Heading back into the house, she wondered if she should eat something. It was ages since she’d had a proper meal and, really, she ought to keep up her strength. She’d need it to look after two children alone all summer.
At that thought, her appetite faded again and she contented herself with a mug of coffee.
The phone rang, and Jenna’s heart thudded. Joel?
But it was Rosie’s name that flashed on the screen. Almost as nerve-wracking in the circumstances.
‘Hi, Rosie, did you?—?’
‘Jenna? It’s Mum.’
Jenna bit her lip. What was her mum doing ringing her on Rosie’s phone? As if she couldn’t guess. An ambush, that’s what it was.
‘Hi, Mum.’
‘Jenna, love, why do you need a caravan at such short notice? Rosie’s told me all about it and I’m worried. Is everything all right? I thought you seemed a bit – well – off when you visited last week.’
‘Mum, everything’s fine,’ she lied. ‘All it is – well – I just feel guilty about not booking anything for the school holidays. The twins are stuck here every day, and all their friends are going away somewhere. And I thought it would be nice for them to see more of you all. You know they love it in Kelsea Sands, and the break would probably do me good, too, so…’
‘And Joel?’
Jenna crossed her fingers. ‘Joel’s away at a conference, and then he’s got work. I thought there was no point waiting around here because you know what it’s like. He’s always so busy. Anyway, if there’s nothing available…?’
Rosie came on the phone. ‘Hiya, love. Sorry but I did ask a couple of people, and they gave me a look as if I’d suggested high treason. I’m guessing it wouldn’t go down too well if I asked everyone else and I don’t want to be drummed off the park myself, do I?’
‘No, of course not. It’s all right, Rosie. I’ll ring round some of those parks at Millensea.’
‘I think—Oh, hang on, your mum wants you.’
‘Jenna?’ Her mum’s voice was firm. ‘There’s absolutely no need for you to go looking for a caravan to hire. Why would you, when we have a perfectly good house for you to stay in?’
‘Oh, but Mum, I couldn’t!’
‘Of course you could! Mac said you’d be welcome any time and he meant it. We’ve got loads of room, and we both really enjoy it when you all come to see us.’
‘It’s a bit different to staying there, Mum. And really, we hardly know Mac and he hardly knows us. We might get on his nerves, and after all, itishis house.’
‘As far as he’s concerned, it’smyhouse too. He’s made that very clear.’
‘Okay, well it’s your house then. Yours and Mac’s. And you’re still in the honeymoon period.’
Alison awkwardly cleared her throat and Jenna heard Rosie laughing.
‘She’s not wrong, Ali. You don’t want to scar her for life with all your shenanigans.’
‘Rosie!’ her mum said in horror.
Jenna shook her head. Those two! They were like a double act, and normally she’d have found this conversation funny, but right now she was too strung out to laugh.
It was kind of her mother to offer, but could Jenna really continue to keep Joel’s desertion and adultery from her if they were living under the same roof?
On the other hand, the twins deserved this, given that their father had walked out on them without even saying goodbye. They adored Watersmeet and all the animals. They would love staying there for the holidays.
She pictured their faces when she told them, and her heart soared when she imagined the sparkle of excitement in their eyes and the joy in their voices when they whooped with delight at this unexpected turn of events.
Sod it. She would just have to make sure she kept it together in front of her mum and Mac. She could cry in bed at night if she needed to. The twins came first, and she’d do anything she could to make this holiday perfect for them.
‘Just pack your bags and come here,’ her mum was saying. ‘We’d love to have you, and you won’t be in the way, or interrupting anyshenanigans.’
