“Morning, son.”
Having not heard the front door go, Gabe jumped at Roger’s sudden appearance. He put a hand up to his chest, laughing. “Bloody hell, Dad, you nearly gave me a heart attack.”
Roger glanced around the room, curious. “Who were you talking to just now?”
“Myself,” Gabe replied.
Roger scoffed. “I suppose it comes to us all eventually.” He handed over a white envelope. “The postman’s been. This was on the doormat.”
As he scanned its front, the handwriting alone told Gabe all he needed to know. Immediately recognising it, his stomach suddenly felt like lead and his smile vanished along with his good mood. Taking a deep breath, he glowered as he put the envelope down on the table.
“Aren’t you going to open it?” Roger asked.
“Nope.”
Roger furrowed his brow. “How come?”
Ignoring the question, Gabe got up from his seat, scraping his chair against the floor as he did so.
“Where are you going?” Roger asked, bemused.
“To get changed.”
“Why?”
“I need some air.”
“Gabe!”
Exiting the kitchen, Gabe heard his dad call out. Not wanting to talk to anyone, Gabe ignored him.
CHAPTER10
Hannah yawned as she put the kettle on and made a cup of tea. She hadn’t properly slept thanks to all the tossing and turning she’d done. Brought on by Beth, Archie, and Carl’s response to the idea of her taking part in a charity race, Hannah might not have challenged them at the time, but she could still hear the imaginary conversations that had played through her head during the small hours.
“What do you mean I don’t do anything? Who do you think makes sure you have everything you need? Cooks your meals? Cleans up after you? As for googlingLa Bise? Do you know how insulting that is?” In Hannah’s mind’s eye, Beth and Archie protested, of course. They insisted they hadn’t meant to offend. But when Hannah refused to accept their excuses, their smiles faded. Her children ended up apologising and seeing the error of their ways.
“As for you, Carl,” Hannah went on. “You wouldn’t be the hotshot lawyer you’ve become were it not for me.” She didn’t know whether it was despite Carl’s profession or because of it, but even in her imagination her ex was harder to convince. Probably because in the real world, he’d never been one to face facts. Hannah gloated, enjoying a sense of one-upmanship as she sipped her tea. Ultimately, he too was no match for her imaginary self. By the time she’d finished his roasting, she didn’t think she’d ever seen him so sheepish.
Of course, fantasy exchanges were all well and good, but Hannah knew their slights didn’t stem from her parental duties. How could they? She was faultless on the home front. Beth, Archie, and Carl were referring to Hannah’s lack of social activity and to be fair to them, aside of meeting up with Liv and Mel occasionally, they were right. She did nothing. But that was why Hannah had expected at least some encouragement when it came to the sponsored run. She looked down at her attire. And why she was dressed in jogging pants, a T-shirt, and had her hair tied into a ponytail.
She placed her cup on the kitchen counter. Hannah might not have had her children’s support but that didn’t mean she couldn’t be her own cheerleader. Heading out into the hall, Hannah made her way upstairs. “Who’s laughing now?” she asked, pausing outside Beth’s bedroom door.
Hannah giggled like a naughty schoolchild as she turned the handle and entered. She knew Beth would have a fit at her snooping around in her personal space, but to be fair it was Beth’s fault. If she, Archie, and Carl hadn’t laughed at Hannah, Hannah would have kept shtum about the run and ergo, would’ve had no reason to be in there.
Glancing around, her gaze fell on a collage of photographs, each pinned to a corkboard that hung next to the dressing table. Moving in for a closer look, Hannah couldn’t help but smile. They were of Beth, Archie and their friends, some of whom they’d known ever since their first day at primary. However, while they all beamed and pulled faces for the camera, a sadness washed over Hannah. She sighed, wondering where the years had gone. It didn’t seem two minutes since she was their age, looking forward to the endless possibilities ahead of her. Before real life took over.
Shaking herself out of her reverie, Hannah decided to start her search by checking under the bed. She dropped to her knees and with her cheek pressed against the carpet, scanned the space. Failing to find what she was looking for, her bones creaked as she struggled back onto her feet. “Where else could they be?” Hannah turned her attention to the wardrobe.
She flung open its doors and looking inside, frowned at the cramped rail of hangers. Questioning why one girl needed so many clothes, Hannah forced them to one side and focused on the shelves below. Her face lit up. Hannah and Beth might not share the same size in dresses, but they did when it came to their feet. Hannah leant in and after rummaging through sandals, boots, wedges and pumps, she paused in delight. “Voila!” she said, at last, finding what she needed.
Pulling out a pair of trainers, Hannah sat on the mattress edge and put them on. She wiggled her feet and standing up, paced first one way and then the other. They felt a bit loose, but she told herself they’d do. No way was she spending good money on something she’d only need for a few weeks.
Hannah held her head high as she made her way back downstairs, ready to start her running journey. But as soon as she entered the kitchen her mobile rang to delay her. As she retrieved it off the counter and saw it was her mum Janice calling, she hesitated, tempted to let it ring out. The irony of the situation wasn’t lost, and Hannah pictured herself that morning, sat on the sofa with her phone propped against the bowl on the coffee table. Still able to feel the frustration as she waited for Beth and Archie to pick up, Hannah clicked to answer and put the phone to her ear. “Mum, lovely to hear from you. How’re things?”
“I have to say, they could be better.”
Hannah put Janice on loudspeaker and setting the mobile down, grabbed a water bottle from a cupboard.
