An Alien's Guide to the Human Species Page 29
To Caroline, Sophie sounded a lot more mature than her ten years.
‘But I’ve thought about it a lot and I really don’t want to go to Australia.’
Gail knew she was beaten. Her shoulders sagged and her lip corners turned downwards.
‘But, darling, if I go, we might not see each other for years.’
Gail’s lips quivered. Here comes the emotional blackmail thought Bill.
‘We can Skype each other and I’ll come over in the summer holidays.’
Anyone listening would have thought that Sophie was the adult.
‘I’m moving back to Graylesford, Sophie.’ Said Bill. ‘It’ll be just you and me until you see your mother in the holidays.’
Bill was trying his hardest not to act smug and he knew he shouldn’t do cartwheels, but he was so glad that his daughter wanted to stay in England.
‘I could still go to court and insist you come with me.’ Gail wasn’t used to coming second and was still tempted to put up a fight.
‘Do you want our daughter to be happy, Gail?’ She nodded her head and fought back the tears. She so didn’t want to leave Sophie but was mad about Bruce and didn’t want to lose him either.
‘OK. You can stay with your father.’ Sophie ran to her mother and they held each other, both crying their eyes out. A bit later on when the emotions weren’t so raw, they sat down to discuss the logistics.
‘I had a buyer for the house.’ Said Gail. ‘But she dropped out before signing the contracts. Marriage break-up apparently.’
Max. ‘In this world, 2 out of 3 marriages fail. We’re researching why they bother in the first place and will let you know the results in due course.’
‘Why don’t I buy you out?’ Bill thought this was the perfect solution. Minimum disruption to Sophie and God knows the child had had enough disruption to cope with over the previous two years, an easy out for Gail and it would suit him down to the ground.
‘You’ll pay the full asking price?’ Gail asked and Bill was so glad she was now his ex-wife.
‘Shall we discuss it with our lawyers present and come to an agreement that suits us all?’
She nodded her head thoughtfully. Even when she was putting her daughter’s life in utter turmoil, all she could think about was making a quick buck. She disgusted him.
Max. ‘Sophie didn’t have to move home and by the time all the legal proceedings were sorted it was almost a month later before Sophie’s mother and her partner Bruce were ready to depart for Australia.’
They were at the airport and Bruce and Gail had checked in for their flight. Sophie couldn’t believe that her mother was actually going to go through with this. She looked at Bruce and felt the hatred rise like sick in her throat. Last term she’d heard Mrs English talking to Miss Wilson, feeling sorry for her. Miss Wilson had said that her mother fancied Bruce because he was ripped. Mrs English hadn’t had a clue what Miss Wilson was talking about and neither had Sophie. They’d changed the subject when they saw Sophie and had that embarrassed look that adults have when they’re talking about someone and that someone appears. She’d also heard Mr Gibson say that if Bruce was chocolate he would eat himself. Sophie had been thinking about that one but couldn’t work out what it meant. She couldn’t understand why anyone would want to be made out of chocolate. Looking at him now though she thought he looked a bit like one of those peacocks that she’d seen when Mrs Gibson took her with Jack and Jemima to the petting zoo. Less the feathers of course.
Gail was crying. Not the sort of heart-wrenching sobs that people cry when their hearts are broken, but the sort of crying that happens when you’re disappointed with life, have made the wrong decisions, and feel that you can’t do anything about it. Bruce was dressed in tight jeans and one of his figure hugging vests. He received lots of admiring glances from ladies of all ages and loved it.
‘I’m not totally sure about this, Bruce.’ Gail looked to him for reassurance.
‘Give it a go, love and if you don’t like it you can come back.’ She noticed he’d said you and not we can come back. Something pinged in Gail’s head. Scientists would probably call it a light-bulb moment. For the first time in her life, she realised that she loved someone else more than she loved herself. That someone was crying on the other side of the barrier.
‘I’m going home.’ Gail said more to herself than anyone else.
