(aka Bike) Part 1728 by Angharad Copyright © 2012 Angharad
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It’s Saturday morning, Wiggo is favourite for the Criterium du Dauphine, least according to my Guardian, just two more stages to go. I sat reading the paper and sipping tea in between bites of toast. If anyone so much as mentions weddings, I’ll likely punch them in the head. As you can appreciate, I am still mad with Stella, the cheeky cow does bugger all round here, and then gives me orders like she’s the lady of the manor and I’m some skivvy from the kitchen; whereas in fact, I happen to be the lady of the house and the next time she pushes her luck, I think I’ll remind her.
I couldn’t concentrate to read the paper, so I finished up my breakfast and after putting my dirty plate and cup in the dishwasher, I sorted some laundry and so began my weekend chores.
When I’d got up, only Tom was about: and he went off with Kiki in somewhat of a mood because I got the paper first. Just to annoy him I did the quick crossword, the one he usually does–I usually get the cryptic–not that I have time to look at it very often. I used to be quite good at them, but these days I’m somewhat out of practice.
First down was Julie who had to go to work. She had a quick breakfast of a coffee and one slice of toast, no wonder she’s so thin. I made her a sandwich of ham and salad and handed her the box, with a bag of crisps, a banana and a cup of soup packet. She pecked me on the cheek in thanks and left, saying that she would be out tonight, but would be home for dinner first.
I emptied the machine and dumped the contents of the basket into the tumble drier, the forecast was for showers much of the weekend. Coming out of the utility room, I saw Danny sitting at the table spooning cereal into his mouth like there was no tomorrow.
“Slow down, you don’t have a train to catch.”
“No, I’ve got a cricket match–an’ I’m late.”
“It’s been raining,” I announced.
“So, we’ve got an all weather pitch.”
“Make sure you take a waterproof with you–the forecast is rain.”
“That’s for later.”
“What is?”
“The forecast.”
“Well if you come back covered in grass stains, you can wash your togs yourself.”
“Who pinched your lollipop?” he quipped.
“What?”
“You’re crabbier than ever, you on or something?”
For that alone I could have murdered him, but I didn’t, probably because it was too wet to dig the grave. “Very funny–not.” I accompanied this with a look which possibly lasered his liver.
“Sorry, Mum–but you are very crabby today.”
“Yeah well, your aunt is driving me up the wall.”
“Auntie Stella?”
“There’s another?”
“What’s she done?”
“The lazy cow is expecting me to wait hand foot and finger on her while she lords it doing the minimum of anything to help, and now she expects me to organise the bridesmaid’s dresses–I ask you–and I’m the one who goes out to work.”
I heard a noise behind me and a body dashed up the stairs–it looked like Stella’s.
“Was that Stella?” I asked Danny.
“I–um–hafta go,” he grabbed his coat and his cricket bag before I could say anything. Wonderful–now, I’ll have her sulking all day–just what I need.
Jacquie arrived with Puddin’ and Fiona and my Catherine. “Stella asked me to bring them down for breakfast.”
The lazy cow, wasn’t faR from my thoughts, “She said she was packing.”
“Packing?”
Jacquie shrugged and started feeding the little ones. I took Catherine and bared a breast for her suckle. I wasn’t really in the mood, but at least I had to sit down while she did it. The other girls came down, and Sammi followed them, she helped them with their breakfasts and I finished up giving Catherine some toast with jam on. Then I let Jacquie take her up to wash her and dress her–they get on so well together.
Simon came down, slurped down a cup of coffee and dashed off before I could ask him where he was going. We needed more milk and he could have got some.
After emptying the drier, I went upstairs and decided to speak with Stella. I knocked and entered her rooms, having divested myself of everything but her stuff and her babies. “I’ve brought your washing,” I said as I went in. The scene before me shocked me.
There were piles of clothes everywhere, and she had three or four suitcases into which she was ramming things. She ignored me and continued shoving clothes into the cases.
“Stella, what are you doing?”
She ignored me again so I grabbed her as she went past, she dropped the clothes she was carrying, “What’re you doing?”
