‘You do like it, don’t you? I know you always like the warm colours best. I told Rob, I said, make it something warm and she’ll be fine. He wanted green, but I said no! And the blue, what about the blue in the nursery? It’s called Sky Dust or something. Did you like it? I mean, I know everyone says it should be pink, but I’ve never had much truck with all that pink-for-girls nonsense.’
‘I don’t…’ I said, shaking my head, then turning to the TV screen, where Jimmy Savile’s mouth was silently blabbering away. ‘Look, what’s this all about? Why are you advising Rob on colours I like? What are you two up to?’
‘Well, you must have… I mean, I’m assuming you two talked, right?’
I shook my head and pouted.
‘You didn’t?’
‘Nope,’ I said. ‘At least not about anything we haven’t talked about before.’
‘Oh,’ Mum said with a sigh. ‘God, I didn’t think he’d leave it up to me. That boy can be such a wimp…’
‘Well, whatever it is, it looks like hedidleave it up to you,’ I said. ‘So go on.’
I pretty much knew what was coming even before she started. Rob had tried various ways of getting me to talk about my living arrangements at Mum’s, enquiring how things were ‘working out’ with the baby, and suggesting it must be a ‘bit of a squash’.
‘No,’ I’d told him, heading him off at the pass every time. ‘It’s working out great, actually, but thanks for asking.’
He’d offered me that top room for my siesta, too, and when I’d refused he’d tried to give me a tour of the house. But I’d said my legs were tired and I’d just have a kip on the sofa if it was all the same to him.
‘We can’t go on like this,’ Mum said, at the end of her speech. ‘You know we can’t, Dawn. We’re all shattered. Wayne’s worried about failing his exams and I don’t want him ending up…’
‘Like me?’ I said.
‘That’s not what I was going to say at all.’
‘You’re right,’ I said. ‘Can’t have that.’
‘But look… I’m dead on my feet at work, cos I’m so tired. You look more dreadful every day—’
‘Thanks.’
‘But youdo, sweetheart. You really do.’
‘Really, thanks!’ I said.
‘So…’
‘So?’
Mum shrugged. She couldn’t bring herself to say it.
‘You’re kicking me out,’ I said. ‘That’s lovely, Mum.’
‘I’m not kicking you out at all,’ she said.
‘Good, then that’s settled, I’ll stay.’
‘But it makes sense, sweetheart,’ Mum insisted. ‘Just think about it. Rob’s got that huge place all to himself and—’
‘I’m not sleeping with Rob just so that you and Wayne can get a good night’s sleep!’ I exclaimed.
‘Oh, who said anything aboutsleepingwith him?’ Mum asked, looking shocked. ‘You silly sausage! Honestly! No, it’s just he’s got that big place and he’s out all day, every day, and there’s a room for you and a lovely room for Lucy and a garden and the seafront and everything. You… weallneed some space and peace and quiet. Rob needs the cash—’
‘Cash?’ I said. ‘What cash? I don’t have any cash.’
‘But if you move out of here you can get housing benefit, can’t you? So that helps Rob with his mortgage too.’
