This village was ridiculous, although it wasn’t outside the realms of probability that her mum had had a tracker fitted to her car.
‘Yup. The baby’s super cute, very well behaved. Here, my hands are full, can you hold the bin open for me? Tatters, lovely to see you but get down a minute.’ She smiled at the lurcher, all gangly limbs and gazelle-like jumping the minute his favourite family member came through the door. He had very good taste.
‘Why?’ Jen headed into the kitchen. ‘Oh my goodness, don’t drop any of that on my carpet. You are a filthy little toad. Shoo, Tatters.’ She flapped a tea towel at the dog to try and prevent him from unbalancing her daughter.
‘I am not. I’m just a little messy. But I read a couple of articles that all said it means I’m terribly bright and have a tendency to be creative.’
‘Huh! That’s just the sort of nonsense that people who can’t clean up their cars properly say. I’m still traumatised by your childhood bedroom. It’s a miracle you didn’t have rats nibbling your toes on a nightly basis.’
‘Aw, that’s cos I had a mum who is super good at cleaning.’ Pippa leant, with her trash from the car still piled perilously high in her arms and pecked her mum’s cheek.
‘Hmpf!You might be bright and creative but that doesn’t mean you can’t whisk around with an anti-bacterial wipe now and again. Quickly, get that stuff in the bin before you drop any of it. Honestly Tatters, get in your basket.’
‘Ta, mum. Hello, baby.’ Pippa did as she was told and then bent down and made a fuss of the dog, notably not in his bed, before she turned back and addressed her mum. ‘Shall we have a cup of tea before the boys come in? I wanted to talk to you anyway.’
‘I need to talk to you about something I heard as well. Don’t go without reminding me! But what you’ve just said sounds ominous, so you best go first. Oh, or is it good news?’ Jan suddenly stopped looking worried and started to clap her hands excitedly. A bit like a seal, but with considerably less natural ability.
‘Oh no! Don’t you dare. Stop clapping!’
‘I knew it, I knew it. I’m going to get to buy a hat, aren’t I? Oh Pips, I can’t tell you how happy this has made me. Karen and I used to daydream about you two giving us grandbabies together. This is awesome. Let me call your dad!’
‘Oh my goodness. Mum! Stop!’ Pippa felt like she was about thirteen again and knew her bottom lip was sticking out with teenage petulance. ‘Will youlisten? I am not getting married to James, and as to grandchildren, they are not on their way anytime soon. But it is James I need to talk to you about.’
‘Well, if he hasn’t proposed yet, he will do soon. I just know he will. You were spotted out on Bank Holiday Monday, you know. I can’t tell you how excited I am.’
‘You don’t need to. You already have. It’s clear with every breath. And the heart biscuits you keep leaving in my house. But I need you to sit down and let me speak. I want to be honest with you. But you need to be willing to listen, okay? Let’s have a nice cup of tea. You can tell me your thing first but then youmustlisten to me.’ Pippa took charge, made a pot of tea in the see-through teapot that Jan had got for Christmas and, putting it on the little table in the kitchen, encouraged her mum to sit down with her.
‘Now, here you go. I never tire of watching the tea swirl out as it diffuses.’
‘It’s beautiful, isn’t it? I know it’s a silly thing but I love it so much. It’s a bit like a fire, or cloud watching, it can be quite hypnotic. Okay, I’ll tell you mine very quickly. You know how much I loathe that Marion woman. She fainted in the Londis today and I happened to be there. I’ll never forgive the rude things she said about the WI. Hot blooming yoga indeed, most of us are battling menopause, the last thing we need is more heat. But I am worried about her. I’ve never seen her like that before. Luckily, Lottie was working and gave her some tea and I sat her down for a chat. Now we all know there have been rumours about her marriage floating about but she was actively gaunt, she really didn’t look well. I don’t think she’s eating properly, and the most concerning thing of all was that instead of snapping my head off, she cried. Real tears. Like a proper human. She seemed really vulnerable and it scared me. She kept mumbling about how she had lost him – I assume she meant Richard – how he had missed the last two family holidays, and she sobbed, great big sobs that shook her body, Pips. It broke my heart. So, you see her in school most days, will you keep an eye on her? Be aware she may need a friend or two, a real one, not those fake ones who follow her around. Will you?’
