I spun on my heel and headed for the door, not bothering to check if Matt was following me.
“Molly!” Grannie Carol called after me. “Molly! I beg you to think this through.”
I opened the door and stormed into the heat, throwing over my shoulder, “I already have!”
My legs started to shake and I knew I couldn’t stop fearing they would give out on me. Instead I held my head high, restrained my tears and fumbled in my bag for the car keys.
Once inside the car, I dropped my head to the steering wheel and allowed the shaking to take hold of me.
It was as Matt flung the passenger door open and dropped himself on the seat, that I looked up and saw a flash from the nearby bushes.
I squinted to see where it came from, when a second flash of light sparked. I knew that flash, and if I had to guess I’d say it came from a Canon Speedlight. I had the same on-camera flash in my own bag of tricks.
I blinked to clear my vision, and looked to see who was behind it, but whoever it was had disappeared into the nearby bushes.
Chapter Eleven
I didn’t know if it was hormones, stress, or the fact Harper had snored the entire night, but I’d had the worst night’s sleep for a long while. I’d even put the air conditioning on as I’d read a cooler body temperature made you sleep better. I think they were making that up, because all it did was cause me to add a second blanket, and then I’d broke out in a sweat.
According to my app I was at the seven-week mark which meant the baby was the size of a red pill from the matrix. As I’d never seen the movie, I had no idea how big that was, and I made a note to look it up. Apparently, most of the growth was in the head and new brain cells were being generated at an alarming rate. Okay, I needed to eat well today and remain calm as it was imperative the brain developed properly.
As if I needed any more stress.
I wrapped a towel around me and walked to the wardrobe, ready to pick out today’s outfit. Bypassing jeans, I chose a summery dress that made me feel pretty and I wouldn’t need to pop any buttons on. Slipping it on, I placed my gorgeous Jimmy Choo’s on the shoe shelf and opted for sandals. One day of tempting varicose veins was all I could deal with.
That done, I straightened my hair, upped the make up for maximum effect, pulled my phone from its charger and made my way to the kitchen as Harper was already sitting at the door looking like he was about to die of starvation.
I had a client consultation booked for this afternoon, followed by the unveiling of a new Mercedes for which I’d been chosen as the attending photographer. I was quite pleased about it and made a note to thank Lizzie for all her hard work as it had been her proposal which had gotten me the job. But first I had to take grandma shopping. Apparently, she had her eye on a new guy and needed an outfit for their date.
I didn’t ask her the details over the phone. Best not to hear some things on an empty stomach. Instead, I filled Harper’s bowl with doggie biscuits and popped a piece of nine grain bread into the toaster and checked the avocados for which was the ripest. Once breakfast was taken care of, I clipped Harper into the backseat of my car and headed to mums.
I made the quick decision to stop in at the drive through coffee shop as my brain was really craving caffeine, so I detoured downtown and pulled into the line-up of cars waiting their turn.
I noted the green station wagon pull in two cars behind and frowned. I’d seen quite a few green wagons this week and wondered what the odds were. But maybe it was like the pregnancy thing. Once you noticed one, you saw them everywhere.
Thankfully, the queue moved quickly and before I knew it the scent of coffee filled my car. Breathing in the goodness, I smiled and continued my journey.
Three sets of traffic lights later, I noticed the green wagon pull up a few cars back.
Huh. That was odd. Even odder, by the time I’d crossed town and was indicating to pull into mum’s street, the wagon was still behind me. Every now and again it moved closer and I’d tried to get a look at the driver, but the sun reflected on the windscreen and made it difficult.
Slowing, I turned into Forest Drive watching the wagon in my rear-view mirror. It slowed too but continued its path along North Westport Boulevard. I shook myself and figured it was a coincidence it was heading in a similar direction that I was.
Mum and dads’ house wasn’t particularly large. Growing up Lizzie and I had shared a bedroom whereas Danny had scored a room all to himself. When Lizzie and I had both left home, mum turned our bedroom into the dining room she’d always craved, and Grandma now had Danny’s old room.
The décor changed regularly as when mum and her sister Auntie Margaret got their heads together it was time to find your sunglasses and bite your tongue. Well, that was my tactic and so far it seemed to work, both shielding my eyes from their offending color schemes and not getting myself banned from mum’s desserts. I did love her desserts and it was common knowledge if you upset her, she would withhold all treats. None of us wanted that so we chose to smile through her interior design choices.
Grandma Mabel met me at the door, her walker at the ready.
“You’re late,” she stated, as Harper trotted in ahead of me.
“You said to be here at nine.”
“And it’s five past already.”
“Sorry. I didn’t realize it was that important to be here on the dot.”
She swished her teeth. “Well, I don’t want to miss out on all the good buys. Betsy told me she too was heading to this sale and you know what she’s like.”
I didn’t, but I chose to smile and nod.
“Where’s mum?”
“She went out early. Her and Margaret are going into the city to this new warehouse they found which sells fabric. She’s going to redo the dining room curtains.”
Oh geez. I smiled and nodded.
“And dad?”
“He’s gone to visit Carol. It’s his day to take her to the doctor, but he should be back soon.”
