Page 32 of Good Sisters

‘I’m sorry, but I can’t pick Robert up today,’ I said. ‘I have a fashion show at two.’

‘I have clients over from the UK and we have a big lunch, so I can’t either.’

‘She can’t keep doing this, Jack. You have to put your foot down.’

‘What can I do? She never tells me she’s dropping him in. He’s my son. He’s five years old.’ Jack rubbed his eyes. ‘Could Gavin pick him up?’

‘No. He’s helping Shania with her online orders. She’s overwhelmed with work.’

‘Your dad?’

‘He’s looking after Clara because Gavin can’t. Besides, why is it always my family who have to dig your selfish, self-centred ex out of a hole?’

‘I’ll do it,’ Jess said.

We spun around. We hadn’t realized she was behind us, listening.

‘Thank you, but you can’t because you don’t finish school until three thirty,’ I said.

‘My last class is only stupid religion. I can skip it and pick him up.’

‘That would be great, Jess. You’re a star.’ Jack hugged her.

I was not happy about Jess skipping any school, religion or not. Why was my daughter now having to leave school early to look after Pippa’s child? This was all getting way out of hand. I loved Jack and I was happy we were back together, but I had not counted on raising his son. Pippa was doing less and less parenting, and I was shouldering the fallout. Besides, I had a strong suspicion that Pippa was not going to a work thing but off on a jolly with whoever she was shagging these days. This whole custody situation was just not working – she was treating us like a drop-off centre. But for today, we had no choice.

‘Okay, Jess, but just this once. I’ll write you a note.’ I gave in, knowing it was the only solution. If Mum was still alive, I could have asked her. She would have been brilliant with Robert and I know her heart would have melted for him. She’d have had a few choice words to say to Pippa too. Mum would have helped me to navigate the car-crash this custody agreement was becoming. God, I missed her support and advice.

Jess went in to talk to her little brother.

I glared at Jack. ‘This has to stop.’

He threw his hands into the air. ‘If I cross her, she’ll take me to court and ask for full custody and you know courts usually side with the mothers.’

‘I don’t think she will, Jack, because I don’t think she wants more custody. In fact, I think she’d gladly hand over full custody to you. She just threatens to do that because she wants the maintenance money.’

‘I can’t risk it, Sophie. I can’t risk losing joint custody.’

I understood he was nervous about a court leaning towards the mother, but surely if the judge saw we were the ones who looked after Robert most of the time anyway, they’d never rule for Pippa. That was if she took Jack to court, which I didn’t think she would. She was just using it as a threat so Jack wouldn’t challenge her. She was controlling all of us, and I was thoroughly sick of it.

I held Robert’s hand as we walked to school.

‘I can’t wait for Jess to pick me up. It’s gonna be so cool. She said we can go to the playground on the way home.’ He skipped along beside me.

‘That sounds like fun.’

‘Jess is the best sister in the whole big world.’ He smiled up at me.

He was a very sweet kid, despite his deadbeat mother’s DNA.

‘Yes, she is, and you’re a wonderful little brother, and she loves you so much.’

He beamed. ‘And she said we can get sweeties too.’

‘Not too many, though. We have to mind our teeth, don’t we?’

‘Yes, Sophie, we do. But a few is okay.’

I winked. ‘Yes, they are.’

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