‘We’ll be home soon, darling and you’ll love the view, the weather, the surf. My family will love you as well.’ Bruce put his arm around her and gave her a kiss.
‘You don’t understand, Bruce. I can’t do this. I’m going home to look after Sophie.’ Bruce was upset because he wasn’t used to being dumped. But he wasn’t surprised. Gail was cute but there were plenty more fish in his sea.
‘Are you going to stay with me?’ Gail already knew the answer but asked anyway. Bruce hated the weather, the smallness of the place and the fact that he had to travel 70 miles to the surf and it was bloody frozen when you got there. Gail could see the answer in his face.
‘It’s been fun and it could have been something special.’
Gail doubted it but nodded her head anyway. ‘What will you do?’
‘I’ll go home, get a job and try to forget about you babe.’
‘Good luck with everything, Bruce. Sorry about…’
He interrupted before she could finish. ‘No worries, sweetheart. Have a good life.’ They embraced and Gail had the feeling that she’d had a lucky escape. Unbeknown to her, Bruce felt exactly the same.
*****
The goodbyes had been awful. Sophie thought her mother would change her mind at the last minute but it hadn’t happened. They both said they loved each other but her mother’s love for Bruce was obviously stronger than her love for her daughter. This was hard for Sophie to bear and, although she now knew that her father adored her, she felt miserable and worthless. Maybe it was because she was good at football but wasn’t very good at the classroom stuff. She’d heard someone say that mothers are supposed to love you whatever your faults, but perhaps that was wrong. Maybe if she tried harder in school, her mother would come back before the next summer holidays.
Gail hurried out of the lounge in search of her daughter and ex-husband. She hoped he’d let her stay in the house tonight and maybe for a week or so until she sorted herself out, but wasn’t banking on it. They were just leaving the terminus when Gail saw them.
‘Sophie, Bill, hang on a minute please. Sophie!’
Chapter 28
Max. ‘The next few months flew by for the Gibsons and before they knew it, summer had turned to autumn. The weather forecasters loved this season as it meant they could overuse the word autumnal in their broadcasts. More importantly, it was time for Jack to start Secondary School.’
Max had decided that Junior and his Brown Owls would accompany Jack and his friends and they had already positioned themselves on the school bus.
Jack, Sophie and Jason Phillips got on the bus and looked around them. They were going from being big fish in a little pond to little fish in a big pond, although Jack and Jason being very tall for their age still looked like pretty big fish to many of the other children, even the older ones. Some of the older boys on the bus felt threatened because the newbies were bigger than them and they started taunting the youngsters about their size. The boys ignored the older ones and the seniors soon got bored when the youngsters didn’t bite. Gordon, the bus prefect, was relieved that he didn’t have to step in and sort them all out on day one of the new term.
The trio were all nervous but felt safe together. Jack and Sophie hadn’t seen each other much during the latter part of the summer holidays and weren’t as close as they used to be. Sophie still played football but was starting to develop some girly habits and the tomboy side of her was fading much to Jack’s disgust. Her mother was renting a flat a few streets away from where Sophie lived with her father. She spent alternative weeks with her parents and this seemed to work well. She had disc
overed shopping and loved going with her mother every other Saturday and looking at the different fashion trends. Sophie had a fantastic eye for colours and styles and could put an outfit together for an adult or child. Caroline had noticed that Jack and Sophie were growing at different stages and Sophie seemed to be more emotionally mature than Jack.
Max. ‘It’s quite normal for children to grow at different stages, both mentally and physically. Jack appeared older but acted younger and Sophie looked young but acted older. Another example of things not being what they seem.’
