Page 57 of The Story of Us
I look around at everyone in the room. “Fuck, wow she really does hate me, because she’s gone all out to ruin my life and keep us apart all this time. I need a drink.”
I am so angry, angry to the point where I can’t think or see straight, I need a drink, I need a cigarette, I need a joint and I need my Mum out of my sight while I try to make sense of all of this, my head right at that moment, feels like it’s about to explode.
CHAPTER 18
The problem with open plan houses, is that you can’t make a grand exit, you can storm off in indignation but there are no doors to slam, which, let’s face it, is what you really need to do to get your point across and to let everyone know just how pissed off you are. The other problem is that there are no rooms where you can lock yourself away and have a good cry when the need takes and I think that right at that moment, that’s perhaps what I need to do.
I go into the kitchen and retrieve the wine glass I left there earlier, I pour myself a drink and lean back against the work top and look across to my family all gathered in the lounge area. I watch Len, Jim and Marley, all deep in conversation. I watch Bailey, pat Sean on the back, say something to him and shake his hand, then begrudgingly my eyes go over to my parents, they are sitting side by side. My Mum seems to be trying to explain something to my Dad¸ he has her hand in his and I watch as he brings it to his lips and kisses the back of it, he nods in agreement at whatever it is that she’s saying and they both look up at the same time toward me. She stands and the room falls quiet as she heads in my direction; I take a long chug on my wine and watch as she approaches.
“We really need to talk Georgia, I really need you to understand that what I did, I did out of love and concern for my daughter. What I did, I did to protect you.” I don’t want to cry, I want to be strong and defiant and nasty to her, I want to say spiteful, hurtful things, instead I just say what comes into my head as I really don’t have the capacity to think too much right now.
“I understand all of that Mum but what you also forgot along the way is that you’re my friend and friends don’t keep secrets from each other, even if they think it’s going to cause pain, they tell each other the truth, they share and then they’re there for you, then they help you to pick up the pieces and move on.”
“Well Jimmie lied to you too; you don’t seem to be angry with her.”
“Oh no, no, don’t even go there, Jimmie was asked, by you I might add, not to mention something. She didn’t blatantly, barefaced lie to me.” Sean appears from behind my Mum and comes and stands next to me, taking my hand in his. “Mum, I’ve had the night from hell, I really don’t want to talk about this anymore, I need to think, I need to get my head around the fact that for the last four years, someone has gone out of their way to fuck up my life and you helped them to do it.”
She goes to say something but I hold my hand up to stop her and shake my head. “Please just go, I’m going to take tomorrow off and maybe next week too, I’m sure you and Ash can cope.”
“Don’t do this George, please talk to me.”
“I can’t right now Mum, just give me some time.”
“One day Georgia, one day you will be a mother and then you will totally understand my actions.”
I shrug and look at her. “Who knows?”
She lets out a deep sigh, then turns and walks away. My Dad gives me a cuddle. “Don’t be so hard on her Princess, she loves you more than life, she thought she was doing the right thing.”
“I know Dad, I know.” Is all I can come up with, I just don’t want to argue right now, not with anyone.
He shakes Sean’s hand. “Look after her Maca.”
Sean puts his arm around me and pulls me in tight, kisses the top of my head and says, “I will Frank, I will.”
My parents leave and I just want to go and throw myself down on the sofa but Sean pulls me back as I go to walk away from him, I wrap my arms around his neck. “We need to talk G.”
“Not tonight we don’t Sean; I’m exhausted, I just wanna flop.”
He bends his knees slightly so that we are at eye level. “Okay but tomorrow, we talk.”
“Fine,” I agree; he holds my hand as we walk back into the lounge and I sit down next to Marley, I lay down and put my head on his lap. Sean lifts up my legs and puts them in his lap, he pulls off my boots I was wearing and throws them on the floor, then starts to massage my feet; Marley looks down into my face.
“Eww George, you have the biggest bogies up your nose, they’re like boulders.” I smile up at him and shake my head.
“Well I can’t see anything up your nose; your nostrils are hairier than Dad’s.”
His hand flies to his nose. “Fuck off; I do not have hairy nostrils.”
We stare right at each other for a few seconds. “That was horrible, what just happened with you and Mum, intense and horrible, I love you and I’m so sorry, this all started with me getting off my nut and wanting to shag.”
“No.” I say quickly. “Do not say her name.”
“Well whatever George, I’m just saying, I should never have dragged Maca into it, and then none of this would ever have happened.” I sit myself up as Sean scoots up and sits in tight next to me.
“Marls, how many times do I need to say this, we were both at fault, neither of us should have gone back to that room with her, we both knew…”
“Enough, enough. That bitch has fucked with my life for long enough, it ends now, I don’t want anyone blaming anyone for any of this anymore, including yourselves, what’s done is done. I hate her and if I ever get my hands on her, I will kill the bitch but I’m not letting her actions eat away at me anymore, she’s taken all she’s getting from me.” Baileys lying spread out on the two seater my parents were sitting on earlier, his long lanky legs hanging off the end. “I can’t believe the bitch got away with it all for so long.”
