Page 3 of The Winter of Second Chances
‘We’re calling to tell you we support your decision,’ said Peter.
‘Should have done it years ago!’ said Alex.
‘Oh!’ said Annie. ‘Well. This is unexpected. Who told you?’
‘Grandma,’ said Peter.
‘Of course she did,’ said Annie.
Max’s mother would have been champing at the bit to tell the boys before Annie got the chance. She imagined her as a sort of ageing racehorse in a twinset, leaping over her mahogany nest of tables and upsetting the faux Tiffany lamp to get to the phone. It was no wonder Max was such a prima donna; whatever his faults were, as far as her mother-in-law was concerned, they were down to anyone but him.
‘I’m sorry you had to hear it from someone else,’ Annie continued. ‘I was going to call you, I was just...’Sleeping mostly, she thought. ‘I was just getting my head together a bit and then I was going to tell you.’
‘We know about Dad’s affairs, Mum,’ said Alex.
‘Oh God!’ said Annie. ‘Really? How?’
‘Er, we’re not stupid,’ said Peter. ‘We’ve known for years.’
‘Years? Oh God!’ Annie groaned again. ‘I am so sorry.’
‘What areyousorry about?’ asked Alex.
‘I’m sorry that you found out,’ said Annie. ‘You were children. Children shouldn’t have to deal with their parents’ shit.’
‘Like I said,’ said Peter, ‘we weren’t stupid.’
‘Of course you weren’t,’ said Annie. ‘I was the stupid one.’
‘Shit happens,’ said Alex.
‘What a fabulous way to sum up your childhood,’ said Annie. Her head was pounding like someone was trying to remove the top of her skull with a melon-baller. ‘You’d better start making a parental snag-list and I’ll pay for your counselling.’
‘Already started,’ said Alex.
‘It wasn’t all bad,’ said Peter in a way that was meant to sound reassuring.
‘Urrgh,’ said Annie. ‘This is a nightmare. I’m stuck in a nightmare!’
‘Don’t get hysterical,’ said Alex. ‘Sooner or later everybody’s parents drop off their pedestal. It’s the natural order of things. Helps to make you grow up. Dad just fell off his a little earlier than most.’
‘When did I fall off mine?’ asked Annie.
‘You haven’t yet,’ said Peter.
‘But we remain hopeful,’ added Alex.
‘We’re hoping for something spectacular!’ said Peter. ‘A drug-fuelled sex orgy with a priest or something.’
‘Blimey!’ said Annie.
‘Let loose, Mum!’ said Alex. ‘Get pissed. Get a tattoo! Do something just for you.’
‘The world won’t stop spinning if you get off the ride and walk for a while,’ said Peter.
‘What did I do to deserve you boys?’ she asked.
‘You just got lucky, I guess,’ said Peter.
