‘What are you on about? I just want to take Louisa to the doctors!’
‘And I said you could come with me!’
Alex appeared at the door, glancing uneasily from Billie to Zoe and then back again. ‘What’s the matter?’
‘I’m taking Billie and Louisa to the surgery,’ Zoe said firmly, glaring at Billie to dare her to contradict. ‘We’re going to get Simon or Emilia to look at Louisa.’
‘Why?’ Alex suddenly looked panicked. ‘Is she worse? I thought?—’
‘Just in case,’ Zoe said. ‘Billie is worried.’
‘Oh, that’s it,’ Billie snapped. ‘You’re doing it again – making me sound unreasonable because I want to be sure!’
‘That’s not what I’m doing! I’m indulging you because?—’
‘Indulgingme?’
‘OK.’ Zoe realised her mistake. ‘That’s not the right word. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it to sound?—’
‘Well it did! You think I’m having a breakdown! I’m taking the pills, you know, so you needn’t think I’m off my nut about this!’
‘Bill?’ Alex turned to her. ‘I’m sure Zoe didn’t mean?—’
‘Well of course you’d take her side!’ Billie said. ‘Zoe can’t do anything wrong in your eyes.’
‘I’d say the same about you,’ Zoe replied, again, regretting her clapback but too late to stop it coming out.
Alex looked even more panicked as things escalated, and as he stepped in between the women, he shot a pleading look at them both. ‘I don’t know what’s going on, but as the only man in the household, I fear I’m woefully ill-equipped to deal with it. I know it’s a big ask, but could we try to work something out to resolve it?’
‘There’s nothing to resolve,’ Billie said.
With that, she took Louisa upstairs, and Alex turned to Zoe with a silent question.
‘She’s worried about Louisa,’ Zoe said. ‘And I don’t think she needs to be.’
‘Did you say that to her? It sounds a bit condescending.’
‘Of course I didn’t say it like that! Credit me with some sense!’
‘I’m sorry,’ Alex said, and the look of hurt reproach on his face popped Zoe’s ire in an instant.
‘No,’ she sighed. ‘I’m sorry. I know you didn’t mean…You just happened to wander into the middle of a war zone this morning, and it’s not your fault.’
‘I suppose it was naïve to imagine the household would always be harmonious. We’re all still getting to know one another.’
Zoe nodded. ‘And there have been a lot of changes in a short space of time, with Louisa arriving and me moving in, and thenthe camping pods opening. If this is the worst falling-out we ever have, then I’m sure we’ll count ourselves lucky.’
‘I hope it is. I don’t like to see you at odds.’
Zoe shrugged. ‘It’s going to happen from time to time. Neither of us are trying to make trouble, but we are both adults with different opinions on things.’
‘I suppose sometimes I forget that Billie’s an adult.’
‘I don’t. And if I did, she’s reminded me of that fact today.’
‘I’ll talk to her?—’
‘There’s no need, and you might make things worse. I don’t need you to fight my battles, and I don’t want you to side with me if you think I’m wrong.’