‘You have the biggest heart, mum. I do love you. I guess I’ll have to. She’s an evil old cow but yeah, everyone has their stuff, don’t they? I’m not promising to be her best friend, but I’ll keep an eye on her, okay?’
‘Thank you. Now what did you want to talk to me about? Those boys will be back in a minute.’
‘I think you know.’ Pippa fixed her mother with a stern look. If she was promising to keep an eye out for Marion then her Mum could at least play ball with this.
‘Is it James? I think you’re being difficult about this when you don’t need to be. I just don’t think you’re thinking any of it through, my love.’
‘Thinking what through, Mum? I think I’m old enough to decide who I want to spend the rest of my life with.’
‘Well, yes of course you are. But it’s like you have this wall up, a wall that’s stopping you taking those first steps, and I’m worried you’re going to end up lonely.’
‘I’m not lonely, I’m surrounded by people all day and I share a flat with Lottie and her gruesome menagerie. Plus, I’ve got you guys. It’s cute that you’re worried, but honestly there’s no need. And I don’t have a wall up; I’ve had relationships, but they didn’t work out. That’s quite normal. I know what I want and I’m just going to wait for it. I think that’s sensible. I also think everyone should stop having a go.’ Pippa meant it, she was getting a bit fed up of this now, what with Lynne yesterday and her mum now. It would seem James coming back to the village had triggered some kind of let’s-attack-Pippa barrage.
‘I’m not trying to have a go, love. You know I love you to the moon and back, but I’m worried you’re jeopardising a chance to be happy. Companionship can bring great joy. I mean look at me and your dad. We’ve been together forever and he’s my rock, my talisman, my inspiration.’ Jan was interrupted by her inspiration coming through the kitchen door from the shed with their son, no doubt a rock-in the-making, following behind. ‘Oh, for goodness sake, I’m trying to have a mother and daughter chat here. Could you sod off back outside until I call you in? Really. Always under my feet.’
Pippa could feel the grin on her face displace her irritation as she said, ‘You were saying? Look, I want what you and dad have,reallyI do. I would love that Happily Ever After but it’s not with James and right now I haven’t met anyone who I could live with forever, male or female. Let’s face it I haven’t met anyone I could tolerate for even six months. And when I make a commitment and consider having children, both things I would like in my future, I want it to be with the right person. Not someone I’ll regret a couple of years down the line. When they come along you’ll know.Everyonewill know. But for now, I’m happy as I am and I’m not settling. And certainly not for James.’
‘All I’m saying is that you haven’t experienced the joys of being in a stable relationship yet. You seem to throw the towel in before you’ve even tried. I am scared you are missing out by waiting for a perfection that may not be achievable. No one is perfect. It doesn’t exist. James is a good bet. You’ve known him all your life and we know the family. For goodness sake, his familyisour chosen family. He works hard and makes money to provide a home. And Pippa, he’s very good-looking. I might be getting on a bit, but I can tell handsome when I see it and he is a very handsome young man. That makes for good babies. You tell me one thing wrong with him and I’ll back off.’
‘I think he could be a sociopath.’
‘No, I meant one real thing.’
‘I think that is pretty real, mum.’
‘Only this week me and Karen went and had a good look around Debenhams for mother of the bride and groom dresses. I found the loveliest floral dress, I’ll show you on the website after dinner, if you like. And Karen found a nice navy number, very flattering. I mean, Karen and I are already very organised. James is obviously keen; we just need you to hurry up, stop being so afraid of commitment and play ball.’
