Page 109 of Lessons in Life

‘She was a trollop,’ Karen eventually said. ‘Wealthy, from a good family, but threw it all away, tomcatting around when she got the itch in her pants with one of her father’s workers. She’d had a public-school education, a finishing schoolin Switzerland, for heaven’s sake.’ Spittle formed at the corners of her mouth, tiny flecks landing on my arm as she spatSwitzerland. ‘And then she slept with a man before she was married. A… a foreigner as well. She didn’t deserve to have her baby live whenmylittle boy died.’ Karen’s voice broke but she still didn’t cry. ‘Her grandmother told me everything. Distraught, the poor woman was. Couldn’t wait to get the girl’s baby adopted with a good, God-fearing family and get the girl back to England and brush it all under the carpet. And we did that, Mr Foley and I. We took that… thatbastardchild on, brought her up, did everything for her. Made sure she kept on the straight and narrow. And look how that turned out.’

‘Mum, you mean? Lisa?’

‘Of course, Lisa! Who else would I be talking about? I tried to beat the devil out of her… You said she’d got some illness now? Well, that’s the devil. You need to watch that little sister of yours; she needs exorcising too…’ Karen broke off as the front door banged, glaring at me. ‘You got what you came for,’ she growled. ‘Leave me alone now and don’tanyof you come back.’

35

‘I think we should go straight to Jo’s place,’ I said, once we were all in the car. ‘What Jo and Janice told me this morning must all be true.’

‘Jo?’ Sorrel demanded. ‘Ms Cooper from school? What did she say? Tell us!’

‘I think Mum’s had enough,’ Jess said.

‘I’m starving,’ Sorrel interrupted. ‘Can we go and get something to eat? And, if you hadn’t let on you were outside the door, earwigging,’ she went on, ‘I bet Karen would have told me everything.’

Mum, sitting upright but ashen-faced, didn’t say a word.

‘Coffee, Mum?’ Sorrel asked. ‘A coffee and a bun? Would that help?’

‘Shhh, Sorrel,’ I admonished. ‘Just shush two minutes while we work out what to do.’ I turned to Mum. ‘Mum? What do you want to do?’

She still didn’t say a word but stared stonily ahead out of the window.

‘I think she’s in shock,’ Jess whispered, turning to Sorrel and me in the back.

‘Hot sweet tea, then?’ Sorrel mouthed back. ‘And a big doughnut?’

‘Sorrel, shut it, will you? Oh, Mum…’ I leaned forwards to comfort her but she remained utterly still and I began to seriously worry about her. Should we be getting her to Dr Matt at the hospital? ‘D’you think we should ring Matt?’ I asked.

‘Oh, yes,’ Jess said, obviously relieved at the thought of passing Mum on to a professional when we three didn’t appear to have a clue what to do. ‘I think so…’

‘Have I got this right?’ Mum spoke slowly, but succinctly. ‘I was born in Canada?’

We all nodded.

‘So, I’m Canadian?’

‘Yes, I reckon you’re Canadian,’ Sorrel said sagely. ‘You know, like Celine Dion and… hey, does that make me half Canadian? Will it help me get a green card to work on Broadway…?’

‘Sorrel, shhh.’ Jess and I tutted in unison.

‘I’ve always wanted to go to Canada,’ Mum said, almost dreamily.

‘Look, Mum,’ I now blurted out. ‘I think Jo from school, who’s been looking into your family tree, is on the right track after all…’

‘Well, then, take me there, please.’

‘Really?’ Jess exchanged looks with Sorrel and me before turning back to Mum.

‘Absolutely. You don’t think I can go home and sit down to listen toThe Archerswith a cup of tea when I’ve my own personal drama going on, do you?’

‘Can we stop on the way there?’ Sorrel piped up. ‘Because if I don’t get something to eat, I’m going todie.’

* * *

‘Oh, good, Janice, you’re still here,’ I said as we all trooped through Jo’s kitchen and into her sitting room once more.

‘I wasn’t going anywhere when our Jo told me you’d rung her and were bringing your mum round. I’m on absolute eggs.’ Janice turned to Mum, taking her hand. ‘Oh, love…’ but didn’t seem to be able to say anything further.

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