The bus arrived outside the school grounds and the trio hung back until the older kids got off. Jack, Jason and Sophie dawdled to the front of the bus with the other new kids and jumped off as soon as the driver told them to hurry up. They followed the crowd of kids and walked around the corner. The three tall red buildings stood at the end of the lane. Eagleswood High School used to be called Eagleswood Secondary until the Governors decided to move with the times and rename the school. It had once sat on land right next to the woods, hence the name. Due to the population explosion in the last 30 years, houses had been built outside the town and the school grounds had diminished. The approach lane towards the school, Jobby Lane, was empty of buildings however, which made the school look even more imposing. It was a massive building and the newbies looked scared to death as they approached.
Jack reflected later that it wasn’t as bad as they’d all expected. They were separated and years seven to nine were told to enter the smallest building. Years eight and nine knew the drill and went directly to their form classes; the newbies were directed into the assembly hall and given a welcome speech by Mr Anderson, the Head Teacher. They were told they’d be split into classes that would remain the same for the next five years. Sophie and Jason were in the same class but to his dismay, nobody from Parkview School was in Jack’s class so he didn’t know any of his new classmates. Some of the other kids in Jack’s class were in the same situation and he was put next to a little ginger guy named Keith who liked to state the obvious.
‘You’re tall.’ Before he gave Jack a chance to respond he was off again.
‘Are you sure you’re in the right class?’
Jack was about to reply when the teacher told everyone to be quiet and handed them all a few sheets of paper. The first was the timetable and the second a diagrammatical map of the building.
The rest of the day passed in a blur and it wasn’t long before classes were over and Jack was making his way towards the bus stop, Keith chatting non-stop next to him. Keith lived on the other side of town so he got on a different bus and Jack met up with Jason and Sophie at the bus stop. They got on their bus and exchanged stories of their days and that would have been the end of it until a shouting match started.
‘I sense trouble ahead.’ Said Junior, stating the obvious. He made a gesture with one of his legs and his team quickly donned their body armour.
Two of the year nine boys who’d been teasing the newbies that morning started fighting with each other.
Gordon sighed and took off his jacket. He made his way to the back of the bus and shouted at the boys to stop fighting. Predictably nothing happened so Gordon grabbed the nearest boy and pulled him off the other. Ray Vowles was furious and took a punch at Gordon. Before Ray knew what was happening, Gordon had blocked the punch and had Ray in a hold where he couldn’t move a muscle. Holding the bigger boy Gordon addressed Luke, the other aggressor.
‘Are you going to behave yourself or do I have to make you?’ Luke wasn’t stupid and had seen what Gordon had done to Ray.
‘It’s fine, Gordy.’
‘Right.’ Gordon addressed them both. ‘Apologise and shake hands and we’ll say no more about it, or I can report you and you’ll get detention. What’s it gonna be boys.’ Both boys looked down and muttered sorry to each other. Luke stuck his hand out first and Ray shook it vigorously.
Gordon was Jack’s new hero and, purely for self-defence reasons, he vowed to get back into his karate classes which he’d given up a while ago.
The rest of the journey was uneventful and when Jack got home he grabbed a drink and some food from the fridge and disappeared into his room until he was called down for his tea later on.
Max. ‘This was to become a pattern of Jack’s for the next few months until he re-started his karate classes once a week.’
‘The next surprise for the family was Jean’s call at the weekend.’
*****
Saturday morning and Caroline awoke to the sound of a ringing phone. Jemima came into the bedroom holding the phone.
‘It’s Nanna Jean. She said she needs to speak to you.’
Caroline was feeling tired and groggy.
‘Tell her I’m sleeping and to call back later.’
‘Mam said she’s sleeping and to call back later Nanna.’
Caroline heard her mother’s raised voice on the other end of the phone and held her hand out for Jemima to give her the receiver. She was amazed that Phil was still in the land of nod with all this going on.
‘Morning, Mam…’
Caroline was about to explain that she’d been joking but didn’t get the chance. ‘We’re getting married.’
Her mother was obviously very excited but Caroline looked around her room and wondered if she was still dreaming. She put the phone on the bed and pinched herself.
‘Ow!’
