‘It’s fabulous.’ Della emerged onto the veranda moments later. ‘It’s really modern. How much did it cost?’ she asked bluntly.
Shauna ignored the question and took the plate of food Bobby proffered. She’d completely lost her appetite.
‘I’m starving,’ whined Kathryn, coming out onto the veranda with two of Chloe’s dolls. ‘Can I have something to eat?’
‘Mom, she’s got my dolls and she never asked me,’ Chloe protested.
‘Now don’t be mean. It’s good to share, Chloe,’ Della intervened briskly. ‘Isn’t that right, Shauna?’
Shauna wanted to slap her. How could she not agree that sharing was good without seeming churlish? But she wanted to stand up for her daughter too. Della had her backed into a corner and she knew it. She could see the triumphant glint in her sister-in-law’s eye. Chloe looked at her anxiously.
‘It’s good to share but it’s manners to ask first, Kathryn. It’s rude to go through people’s cupboards,’ she retorted. ‘Isn’t that right, Della?’ She knew she was being childish but she didn’t care. Ha! she thought, as Della’s lips tightened in annoyance.
‘Want some, want some.’ Ashley interrupted the tit-for-tatting as he tried to grab the Ribena drink Chloe was sipping.
‘Stop that, Ashley,’ Carrie ordered.
‘Won’t! Want some.’ The little boy stamped his foot.
‘Any spare grub there, Bobby?’ Eddie queried.
‘’Fraid not. If you want to go to the supermarket and get a few burgers and sausages I’ll toss them on the barbecue for you,’ Bobby offered grudgingly. ‘Didn’t know you were coming.’
Well done, Bobby, Shauna thought approvingly. She tried to take some control of the situation.
‘Della, why don’t you go for a walk on the beach? We’ll be finished here in an hour and I’ll make a nice cup of tea for you when you come back.’
Della’s eyes narrowed. ‘I don’t feel like a walk at the moment. We’ll just sit here and relax. Do you have any more chairs?’
‘No. I’ll get a rug and you can spread it on the grass, if you like,’ Carrie said shortly.
‘Grand.’ Della was defiant.
‘I’ll go and get it.’ Carrie put her plate on the table and stalked off the veranda to go up to the office and get a rug.
‘What are you eating?’ Kathryn asked Chloe.
‘Ribs,’ Chloe declared, chomping on a spare rib with gusto.
‘Can I have a bite?’ her cousin asked hope-fully.
Chloe looked at Shauna, uncertain.
‘Here, have one of mine.’ Bobby stepped in and slapped a rib on a plate and handed it to the little girl.
‘Yummy,’ Kathryn said triumphantly.
‘Want some,’ screeched Ashley.
‘Give your brother a bite,’ Bobby ordered.
‘Give me a bite too,’ Eddie demanded.
Shauna couldn’t believe her ears.
‘Have one of mine,’ Noel offered kindly. ‘I’ve more than enough food here.’
‘Ta.’ Eddie didn’t need to be asked twice.
‘I’ll have a bit of the salad there, that will keep me going,’ Della piped up. ‘Pass me over a plate, Bobby.’
Bobby handed her a plate, gobsmacked. And watched as she helped herself to a large portion of Caesar salad and some tomatoes in basil.
‘Is that potato going a-begging?’ Eddie motioned to a baked potato wrapped in tinfoil.
‘That’s Carrie’s,’ Shauna snapped.
‘Ah I’m sure she won’t mind giving me a chunk of it.’ Eddie stood up and cut the potato in half, helped himself to a spare plate and ladled on some coleslaw.
‘Eating outside just adds to the flavour, doesn’t it?’ Della remarked airily, leaning across Eddie and helping herself to a portion of feta cheese and olives.
‘Indeed it does,’ Noel agreed. ‘I’ve never eaten at a barbecue before. It’s very, very tasty. Thank you for doing the cooking, Bobby,’ he said to his son. ‘You should have been a chef.’
‘No thanks, Dad, I think the hotel chef is the most stressed man in the building.’ Bobby shook his head.
By the time Carrie got back with the rug, Della, Eddie, Kathryn and Ashley were eating all round them, Della sitting in the chair Carrie had vacated, Eddie seated in Shauna’s.
‘Mam, I’ll sit on the rug,’ Davey offered, as Carrie shook it out.
