Abigail: Chapter 23

An hour later and I was back in Gloddfa Bont. My visits to the final two service stations hadn’t been as eventful as meeting Jack but I felt content that I’d at least made a start in scoping them out. The rest of my evening didn’t stand a chance of going even half as smoothly. Dinner with my mother was always eventful, but for all the wrong reasons. My only comfort was that this time I didn’t have to go on my own. My mum adored both the girls so having them there would be sure to ease things a little. As I walked towards the house I crossed my fingers that they’d be changed out of their school uniforms and ready to go. My mother had it in her head that I was always late and I didn’t want to give her any ammunition.

I shoved the front door and sniffed the air. “Hello?” I paused but no reply came. “Why can I smell burnt toast?” I walked into the kitchen, expecting to find crumbs over the counter tops but the place was spotless. “Grace? Lou?”

It was as I was about to go upstairs to find them that I spotted the piece of paper on the hall table and my heart sank. Hi Mum. Hope you’ve had a good day. Got a huge assignment so gone to the library. Tell Gran sorry. Love L + G xxx

I read it again, more slowly this time, half expecting the two of them to jump out from behind the curtain and yell ‘surprise!’ but no matter how many times I read it, I still found myself standing all alone in the middle of our hallway. You have got to be kidding me?!? I’d told Grace she couldn’t get out of it, made it perfectly clear that we were in this together, so how had the little rotter managed to pull a stunt like this? I was tempted to drive to the library and drag the pair of them over to my mother’s house but I knew there was a good chance they weren’t even there and I didn’t have the energy to argue with them about the perils of lying to their mother, especially not with my own mother in earshot. A lone watch beeped to remind me it was the top of the hour. Fabulous! Now, not only did I have to face my mother alone, I was going to be late. I sighed and went upstairs to change into something smarter. I was already late so what difference would another ten minutes make?

Twenty minutes later I found myself performing a parallel park outside my mother’s house. I looked around to see if anyone had witnessed my skill but alas, the only living being in view was a stray cat. I tried to stroke him and chose not to take it as a sign when he snarled at me. When I could put it off no longer, I rang the door bell and waited.

“What time do you call this?” My mother answered the door looking even more harried that usual.

I had a sudden flashback to my reaction when Rob was late the other week and involuntarily shuddered.

I walked in and kissed her on both cheeks. “Sorry Mum, traffic was a nightmare.”

She peered behind me up the path. “Where are the girls?”

“Change of plan I’m afraid. It’s just me. They had a project to do, thrust on them at the last minute, so they’ve gone to the library.”

“They’re not coming?”

“Nope.”

“What, not at all?”

“‘Fraid not.”

“Oh. That’s too bad. I made their favourite: mashed potatoes and gravy.”

“Oh mum!” I couldn’t help but laugh. “That hasn’t been their favourite for at least the last ten years.”

“Can’t beat mashed potatoes and gravy. And guess what I made for afters?”

“Dunno. Surprise me.”

“Rice pudding.” She beamed. “With the skin on.”

I swear that when she said that I vomited a little in my mouth. “That’s nice Mum.”

“No need to take that tone Charlotte. Nobody said you had to eat it. I simply wanted to prepare them something wholesome and tasty for a change.”

Ignoring the dig at my cooking, I changed the subject. “So what’ve you been up to today then?”

“Funny you should ask. I met one of your clients today.”

“Oh?”

“I must say, I don’t know how you’re still in business, the way you operate.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing. Only, the girl who did my hair said that her friend Tina has a friend called Sara who knows your client. Is it true you told her to stick her finger in the hose and wiggle it?”

I laughed so hard I nearly choked. I didn’t trust myself to speak so instead I simply nodded, my eyes wet with tears.

“But why Charlotte? Why can’t you get a job?”

“I have a job. Actually, I have two.”

“A proper job. Not some hare-brained hobby that sees you chasing across the country after random people.”

I wanted to ask her how much she thought my hare-brained hobby paid each month but I didn’t. Instead I sat there and took it, like the spineless fool I am. I might be brilliant at making other people squirm but when it came to my mum, I was a total pushover. Once upon a time, pre-divorce, I might have been tempted to offer a rebuttal but ever since my marriage failed it was like I’d lost all ability to play the grown-up card. Instead we coexisted, my mother and I, playing at happy families but never quite knowing if the act was working.

We spent the rest of the evening making small talk with her trying to wheedle information out of me about my latest case and me doing my damnedest to avoid telling her anything that I didn’t want spread all the way to Whitland and back. Just when I thought the evening couldn’t get any worse she delivered a low blow.

“How’s that nice young police officer friend of yours? I don’t remember his name. Bob? Roy?”

“It’s Rob mum, as you well know.” I sighed.

“I like him Charlotte. You should give him a call, invite him round.”

Rob was overdue an update on my case and the only thing worse than my mother reminding me of that fact was my mother encouraging me to bring him round for tea. The sky would have to fall down before I let my mother anywhere near Rob but I knew that if I didn’t say something, she’d never shut up about it.

“Okay ma. I’ll call him in the morning.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

“Good girl. Now how about a nice big bowl of rice pudding?”

I groaned inwardly and said a prayer on my stomach’s behalf. I was beginning to wish that I was the one with the enormous assignment to research. Anything had to be better than rice pudding!