“Getting my lazy arse out of here, Gareth has gone back to his house and is sorting out a bed for me and the two girls.”
“Oh,” I was gobsmacked.
“It’s what you wanted, isn’t it? To be rid of me?”
“No it isn’t–look can we talk about this?”
“I think you’ve said enough haven’t you?” She wrenched her arm back from my loosening grip and continued her packing.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that.”
“So how did you mean it?”
“I was tired and irritable.”
“And that’s all my fault is it?”
“No.”
“Well the way you were talking to Danny, it seemed to be the case–and my wedding is the final straw is it? Well, fine, I’ll cancel the bloody thing. I’ve got that girl’s number for the dresses–I’ll ring her once we get to Gareth’s house.”
“Stella, you’ve made your point and I apologise unreservedly, what I said was out of order.”
“No it wasn’t–it showed how you really feel towards me–and to think I treated you like a sister–I feel betrayed by my own family–my own sister.” There were copious tears from both of us–probably enough to shrink the Axminster carpet. She bundled me out of her rooms and insisted she was going.
I called Si and in our bedroom explained what had happened. “Silly cow, let her go, she’ll be back next week, unable to cope on her own.”
“I’m not sure she will.”
“Oh well, good riddance–she’s got somewhere to go, she should have gone there before, long since.”
“She was ill, remember, and I suspect this could make her ill again.”
“She’s not your responsibility, Cathy. She’s a grown woman and it’s Gareth’s turn to deal with it, you’ve got enough on your plate with our lot–let her go, it’ll do her good.”
“And if she’s ill again?”
“Not your problem.”
“Will you do me a favour, go up and speak to her, ask her to reconsider.”
“But you’ve been wanting shot of her for yonks–she is a lazy bitch who treats you like her personal slave. What, d’you want her to reconsider?”
“All that’s happened this morning.”
“Why?”
“Because I asked you to–she won’t speak to me.”
He sighed but went to his sister’s rooms from which I heard loud voices and a few imprecations. He was back ten minutes later–“She’s going and I offered to pay for a van to take the rest of her stuff.”
“You did what?” I practically shrieked at him.
“You heard, now I’m going to finish my breakfast.”
Comments
You Can't Take them Back
Words: How many times do I wish I could have grabbed them and stuffed them back down my throat?
Portia
Ooooooops!
Although Stella did bring this on herself, and it's been long in coming, neither she, Cathy, nor the kids can really cope with this situation. Gareth tried before and failed. Everyone has tried, but failed. Stella is a user, and so far Cathy and everyone but Si have been enablers. Regardless, it doesn't look good for the either family.
Red MacDonald
Simon the Sensible
the little battles between cathy and stella might be funny to read, but the truth of the matter is, cathy shouldn't have let stella play her game. though it's not just her, simon and tom could have had a word with her.
as i see it, simon did the right thing, even if it took promting.
when exactly did stella treat cathy like a sister? as i see it, first cathy was her personal science project, then she evolved to personal maid (additionally to cathy's other obligations). thrown in a couple personal attacks in between.
now id stella gets profesional servants, she's got to pay a king's ransom for wages, if she wants to treat them "like her sister".
Easy As Falling Off A Bike pt 1728
Cathy is not at fault! After Stella quit working, she became a drama queen and perhaps is using her mental instability as leverage to keep her position as queen bee. If she should go bonkers, it will be her fault for driving a wedge betwwen her, Cathy and Simon.
May Your Light Forever Shine
Oh dear...
Here we go again...
Stella is a complex case. Even before you add in the mental health issues, she's someone who has the emotional maturity of a four year old: by-and-large she expects things to go her way, and when they don't she throws the equivalent of a temper tantrum. Add in the mental health issues and there's a real potential for serious danger. What's almost (if not more so) worrying is that Simon doesn't realise the potential danger and is assisting her move out.
Since they both seem set on Stella moving out, I'd suggest two immediate phone calls: one to Henry and Monica to see if they can contact Stella and calm her down; the second to Jim to see if covert surveillance can be placed on the property so if Stella shows any signs of doing something potentially fatally dangerous, an intervention can be made before it's too late.
