Page 58 of The Missus

‘Great. I’ll fetch my case from the car,’ she said and then didn’t move. She looked at Alanna. ‘Unless you’d like to get it for me?’

Alanna looked at her mother. ‘I’d love nothing more.’ She accepted the proffered keys and headed down to the street to find her mother’s Benz. When she got back, her mother was looking through the kitchen cupboards while Keira watched, aghast.

‘Mum,seriously,’ Alanna said. ‘What the hell are you doing now?’

‘I’m just checking what I need.’

‘Apparently, my coffee isn’t fancy enough. I think she wants the kind the monkey’s shit out.’

Alanna’s mother turned. ‘I simply said that I wanted Italian rather than Viennese beans. Nobody said anything about monkey faeces.’

‘Jesus, I thought I was a snob about coffee, but you, Mrs Lennox, are something else,’ Keira said.

‘Call her Sandra since she’s living under your roof,’ Alanna told her.

Her mother turned. ‘That’s not for you to say.’

Alanna raised an eyebrow. ‘Oh? You want her to continue to call you a title, do you? She’s being kind enough to give you a roof over your head and you want her to continue to call you Mrs Lennox?’

Her mother sighed and looked from Alanna to Keira. She knew she was trapped. ‘Please, call me Sandra from now on,’ she said with resentment.

‘Alright, Sandra. You ever go by Sandy?’ Keira asked.

Alanna pig-snort laughed. ‘Wow. I haven’t heard anyone call you that for a long time, Mum.’

‘I’venevergone by Sandy,’ her mother said, eyes ablaze.

‘Back in the day, I think Dad used to call you that.’

Her mother faltered. ‘I don’t remember that.’

Alanna examined her mother. She looked flushed and embarrassed. ‘Well. I do.’

‘If you say so,’ her mother said dismissively.

It was always like this when anyone referred to Alanna’s dad. Alanna had the distinct impression she was embarrassed that there was anyone left alive who knew she’d once been married to a plumber, so she always pretended not to recall anything specific about him. That enraged Alanna. Her dad didn’t deserve to be forgotten like this.

‘Look, it’s been a long day. I need a bath if no one minds,’ her mother said, and she didn’t wait to see what anyone thought about it. She just swept off with her case.

Keira put her hands on her hips. ‘That woman is a lot.’

‘I know,’ Alanna nodded. ‘Believe me.’

Keira lowered her voice. ‘Umm, we have a slight problem, though.’

Alanna knew right away what she meant. But she didn’t know how to address it. ‘What do you mean?’ she asked, her voice feeling high and silly.

‘Well, you’re gonna have to kip in my room tonight, aren’t you?’

‘Oh, umm… I could sleep on the floor?’

‘I wouldn’t make you do that.I’ddo that if we needed to.’

‘Don’t be absurd. It’s my bloody mother that’s causing the issue. Any problems stemming from this whole situation should fall on my shoulders.’

Keira sighed. ‘We’ll figure something out.’

Alanna nodded. ‘OK,’ she said like it was no big deal. But the situation felt fraught with anxiety.