Chapter 35
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
‘Grandpa, we need to talk,’ I said the next morning, as he came into the kitchen. His white hair was sticking out on one side but on top it looked like he’d been using gel as it was almost spiked at the front.
‘Aunty Bev told me you’re now engaged.’
A huge grin broke out across his face, and he fist-pumped the air. ‘Isn’t it the best news? Can you put it on that What’s-it called thing?’
‘WhatsApp?’ I shook my head. ‘No, Grandpa, I am not sticking it on there. You hardly know Dorothy, Grandpa. How are Mum and the family going to react?’
‘They might throw me and Dorothy an engagement party?’
‘Grandpa, I am being serious. You can’t get engaged to Dorothy.’
He sat down at the kitchen table. ‘Why not, Rachel? I am a lonely eighty-year-old man who doesn’t want to spend the last years of his life wasting away in his shed and with Robert and Karen caring for him.’
‘What I am saying is, why can’t you date Dorothy first and then get engaged?’
He shook his head. ‘I might drop down dead next week, Rachel. I don’t have time to date. This is what I want to do with my life. Now, I need you to get your mother on the phone.’
Blood drained from my face. Mum would go berserk. Even though it had been on Aunty Bev’s watch when the proposal had been made, I would be the one who got blamed. ‘Grandpa, it’s Christmas Eve tomorrow. Let’s get Christmas out of the way. We can tell Mum once Christmas is over.’
To my dismay he shook his head. ‘I want to tell her my good news.’
‘Does Dorothy’s daughter know about this?’
‘Dorothy said yes so that’s the important bit.’
I groaned as Aunty Bev staggered into the kitchen. Her hair was matted, her eye make-up from last night was halfway down her cheeks and she was still in her clothes. ‘I shouldn’t have gone down to Frank’s cellar and got myself a second bottle of wine. I have a new theory – the dustier the bottle, the worse the hangover.’ She slumped down at the kitchen table next to Grandpa. ‘Morning. What’s going on?’
‘I was telling Rachel about my engagement and how I am keen to let Janice and Karen know the good news.’
This would not end well. My mother would probably fall off her sunbed in shock and horror whilst Aunty Karen would probably have a full breakdown. I couldn’t cope with this along with everything else. It was supposed to be Christmas. ‘You can’t do that, Grandpa,’ I pleaded. ‘Mum will blame me. This will be my fault. I will never hear the end of this.’
Aunty Bev looked at me. ‘Rachel, you need to stop letting your mother have so much control over you.’
‘Huh?’
Grandpa nodded.
‘You can’t be responsible for everyone’s actions, and I hate to say this, but you live your life in fear of going against her wishes.’
‘I was supposed to be caring for Grandpa. Getting engaged was not on Aunty Karen’s list.’
Aunty Bev shook her head. ‘If your mother and Karen were so concerned about Dad they should have stayed in the UK and looked after him themselves. Instead, Karen buggered off to Tenerife to be with Janice and party Christmas away. Do you know something? Karen had a bloody cheek sending you that list of dos and don’ts. After talking to Dad, it’s very clear Karen doesn’t do any of that back home.’
I placed my head into my hands.
Aunty Bev gave my arm a rub. ‘Rachel, you have so much talent. You do things to food which I can’t recreate at home. The dishes you cook are amazing and don’t get me started on your sandwich-making abilities.’
Grandpa beamed at me. ‘Rachel is changing the world one sandwich at a time.’
I smiled at him. ‘You remembered my little phrase, Grandpa.’
Aunty Bev continued. ‘It was upsetting for me when I heard Janice tell me all those years ago you were jacking in your catering company to work in an office.’
‘She’s right,’ said Grandpa.
‘Stop living your life for your mother, Rachel. Start living it for you. Move out of that awful flat, come here and start a new life. Block your mother on WhatsApp while you are at it, too.’
I rose from my chair and began to cook breakfast. Aunty Bev made everyone coffee before looking at the weather on her phone. ‘Oh God, there is a snowstorm coming on Christmas Eve.’
Grandpa fist pumped the air. ‘Adventure time.’
‘It’s going to be bad,’ explained Aunty Bev. ‘Have we got enough food?’
‘Have you seen the cupboards, the fridges, and the freezers? Frank has bought so much food we could stay here for weeks and eat comfortably.’
As I walked over to give Grandpa and Aunty Bev their food, my phone began to vibrate. I checked it and saw it was Maddie.
‘Hey, how’s Malibu?’
‘Rachel, I can’t talk but I need to tell you something.’ Her voice sounded shaky and emotional. It reminded me of the calls Maddie used to make when she was in California and not coping.
‘Maddie – are you okay?’
The phone began to crackle, and I couldn’t hear what she was saying. ‘Maddie, I can’t hear you. What’s wrong?’
‘I’m okay, don’t worry,’ said Maddie. ‘Speak soon.’
Aunty Bev and Grandpa had worried looks on their faces. ‘Is she okay?’ Aunty Bev asked.
‘I don’t know, she didn’t sound all right.’
Grandpa shook his head with disapproval. ‘Why is she so far away? She needs us.’
My phone vibrated. It was a message from Maddie.
I am fine. Please don’t worry. Bad line. Hope you are having a lovely time. Give my love to Grandpa and Humphrey x.
I showed Aunty Bev my phone. She was about to reply when there was a knock at the front door. Humphrey leapt out of his basket. ‘Oh no you don’t,’ I said, grabbing the lead and attaching it to his collar. ‘I’ve learnt my lesson.’
After opening the door I saw that it was Kay from the gift shop. Judging by her narrowing eyes and pinched mouth, she wasn’t pleased with the engagement news. ‘My mother is not getting engaged to your grandfather,’ she snapped. ‘I will not allow her to marry into your terrible family.’
Frustration and anger at Frank which had been simmering inside my belly after Maddie’s call now came to the boil. ‘Can everyone stop assuming we’re all like Frank Baxter? We’re nothing like him. Nor is my sister who made the unfortunate mistake of marrying him. If you all took the time to get to know my grandfather, my sister, and me, you would know that we are the opposite of Frank Baxter. Instead, you all have assumed we love the fact an arsehole called Frank Baxter married into our family and brought us all a lot of pain and misery. Have I made myself clear?’
Before she could say another word, I turned and somehow managed to shut the heavy front door on her.
‘Who was that?’ Aunty Bev asked as I strode back into the kitchen.
‘A door-to-door salesperson,’ I said and went to lose myself in stacking the dishwasher.
‘Dad has decided to leave his big announcement until after Christmas,’ Aunty Bev announced. ‘I think it’s for the best.’
‘Let’s get through Christmas,’ I mumbled.