(aka Bike) Part 662 by Angharad |
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Hastily, I asked Stella to keep Meems out of the way while I spoke with Laura. The doorbell rang as I shut the door of the dining room. I opened the front door and faked my surprise, “Laura, this is unexpected.”
“Sorry I couldn’t wait for you to get back to me, look could you have her tonight as well–I know it’s short notice, but if I don’t get off up to Scotland to see Tony tomorrow morning, he’s going to wriggle out of things again.”
“Um–it’s short notice, Laura.” I wasn’t at all sure how much I believed her and how much I wondered if she could be taking the urine.
“Please, Cathy, I know she loves it, staying with your two.”
“She also hinted that she gets dumped quite regularly.”
“Ooh, the little fibber, I’ll have words with her when I get back.”
“Five year olds are rarely competent liars, Laura.”
“Well, she must be the exception then.”
“I’ll do it this time, but I’m not guaranteeing any further occasion beyond bringing her home for you to collect in the evenings.”
“Oh, like that is it?”
“Like what?” I asked feeling more than a little cross.
“How do you think the press will respond to finding that the latest natural history presenter pin-up, is actually a boy?”
“I think you’ll find my birth certificate says female.”
“It might nowadays, but it didn’t used to did it? Charlie?”
“Just what are you insinuating?”
“That life could get a bit hectic and troublesome with the press at your door for a week or two, as I’m sure you already know, Charlie boy.”
“I could quite easily tell you to look after your own child, instead of listening to all this nonsense.”
“Oh I don’t think it’s nonsense. I’ve got a DVD of a news bulletin where you featured with Simon, trying to stop the tabloids taking the initiative. It won’t work this time, you are a celebrity, so you’ll be fair game.”
“So? All this is in the public domain, why should I worry?”
“Your rich fiancé and his family won’t stop one of the tabloids breaking the story again.”
“Who said they stopped it, before?”
“Come off it, Cathy, or is it Charlie?”
“There is no Charlie.”
“Ooh, get you. If there’s no Charlie, why are you blushing?”
“I could just call social services and report you as an unfit mother.” Maybe a counter threat would work?
“Go ahead, see what happens.” She smiled as if she’d been there before and came through it. “I’d have thought that social services were the last people you wanted here, given your run ins with them. I’m sure they’d just love to get you back for your making them look stupid last time.”
“They were stupid.”
“Ah, but like elephants…”
“What big eared and full of shit?”
“Ooh, very quick. I can see I’ll have to watch you. How do we know that your two girls are actually girls? Maybe you’re some pervert and dress them as girls when they are really boys?”
“How dare you?” I was ready to roll up my sleeves and smack her one.
“I dare things all the time. You see, I’m a bit of a dare devil,” she said, smirking at me.
“Well the devil bit's right.”
“Ooh, so who swallowed her razor blades this morning?”
“Blackmailers are especially nasty people,” I said with vehemence.
“Yes, because we have total control.”
“Are you driving to Scotland?”
“Why?”
“I was going to wish you a safe journey,” I smiled the falsest smile I could manage.
“Ha, you think I’d be stupid enough to tell you how I’m going, so your rich friends could organise a hit.”
“Laura, I think you’ve been watching too many thrillers on television.”
“Oh, have I? So your killing of Russians earlier, was a figment of my imagination that so happened to get mentioned on telly?”
“I’m not going to discuss this any more. Your demands are obviously based on jealousy.”
“Jealousy?” she repeated it over and over, laughing to herself as she did so. “Yes, I like that–I’m jealous of a boy who pretends he’s a woman. Oh, what fun.”
“There is no pretence, Laura.”
“What about your girls? How many of them are really girls?”
“How dare you? I think you’d better go and quickly.”
“Or what? What were you going to say–or you’ll kill me?”
“No, I was going to say, before your daughter finds out what sort of nasty, two bit hooker, you really are.”
“Hooker? Ha, at least I don’t go around seducing my own sex?”
“Neither do I–whatever gave you that idea?
“How about Simon? He’s a boy like you, isn’t he?”
“Simon is a boy, well a man, but I’m a woman.”
“So you’d have a chromosome test, would you, just to prove me wrong?”
“What would that prove?” I wasn’t getting anywhere with this argument.