‘Is that all you’ve got to say?’ Jean suspected her daughter wouldn’t be happy for her but ow? What sort of reaction was that for God’s sake?
‘What do you mean, ow?’
‘Sorry. I banged my elbow on the headboard. Never mind that, you can’t marry Bunny he’s too young.’
It was an automatic response and Caroline nudged Phil to try and wake him so she could give him the news. He was slow to respond but came round eventually, squinting one eye open.
‘What’s up?’ Caroline pointed to the phone and mouthed.
‘My mother’s marrying Bunny.’
‘Give them my congratulations.’
Phil said. And turned over to go back to sleep. Not the response that Caroline had wanted or expected so the elbowing this time ensured that Phil was now wide awake. Caroline re-thought her initial reaction. She wanted to be happy for her mother and was fed up with the rows and contradicting everything her mother did.
She’d accept their differences and maybe they’d get along a bit better. And her father had married a woman a lot younger than him after all and there shouldn’t be one rule for men and a different one for women. She took a deep breath.
‘Are you sure this is what you want, and you really love Bunny?’
‘Yes, love, and we have been living together for nearly seven years remember? Longer than a lot of marriages last.’
Fair point.
‘And he really loves you?’
‘He says he does, Caroline, and he treats me really well. Better than your father ever did.’
Caroline wasn’t ready to talk about the last remark so she ignored it.
‘Well in that case congratulations. I hope you’re doing the right thing and that you’ll both be very happy together.’
Jean hadn’t expected this and there was no sound.
‘Are you still there, Mam?’
‘What’s the catch?’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Well, I’m just waiting for you to tell me you’re joking and that I’m embarrassing you and that you want me to move to Africa or somewhere if I marry Bunny.’
‘Oh God.’ Said Caroline. ‘Am I that bad?’
‘Usually.’ Said Jean. ‘But I still love you because you’re my little girl.’
‘Oh, Mam.’
Caroline started crying and Phil looked on in amazement. What was it with women and why the need to get so emotional over good news. He took the phone from his wife.
‘Congratulations, Jean. We’re both really happy for you and Bunny. Let’s go out at the weekend to celebrate.’
Caroline was looking forward to going wedding dress shopping with her mother. She was surprised when Jean had asked her and stunned by her own reaction. They had been getting on well and Caroline believed that Bunny was to thank for this, and also for improving her mother’s dress sense.
They met in The Bridge a trendy coffee shop off Graylesford High Street. The white walls were adorned with posters of fashionable friends socialising and drinking coffee, watched by smiling onlookers. There was a long black bar adjacent to the window where customers could sit and surf the net or watch the world go by outside. Along one of the walls were a few burgundy leather sofas where patrons could sit with their purchases and read the free newspapers. The owners offered a confusing array of different drinks, hot and cold, and tempting calorific delicacies. Jean had managed to bag a shiny black table in the middle of The Bridge and was sipping her latte and reading a glossy magazine when Caroline entered. She was intoxicated by the delicious smell of strong fresh coffee as soon as she walked through the door. She smiled on approach to the table.
‘Hello, Mam.’ Jean looked up and seemed genuinely pleased to see Caroline. At least Caroline thought that was the case. Her mother appeared to be straining to smile properly.
‘Oh my God, you’ve been botoxed!’
She hadn’t meant to say it that loud and the place went quiet as other customers studied Jean to work out what she’d had done.
‘Thanks for sharing.’ Muttered Jean to her daughter.
She addressed the other patrons.
‘I’m not the first and I’m sure I won’t be the last.’
Most of them carried on with their own conversations. One woman called.
‘Nothing to be ashamed of, love.’
‘I’m not ashamed.’ Said Jean.
‘Fair enough.’ Said a man at a table by the window. ‘You look good to me, love.’
‘Ta, love.’ Jean had the floor and was starting to enjoy herself now that she’d got over the initial embarrassment.
‘I’ve got myself a toyboy and we’re getting married in a few months. Gotta keep on top of my looks.’