Page 102 of Seven Letters

Neither have I, Mia wanted to shout.

‘He needs to be kept calm and not upset.’

Mia sighed. ‘Right. Well, Olivia, to be fair, there isn’t much I can do to make the situation of his daughter being brain dead any better.’

Olivia pursed her lips. ‘No need to be snippy, Mia. I’m only looking after your father’s welfare. As my Robert said to me, “That man is lucky to have you in his life to take good care of him.”’

Mia was too tired, emotionally drained and sleep-deprived for Olivia’s nonsense. ‘What do you want, Olivia? A medal for being nice to Dad? Do you want me to get down on my knees and thank you for making him drink green tea?’

Olivia bristled. ‘A simple acknowledgement of my support and care would be nice.’

Was this woman for real? Did she honestly think Mia owed her something? What did she want? A box of chocolates for being nice to Charlie, whom she was trying to railroad into marrying her? This was ridiculous. ‘I’m sorry I haven’t been praising you and showering you with gifts of thanks, but I’ve been kind of busy trying to deal with my sister and her baby.’

‘I know it’s been hard on you, but Charlie is considerably older and less able to cope with this trauma. He’s desperately upset, and he even snapped at me this morning, which is most unlike him.’

‘Why did he snap at you?’

‘I was trying to get him to eat some quinoa porridge. I’d even added raspberries to it because I know he likes those. Quinoa is supposed to give you lots of energy and fill you up without bloating you and … Well, that’s what the nice young man in the health shop told me. But Charlie pushed the dish aside and said it was something you’d feed pigs in a trough.’

Mia grinned.

‘All very well for you to laugh. You’re still young – you can survive on coffee and chocolate, but your father can’t.’

Mia held up her hand to try to stop Olivia droning on. ‘I know you’re trying to help, but what Dad needs now is to drink ten cups of bloody coffee a day if he wants to, and if he wants to survive on doughnuts or chocolate, then let him. Stop trying to force him to eat healthily. Do that later. For now, just let him eat and drink whatever he wants to get through the day.’

Olivia picked up her handbag from the hall table. ‘I most certainly will not let him survive on sugar and caffeine. If I did, I’d be neglecting my duties as a fiancée.’ She pulled on her trench coat, then wagged a finger in Mia’s face. ‘I’ll be back in an hour or so and I do not want to find Charlie high on caffeine and sugar. It’s bad for his heart.’

‘Off you go. You don’t want to miss a beat of that wonderful trombone playing.’

Olivia glanced at her watch. ‘Yes, I’d best be off.’

Mia resisted the urge to push her out of the door and opted to slam it instead.

‘Mia? Is that you?’ Charlie called from the kitchen.

‘Yes, just coming Dad.’

Mia went in and found her father standing in front of the door that led into the back garden.

‘Is she gone?’

‘Yes.’

‘Thank God. Did you bring them?’

Mia smiled. ‘Yes, I did.’ She pulled a packet of cigarettes from her bag and handed them to her father. ‘I’m only letting you smoke one or two.’

‘That’ll do.’

‘And Riley sent you two KitKats.’

‘The little dote.’

‘And I brought brandy. I’ll make us some brandy coffees.’

‘Thank you, pet. You’re a good girl.’

Mia clung to the little compliment and allowed it to warm her heart.

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