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‘Get off!’ My father shoves me back and holds his nose. Then laughter erupts from him. ‘The apple doesn’t fall far, does it?’
Ariella returns. ‘Caleb! What’s going on?’
‘What took so long?’
‘I was saying goodbye to the kids.’
‘Let’s go.’
‘Goodbye, Graham. You should have enough food to last for a couple of weeks. Just defrost the stuff we froze last night for dinner. The kids’ vitamins are in the top drawer and the curtains just need to be picked up this afternoon. Will you be okay putting them back up?’ Her hands are shaking.
‘He’ll be fine.’ I usher her out of the house, maybe a little too roughly.
‘Stop it, Caleb,’ she snaps through clenched teeth as we make it through the door and climb into the taxi. She is seething silently. She came here, without my permission, andshe’sthe one who is angry?
We get back to the hotel and I follow her to her room.
‘Pack up, we’re leaving.’
‘You can stop right now. I understand you’re angry at everyone here, but please don’t speak to me like that.’
‘I’m also angry at you.’
‘Why would you be mad at me?’
‘You had no right to come up here!’
‘For goodness’ sake, the landline I didn’t know we had started ringing at about fivea.m. and didn’t stop until I was about to leave for work, so I picked up. It was your sister. She was absolutely hysterical because your mum had had a stroke. She was overwhelmed, Caleb. She really needed you, so I came up because I couldn’t reach you. What did you expect me to do? Go to work?’
‘I didn’t ask you to.’
‘No human being should need to be asked, when something like this happens!’
‘We’re leaving.’
‘No, we’re not. You need to go and see your mother. I went to see her last night.’
‘What else did you do?’ It is my turn to seethe.
‘I helped out your family, that’s all.’ She looks at me; not for thanks, but as if she is defending herself. I can’t help relenting.
‘They’re not nice people, Ariella,’ I say quietly, sitting on the corner of the bed.
‘Maybe not. I saw the flag. I’m not stupid. But your mom is really ill, Caleb. I don’t think she’s leaving that hospital any time soon.’
She walks over, crouches to my level, takes my hands in hers and looks right at me.
‘Caleb. I know things were horrific for you growing up. But please go and see her. Be angry, yell at her, forgive her or don’t, but talk to her. Just in case you never get the chance to again. She’s extremely frail and she’d love to see you. Please. And when you come back, we’ll be on the next train out of here. I promise.’
‘I don’t understand why you care so much!’
‘Because I hope someone would do the same for me if I was in your shoes. Please go. You don’t have to be long. I’ll come with you, if you want. If you prefer to go alone, I promise I won’t return to the house.’
She is not letting this go.
‘Don’t leave this room,’ I command as I leave to make my way to the hospital.
I am faced with a very different woman from the one I last saw four years ago. There is nothing left of the round, red-cheeked woman I remember.