“That you used to be a long term housewife? I don’t think so, but it might prove beyond doubt that you are actually a boy and that I’m a girl or a woman.” She seemed to gloat and I desperately wanted to punch those sneering lips.
“Get out of here, before I call the police.”
“No, Cathy, I’m the one who makes the threats, veiled or otherwise. You do as you’re told, and we’ll get along fine.”
“What if Peaches needs a doctor?”
“You’d better make sure she doesn’t, hadn’t you?” She laughed and dumping the suitcase inside the door, turned and walked away.
I slammed the door and leant against it. I felt so angry and so helpless. Part of me wanted to beat her until she bled, or get someone else to do it. Then I thought about her daughter, who as far as we knew, was a nice kid. Why should she suffer because her mother was a total shit?
Stella and I were limited in what we could say about what was happening in case Meems got hold of the wrong end of the stick, or even the right end for that matter. It wasn’t nice for Peaches, who seemed to be such a good friend of Trish.
I did our lunch and made preparations for another place at dinner. All the time I knew we had to keep Trish’s secret from Peaches, but how? I wondered if it was worth getting her some very tight knickers to wear under her normal ones? Then would that do her an injury, and in this warm weather, would that be uncomfortable, full stop? I needed this like a hole in the head.
“Time to go and get the girls, can you watch Mima, Stella?”
“Sure, you get them.”
I set off with a heavy heart. It wasn’t fair on any of the children that I was being forced to do this, it wasn’t their fault after all, so I resolved to try and put a brave face on things and treat them as if I loved them all. Why did I have this feeling of doom and gloom so strongly?
Comments
Considering the upcoming chapter,
Cathy could be right, but for who is the doom and gloom for? I'd like to see Cathy deflate that witch.
May Your Light Forever Shine
May Your Light Forever Shine
same here
i would love for peaches mom to get her just deserts and then some as people like that dont deserve kids at all
Two can play at that game...
With all the contacts the Camerons have, I'm sure they could find a skeleton or two in Laura's cupboard...
Admittedly mutual blackmail hardly makes for endearing relationships, but if that's what it takes...
Oh, then as for the chromosome test, what exactly would that prove? There are cases of XY females (Swyer syndrome) and XX males (XX male syndrome / de la Chapelle syndrome)...
As the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, then only left-handers are in their right mind!
Peaches
If Peaches mother goes to the Social Workers then she could lose her own daughter. Here In Florida, USA what she is doing to her own child is Child neglect and a judge would remove the child from her care. If that happens here and the Judge is the same one that Cathy had then expect the judge to ask Cathy to foster this child also. Which I think would be great for Peaches grow up under a better role model.
Hugs,
Jenna From FL
Hugs,
Jenna From FL
Moderator/Editor
TopShelf BigCloset
It is a long road ahead but I will finally become who I should be.
Whew, I wasn't expecting that from Laura
Funny though that she can say so many nasty things about Cathy but she wants Cathy to care for her daughter. I think Cathy needs to let Henry know whats going on. Laura needs to see what happens when she takes on a force a whole lot bigger than she can handle...and what about Cathy's infamous cell phone recordings? Assume she didn't make one. Would be pretty cool if she did.
Poor Peaches. Seems like she really does need Cathy. I can't help but wonder what her home life is like.
Nasty bitch
that woman. But Cathy is not without resources, so it wouldn't seem too hard to get something about that prejudiced cow to get her back in line. Trouble of course is, how not to harm little Peaches, when Cathy hits, or pushes, back. 'Mother dearest' doesn't care that much about her precious wee one, apparently her main concern is herself.
Another gnashing chapter Angharad. But thanks anyway :)
Jo-Anne
You can,t help but think that
Cathy should call Laura's bluff, There is no way that woman(and i use that term loosely!!!) has not got a lot of skeletons in her closet.....Always knew she was a bad 'un'
Kirri
Blackmailers, the lowest form of life.
Revealing people's business when they have done no harm is disgraceful and a reason why I don't read newspapers much. Personally, I don't give in to blackmail and call people's bluffs. Then again, I try not to have secrets with those I care about (well, not for long anyway), so it would be an empty threat. Not too nice for the kids though, threatening children is the act of something lower than pond scum - Jay
Unless there is truth in my heart, my every effort is doomed to failure....
That which does not kill me only serves to delay the inevitable. My blog => http://jaynemorose.wordpress.com/ <= note new address
Unenjoyable
This is a truly amazing feat, this daily soap opera, and I'm totally hooked on it, "tuning in" every day for my fix.
