one of those doorbells fitted – oh, and I’ve spoken to Bear; he’s calling at the DIY store to get what he needs first thing, said he’d fit them straight away.
That should put an end to her snooping.’
‘Thanks for sorting that, Ed.’ It was more of a weight off Florrie’s mind than she’d anticipated.
‘And, as you can expect, because she denied having her own key, she pleaded ignorance to the paperwork being disturbed. And when I mentioned her disappearing upstairs for ages last Friday, she said she was just “admiring the décor”. Even told me I had a devious mind for thinking she’d go snooping around other people’s houses, that I was the one who wasn’t to be trusted. ’
‘Sounds like gaslighting to me.’ Florrie poured tea into the mugs, added a dash of milk and slid one across the table to Ed.
‘Thanks. Aye, that’s what I thought, too. A conversation with them feels like mental gymnastics, if you say something they don’t like they try to run circles around you, make you believe you’re in the wrong. It’s probably why I’ve always tried to avoid confrontation with them; I can never keep up.’
‘Your personality and temperament’s more like your grandad’s than it is theirs; being easy-going and laid-back is no match for people like your parents who are –no offence intended – fiery and confrontational.
It’s never going to be a level playing field.
’ From her vantage point, it was easy to see how they’d taken advantage of Ed’s good-natured personality – he’d do what they wanted for a quiet life except for when it came to the bookshop and Florrie. Then he dug his heels in.
‘None taken, they are fiery and confrontational,’ he said.
‘So how did you leave it? What about Luella?’ From what Ed had described of their relationship, she knew his ex could be fiery, too, and prone to violent outbursts.
Ed blew on his mug and took a sip of tea.
‘I think they were pretty stunned. I mean, they’ve never seen me so boiling angry before.
I ripped into them, didn’t hold back, didn’t give them a chance to speak; I wanted to make sure they listened, didn’t want to leave them in any doubt about my feelings.
Thinking about it now, my mother’s face was a picture, but I guess it’s cos I’ve never really stood up to them before.
Even Luella, who always loved a good scrap, sat there with her mouth hanging open. ’
Florrie couldn’t help but giggle at the mental image Ed’s words had triggered in her mind. ‘I almost wish I’d been there.’
‘I’m glad you weren’t – they still managed to fire back a load of their toxic nastiness. I wouldn’t have wanted you to witness that. Dragged my grandfather into it as well which, as you know, is like a red rag to a bull for me.’
Florrie bristled at hearing that. ‘Me too. I think I’d have had to pipe up if I heard them say anything bad about Mr H.’
Ed hung his head in his hands, an air of weariness descending upon him as if suddenly defeated.
‘Sitting here, listening to myself talking about having the worst sort of blazing row with my parents, all the things I said, the spiteful things they said, and the way I feel about them, makes me feel incredibly sad.’ He looked up, his eyes filled with anguish.
‘They’re my parents, I shouldn’t be feeling this way about them.
But the truth is, your mum and dad have been more like parents to me than my own ever have, and I daresay ever will be.
Mine aren’t interested in what I’m doing with my life, if I’m happy, what my plans are.
’ He took a shuddering breath. ‘In fact, my mum didn’t hold back on telling me exactly how she felt.
She told me I’d never been wanted, that I was a mistake, that their life plan had no room for children but that she was too far on in her pregnancy to do anything about it.
Even my father had the decency to look sheepish at that. ’
‘Oh, Ed, that was unbelievably cruel. She was way beyond wrong to say that to you.’ Florrie rushed over to him, throwing her arms around his shoulders, all the while fighting against the urge to storm down to Dawn’s B they adore you, as did your grandparents.
And let’s not forget all our friends think you’re amazing, they’re always singing your praises.
Bear thinks the world of you, he told Maggie you’re like a brother to him. ’
‘He said that?’
‘He did. And your grandad was over the moon when you got in touch – and don’t get me started on how wrong it was of your parents to deprive you both of having a proper grandad/grandson relationship for all those years.
But getting to know you all over again gave him a new lease of life, and he got so excited planning his trips to see you in London, he was bounding about like a teenager, singing away to himself.
’ She chuckled at the memory. ‘When he came back it was all, “Young Edward this, young Edward that”.’
Silent tears trickled down Ed’s cheeks as he listened.
‘And then there’s Gerty here, she absolutely adores you. You know yourself she makes a beeline straight for you whenever we land back home. I’m definitely chopped liver by comparison.’ She was pleased to see that triggered a smile, albeit a watery one.
‘Thanks for saying all that, I appreciate it, particularly after what my mother lobbed at me.’ Ed sniffed and wiped his face on his sleeves.
‘I’m just tired of all their drama. It’s never been any different and it’s exhausting.
My mother’s words hurt so much, it felt like having a bucket of freezing cold water thrown over me, but once I’d got over the shock, they actually made me stop and think.
They were the wake-up call I needed. Made me realise I don’t have to put up with their crap anymore – we don’t have to put up with their crap anymore – that it needs to end and they need to fully understand that.
I should’ve taken a stand long before now, but… ’ He shrugged.
‘They’re your parents, that was never going to be easy.
And it’s never too late, Ed. The time had to be right for you.
’ Florrie wasn’t sure how he was going to get his parents to fully understand any of what he hoped, especially when their despicable, cruel behaviour was so ingrained, but she was relieved to see he’d finally seen sense instead of simply taking whatever they threw at him.
‘I’m going to make an appointment at Cuthbert, Asquith & Co as soon as they can fit me in and see what legal action I can take to keep them from contacting us – Luella, too, especially after the eggs.
I doubt a cease-and-desist letter would do any good, they’d just laugh at it and ignore it completely.
I think I might need something more formal and legally binding. ’
Florrie took a moment, absorbing the implications of what Ed had just imparted. And though there was a new firmness in his voice, his navy-blue eyes couldn’t hide the sadness behind his words. ‘Are you sure you don’t want to take a bit of time to think about it before you head down that route?’
‘I don’t. I want to get this moving as quickly as possible,’ he said decisively. ‘Let’s not forget their efforts at manipulation stooped to new depths when they got my volatile ex involved, hoping to break us up. No, I’m making a start as soon as possible.’
A thought struck Florrie. ‘Did you find out what it was they were arguing about in the street, and why Luella decided to egg the window?’
‘When I asked, my father started to tell me, but my mother just shot him down and they ended up arguing again. He kept yelling that it was all her fault and they wouldn’t be in “this position” if it wasn’t for her.’
‘Goodness, I wonder what he meant by that.’
‘I doubt we’ll ever find out now. And as for Luella and the eggs, she tripped herself up. After denying she was there, she later admitted she’d thrown the eggs cos no one wanted to see our “pathetic” wedding scene. Seemed to find it hilarious, too.
‘Wowzers.’
When they finally went to bed, Florrie snuggled in close to Ed and he wrapped his arms tightly around her.
They’d been through a heck of a lot over the last few days, but bizarrely she’d never felt closer to him.
As a rule, he drifted off to sleep in a matter of seconds and she’d lay listening to the soothing sound of him breathing, but tonight there was no sign of that.
She knew he’d be dealing with the encounter with his parents, processing it, waiting for the residual tension to leave his body.
She wished she could magic it away. He hadn’t deserved his mother’s cruel words – no child did, no matter how old they were.
His chest rose as he inhaled deeply, sleep apparently out of reach for now. She snuggled into him even closer and whispered, ‘I love you, Ed Harte.’
He squeezed her tight. ‘And I love you, Florrie Appleton. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.’
‘I’ll take that,’ she said with a giggle, making him laugh, too. His words had never sounded more welcome to Florrie’s ears.