‘Good idea. You kids go and sit on the rug and let us grown-ups have the chairs,’ Della approved. ‘Let Shauna sit on your chair, Olivia, and go down on the rug,’ she added bossily.
Olivia threw her a filthy look and sat where she was.
‘Stay where you are, Olivia, I’ll sit on the step.’ Shauna hunkered down on the step of the veranda and Chloe came and sat beside her. Carrie sat in Davey’s chair.
‘So, tell us all the news,’ Della said gaily. ‘How’s Greg? When’s he coming home? When can I collect my silk?’ She settled back, ready to be entertained.
Shauna could hardly eat she was so angry. ‘He’s fine, he’ll be home in August,’ she muttered, thoroughly pissed off. Couldn’t Della see how unwelcome she was? The only one of the family who was being any way nice to her was Noel. How could she sit there, brazen-faced, pretending everything was hunky-dory? What did it take? Did Shauna have to stand up and tell her bluntly to get lost? Was that what it was going to take to get some respite from the in-laws from hell? They made Shauna feel so helpless. It was infuriating.
It was many hours later before the Keegans finally left. Carrie had eventually excused herself and gone back to the office. Noel had been quite happy to sit and chat to Della. Eddie had snored his head off; the children had gone up to the playground accompanied by Shauna, who had slipped her paperback into her bag. She was damned if she was going to sit entertaining Della for the afternoon.
‘How will we get rid of them? Can you believe how cheeky they are?’ Carrie asked irritably as she joined her sister on the bench at the side of the playground.
‘Could we say we were going over to Sadie’s for tea?’ Shauna suggested.
‘I could give her a ring and tell her what’s going on,’ Carrie agreed.
‘Don’t. There’s no point. Della would probably say they’d come too. Or else she’ll tell us to go and they’ll stay at the mobile. And when we get back she’ll have Ashley in bed or something and tell us that they’re all staying the night,’ Shauna said despondently.
‘True. Nix that.’ Carrie gave a sigh that came from her toes.
Shauna chewed her lip. ‘This is the pits, Carrie. She’s never going to leave us alone now. I can see her plotting and planning already. Did you hear her going on about the four beds for guests? She’ll be down for weekends and then, when the kids are off school in July, she’ll be here for a week at least. It’s not fucking fair.’
‘You’ll just have to have it out with her. Lay down your boundaries, Shauna, and nip it in the bud now or you’ll be stuck with her. Don’t let her ruin your summer,’ Carrie warned.
‘I know, I know,’ Shauna groaned. The phone in the office rang.
‘I’d better go and answer that. I’ll come down with you in a little while and we’ll see if we can put the skids under them.’ Carrie stood up to go.
‘Thanks,’ Shauna said distractedly, picking up her book. It was pointless trying to read. She could feel her tension levels rising. She saw Ashley pulling Chloe off the swing. She jumped up. ‘Ashley Keegan, you stop that right now or I’ll send you back to your mother,’ she warned. Ashley stuck his tongue out at her. ‘You little brat. Go down to your mother this minute,’ she ordered.
‘Will not.’ He ran round to the slide.
‘He never does what he’s told,’ Kathryn informed Shauna matter-of-factly.
‘Well, you go down and tell your mother that he’s being a very bold boy,’ Shauna clipped.
‘Do I have to?’ her niece pouted.
‘Yes, this minute.’ Shauna felt she was losing control of the s
ituation fast. What would she do if Kathryn refused? She could hardly manhandle the pair of them off the play area.
‘OK,’ the young girl said sulkily. She marched off in high dudgeon. Shauna waited for Della to appear . . . and waited.
Kathryn arrived back. Eventually. ‘She’ll be up in a minute,’ she said. ‘And she wants to know if I can have a pair of Chloe’s togs to go swimming in? Except she’ll have to tie the straps in a knot ’cos Chloe’s so fat and I’m not,’ Kathryn said artlessly.
Chloe burst into tears. ‘I’m not fat. Sure I’m not, Mom.’
‘No, darling, you’re not.’ Shauna was horrified as she hugged her daughter. ‘That’s a very unkind thing to say, Kathryn.’
‘Well that’s what Mommy said.’ Kathryn shrugged.