That said, this chapter hit some really exposed nerves in my case. The contention and extortion is just the sort of thing that gets me really upset, sadly even in a fictional story.
I really wish Cathy had been able to just say, "No." I understand why she felt she might not want to, given her sympathy for Peaches, but laying down and just accepting such abuse from someone acting so horribly... I find it quite unbearable.
Really, at the very least, she should ring up the local constabulary and report exactly what happened. The blackmail, the child abandonment, all of it.
big issue is that you know
Cathy will not want to hurt the child even to get to the mother. She has too much compassion for little ones.
I think Cathy should...
talk to the Mother Superior of the school. Tell her that Peach's mother unceremoniously dropped off the girl's suitcase and threatened her with blackmail if she didnt take the kid for the weekend. Let the Church school get a piece of her. I would bet that her school fees are waaaaay behind.
Snidely written by Nora-A
Blackmail Will Not Get Her Anywhere
Laura is not a very smart woman. She thinks she has the upper hand on Cathy, but I think the tables can be turned on her. If she insists on getting Social Services involved then she opens herself up to being declared an unfit mother. The issue of Cathy's past has already been put out there in public. Cathy runs circles around Laura as a mother and her record will stand any day against Laura's. Peaches means exactly what she says about what her mother does. Does Laura really want to open that can of worms? it could get very uncomfortable for her. It sounds like the Ex had very good reason for leaving. One has to wonder if he is actually the father? He may be a high profile figure that she is trying to blackmail. She is probably using her press influence to threaten him like she did Cathy. We shall see!
Wow, I was feeling sorry for Laura
Wow, I was feeling sorry for Laura. Now I want to strangle her!
Not unexpected...
the buttons Laura is trying to push with Cathy. I'd hope Cathy calls Laura on this, and brings in Social Services. There is already enough of a network to stop Trish and Meems from getting taken away, but I fear the family is about to grow by one.
Finally, though, it looks like Cathy has become more "accepting" of being a woman than she has portrayed in previous chapters. One can only hope this continues for her.
Laura's not pushing buttons ...
... but Angharad is :) And she's doing a good job if the number of comments is any indication. No, I'll correct that. She is doing a good job, full stop.
I would have thought Laura was on dangerous ground. She's aiming to leave her daughter with someone she's trying to blackmail. Won't look too good if she tries it on, will it?
Geoff
Wow!
I thought there was something weird going on with Laura, but I never anticipated this! What a witch! I hope Cathy puts her in her place.
Saless
"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America
"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America
Oooohhh!
Yes, I'm DEFINITELY on Cathy's side this time! Laura SO needs a come-uppance (do you have those in Britain?).
Yours from the Great White North,
Jenny Grier (Mrs.)
x
Yours from the Great White North,
Jenny Grier (Mrs.)
Actually, I think...
That Cathy might well want to give PC Bond a quick call... Laura just "abandoned" her daughter, without anyone agreeing to take her on. And, PC Bond knows Cathy's history... My question is how the UK authorities would react to what Laura's done (more than once apparently). The attempt at blackmail alone would be something that could cause her trouble over here. Add in child abandonment, and not only would the child be removed from her custody, she'd find herself charged with endangering a minor. But, as I say, for all I know things may be different over there.
Either way, somehow, I suspect that Laura's in for more than she thinks, but time will tell.
Sad, but not surprising, based on what we've seen of Laura so far. *sighs*
Thanks,
Annette
It looks like it time to
It looks like it time to bring down Peaches' mother. She is not only a bad influence to her child, by dropping her off on different people, she is in fact a person who really, really needs to be behind bars and for a very long time. I foresee this going to court, and I would hope that the judge turns out to be the one that Cathy saw regarding Trish and Meems. J-Lynn
The phone,
Where is the phone when you need it?
Bye Whizz, Hello Bonzi
Yes, and XXY or XXXY males who have Klinefelters Syndrome. ( Leslie Howard, Michael J Fox, and Jamie Leigh Curtis )
You could have nocked an arrow and buried her under a manure pile out back, suitably fitting.
Boy, can you be nasty, Ang !
Cefin
Oh, yeah
I have a strong feeling I was right, I don't think Laura is long for this world, Peaches will be daughter number three.