Be my Starr (Ringo Starr)

Chapter 7 part 1: happy families

Susan entered her childhood home and walked into the living room to find her grandma sitting on the settee watching the television.

Susan raised an eyebrow. "Grandma, I thought you said that the television was evil and that it was made by the devil." She mentioned, taking off her coat and putting it on the hook.

"I never said that." Her grandma replied obliviously, her eyes refusing to leave the screen.

Susan laughed and sat beside her. "It's good isn't it?" She smiled.

"It's amazing!" Grandma bubbled. "I love the magic people." She effused. Susan thought it best not to tell her the truth behind the 'magic people'.

Elizabeth, Susan's mother walked in and stopped when she saw Susan.

"Decided to come after all then?" She said, crossing her arms and giving Susan a disappointed look.

"I'm not that late." Susan sighed.

"You don't have to lie you know." Her mum stated. "It's even worse when you pretend that you want to visit your mother."

"Mum!" Susan yelled, surprised that her mum would even say that. "Of course I want to visit you."

Mum rolled her eyes. "Of course you do." She said sarcastically. "Daniel!" Mum shouted up to the ceiling. Dan was Susan's younger brother. Not only was he charismatic, mischievous and not to mention annoying as hell, he was also Susan's worst nightmare.

"What?!" A voice shouted back from upstairs.

"Your sisters here!" Mum shouted.

"Fuck sake." He didn't shout this time but he could still be heard. Mum laughed and walked into the kitchen whilst Susan frowned.

Dan walked into the living room moments later and smiled devilishly at Susan.

"You must be the homeless girl that my mother has let stay with us for a while." He smiled.

"I'm the homeless one?" She questioned. "You're the one that stinks of bin juice."

Dan laughed sarcastically. "Haha very funny. Which jokes for children's book did you get that from?" He mocked and sat on the free settee.

"What've you been doing then?" Susan asked, eager to know what her brother has been up to lately. They didn't speak a lot and rarely stayed in contact. Susan couldn't remember a time where she called or got a call from her brother.

"Just burning your baby photos." Dan grinned.

"Is that it?" Susan laughed. "Still haven't got a job?" She smirked.

"Putting up with you is a job." Susan rolled her eyes. "You still working at that office?"

Susan nodded sadly. "Yep." Dan laughed.

"Bet you love it there." He smiled.

"So much." Susan said sarcastically as Mum walked back in with a cup of coffee for Susan and one for herself.

"What about me?" Dan asked as mum sat down next to him.

"You can make your own." Mum replied and handed Susan her cup. "You know where everything is." Susan kept her laughter to herself as Dan walked lazily into the kitchen. They made funny looks at each other as he left.

"How are you?" Mum asked and took a sip of her coffee.

"I'm alright." Susan smiled and took a sip. Mum always made it just right.

"How are you inside?" Her mum asked as if she were a counsellor.

Susan looked at her a little confused but smiled nevertheless. "I'm fine mum."

"How's work?"

Susan sighed. "Mum works fine. I'm fine. Everything's fine." She stated.

"I was only asking." Mum said defensively. "I worry about you." She said in a lighter tone.

"Why?" Susan queried.

"Because your a hopeless wreak." Dan commented as he walked into the living room and sat beside his mother with his cup of coffee.

"Daniel." Mum said sharply, an indication for him to shut up. She sighed and looked at Susan. "How's the flat?"

"Mum, I've just told you, everything is fine." Susan took a hard sip of her coffee.

"I've just got to know that's all." Mum said in a motherly tone. "I don't see you a lot anymore. You live so far away now." She said, looking down into her coffee.

"That's a good thing." Dan smiled.

"If you want I can visit more?" Susan offered, feeling bad for her mother.

"Please don't." Dan pled.

"Daniel." Mum remarked and gave Dan a warning stare.

"What? You wouldn't want her to move back in would you?" Dan said casually. Mum raised her eyebrow. "Do you?" He asked, his voice a little worried.

"I'm not moving back in." Susan stated.

Mum rolled her eyes and sighed. "Great. Her own daughter doesn't even love her." She said in third person.

"I didn't say that." Susan deflected.

"But-"

Susan turned to her Grandma who was completely immersed in the television and hadn't a single clue about what was going on in real life.

"I didn't say that did I?" Susan asked her Grandma.

Grandma turned to her and looked at her cluelessly. "What dear?"

"Tell mum I didn't say that." She said.

Grandma looked over at mum. "She didn't say that." She said simply and turned back to the television.

Susan looked smugly at her very fed up mother. "See." She sassed.

"Sometimes I wish I never had kids." Mum commented and took a sip of her coffee. Dan and Susan looked at each other and grinned.