I’ll swing for that bitch, Shauna swore silently as she dried her daughter’s tears. Kathryn was a skinny little stick because she wasn’t half fed. She and Chloe were completely different builds. She felt a frisson of inadequacy. If Chloe was a little chunky it was her fault for letting Filomena take her to the Pizza Hut so often. She was going to have to start watching what Chloe ate and take more of an interest in her nutrition, she acknowledged guiltily. This only deepened her resentment of Della and co. Carrie was right. She was going to have to put her foot down or else the summer was going to be ruined.
Bobby slipped home after the lunch on the pretext of collecting his iPod. He phoned Anton and acted out the whole scenario over the phone, much to his partner’s amusement.
‘They can’t be that bad.’ He chuckled.
‘They are and worse. The Simpsons aren’t even in the race when the Keegans are around,’ Bobby assured him.
‘Poor Shauna,’ Anton murmured. ‘She’s never going to get rid of them.’
‘I know. It’s a real problem.’
‘How’s it going otherwise?’
‘Not bad at all, surprisingly,’ Bobby informed him. ‘The few days went very fast. Dad’s making a big effort. I think he likes it that I’m cooking for him and fussing over him and cleaning the house. I whitewashed the yard this morning. He’s content to sit and read his paper and potter in his glasshouse. I suppose it’s lonely for him living on his own. He seems to like it that I’m around. How’s your mum?’
‘Coming on well but in a lot of pain. Dad’s really missing her. Just as well I stayed. He’s not great at looking after himself.’ Anton sighed. ‘Something else we have in common, elderly parents.’
‘Yeah. I guess we just have to muddle along and do the best we can for them. I’m glad I came home. All in all it’s been a good trip, but I’m longing to see you,’ Bobby confessed.
‘Me, too,’ Anton assured him. ‘I’ll have a meal ready for you when you get home.’
‘Great. Any chance of your beef stir-fry with noodles?’ Bobby asked hopefully.
‘If beef stir-fry with noodles is what your little heart desires, that’s what you’ll have,’ Anton assured him. ‘Now go and rescue your sisters.’
‘I suppose I’d better,’ Bobby agreed. ‘That lot are heading for trouble, though. I think this time they’ve pushed Shauna too far,’ he predicted cheerfully. ‘I’d like to be there when they get their comeuppance.’
‘It would be nice to stay the night,’ Della remarked casually as the sun began to set behind them in the west and the sea turned from blue grey to pearly.
‘Not tonight, if you don’t mind, Della,’ Shauna said curtly. ‘It’s Bobby’s last night and we wanted to spend time together as a family. It’s a long time since he’s been home.’
‘But we are family.’ Della was not to be put off.
‘Not tonight. The kids have planned a sleepover and there won’t be enough room.’ Shauna was adamant and her face was like thunder. Even Della knew she’d pushed too far.
‘OK, some other time then,’ she said sulkily.
‘Actually, Della, would you mind heading off now? I’d like to start getting Chloe to bed and she won’t go when her cousins are here. It’s long past her bedtime.’ Shauna stood up briskly and began to clear away teacups and saucers.
‘Good thinking, Shauna. I’d want to get my lot ready for bed too. Hannah’s wall falling. She’ll be like a bag of cats tomorrow if I don’t put her to bed soon.’ Carrie jumped up to help her.
Della made no move to go. Carrie eyeballed her. ‘I’ll call the kids so you can get them ready,’ she said firmly. She marched off the veranda and headed for the playground, fuming. That woman wouldn’t even take a blatant hint. She was the absolute pits.
‘Ashley, Kathryn, it’s time to go. Say goodbye to your cousins,’ she instructed crisply from the edge of the playground. ‘And you guys,’ she turned to the others, ‘come on down to Shauna’s and get into your pyjamas. It’s getting late.’
‘Aw, Mam,’ protested Olivia. ‘You said we could stay up late for a special occasion.’
‘You can. I just need to get Hannah to bed, so come down now anyway and play around Shauna’s mobile. It’s getting late and people want a bit of peace and quiet in the park,’ she said firmly.
Grumbling, the others did as they were told. Ashley stayed on the swing. ‘No way,’ he declared, swinging faster. Carrie’s lips thinned. She strode round to the back of the swing and hoisted him off by the scruff of the neck, much to his annoyance.
‘When I tell you to do something, you do it, and don’t give me any of your lip,’ she snapped.
‘You’re not my mommy,’ he retorted cheekily, kicking at the bark under the swing.
‘Thank God,’ Carrie growled. ‘Now get going or I’ll give you a good clatter.’
