Page 42 of Daydreams at the Farm on Muddypuddle Lane
Adam felt sick. He could all too easily imagine the conversation, and Maisie’s reaction on hearing it. No wonder she was upset. He had to talk to her and explain.
He turned to leave, just as his mother said, ‘A waitress?’ Her tone was scornful.
‘Yes.’ His anger was beginning to build.
‘But what about Verity?’
‘What about her? I’ve told you before, I have zero interest in Verity. Even if I didn’t love Maisie, I wouldn’t date Verity.’
‘Love?Adam, please, you don’t mean it?’
‘I do.’ Hearing footsteps, he turned to see his dad approaching and groaned. He could do without a lecture from his father.
His mother was spluttering with indignation. ‘Did you hear what Adam just said? He thinks he’s in love with that waitress – the one that was so abusive.’
‘Nonsense,’ his father scoffed. ‘He can’t be. I won’t allow it.’
‘That’s enough!’ Adam shouted, losing his temper. ‘What do you meanyou won’t allow it? It’s not up to you who I fall in love with. It’s none of your business.’
‘Your mother and I are fed up with you making a hash of your life. You’ve got a wonderful future ahead of you, with a young lady who thinks the world of you, yet you’re willing to throw it all away to muck about with engines and chase a piece of skirt.’
‘I’m throwing nothing away,’ Adam retorted.
His father scowled and drew himself up to his full height, anger flashing in his eyes.
Adam wasn’t impressed.
He was even less impressed when his father issued an ultimatum. ‘Either you get rid of this stupid notion of being in love, or I’ll disown you. Your choice.’
Dulcie was incandescent with rage. ‘How dare you! I warned you, didn’t I? I told you that if you got up to your old tricks in Otto’s restaurant, you would be out on your ear. If it wasn’t too late to catch a train, I’d drive you to the station this very minute.’
Maisie hung her head. The tirade had begun as soon as she’d entered thefarmhouse to find Dulcie and Mum waiting in the kitchen. Dulcie’s expression was apoplectic. Their mother’s was smug. Beth usually looked resigned and disappointed when Maisie lost a job, but Maisie guessed Mum was happy this time because it meant there was no danger of her staying on the farm now.
‘What the hell happened?’ Dulcie demanded. ‘Otto told me you insulted a diner, then walked out.’
With fresh tears in her eyes, Maisie said, ‘Did he tell you that Adam was there with his girlfriend, soon to be his fiancée?’
‘What? No! But aren’t you two—?’
‘Yeah, that’s whatIthought too. Apparently not. He was having dinner with her, his mother and some others. His mother was talking about how sheexpected him to pop the question any day now.’ Maisie put a hand to her mouth to hold back a wail of anguish.
‘No, Otto didn’t tell me that, but it’s beside the point. You shouldn’t have insulted her. This is Otto’s livelihood, and you’re damaging it.’
‘I know and I’m sorry, but I couldn’t stand there and listen—’
‘Yes, you could.’ Dulcie was adamant. ‘That’s what being a grown-up is all about, Maisie. Control.’ She shook her head. ‘I shouldn’t have expected anything different from you. It’s not as though you haven’t got a track record of walking out of jobs. Or dumping boyfriends, for that matter.’
‘I told you he was no good,’ Beth chimed in. ‘I could tell as soon as I set eyes on him.’
‘Yeah, right,’ Maisie said bitterly.
‘I said he was nothing but a grease monkey.’ Beth folded her arms, her satisfaction evident.
Maisie said, ‘It’s the opposite, in fact, Mum.’
‘Eh?’
‘It doesn’t matter.’ Nothing mattered anymore. Maisie just wanted to find a dark corner and curl up in it until she recovered from her misery. If she ever did. ‘I’ll go and pack. If one of you could give me a lift to Thornbury, I can be out of your hair tonight.’