If Stella can be persuaded back before any harm comes to anyone, it would probably be a good idea to contact Maureen to get the stable conversion finished: once that's done, Stella and Gareth could temporarily move there and be semi-independent from the family while still having the services of Jacqui to do the chores: maybe living in smaller accommodation with visits from Jacqui rather than a permanent presence can gently impress upon her that households don't run themselves...
As the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, then only left-handers are in their right mind!
Either way it is a pivotal moment.
Stella does not do much and when asked she grumbles as if she is put upon.
She either grows up or if she offs herself *shrug*. Simon is actually making sense this time around. As much as Cathy feels she owes Stella for all she had done for her, it does not entitle Stella a get out of housework free card. Like she will get good old Daddy for an allowance to get her own staff.
Kim
No matter how you feel about Stella
Cathy will feel terrible if she does anything bad to herself or her children. Yes, Cathy needs to watch her mouth a little but on the other hand the resentment just can't continue. Too stressful.
In any case, once married you'd think she'd be living with Gareth.
Wish we had the old/original Stella back.
Stella, AGAIN???
All that has happened to Stella started with the abortion she had two children back. She has brought all this on herself by her actions,and she is going to have to realize that fact, admit it to herself and to all around her before she can even start to get over her attitude. I doubt we will ever see the original Stella although she was kinda coming close once in a while... Oh well... It's up to you, Stella, you are now being shown tough love by Cathy, and Simon. Hopefully her parents will do the same thing...she has to solve this herself.
Don't let someone else talk you out of your dreams. How can we have dreams come true, if we have no dreams?
Katrina Gayle "Stormy" Storm
Tough love.
Sometimes it's just got to be done, though it can be tougher on the giver than the taker cos' the giver is usually the one that has feelings.
I think Cathy will miss Stella's children the most, and they'll miss her but possibly Gareth might make Stella see sense ... at least about the wedding. After all, Gareth probably want's the children there as well.
Why am I theorising about a fantasy story I ask my self then I realise; cos' it's so darned good it almost seems real.
Lovely chapter Ang, and full of typical domestic drama.
Still lovin' it,
Hugs and kisses.
OXOXOX
Bev.
Okay...
While Cathy has a LOT of merit on her side, to the best of my knowledge she and Stella have never sat down and talked about any division of labor... Stella grew up in a privileged (moneyed) family where there was probably staff to take care of things for her. When she was on her own, she may well have had to do things. But, When she moved in with Cathy, and company she wasn't in a condition to safely be asked to help out much. Later, when she was doing better, she saw everything getting done, she fell back on her habits of assuming they would continue to get done. Also - how many times had suggestions of hiring staff to carry the load come up?
Cathy appears to have fallen prey to something that is all to common among people that see something that needs done - and do it - they assume others work this way too... And, most people don't seem to... They're quite happy to let someone else do the work.
In some ways, Cathy deserves this... Not all by any stretch.
Stella's also a stiff necked lady. She's attempted to kill Cathy, she's attempted to kill herself. She's been hospitalized a few times. She helps, but gripes when she does unless it's a good day and/or she sees it's really needed... And, on rare occasions she actually pitches in to help...
Simon - he probably went in and caused Stella to raise her hackles even further. They're both STUBBORN!
Of course, if the wedding is called off/postponed, Stella will blame Cathy. The kids may well blame her as well - as Stella will make it plain that it's all Cathy's fault. *sighs*
We'll see where this goes.
Thanks,
Annette
The only surprise
to me is that it took so long for Cathy to say something about Stella and then have the misfortune of being overheard.... The truth often hurts which is something Stella needs to come terms with very quickly, Otherwise Auntie Cathy might well find herself once again in the position of surrogate mother ...
Kirri
Morning paper
Have Cathy and Tom considered buying two copies of the paper? It's not as if they can't afford it.
Love Bev xx
BTW, as I'm reading this over three years behind real time, I see no point in commenting on the need for the adults to learn how to communicate without histrionics. Replace "You always.." or "You never..." with "I feel as if..." etc.
Yep. No point in commenting on that.