Mark winced. ‘Especially… as it might mean an initial investment.’
Well, she had offered. ‘Okay, sounds great. Have a think about it. Do a business plan or whatever. I’m sure we can sort something out, and I’ll send you the money.’
The worry lines on Mark’s forehead relaxed, and in one quick motion he stood up and wrapped her in a fierce bear hug. ‘Thanks, Sis.’
Swatting his arm playfully, she untangled herself from him. ‘No problem. Everything is going to be fine. So, don’t worry.’ She tried not to show how gutted she was. Her own dreams were nothing but ash now. Why couldn’t someone take care of her for a change, instead of her having to constantly tear chunks off herself to make other people happy?
‘And that thing with Alex? I won’t do it again, I swear,’ said Mark solemnly, his head low.
She snorted lightly. ‘I doubt I’ll ever see him again. But it’s good to know there’ll not be another picture of me out in my slippers and dressing gown.’
He grinned. ‘You’re safe. Besides, the money was rubbish. Nanna’s brought home more from bingo.’
They both laughed because Nanna never won anything at bingo, and had more than once complained about it being ‘ruddy fixed by that sodding Kathleen’.
‘Right, best get back to work,’ Mark said, and walked out of the door, with more of a spring in his step.
When he was gone, she finally allowed her disappointment to show, slumping down at the kitchen table with a heavy sigh. She was still holding the damp corgi tea towel, and now she dropped it with a soft splat that echoed her mood. She’d never afford a place on her own now. This was like watching paper catch on fire; in a matter of moments, her revised plans had been eaten away and turned into smoke.
So, what now? Renting? She couldn’t even afford that on her own; she’d have to find a flatshare. Living with strangers, who would be weird, or too young to understand that she didn’t want to party every night.
Nope, her only option was to stay at home with her family and help out with the shop occasionally… for ever.
Unless she was reallyluckyand settled with some boring bloke who likedthicc womenand was generous enough to buy her a coffee. Her stomach flipped. Hadn’t her mum done that with her dad? Settled, only to be divorced with two kids after only a few years? No thanks. Perhaps she could save some money and join Hannah in Australia. But that had been Hannah’s dream, not her own.
Damn Mark. Damn Hannah. Damn her poorly paid nursing job!
‘Damn!’ She picked up the soggy tea towel and whipped it against the table. When that didn’t help, she whipped it again and again. Punctuating every crack of her whip with another, ‘Damn, Damn, Damn, Damn, DAMN!’
‘You all right, love?’ Her mum stood in the doorway looking concerned.
She threw aside the tea towel and busied herself tidying up her brother’s lunch. ‘Yeah, I’m fine.’
‘Hmmm, okay. Well, Alex seems nice. Shame he didn’t stay…’ she said, clicking the kettle on before she began to help Ellie tidy up.
Subtle, Mum, real subtle.‘Yeah, he’s lovely.’ She refused to rise to the bait.
‘Has he got a boyfriend?’
Ellie stopped still. ‘What?’
‘Well, I just presumed he was gay,’ said her mum with a defensive shrug of her shoulders.
‘Why? Because he came home with me and that must make him gay?’ Ellie asked waspishly, already irritated that she had, as always, risen to the bait.
‘Of course not,’ snapped her mum. But Ellie knew the truth. Her mum was tormented by her own body issues, andunfortunately that had had a knock-on effect on Ellie. She’d been able to ignore most of it when she’d left home, had even repaired some of the damage caused by her mum’s dieting obsession. But now she was home, it felt like death by a thousand cuts.
She grabbed her phone from the side, trying not to feel disheartened at the lack of notifications. Brutal confirmation of her one-way ticket to Delulu-loser-ville.
‘He’s just very polite and sweet. You were the one that said nothing happened between the two of you. What else was I supposed to think?’
Ellie rolled her eyes – and almost dropped her phone when it started to ring.
Her mum watched her with wide eyes and growing excitement as Ellie listened to the person on the other end of the phone.
‘Sure, why not, seven p.m. is fine,’ she said, and ended the call.
Her mum clutched the kitchen counter as if to steady herself. ‘Was that…?’
