Page 85 of Life After

“I understood at first,” Jen said, sitting forward and resting her elbows on her knees. “I thought he was just being protective of Toby. But now? He belittles me and slates me whenever he gets the chance. He spoke to Suzanne like a piece of shit the other day, and I’m not having it. I don’t care who he is to you or Toby; I won’t have him speaking to Suzanne like that. The next time he does it, it’ll be the last thing he ever does. Trust me. I’m not fucking about with him anymore.”

“Oh, God.” Grace groaned as she sunk down in her seat and placed her head in her hands. “I’m so sorry, Jen. To both of you.”

“Why are you apologising? He’s the one with the disgusting attitude. As it stands, I’d be ashamed to call him my brother-in-law.”

“If he doesn’t change that attitude, you won’thavea brother-in-law. I’m sick to death of it, Jen. It stops now.” Grace’s face reddened as she sat forward and clenched her fists. “He’s coming over. He has a lot of apologising to do.”

“Look, I don’t need to be best friends with him. I know he doesn’t like me, and quite frankly, I don’t like him either. But I do expect to be able to spend time with my nephew when I want to. Dan can feel the way he feels; I don’t care. So long asyoudon’t feel the same way, he can keep his opinions. It’s no skin off my nose.”

“I’ve never felt the way he does, Jen.”

Jen nodded. “I know.”

“I’ll give Toby another twenty minutes and then wake him up. I told him he was seeing Auntie Jen and Auntie Suzanne today.”

Jen’s bottom lip quivered. Grace had included Suzanne, and that meant a huge deal. “Thanks, Grace. For believing in me.”

“Always.”

“I did meanit when I said I’d take care of the tea and coffee.” Suzanne stepped forward, but Denise held up her hands. “Denise, please. I don’t want to be a spare part here.”

“You’re not. You’re a guest.”

“Well, I appreciate that.” Suzanne hadn’t really wanted a cuppa, but she did want to give Jen and Grace some time alone before Dan showed up. She just felt it would be better all around if she made herself scarce with Denise for a few moments. “How do you think today will go when Dan turns up?”

“There will benoshouting or belittling in my house. I don’t care if he’s my only grandchild’s dad.”

“Have you ever had a run-in with him? Not necessarily about Jen, but just in general.” Suzanne rested against the kitchen counter, smiling when Denise faffed about at the kitchen sink. “I don’t know why I get a bad feeling from him. Perhaps it’s just because of the things Jen has told me.”

“I…don’t like him. There’s no use lying.” Denise sighed as she turned and dried her hands on a towel. “He wouldn’t have been who I’d have picked for my Grace.”

“Unfortunately, nobody gets to decide other than Grace on that front.”

“Oh, I know. But I think my Mark would have run him down the street if he were still alive. He would have put a stop to the relationship, no matter what anyone thought about it.” Denise lifted a shoulder and then took a plate from the cupboard. “Biscuits?”

Suzanne smiled. “Sure.”

This was only the third time visiting Jen’s home with her mum, but every time she stepped through the door, she got the warmest feeling. It was clearly a home that held a lot of memories for Jen and her family. Framed photographs scattered the walls and shelving units, and pictures Jen and Grace had painted when they were far younger still hung in places. It reminded Suzanne a lot of her own childhood home.

“I…know Jen told you about the time when we split up.” Suzanne didn’t know why she was having this conversation, but she wanted Denise to know Jen was safe and looked after over at her place. “The reasons why it happened.”

“That’s partially my fault. She was forever asking me if you needed to know about her past, and I kept telling her to let it lie until the moment was right. Upon reflection, I don’t think there could have been a right moment.”

“Nothing has changed for me. I don’t think it ever really did. From then until now, she’s still the wonderful person who turned up on my doorstep some…five months ago now?”

“Has it been that long really?” Denise blew out a breath.

Five months didn’t seem a long time to Suzanne, but looking back, it did feel as though her and Jen had been together for far longer than that. “I know. It’s hard to believe the place we’re at now. I certainly didn’t expect her.”

Denise stepped towards Suzanne and took her hand. “Believe me, she didn’t expect you, either.”

“We are happy,” Suzanne said when Denise squeezed her hand. “Sometimes, I think I’m happier than when I was married to John. He was a wonderful husband, and I wouldn’t change that time in my life for the world, but Jen just gets me. We…get one another on a different level.”

“You’ve both been through a lot. I think that’s where the connection comes from. When two people meet who have spent a significant amount of time grieving, it has that effect. But she loves you—I know it for a fact. This Jen…is happier than when she was with Lizzie.”

Suzanne swallowed. Had Jen told her mum about Lizzie wanting her back? It was possible. They were certainly close enough for that to be the case. “That means a lot to know that.”

The doorbell rang, startling Suzanne a little. It could only be one person, and as Suzanne stood here, she hoped and prayed that this gathering would be far more positive than any previous encounters with one another.

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