Page 62 of Six Steps to Happiness
“Your mother, she’s seventy-three.”
“Oh, here we go.” Nick threw his arms in the air. “Acting like you know her better than me again. I’m only her son.”
“Dad,” Willow said, her tone pleading.
“It’s all right,” Ronnie reassured her daughter. “Your dad’s upset.”
“Damn right I’m upset.” He trained his eyes directly on Ronnie. “You do know this is your fault, don’t you? Dragging her into your stupid games to turn her against us.”
Listening to him, Ronnie knew he had a point. Not because of any games she had or hadn’t played. After all, she’d done her best to keep both her daughter and mother-in-law out of all that. What she was guilty of, however, was secretly liking the fact that Bea had chosen her over Nick’s new woman. Because in a sense, that meant Bea had chosen her over Nick.
“Poor little Ronnie,” he continued, his voice suddenly mocking. “Your son is so bad because he left me for someone better.”
Ronnie felt herself redden, embarrassed that Nick could behave that way in full view of the hospital waiting room. She saw they were attracting an audience, although she wasn’t surprised, considering her ex-husband had just announced to the world that his girlfriend was a marriage wrecker.
“Come on, love,” Gaye said, clearly feeling uncomfortable at the dirty looks being thrown her way. “There’s no point letting her get to you.” She linked her arm into his.
Willow scoffed at Gaye. “And you’re here because?”
“Willow,” Ronnie said. “That’s enough.” Her daughter opened her mouth to respond, but Ronnie gave her a look warning her not to.
Nick shrugged Gaye off, obviously on a roll when it came to Ronnie. “I’m telling you, if my mother… if she…”
Ronnie’s whole body tensed up as Nick leaned in until his face was centimetres from hers. “I’ll…”
“You’ll what?” Jack said, suddenly behind him.
45
Grateful for Jack’s arrival, Ronnie finally exhaled. She watched on as Nick spun round. The shock on his face might have been fleeting, but as he looked from Jack, to her, and back again, it was there long enough for Ronnie to see it.
“I should have known you’d be here,” Nick said, full of bravado. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed you sniffing around my–”
“Ex-wife,” Jack interrupted. He folded his arms and took a deep breath, purposefully puffing out his chest. He straightened his back, instantly gaining another inch in height.
Ronnie couldn’t help but notice how puny Nick looked in comparison, forcing her again to ask what she ever saw in the man.
“You do know if you carry on making a scene, I shall have to arrest you,” Jack said.
Nick scoffed. “For what?” He gestured to Ronnie. “We all know she’s the criminal around here.”
“To prevent a breach of the peace, for starters,” Jack said. “This is, after all, a hospital.” He glanced around the room. “And you do seem to be upsetting an awful lot of people.”
Nick fell silent as he too looked around.
“Come on, love,” Gaye said, taking Nick by the arm. “Let’s go and sit down.”
“Good idea, madam,” Jack said.
Nick hesitated, but Jack stood firm, leaving Nick no choice but to do as requested.
Jack turned to Ronnie and Willow. “Are you two okay?”
Willow nodded.
As did Ronnie. She suddenly felt overwhelmed. Not only was she worried about Bea but she had to contend with yet another of Nick’s outbursts, and no-one had ever stuck up for her quite like that before.
Jack indicated she should sit down too, before taking the chair next to her.
