Page 69 of The Bad Mother's Diary

Althea said, ‘He loves her, but only because she’s half of him.’

Friday July 10th

Keep thinking that Daisy doesn’t have a family anymore. And bursting into tears.

Saturday July 11th

Helen came round today.

Mum shouted, ‘Get off my doorstep you posh tart.’

I told Mum it was alright. I wanted to hear what Helen had to say.

Dad tactfully asked Mum and Brandi to help in the pub, and said if Callum was averygood boy he could play ‘ice cream van’ with the beer pumps.

So Helen and I had the house to ourselves.

While I was making us a cup of tea, Brandi came up looking for Callum’s sunglasses.

She said, ‘Is that tea for her ladyship?’

I said yes.

Brandi spat in the cup.

It’s the first time I’ve laughed since the wedding.

Then Helen appeared.

I had to give Helen the cup of tea then – it would have looked suspicious if I’d got rid of it.

Brandi said, ‘Do enjoy yourlovelycup of tea.’

Helen yattered on about the pub garden and how it was lovely for families. Or something.

Mum’s got all these wind chimes, gnomes and wishing wells out there. Not exactly the slate flowerbeds and lollypop hedges in Helen’s garden. But nice for children.

It was very weird – Helen trying to be nice. A bit unsettling.

Luckily it didn’t last long.

Helen said she wanted to arrange ‘visitation’ for Nick. And that she was happy to act as a ‘go-between’.

I asked why Nick couldn’t sort things out himself.

Helen talked about how sensitive Nick was and what a failure he felt.

She said, ‘You know how men are – when they feel low they often look to the baser comforts.’

Then she put her nasty, bony hand over mine and said, ‘Nicholas is like his father. A lover of women. A charmer.’

I said, ‘Didn’t you divorce Nick’s dad?’

She said, ‘Yes, but I shouldn’t have done. Men cheat. I should have forgiven him.’ Then she told me that Henry cheated on her with one of his factory workers – a woman who presses the toilet roll dispensers.

I asked her if Henry had ever slept with her bridesmaid.

She went quiet then. And asked if I’d seen Sadie.

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