‘Right,’ her dad said. ‘I’ve decided that things need to change around here. It’s not fair on Anna doing everything around the house like she has for so long. She’s got her own life to lead. So, from now on, we all need to pitch in.’
Jack scoffed. ‘What? You want us to do women’s work?’
‘We all live here, so it shouldn’t just be down to the only woman who lives here.’
‘You’ve changed your tune!’
‘Yes, I have,’ Andrew said firmly. ‘Anna works just as hard as the rest of us outside the home, so it’s not fair to expect her to do everything.’
‘Oh, what? Has the poor little baby been bleating to you? Too good to get her hands dirty now, is she?’
‘No, she’s not. She’ll be doing her share — we all will. And if you don’t like it, you know what you can do.’
Anna and Harry stared on, aghast. They’d never seen their father like this before. He’d never been one for confrontation, which was why he’d let Jack get away with so much for so long.
‘What do you mean I know what I can do?’ Jack looked shocked.
‘I mean, I’m the head of the household here. I’m the one who pays the bills, so if you don’t like my rules, you can find somewhere else to live.’
Jack laughed. ‘You think I can afford to live somewhere else on the poxy wages you pay me?’
‘I pay you what you’re worth, Jack. So if I’m not paying you enough, that’s on you.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘I mean your work is sloppy. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve had to check your work and redo it. I haven’t said anything before and that’s on me. You could be a good plumber if you put your mind to it, but you’re lazy and slapdash and only interested in going to the pub. I’ve tried to teach you but you’re not interested. So from now on, you’d better pull your weight at work and at home, or you might find yourself looking for another job as well as accommodation.’
Jack stood up abruptly, knocking his chair back in the process. ‘I’m not staying here to listen to this. I’m off.’
‘Pick that chair up before you go!’ Andrew shouted at him, also standing up.
Jack bent down roughly, pulled the chair up and slammed it back down again. Anna found herself holding her breath at the altercation and almost gasped when he turned to her, venom in his eyes. ‘I know this is all your doing, Daddy’s little girl. But don’t think you’ll get away with this.’
He turned on his heel and strode out of the kitchen. As he reached the door Andrew said, ‘Make sure you’re on time for work in the morning. And don’t be stinking of alcohol either. If you’re not fit for work, I won’t let you on site and you won’t be getting paid.’
His words were met with silence and the crashing of the front door as Jack stormed out.
‘That went well,’ Harry said a few moments later.
Andrew sighed. ‘My fault. It was probably too much in one go. But that’s been coming for a long time, only I haven’t been brave enough to confront him. Jack’s going to have to make some changes and, if he doesn’t, he’ll be out on his ear.’
‘That’s a bit harsh, isn’t it?’ Anna asked, surprised by her father’s turnaround.
‘No,’ he said, shaking his head. ‘I meant what I said about his work. I can’t keep covering for him. It’s my business and my reputation on the line, and if he wants to make his living as a plumber he can’t afford to keep making the mistakes he’s been making.’
Anna and Harry stared at each other in silence. For so long now, it had seemed as though Andrew and Jack weren’t just father and son but best friends, so it was a shock to realise how different things really were.
‘Well, I don’t know if you’ve got any ideas for tea,’ their father continued, breaking the silence. ‘But if you’d like to show me how to cook whatever it is, I’m willing to learn. Harry, you can watch too. You’re going to need to learn some cooking skills for when you’re at uni.’
Anna decided to start with something easy and began to put together the ingredients for a cottage pie. Her father and Harry watched as she showed them how to chop the onions and brown everything off in the saucepan.
‘You’ll have to write this down,’ her dad said. ‘I’ll never remember it. I’ve never cooked in my life.’
‘I’m sure you’ll soon get the hang of it,’ Anna said reassuringly.
‘It all seems pretty straightforward to me,’ Harry said.
‘That’s because you’re the brains of the family,’ Andrew said. Then he looked at Anna, stricken. ‘No offence, love.’