Even Ashley Keegan would not defy Carrie when she spoke in that tone and he marched along in front of her, glowering at her every so often. All he got were glowers back in return.
With many whinges and moans, and great reluctance on Della’s part, the Keegans finally said goodnight. Carrie, Shauna and Bobby watched them go, not even making the effort to wave. Noel was at a parish meeting and had said his goodbyes earlier.
‘Right. I’m putting Hannah to bed,’ Carrie declared, kissing her exhausted toddler.
‘What a perfectly lovely day ruined.’ Shauna scowled.
‘Not quite,’ Bobby interjected mischievously. ‘I’ve three bottles of Cloudy Bay and a big dish of fresh prawns and scallops that I got off the boats earlier today chilling in Dad’s fridge. I had no intention of producing them when the Freeloaders were here.’ He grinned. ‘Let’s have a midnight feast.’
Dan guffawed. ‘Way to go, Bobby. I think Della’s finally met her match.’ He’d arrived from work to find his wife and sister-in-law with faces on them that would curdle milk.
‘She needn’t think she’s going to pull stunts like she did today for the rest of the summer.’ Shauna grimaced.
‘Forget her. She’s gone. Plonk your ass in the chair there and prepare to eat, drink and be merry. I’ll pop up to Dad’s and get the goodies,’ Bobby ordered, throwing a few more coals on the barbecue to ward off the chill of evening.
‘I love when you boss me around, Bobby.’ Shauna grinned, sinking into a white chair. Now that Della and co. were gone she was beginning to relax again. It was Bobby’s last evening at home, and she intended to make the most of it. And Cloudy Bay was her absolute favourite wine.
Cloudy Bay, prawns and scallops, and the gang ensconced on the veranda beside the glowing barbecue coals with a silver moon shining on a silver sea. What more could she want?
‘They are the rudest, most ignorant and inhospitable family I’ve ever had the misfortune to encounter. What Greg was doing marrying into them, I’ll never know. Did you see the way they practically threw us out?’ Della was incandescent with rage as she drove out of Whiteshells Bay.
Eddie, slumped in the front seat beside her, grunted something unintelligible.
‘Don’t wanna go home,’ wailed Kathryn. ‘I want to sleep in the caravan.’
‘I’m hungry,’ whined Ashley.
‘I�
��m hungry too,’ Kathryn snivelled.
‘Be quiet,’ hissed Della as she spun round a corner on two wheels, brakes squealing.
‘Mind your driving,’ her husband growled.
Della ignored him. ‘That Shauna one is as cute as a fox. She wasn’t even going to mention anything about buying that mobile home. If we hadn’t gone visiting to Whiteshells Bay we’d have known nothing about it. How mean can you get? Well, she doesn’t own it, it’s Greg’s too and I’m going to ask him if we can have it when that one’s not here,’ Della informed her husband as she drove over a ramp at speed and nearly decapitated him.
He was definitely not feeling as sore, Greg decided as he gingerly inspected his wounded manhood. The phone rang and he pulled up his shorts and went to answer it. He was back in Abu Dhabi and for the first time since the vasectomy he was envisaging the possibility that all would be well.
‘Well, brother, how are you?’ His younger sister’s voice floated down the line.
‘Fine. What’s up?’ he asked, surprised to hear from her. They weren’t great ones for keeping in touch.
‘Nothing,’ Della assured him. ‘Just ringing to see how you were. We had a barbecue with your nearest and dearest yesterday in your new mobile home. Congratulations; it’s a great buy. You certainly know how to relax and enjoy yourselves. You have it down to a fine art. Shauna has, anyway,’ Della remarked sweetly.
‘Do you think so?’ Greg raised his eyebrows. Della wasn’t usually so effusive.
‘I do, and you both deserve it. But listen, you and Shauna will only use it for a couple of months and then it will be empty. I’m sure you’d have no objections to myself, Eddie and the kids using it the odd weekend?’
‘Sort it with Shauna. I’m sure she won’t mind.’ Greg poured himself a Scotch. His mobile phone erupted into Mozart 40 on the coffee table.
‘Have to go, Della, my mobile’s ringing. See you in August,’ he said hastily.
‘Great, and we can definitely use your caravan?’ Della pressed.
‘Sure. ’Bye,’ Greg agreed, wishing she’d get off the line. The number coming up on his mobile belonged to his boss and he wanted to take the call.
Divided Loyalties Page 34