Charlie: Chapter 3

I walked down our little path and almost tripped over a pair of legs poking out from the overgrown hedge near our gate.

“What the …”

I did a classic double take when I realised the shoes on the feet at the end of the legs belonged to Grace, my Grace. I peered closer and realised she wasn't alone but before I could react, Grace saw me and leapt up. 

“Mum! What are you doing here?” She was scowling but her cheeks were flushed with colour.

“I might ask you the same thing young lady! I thought you were walking the dog? And since when did you entertain guests in our garden?”

“Guests? It's only Mark.” Grace shrugged. 

I glanced at Mark and saw that his face was even redder than Grace’s. “Hello Mrs Diamond. Sorry, we were just …”

“It's Ms Diamond and I'm sure I don't want to know what you were ‘just’ doing with my daughter!”

As angry as I was, I knew it would be better directed at Grace. Mark might be older but it had been obvious from the very beginning who was in charge in their relationship. If there were any balls to be busted I knew they'd need to be metaphorical ones. Grace needed to learn she couldn't behave this way before she got both of them in trouble. 

But Grace wasn't having any of it. “Give it a rest Mum. We were only talking. Wanted some privacy. Besides, you won’t have to worry about it soon enough.”

I felt a jolt of something land in my tummy. “What's that supposed to mean?”

I saw Grace look at Mark who smiled and gave her a nod of encouragement. “Mark’s asked me to move in with him. And I’ve said yes!”

My head began to throb. I saw her hands flicker towards her front. It was the slightest of gestures but I knew that look. She couldn't be, could she?

I sighed. I wanted to speak to my mother but I knew I had to sort this mess out first. “Let’s talk about this inside.”

Without waiting for a reply, I turned and walked back towards the house. As I did so I heard a car pull up. A quick glance back confirmed it was Rob. I didn't wait for him. I knew Grace would fill him in and he'd soon invite himself inside too. 

By the time Rob, Grace and Mark walked in, I’d found a bottle of wine and poured myself a large glass. I took a swig of it before turning to greet Rob. 

“Heard the news? I'm going to be a granny.” I winced as I heard myself say granny. I couldn't understand how she could have been so careless. I knew what Jonathan, my feckless ex-husband, would say when he found out. It would be all my fault for not parenting her properly, totally glossing over his own large periods of absenteeism. 

“A granny? Since when?” Grace sounded shocked. “Louise isn’t …”

“Louise? I’m talking about you, you big idiot.”

“But I’m not … Is that what you thought.” She looked at Mark and pulled a face. “Ewww!” She put her hand on his. “No offence.”

“None taken.” He smiled. “If it’s all the same to you Mrs Diamond, I really need to be getting home. Mam’ll have my tea on.”

I dismissed him with a wave of my hand, not bothering to remind him it was Ms. When he’d gone I turned my attention back to Grace. “What’s going on?”

Before Grace could speak, Rob coughed, reminding me he was there.

“Sorry Rob, are you okay to hang on a bit?” I gave him what I hoped was my most winning smile. I still needed to go and see my mother but didn’t want to leave Grace yet.

Grace however had other ideas. “Talk to you later Mum. You and Rob go and do whatever it is you had planned.”

“But …”

“Honest Mum, it’s fine. You’re off the hook. I’m not pregnant. You’re not a terrible parent.” She turned to Rob. “Would you do me a favour and take my mum for a drink. I think she’s going to need it. Maybe a bite to eat too? It’s two for a tenner in The Bont.”

“I think that sounds like a great idea.” Rob offered me his hand. “Coming?”

Before I could remind them both that we’d already eaten, Rob had grabbed my hand and led me back outside and along the path towards the main road. It wasn’t like him to be quite so forthright and for a moment I found myself lost for words. All thoughts of confronting my mother were pushed from my mind. I wanted to say something about needing to stay and find out what Grace was thinking. I wanted to argue that I didn’t have the luxury of galavanting off at the drop of a hat, that I had to think of my children, but I knew what both he and Grace would say. They weren’t children anymore. In less than six weeks time, Grace and Louise would be celebrating their eighteenth birthdays and it was time for them to start making their own mistakes.

“But what about uni?” I said quietly, as we were walking towards the village pub.

Rob smiled. “I hate to break it to you but I think you’re a bit old for that Charlie.”

I punched his arm. “Not me. Grace.”

“I know.” He shrugged. “She’ll figure it out.”

“But …”

“Just leave it Charlie, at least for today. Talk to her in the morning when you’ve both had a good sleep. She might surprise you.”

“When did you get so wise?”

“I think it’s called knowing how to pick your battles. You don’t have to win every time. Besides, she’s a good kid.”

I wanted to believe him, to trust that after all these years he knew my daughters better than their own father, but he wasn’t the one who’d have to deal with the fall out when it all went wrong. I had a nasty feeling it was all going to get a lot worse before it got better and I hated to think what that might do to my strong-willed, sensitive daughter.