‘You’re barely out your teens?—’
‘Twenty-one.’
‘And he’s nearly thirty.’
‘Twenty-nine.’ I released an exasperated sigh. ‘So we don’t need your blessing.’
‘Then why ask for it?’
‘Because Cliff’s a decent man and it’s the right thing to do.’
‘You’re not…’ He glanced down at my stomach and I instinctively pulled my cardigan around me.
‘No!’
‘Then why are you throwing your life away?’
‘I’m not!’
‘You are! I know what he is.’
My stomach lurched. Did he really know? No! How could he? I was the only one Cliff had ever told.
‘Bloody freak!’ Dad said, his lip curled up.
Mustering some strength from goodness knows where, I pushed back my shoulders and stared at Dad defiantly.Freak?What a disgusting word to use. How dare he?
‘You knownothingabout him. You’ve lived next door to him all his life and you’ve barely exchanged two words. Iammarrying Cliff, whether we have your blessing or not.’
‘Then you can pack your bags and get out of my house.’
‘Now?’
‘Yes!’
My own dad was kicking me out? What had I ever done to him to make him hate me so much? Tears burned behind my eyes but I refused to let him see how hurt I was so I turned my pain into strength.
‘With pleasure.’
That seemed to inflame him further. ‘You’ve got ten minutes,’ he yelled.
I slammed the lounge door behind me and ran up the stairs, pausing at the top as Marianne’s bedroom door opened.
‘You’re marrying Cliff?’ she asked.
‘Yes, and if you think I’m making a mistake, you can save your words.’
‘Escaping from this godforsaken place could never be a mistake. My advice is to get away and stay away.’
She held my gaze, tears clouding her eyes, before she closed her door. I wanted to ask why she hadn’t taken her own advice but there was no time. Dad’s mood was foul and I could guarantee he wouldn’t let me have a second longer than ten minutes. I dashed into my bedroom and pulled out a battered old brown suitcase from under the bed. Mum had given me it for extra storage and I’d kept my childhood belongings in there – books, games, dolls and soft toys.
‘Sorry,’ I muttered as I tipped the contents onto my bedspread. ‘No room to take you all.’
I grabbed my jewellery box and a dressing table set – hairbrush, comb and mirror – which had belonged to Mum and wrapped them in one of my jumpers to protect them. I added my favourite childhood teddy – a gift from Mum – and the book I was currently reading as well as a couple of other favourites in which Mum had written me messages, before moving on to my wardrobe. I didn’t have many clothes and I could have packed them all if I’d been given my full ten minutes but I heard Dad thundering up the stairs.
‘Time’s up!’ he bellowed.
‘I’ve only had five minutes.’
