Her phone beeped as a message came in. She read it and sighed. It was from Jessie.
I have a shift at the pub tonight, so I won’t be home until late. Jx
Sarah huffed. She was all alone again. Okay, Paulette would be in, but that wasn’t the same as spending time with your partner.
She couldn’t help but think that Jessie was tiring of her. They seemed to be getting on but she felt like they were an old married couple before their time, and they weren’t even married. She was eighteen years old with a nine-month-old daughter and a part-time man. What was all that about? Why couldn’t she have some good luck in her life?
And every time he stayed out late, thoughts ran through her mind about other girls. On the odd occasions they did go out on a date, she’d watched them willingly throw themselves at him when he’d gone to the bar to fetch a drink. He was such a flirt too, always laughing and egging them on. Then when she got upset about it, he’d call her a nag.
So was he really working tonight or was he with someone else? She squeezed her eyes tightly shut to ridherself of the images she was conjuring up. Still, she didn’t bother to reply to his message.
When he staggered into their bedroom at half past one, Sarah smelt the booze from across the room.
‘You’re late,’ she snapped.
‘There was a lock up when my shift finished.’ Jessie burped loudly.
‘Be quiet!’ she whispered. ‘You’ll wake Poppy up.’
‘Sorry.’ Jessie flopped face down on the bed. ‘I’m wasted.’
‘When are you ever not?’
‘Don’t start. I haven’t got the energy to argue,’ he muttered and turned his face away from her.
She switched off the lamp and lay back fuming. Why couldn’t she have found herself a decent boyfriend? One who would treasure her and Poppy? Or why…
She stopped herself mid-thought. This wasn’t Poppy’s fault. She’d brought her into this world. But Sarah wished she’d waited now, had Poppy in a few years’ time. When it would have been easier to cope. When she would have seen more than this crappy estate. When she would have felt ready to be a mother.
A few minutes later, she wanted to cover Jessie’s face with a pillow as he snored beside her while she struggled to get back to sleep. He hadn’t even bothered to remove his clothes. What a loser.
Poppy snuffled in her sleep, and she listened to see if she was going to wake. Thankfully, she never stirred.
Rearing a child would be hard, her mother had said.That was okay really. It was having to do everything by herself when she was part of a couple that riled her. She needed to have a good talk to Jessie.
But then she realised how much Paulette did for her and for Poppy and knew she was trapped. Perhaps things would get better when Poppy was older. She prayed they would.
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
Louisa had recently woken from a nap. She’d gone to sleep with a blinding headache, hoping to rid herself of it, but it was still there. She sighed in frustration. Is this all she had to look forward to in life now? More debilitating pain and exhaustion?
A few minutes later, she dragged herself up from the bed and popped in to see Daisy. She was still asleep, all curled up like a kitten, so she left her there and went downstairs.
In the kitchen, Richard and Sarah were sitting at the table. They both glanced at her, but it was Richard who spoke first.
‘What’s going on?’ she asked, sensing something was wrong.
‘We need a word with you,’ Richard said.
Her brow furrowed. ‘What about?’
Richard pointed at an empty chair.
After a pause, Louisa sat across from them, hands in her lap. She wondered if this was it. The moment where they confessed they were in love and wanted her and Daisy to leave. A feeling of relief flooded through her at the thought she would be able to get away. Sure, her sister had betrayed her, and her husband was a bastard, but she would have the chance to start again, somewhere fresh with Daisy and get the treatment she needed to be well again and…
‘Louisa,’ Richard broke into her thoughts. ‘We want to know how you are…after last night.’
She threw him a look. ‘Sorry, I’m not with you.’
