‘I asked you this morning.’ Pete looked at her, confused. ‘It’s not for long.’
Felicity recalled the half a conversation she’d had with Pete while strugglingwith Callum’s zip. ‘That’s what you were talking about? Your mother coming to stay?’
‘Yes. And you said you were good with it.’
‘Of course I didn’t. I had no bloody idea what you were on about.’
‘But you said—’
‘I didn’t say yes, your mother could bloody come and stay.’
‘But you didn’t say no, either.’
Felicity flopped back on the bed, pulled the quilt over herself andput the pillow over her face in an attempt not to scream or cry or both. Her day was swinging from extremes: fear, dread, anxiety, pure pleasure, and now … now she was faced with doom – in the shape of a sixty-something-year-old woman who found fault with almost everything she did.
‘With her ankle still not right, it’s the least we can do. Anyway, I should be able to help get her settled beforeI go to work. She’s bringing that fold-out bed thing she’s got, so she won’t be any hassle.’
Felicity peered out from under her pillow. ‘Isn’t mentioning your mother and no hassle in the same sentence an oxymoron or something?’
Pete sat on the edge of the bed and rested his hand on Felicity’s leg. ‘Flick, I could hardly say no.’
Despite the fact Sue had broken her ankle after treadingon Lego left on the stairs in their house on Boxing Day, Felicity knew she and Pete had got off lightly when it came to nursing duties. Driving Sue to physiotherapy a couple of times was nothing compared to having her to stay and being at her constant beck and call, as Pete’s sister had. Felicity flopped the pillow back on to her face, muffling her voice. ‘Is your sister finally ready to killher?’
‘No, she just needs a little, umm, respite—’
A ring at the doorbell made Felicity spring up from the bed and start grabbing her clothes. Pete laughed at her predicament as he held up her bra.
‘Oh my god, your mother is here! I’m naked and the house … the house is a bloody tip. All I did was throw the breakfast things in the dishwasher.’
Pete picked up the two cold mugs oftea from the bedside table. ‘I’ll make fresh ones, shall I?’
