‘Hear, hear!’ said Rufus, nodding in agreement with his wife.
‘Bridie has put her life in London and on the stage behind her – finally.’
Bridie opened her mouth. That wasn’t strictly true. This was just temporary. Her dad knew it too because he knew what she was going to say before she’d had a chance to open her mouth.He raised his eyebrows at her and imperceptibly shook his head, warning her off contradicting her mother.
Bridie kept her mouth shut for the time being. They’d know soon enough when she got another show and headed back to London.
Kate turned to her sister. ‘I know what you’re thinking – this is temporary. You better get used to the fact that it’s not. You’ll never work on the London stage again.’
It was their dad’s turn to tell her to shut up. ‘Kate, there is no need for that.’
‘But there is. You should have seen her outburst on stage. She needs a reality check.’
‘Well, perhaps so do you, sweetheart,’ said Mum. ‘Your daughter is nearly fifteen. She will make her way in the world doing things she wants to do, eventually. Now, you’ve got to decide whether you are going to support her and show a united front with Andy, or not.’
‘Oh, like you and Dad did when Bridie announced she wanted to go to drama club and act on the stage?’
Bridie started helping herself to some takeaway, thinking how her parents had showed a united front all right; they hadn’t wanted her on the stage – although she had always believed, for some reason over the years, that her dad secretly supported her.
Now, the three of them were arguing over Layla, over Kate’s refusal to let her do what she wanted. But Bridie knew her parents really didn’t have a leg to stand on, given that they had tried to stop her too when she was around Layla’s age.
Bridie sighed. At this rate, they’d be standing there bickering all evening, and the food would get cold. She looked at the door and started to retreat. Nobody noticed her step out of the kitchen with a plate full of food and head up the stairs to her room. She could still hear them, their voices dulled but arguing nonetheless. If she could have slipped out with her suitcase shewould have done, but now she’d have nowhere to go. The shop would be closed, and Hannah would have gone home.
She left her food on her desk and returned downstairs to look in on the puppy. His food bowl was empty. She had planned to take him out in the garden in case he needed to go, but he was fast asleep in his crate. Bridie gently closed the door and headed back upstairs, passing the argument in the kitchen. She was looking forward to moving into a little flat all on her own with blessed peace and quiet in the morning. Who could have known that moving back with her parents would be so … complicated?
Chapter 19
‘What’s this?’ asked Bridie’s dad.
Bridie was on her way out of the house with her suitcase when her dad caught her leaving. She halted. Talk about déjà vu. ‘I said I’d stay one more night. I’m leaving today – remember?’
‘But you haven’t even had breakfast.’
‘I had a slice of toast. I was up before you guys.’ Contrary to her expectations, Bridie had not had a good night’s sleep. She’d expected that now she had a job, and a flat to move into, she’d have the best night’s sleep, but of course she hadn’t. All that the temporary job and temporary flat had done was confirm to her the mess her life was in. She was in her thirties and relying on the kindness of strangers. And family. It had hit her in the early hours that if it wasn’t Hannah ora her parents, it would be her grandad. He’d put her up in a heartbeat, which reminded her that she really needed to call him. He was bound to be worrying about her after hearing what had happened.
She wished he’d agreed to come to her dad’s retirement party in a fortnight. Then at least she could speak to him in person. Perhaps she could persuade him to come when she gave him a call.
Bridie stepped forward and gave her dad a hug. ‘Where’s Mum?’
‘Sorting through the post in the kitchen over a morning cuppa.’
Bridie shouted out, ‘Bye, Mum.’ She waited a moment, exchanging a glance with her dad, hoping her mum would step out of the kitchen and give her a hug too before she left.
‘Wait – Bridie!’
Bridie and her dad exchanged a smile as her mum rushed out of the kitchen. ‘Here – you have a letter.’ She thrust it at Bridie.
‘Oh, right. I don’t want any correspondence from Julian, thank you.’ She didn’t know why he’d be writing to her.Because I’ve blocked him on my phone,she thought.
‘It’s not from Julian.’
‘How do you know – did you open it?’ Bridie asked defensively.
‘Of course not. There’s a name and address on the back.’
‘It looks rather official,’ commented her dad.
‘Yes, that’s what I thought,’ her mum added. ‘It’s from a solicitor.’
