‘Top idea,’ said Cameron, greeting Barry warmly.
‘You probably should be sitting down,’ said Ros. She’d not seen him this active for a while.
‘I’m fine. While I’m feeling good I figure I should get on with things.’
‘Good approach,’ said Cameron. ‘But you’ll still be doing your Yorkshire puds right?’ He seemed to freeze while he awaited Barry’s response.
‘Of course.’
‘Phew. That’s a relief.’
‘Where’s Amanda?’ asked Ros.
Barry stopped whisking. ‘Your mum popped out for a coffee maker. She’s not keen on instant.’
‘She’s making herself at home then.’ There was dis-comfort in her words.
‘She’s just trying to help, Ros. You don’t need to be so wary of her.’
‘I’ll get the potatoes started,’ she said.
‘Come on. Let me finish preparing the bread and butter pudding and then we can have a coffee and a chat like always.’
Cameron gave her a look that said she was being unreasonable. She remembered what he’d said about this all being about Barry and to not get distracted by her mother. Ros took a breath and slapped on a smile. ‘Sure, I’ll put the kettle on.’
Ros was feeling easier once they were all settled in the living room, with Gazza lying by Cameron’s feet with his legs in the air, and them all chatting about who the next Doctor Who might be. The moment burst like a balloon as a key went in the front door. The chatter stopped and everyone waited. The front door closed and Amanda appeared in the doorway holding a large box.
‘Here, let me take that,’ said Cameron, getting up quickly. Gazza looked on with disappointment that his tummy rub had been interrupted.
‘Oh, you must be the boyfriend,’ said Amanda.
‘Yes, I’m Cameron. Lovely to meet you, Mrs Foster.’
Ros and Barry winced at the same time. ‘I am not, nor have I ever been, Mrs Foster,’ said Amanda, fixing Cameron with an irritated look.
‘Oh sorry. My mistake I just assumed you and Barry were married. My apologies. Hello and pleased to meet you...’
He left a pause that Amanda didn’t fill. Barry cleared his throat. ‘We were married but she didn’t take my surname. Maybe just call her Amanda.’ He was looking to his ex-wife for her agreement.
‘I’ve never been keen on complying with social norms or bowing to the patriarchy,’ said Amanda. ‘I was also establishing myself in my profession at the time so a change of name would have been detrimental.’
‘Right,’ said Cameron, for once appearing as if maintaining his smile was a little tricky. ‘I’m very pleased to meet you, Amanda. Let me help you with that.’ He went to take the box from her.
‘I am quite capable of carrying it into the kitchen. I managed to get it from the car to here. Is your assumption that I’m not capable as a mere woman or that you would like to be seen as a knight in shining armour by coming to my aid?’
‘Err, well. I was just trying to help. But if you’re good, I’ll leave you to it.’ Cameron shoved his hands in his pockets. Amanda went off to the kitchen. Cameron hovered awkwardly in the doorway looking confused by the rebuff.
Ros was incensed by her mother’s rudeness and stormed out after her.
‘Ah, Ros, can you move whatever that is?’ she asked, nodding at Barry’s bread and butter pudding. ‘I need to put this box down.’
‘I thought you didn’t need anyone’s help. Or was it just Cameron you were being rude to?’
Amada seemed taken aback. ‘I wasn’t being rude. Simply asking what his motivation was. Are you going to move that?’
‘If you ask politely I might.’
‘Fine.’ Amanda put the box on the edge of the worktop and used it to shove the pudding out of the way.
