Over the last few months Sam had changed the most, his frame had at last filled out, probably with all the extra sports he was doing, and his confidence had grown too. Working at the sports centre gave him the opportunity to meet so many new people and his social circle increased almost overnight. He was protective towards his mother though, demonstrating a gentle side which Mike always said came from her.
Mel had been writing articles covering a wide range of topics and submitting them to magazines for publication. Several had been accepted and Hannah was so proud to see Mel’s name in print beneath an article she had written. Mel had even taken her camera and notebook to Timmy’s Farm the previous day, and with permission from Alan Jones, made notes for a feature on the project.
Hannah knew she didn’t need to worry about her children, but she would miss them so much. Perhaps Rosie was right and she needed to work on increasing her own social circle.
CHAPTER 30
David’s funeral was the saddest one Joe had ever attended, not for the expected reasons, but because he and the undertaker were the only ones present. It was such a contrast to the packed service for Alison, when people Joe didn’t even know had turned up to pay their respects.
David had not been religious, and so a civil celebrant presided over a very short service at the Eastleigh crematorium, and when the curtains closed it seemed as if David’s life was not just over but would be forgotten by everyone, except his brother. But what would Joe’s memories of him be? Sadly perhaps, the most abiding one would be of the day he tried to kill him. Seeing David’s face at the wheel of the car was an image which would never leave Joe, but above all else, he was saddened that his brother’s life had been ended in such a violent way. It would probably be months before Pam’s trial and he’d heard nothing new from DS Armstrong which presumably meant that nothing was happening.
Joe was glad to get home, and the welcome he received from Liffey went a long way to bringing him comfort. He had good friends, a lovely home and even though he still missed Alison with every fibre of his being, he was learning to be grateful for what he did have.
Thoughts of his wife prompted thoughts of her mother. It was over a month since he’d spoken to Ethel on the phone, a conversation which was brief, as someone knocked on her door only a minute after she answered the phone. The old lady hadn’t rung back, so Joe assumed she didn’t want to talk, but for Alison’s sake he felt he should visit her again to make sure she was coping okay.
It was a duty visit which he embarked upon one Saturday morning, without forewarning her to let her know that he was coming.
Joe rang the doorbell and almost immediately heard her voice through the entry intercom. When she buzzed him in and he stood before her in the lounge, she looked him up and down.
‘Well, it is you, I thought you were dead, too!’ Ethel’s tone was, as always, sarcastic.
Why does she always have to be so bloody snarky, he thought but pressed his lips tightly together to stop himself replying in a similar fashion. After a moment he said, ‘I’ve been in an accident, Ethel, and I’ve been laid up for a while.’ For some reason he didn’t want to tell her about David’s death; it was still very raw and Ethel was the last person he wanted asking intrusive questions and prying into his affairs.
Ethel squinted at him. ‘Huh, another accident, that’s a bit careless, isn’t it?’
‘I’m getting better now, thank you!’ Joe replied. ‘Anyway, how are you? Did you get any help from Social Services sorted out?’
‘Don’t talk to me about Social Services, they’re useless. A lady came to visit and just about gave me the third degree. If I want any help I have to tell them everything; they even want to assess my finances and expect me to tell them every penny I have. Then there’ll be another visit to assess my care needs! And even after jumping through all of their hoops they want me to pay for the service, it’s ridiculous!’
It was no more than Joe had expected but he didn’t offer an opinion. ‘So what have you decided to do?’ he asked instead.
‘Well, Mrs Hoskins in the bungalow across the street suggested I put an ad in the newsagent’s window, so I did. A nice young girl came round, Christina her name is, from Romania or some such place, and she started almost straight away.’
‘And is she good, are you happy with her?’ Now that he was more relaxed and looked around the flat, it did look clean and tidy.
‘Oh yes, she’ll do anything; shopping, cleaning, laundry and cooking, and she’s a lot cheaper than Social Services were going to be!’
‘That’s good, I’m glad you’re sorted out.’ Joe was relieved that help was in place for her, if only for Alison’s sake.
‘It’s no thanks to you, though, is it? I could have starved to death for all you care.’
She had to go and spoil it, to have another dig at him. Well two can play at that game, Joe thought. ‘Ethel, you’re far more able than you make out, if only you’d get up off your backside and do things for yourself occasionally, you’d probably feel much better!’
‘How dare you talk to me like that!’
‘It’s time someone did! You think the world revolves around you, but here’s the news, it doesn’t! And while we’re having this little heart to heart, I’d like to point out that you maligned the memory of your daughter by your vicious lies. I’ve found out the truth about the baby, and you don’t come out of that situation too well either.’
‘Don’t blame me! She got herself pregnant; she had to suffer the consequences.’
‘No, Ethel, your daughter was raped and she was only eighteen! Don’t you have any compassion in that cold heart of yours? It wasn’t Alison’s fault at all, she was abused and suffered greatly for it, and you have the gall to throw it at me, telling me only half the story and besmirching her memory in the process? And I’m sure she got very little comfort from you at the time. Aren’t you ashamed of yourself?’
Ethel’s mouth was open; she’d probably never been spoken to like that before, and if Joe hadn’t been so angry he would have laughed at her horrified expression. Had he gone too far, he wondered? No, perhaps he should have said this years ago, and if he’d known about Alison’s past he probably would have too.
‘I think I’d like you to leave now!’ Ethel’s chin was high and she couldn’t look her son-in-law in the eye.
‘Yes, I think that’s a very good idea, but if ever you feel like apologising you’ve got my number.’
‘Me, apologise! It’s you who should be doing that. I’m an old woman and I’m ill, how dare you treat me like this?’ She glared at him now, recovering from the shock of Joe’s pertinent words.
‘You’re as ill as it suits, you don’t fool me, and you didn’t fool Alison either! She knew what you were really like but she cared for you out of duty, because she was that kind of person. You don’t know how lucky you were to have had a daughter like her!’ Perhaps he’d said too much. ‘Yes, I’ll go now but I hope you have the decency to think about what I’ve said.’
With those words Joe turned and walked out of the door, quite sure he would never hear from Ethel again.
CHAPTER 31