melanie.
Mum finally finishes talking to Auntie Jane, and announces it's time to head off so we can give Gran a bit of peace and quiet, but knowing Gran she'll probably just try to make friends with everyone in the ward, because she's just like that.
We walk together out of the hospital, and try to suppress all the sad memories of the little boy and the horrible accident and just be thankful that Gran is still alive.
We get into the car, and Mum looks pensive as she tries to start it up. She lets out a big breath and finally announces what's been keeping her thoughts busy.
"Gran is coming to live with us." She tells us, clearly not thrilled by it.
"Oh." Is all Chloe manages to say.
But I have suddenly found my tongue again, as I spurt out "Why us and not Auntie Jane?"
"We talked about that." Mum begins. "Jane works long shifts so Gran would be alone most of the day there too, I only work down the road at the Post Office, so I can keep a better eye on her. Plus you girls will be there too, and your father." She pauses, thinks about the last time Dad was actually home, we all do. "And I'll be going on maternity leave soon anyway, so that's what we decided."
"Sounds great." Chloe says, trying to reassure her, she's in the back so she clearly can't see how distressed Mum is. It's evident in her voice, but her face tells me she's a whole new level of worried.
"It's going to be fine, Mum." I try to tell her, because I know the stress can't be good for the baby. But I know Mum is mostly worried because she's not the most caring person in the world, not even close. And now she's been loaded with all these caring duties that she has no idea how to handle properly. Without Dad there to help her too.
Mum shakes her head and starts the car. She starts looking far away, so I know she's not in the mood to talk. I decide to check my phone for the first time today, but realise it's not in my pocket.
Chloe furiously texts on her phone in the back and I can only assume it's to Benji.
I sigh and decide to look out the window instead. And think about how life got even more confusing than it already was. I didn't even know that it was possible, but apparently there was a whole new level of confusing that I was completely unaware of.
With the new baby, and Gran moving in the house would be full to the brim. And we wouldn't have a spare room anymore. And when the baby gets too big to sleep in Mum's room, he would have to have his own. Did that mean Chloe and I would have to share? That sounded like some kind of nightmare. Maybe I would be moved out by the time that happened— hopefully.
We turned down onto my road, and I saw two figures outside our front door, not hard considering we didn't really have a front garden so they were just on the road. I recognised them immediately and turned to Chloe.
"Did you orchestrate this?" I snap at her. I wasn't really in the mood to see Van, and a bit of warning would've been lovely, I looked such a mess— unbrushed hair and only concealer to hide my beating up so Gran wouldn't ask questions.
"Of course not! They told me they were outside and I told them to leave but they wouldn't! I'm a state!" She cries, with her blonde hair sleek and shiny, and her makeup-less face as dewy as Vanessa Hudgens on the Neutrogenia ad.
I just huffed, because I couldn't explain to her that she looked infinitely better than I ever could.
"Are those lads waiting for yous?" Mum asks.
"Unfortunately." I say.
"Well, that seems sweet of them." She just says, as she eyes them up as we pull up onto the curb.
We get out and I look to Chloe for support. She comes up beside me and we walk in a kind of sisterly solidarity that is rare for us.
Mum smiles at the boys.
"Hi boys!" She chirps and she waved at them, making us mortified.
"Hi, Mrs. Edwards." Benji says, and Chloe smacks her head as if to say 'what an idiot'.
"Oh no, call me Rita lads!" She replies, doting over them as she gets the keys to open the door.
Van smiles a cheeky smile at me and I don't reciprocate.
Mum pushes the front door open and turns to them.
"Would you like to come in for tea with the girls and I?" She asks them, with a voice filled with so much sweetness the two of them might have just gotten diabetes right there on the spot. She knew it was making us squirm.
"No!" Chloe and I yell at the same time.
"Yeah!" Benji and Van say at that exact moment.
Mum gives us a dirty look.
"Don't mind them." She scoffs, nodding her head towards us. "Being little drama queens as always! Come on in!" She ushers them into our house.
I pull Van back and he catches step with me as we walk down the hall to the kitchen.
"Why did you say yes you nonce?!" I whisper-scream.
"To be honest, I didn't think she'd invite us in, but I didn't want to be rude and say no. She seems like a lovely lady." She says cheekily and I just want to scream.
"I'm going to kill you." I say.
"Don't worry, Mums always love me, she'll be begging me to come 'round again." He winks at me.
"I'm not worried." I say, but I know my forehead has furrows deeper than the Grand Canyon. So I stupidly try to convince him some more that I am indeed, actually not worried. "Anyway why would I be worried, not like your my boyfriend."
I regret the words before they even come out of my mouth, but I say them anyway— because I just can't seem to help it.
"Well then, problem solved. I don't have to try impress her then do I?" He smirks.
We enter the kitchen and I already want this ordeal to be over with, I can sense I will be embarrassed to within an inch of my life and I'm not sure if there's any way I can prepare for that.
Why did they think it was a good idea to wait outside the house? I swear they want to embarrass us as much as Mum does. I thought about how I couldn't wait to ask Van what was going through his thick skull the minute Mum was done making a mockery of my sister and I, because I couldn't think of any logical reason at this moment in time.