I froze wondering if she would tell him the truth.
“So, are you ready?” Grandma asked.
“Of course.”
“You just looked like you were lost in another world for a moment there.”
“Oh, I was just picturing what fabric mum will buy,” I lied. As much as I knew that my family needed to know the truth, it was best to give Carol the chance to share the news first.
I gave Harper a pat, told him to be a good boy until dad got back, and locked the door behind Grandma, as she raced ahead of me to the car. Only when she was buckled in with her walker safely in the car boot, did I ask her where we were going.
“Do you know where the Ivory Lace Bridal Boutique is?”
My heart missed a beat, wondering what she was up to. “Yes.”
“Great. It’s the shop next door to that.”
Phew.
“I thought there was a cycle shop next to that,” I mused, pulling onto North Westport Boulevard. Thankfully no green wagons were waiting for me.
“That’s the one.”
“Huh?”
“The cycle shop has a sale on today and I need to get my outfit ready.”
I gulped. “Who’s your date with?”
“Ted. The bingo caller. After my run in with Carol he was suitably impressed with me.”
“And he asked you out?”
“Well not exactly. But he mentioned he cycles every morning and it’s a great sport and had I ever considered it.”
“That doesn’t sound like a date, though.”
“Wait till he sees me in my new gear. Then he’ll be knocking down the door to ask me out.”
I liked her enthusiasm and go get ‘em attitude. Mum was going to have a heart attack when she found out, but who knows? Maybe events lately would have given her a new outlook on life.
Pro Cycles was in Ivory Lane, named in honor of the bridal shop that had been there for over a hundred years. The cycle shop was reasonably new to Westport and from the signage it s
eemed to have everything the cyclist could ever want. Not that I was an expert on the subject as I hadn’t ridden a bike since I was nine years old, but I watched the odd moment of the Tour De France so I knew the basics.
I helped grandma get her walker and then followed her inside. Thankfully we’d beaten Betsy as the racks were still filled with women’s clothing, all marked 50% off. With the triathlon coming up I figured this was a good business move.
Making our way along the aisles we were confronted with row after row of bicycles. I noted the price tag on one and nearly choked as I was sure it was more than Lizzie paid for her last car. The walls of the shop were lined with parts. I saw three men at the back of the room fixing bikes at a work bench and two customers were being served at a glass counter.
“Good morning ladies.” A teenage boy who’s name badge told me was Dylan, approached us, his wide smile quietly assessing us. “Can I help you?”
“Yes,” said grandma, her eyes travelling the rows stopping on the area marked apparel. “I’m here to buy some clothes.”
“Of course.” Dylan led the way and we were confronted with an awful lot of choices, all of which seemed way too tight for grandma to be wearing.
“So, you cycle?” he asked, directing his smile at me.
“Nut-uh. We’re here for grandma. She’s looking to attract a new man.”
She straightened her shoulders and eyed a purple zipped shirt.
“Has Betsy been in here yet?” she asked Dylan.
“Ummm, Betsy?”
“Yeah. Short, plump and has a hunch on her back. She’s trying to get the same guy I am, but whatever she bought I want to look better.”
Dylan took a large step backwards, his smile faltering as he looked at Grandma’s walker.
“So, you’re not actually riding a bike? You just want to look the part?” he confirmed.
Grandma’s eyes widened. “Oh. I hadn’t considered that. Maybe I should buy a bike. What do you think Molly?”
She didn’t really want to know. “I think you should start with the outfit. See if it feels like you.” Grandma and I were a lot alike in many ways, one of which was that we were both easily distracted by clothes. And shoes. And accessories. The pink sparkly drink bottles had already caught my attention.
“Good idea. See, that’s why I like shopping with you and not Lizzie. She just doesn’t understand these things.”
Did she though? Or was it a tactic she used to avoid shopping trips with Mabel?
“What do you suggest I get?” she asked, pushing her walker towards a rack of strange looking onesies.
“They’re our ladies’ bibs,” explained Dylan. “The high back keeps the wind from your spine while you’re riding. They’re really popular especially this one that we have in the pink.”
“I like the look of that,” Grandma added, taking the outfit he held out to her.
“Where’s the rest of it?” I asked, noting there were straps that held the pants up like braces, but the top seemed to be missing.
“A lot of women choose a sports bra and then cover it with a jersey.”
Well that was a relief. At least Grandma wouldn’t get arrested for indecent exposure.
“I’ll try that one,” she said. “What size do I need?”
By the time Dylan had selected her size and shown her to the change rooms, I was starting to panic. Once he pulled the curtain over to give her some privacy, I grabbed his arm.
“What do you think you’re doing?” I hissed.
“Selling her an outfit. It’s what she wanted.” He looked confused.
“Yes, I see that, but do you really think you should be encouraging her?”
Dylan grinned, all teeth and dimples. “I’m just giving the lady what she wants.”
And upping his commission at the same time, I’d bet.
“Molly!” Grandma called from within her cubicle. “I need a bit of help. These pants are tighter than I thought they would be.”
I sighed and discreetly pulled back the curtain so that I could look.
