Page 70 of The In-Laws

24. Melanie

Melanie drained her coffee and rinsed her cup.

‘Why are you all dressed up?’ Joni’s voice rang out.

Melanie jumped. She’d thought everyone was still in bed. She turned to face her daughter, who was covered head-to-toe in a fluffy blue onesie. ‘Hi, Joni, how come you’re up so early?’

‘We have to be in early for rehearsals.’

‘For the Christmas show? But it’s only mid-November.’

‘It’s a big deal and we have a lot to cover. Janis and I have pretty big parts.’

‘I know, yes, that’s great.’

‘Do you, Mum?’

Melanie’s phone buzzed. ‘Do I what?’

‘Know what parts we have?’

Melanie paused. What was the play? She knew it – they’d talked about it. It wasGrease… No, that was last year. Damnit. Her mind froze. What the hell was it?Footloose?Yes!

‘It’sFootloose.’

‘And what parts do we have?’ Joni’s arms were folded. She reminded Melanie of her mother’s stance when she’d once got a C in maths. ‘There is no place for Cs in this house,’ her mother had warned her. Melanie had never got another.

What parts did they have? Melanie rattled her brain.

‘You’re part of the main gang, you’re one of his friends and Janis is one of the girlfriend’s friends.’

Joni snorted. ‘Wow, Mum, nice try. I’m Reverend Shaw and Janis is Rusty, Ariel’s best friend.’

‘Yes, I remember now. It’s the part Sarah Jessica Parker played in the movie.’

Joni pursed her lips. ‘A weak comeback, but at least you were half listening.’

Melanie smiled. ‘That’s the nicest thing you’ve said to me in ages.’

Joni shrugged. ‘We just feel that work always comes first with you and sometimes it sucks.’

‘I know, but with Nancy not at her best there’s even more pressure on me to bring in money.’

‘You also love it. I mean, you’re borderline obsessed.’

‘I enjoy what I do and I don’t think I should apologize for that. I hope you and Janis find something you love to do, too.’

‘I’m never going to work. I’m going to marry a guy with a great job and stay at home with my kids.’

Come back to me in ten years’ time, Melanie thought. ‘It’s hard on anyone when they’re the only breadwinner. It puts a lot of pressure on them. Also, I think as women we should always have our own money. I’m not saying you have to work as much as I do, but always earn some money of your own. Work part-time, if you like, but if you earn nothing, you’re completely reliant on your partner. What if you break up? You have to protect yourself and, also, I think it’s good for both partners’ self-esteem to contribute to the household.’

Joni poured cereal into a bowl. ‘Jeez, Mum, it’s a bit early for the big lecture. Let me wake up fully before you give me the life-lessons talk. You may have had your coffee but I haven’t.’

Melanie ruffled her daughter’s hair and kissed her head. ‘Fair enough. Okay, I have to fly.’

Joni batted her mother’s hand away and fixed her hair. ‘Hey, you never answered my question, why are you so dressed up?’

‘I have a posh lunch with a possible new writer.’

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