The Way We Were_ A Novel - Marcia Willett [64]
She takes Julia to see the cottage, whilst Aunt Em minds Charlie and the twins, and they quietly discuss its merits and its disadvantages.
‘It really all depends on where I can find a job,’ says Tiggy sitting on the long, orange-cove red G Plan sofa. ‘If I can get one in the town then this is a good place to be. I might be able to work the lunchtime shift in one of the pubs. Uncle Archie's got his ear to the ground. The size I am now, nobody takes me seriously when I go in and ask for a job.’
‘I can believe that,’ agrees Julia, poking around in the small but well set-up kitchen behind the Formica breakfast bar, ‘but I hoped you might be a bit nearer to us.’
‘So did I. I phoned the local pubs but they don't need anybody and I can't find any cottages for rent around St Breward or Blisland.’
‘Does it have to be a pub?’
‘The hours are more flexible and my brief experience shows me that they don't ask so many questions. Of course, a bit later I hope to get back into teaching – but who knows?’
‘How long before you have to say yes or no?’
‘Oh, a few weeks yet. Aunt Em says that there will be loads of people after it if I don't want it so there's no great pressure.’
‘In that case we'll have a really good scour around nearer to home,’ Julia says.
Pete comes home one hot June evening in a very grumpy mood.
‘The new captain has decided that he wants a work-up,’ he says, pouring himself a gin and tonic. ‘Give us all a chance to shake down together, he says. That means a month in Scottish waters. Everyone's really fed up.’
‘Oh, no.’ Julia lights a cigarette. ‘Oh, darling, what a bore.’
He glances irritably at her cigarette, as if he is looking for an excuse for a quarrel. ‘I thought you'd given up,’ he says tetchily. ‘You said you would.’
‘I nearly have,’ says Julia. ‘Except at moments like these. The kids will be really upset.’
‘Then don't mention it just yet,’ says Pete. ‘I can't hack them giving me grief about it. Oh, by the way, I saw Martin in Drake today. He and Angela have invited us to dinner.’
There is a little silence. Tiggy, glancing at Julia, sees that her cheeks are brightly flushed and that she draws very deliberately on her cigarette before she answers.
‘What did you say?’ she asks abruptly.
Pete shrugs. He seems ill at ease and his tone is truculent when he answers. ‘I said I didn't see why not but that I'd check with you. It's next Saturday and we haven't got anything planned as far as I know. It's Martin's birthday so it's going to be a really big thrash. I assumed that Tiggy wouldn't mind baby-sitting.’
He glances at her and she assumes a willing but non-committal expression, not wishing to upset Julia who still stares at the tip of her cigarette.
‘I suppose we shall have to go,’ she says at last.
‘Well, don't sound so thrilled.’ Pete finishes his drink. ‘I'm going to have a bath.’
He goes out of the kitchen, through the hall and into the sitting-room, and Tiggy and Julia hear the children greeting him with cries of welcome.
‘I suppose she can't be too awful at a party,’ Tiggy ventures at last.
Julia looks as if she might burst into angry tears. ‘Angela can be awful anywhere,’ she says.
On the night of the party, Tiggy goes to bed before Julia and Pete arrive home and rises early next morning so as to make sure the children don't bother them. Julia looks preoccupied and tired when she appears in the kitchen seeking coffee; Pete stays in bed very late and, when he eventually gets up, he goes off with the dogs, not inviting anyone to go with him and thus incurring the wrath of Liv and Andy.
They chant ‘Pee po piddle bum’ and begin one of their tiresome duets: ‘Why is Daddy so mean … ?’ ‘Yes, but why is he … ?’ until Julia shouts at them, silencing the twins and making Charlie cry.
‘Sorry’ she says wretchedly. ‘Sorry, darlings. That's what happens when mummies go to bed too late. It's OK, Charlie. Do shut up, there's a good boy.’
She smiles at Tiggy, who is looking as anxious as the twins. ‘It's nothing. But … well, you know how she is.’
‘Who?’ asks Liv curiously. ‘Who