Grandma was standing in her skin colored bra with the wide straps, her knickers so high they were almost touching her underwire. She had the bike pants stopped mid-thigh and a roll of skin hanging over the top of them.
“I need a bit of help tucking everything in,” she commented.
To be honest, I wasn’t sure we’d get everything in.
“Ummm, maybe you should consider a different outfit,” I suggested. “After all, you won’t actually be riding a bike, right?”
“You never know, and I like to be prepared. Come on, give me a hand. I know we can do it.”
I wasn’t sure I concurred with her confidence, but I bravely moved into the cubicle and started to tuck and pull. Grandma was one of those women who as they got older, they got thinner, leaving them with more skin than they ever needed. By the time we had the outfit up, I was sweating.
“What do I do with these things?” Grandma asked, holding the brace like straps out.
“They go like this,” I explained, helping her.
She stood back and checked her reflection in the mirror. Loose skin flowed out from everywhere the Lycra wasn’t. And considering this outfit was short legged and had no real top, that left a lot of flesh on display.
“I saw an episode of that cosmetic surgery show last night and this woman held all her loose skin in with duct tape. Do you think your mother will have any of that?”
I shivered. “I don’t think that would be a great idea.”
“You’re right. Maybe I could get one of those shapewear undergarments instead.”
“Maybe you just need to add the jacket,” I suggested, pulling it from the hanger and handing it to her.
I admit that once it was on the whole thing looked a lot better.
“I’ve still got good legs.” She smiled and jiggled a leg out for me to admire.
“Yes, you do.” Shame about the skin, but I wasn’t about to point that out.
“Oh look,” Grandma squealed. “This outfit’s got built in incontinence pads.”
I jolted as she grabbed her crotch and smiled.
“They’re not pads. Well, they are but not for that. They are there to keep your bits comfortable when sitting on a bicycle seat.”
Grandma swished her teeth. “Well, that’s disappointing. Maybe I could switch them out for the pads I have at home,” she mused, narrowing her eyes as she checked her reflection.
I groaned.
“What?”
“I really don’t need that kind of information.”
“You say that now but wait another fifty years and see what your opinion is then. You’ll be wishing you’d made notes of all my great ideas.”
She was probably right.
“I love this outfit,” she added, smoothing an imaginary crease from the fabric. I knew it was imaginary as the outfit was way too tight to have any creases. “I’m going to buy it.”
“You have checked the price, haven’t you?” I had, and I wasn’t sure her pension paid her enough.
“They are a bit expensive, but I have some savings stashed away.” She leaned closer. “The government gave me a grant for some incontinence pads, but I didn’t need to buy them as Doris at bingo died and had boxes of them left. Her daughter gave them to me, so I tucked the money away for a rainy day.”
“Do you need help getting out if it and back into your dress?” I asked as she smiled at her reflection.
“Nah. This was way too hard to get into. I think I’ll leave it on for the day.”
Dylan grinned like all his Christmases had come at once when grandma also bought the white shoes with the black strap (as they apparently matched her new earrings) and I treated myself to the water bottle. As he tallied the till and announced she owed $659 I nearly fainted. Mum was going to go ballistic.
****
Grandma was happy and earned herself more than one smile as we exited the store. I figured the smiles were condescending, but I a
pplauded grandma for owning who she was. She didn’t care what the woman with the blonde grey hair thought of her, and she certainly didn’t care that the woman hid her smirks behind the rack of men’s jerseys.
Instead, she swung her bag from the handlebars of her walker and strutted herself to the car.
“Ted is going to love me in this.”
“If he doesn’t then he doesn’t deserve you.”
“You’re a good person Molly. You know that, right?”
“Thanks Grandma. I don’t think Grannie Carol would agree with that though.” I remembered the look she’d given me yesterday.
“Urgh! Don’t worry about that uptight woman. Her problem is she doesn’t know how to relax. She needs to let go and have some fun.”
I closed the door behind Grandma and put her walker in the boot. When I hopped onto the driver’s seat, grandma looked down. “I’m sorry I blurted about your pregnancy to her the way I did.”
“Don’t worry about it. She had to learn one way or another.”
“It would have been easier for you if you’d told her on your own terms though. I am sorry Molly.”
I smiled. “Honestly, it wouldn’t have mattered how she learned about it. The result is still the same. But do you know what? I don’t care what she thinks.”
“That’s the spirit. You got to have that attitude in life or you’ll just spend your time wound up in knots. You see, you can’t please everyone, so why not just please yourself? Provided you’re not hurting anyone that is.”
“You said earlier that I should start taking notes of all your wisdom. Well that’s going to be my first entry.” I leaned across and kissed her papery cheek.
“Good. Here’s another piece of advice. Keep your eye on the driver of the green station wagon. That one’s been following you since you left home.”
Grandma nodded to the reversing camera I had just activated. Sure enough, parked directly opposite me was the green wagon. Only this time there was no driver inside.
“Why didn’t you say something earlier?” I hissed, pushing the gear into neutral and spinning to look over my shoulder.
Wicked Little Lies- Molly Page 11