Page 88 of Snow Falls Over Starry Cove

‘Why? Why did you choose me?’

‘Because I love you.’

I shake my head as if he could see me. ‘Maybe you did, a long time ago. Now, I’m just the prize that you put on the shelf. You have to keep cherishing the woman you love, not treat her like she’s a big nuisance who scuppers your plans.’

‘But youarescuppering my plans! All I wanted was a nice easy-going woman to have my kids and live in my house. What’s wrong with that?’

Myhouse. And there he is. The stable, boring man has finally come full circle. He’s become what he was destined to be. While the nice easy-going woman he once met is no longer. Now, I’m no longer content to do as he wishes, just to be along for the ride. Now, I have my own will, my own plans, and I’m not going to let them go because he thinks he rules the roost.

‘You’ll quit your job, obviously,’ he says.

‘Obviously.’

‘Then make sure it’s on my desk by Monday,’ he snaps and hangs up.

*

Of course, it’s not long before I get a call from the MIL to give me a good, solid rollocking, and just as I’m opening up the shop.

‘Really, Emily! I’m so disappointed in you – a person of your lineage doing something so shameful.’

Here she goes – on one of her beauties… ‘I beg your pardon, Audrey?’

‘How could you do that to him?’

‘Audrey, I’m sorry, but you arenotinterfering in our lives anymore.’ Or at least not mine. ‘Your son is a grown man now. When are you both going to accept that it’s over, or do I need to break up with you officially, too?’

‘All I know is that you broke his heart.’

And then just like that, after three entire years of bowing my head for the sake of peace, I lose it. Completely.

‘What aboutmyheart?’ I challenge. ‘I wanted to keep it civilised between you and me, but now I’ve had enough. For three years I’ve been at his beck and call, both at school and at home. I’ve been at your beck and call, too, Audrey. I’ve bent over backwards in the hope of being accepted into your family. But all you do is try to manipulate me and make me look like I’m the difficult one.

‘And when I called because I’d been attacked? You said it was my fault for the way I dress! Really, Audrey! And you call yourself a philanthropist – a woman on the side of women? I don’t think so! I’m never going to be your daughter-in-law. And by the way, now I have a grandmother, a blood relation, I don’t need you to keep telling me you’re the closest thing I’ll ever have to a mother. So I’ll kindly ask you to refrain from contacting me ever again. Goodbye, and have a great life!’

And I hang up with a wild growl. The woman is unbelievable!

A loud clapping sound comes from behind and I whirl round to see none other than the omnipresent yet elusive Jago Moon, a huge grin on his face.

‘You tell her! I wish I’d seen her face. So you finally bit the bullet and sent him packing. Good for you.’

‘Are you stalking me?’ I blurt.

He snorts. ‘What…?’

‘I asked if you were stalking me. Every time I turn round, you’re there.’

He shrugs. ‘What do you expect for a village of a hundred souls?’

‘I expect a modicum of privacy.’

‘A celebrity are yeh, then?’ he scoffs.

I cross my arms. Any minute I’m going to start tapping my foot, too.

‘No, I’m not a celebrity. All I want is to be left alone.’

‘Kinda hard, you hob-nobbin’ with the high-flyin’ ladies,’ he observes.

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