So I tell her everything, it literally pours out of me. How I think Alison is responsible for my mum’s fall, for how tired she is, how Alison has made threats against Mum, how she’s trying to push me out, how she’s always all over Nick. And finally about the jar of peanut butter I found in the cupboard.
Jodie shrieks ‘No way!’ at that.
‘She’s out to get her own back because it’s my fault her mum died,’ I say. ‘The trouble is, how far will she go?’
Jodie listens and calms me down. ‘Liz, you have to let this go. You’ll make yourself ill. You were a kid and what happened was an accident. Look, why don’t you and the kids come and stay with me for the weekend? I don’t like you being there on your own without Nick.’
She’s worried about me. I can hear it in her voice. Nick is too.
Am I having a breakdown again?
I’m worried about me too. And I don’t want to stay here alone, so I agree to Jodie’s suggestion of staying with her tomorrow night. It will be nice to have a chat over a glass of wine and Jodie is good for me, she has such a no-nonsense attitude. I’m coming home on Saturday night though, before Rob comes back. He doesn’t need me and my kids there.
I tell Nick about my plans when he phones later that night.
‘That’s great. You and Jodie can have a catch-up,’ he says, clearly pleased. ‘I’m hoping I can sort things out up here in a couple of days, love. I should be home by Sunday evening.’
I hope he is. I miss Nick. And I’ve decided that when he comes home I’m going to tell him everything. I’m going to tell Mum too. I can’t keep carrying this guilt around with me.
And then Alison will have nothing on me.
39
It’s time to put the plan in action. I can’t hang about much longer, the clock is ticking. I have to be careful though that no one suspects me. And that it looks like an accident. I’ve got no intention of going to prison so I need to plan it carefully. Cover all possibilities.
Judith is a lot weaker now, I’ve made sure of that. And as for Lizzie, the anxiety is eating her up. She’s jumping at her own shadow, paranoia is taking over. I would have loved to have seen her face when she found that jar of peanut butter in the cupboard. I bet that sent her over the edge. I can imagine her, leaning against the side, her chest tightening, taking deep breaths to try and control her panic attack.
Apparently she’s been eaten up with guilt for years but I have no sympathy for her. She got to have her mum while she was growing up. And look at her now, living in a comfortable house, loving husband and family. She’s got it all. Well, not for much longer.
I look at the signature again. It’s good, but then it should be the time I took practising it. No one would ever guess it was a forgery.
I smile and I put it in the envelope. Soon Lizzie will lose everything. And I will gain it all.
FRIDAY
40
LIZZIE
I wake up the next morning feeling brighter. I’m not going to let Alison drag me down into a pit of despair again. I owe it to my kids to keep strong. I tell Isaac and Grace over breakfast that we’re going to stay at Jodie’s that night and they’re delighted. They both get on with Millie, and Grace adores playing with Freddie.
While the kids eat breakfast I check my tutor page and am relieved to see that there aren’t any more one-star ratings. Maybe it was just a disgruntled student who didn’t get the grade. There are several assignments to mark and a couple of students want a one-to-one session. I’ll do that this morning, then I’ll visit Mum this afternoon before I pick the kids up and go to Jodie’s.
The morning whizzes by. It’s gone two before I’ve finished everything so I grab a quick sandwich and head over to Mum’s. I was hoping to pack our overnight bags and go to Jodie’s straight from school, but I’ll have to come back and do that. It doesn’t matter, it’s more important to see Mum.
I’m surprised to find Kenny’s car parked in the drive. Again. Honestly, he and Sheila practically live there. I’m a bit annoyedtoo, it means I won’t have time to talk to Mum alone. Maybe that’s for the best, though. Perhaps I should tell Nick about my part in George’s wife’s death first, then Mum.
I’m glad now that I got a key cut, I think as I put the key in the lock and open the front door, calling out, ‘It’s only me, Mum,’ as I step into the hall.
Sheila comes out of the kitchen, her face registering surprise when she sees me. ‘Oh hello, dear. I didn’t hear you knock.’
I wave the key I’m holding. ‘I let myself in.’ I want to say what are you doing here again, but it sounds rude so I opt for, ‘Have you dropped by to visit Alison?’
‘She’s popped out for a bit so she asked me and Kenny to sit with your mum.’
‘I would have done that. She should have phoned me.’
‘Alison knows how busy you are, dear. You have the children, and your work. And Nick said you haven’t been yourself just lately.’ Her eyes meet mine and I wonder exactly what Nick has told her. And when?
