‘Yes,’ she said absently ‘He always did what he wanted to do. Never in a malicious way, mind.’ She handed me a cup. ‘Here’s your tea.’

I took the mug and smiled my thanks.

‘It will be getting on for dinnertime soon, so I’ll just go and get on.’ Annie backed out of the room. ‘There’s some more new magazines there.’ She motioned towards the coffee table. I looked at the neatly arranged pile of monthly glossies.

‘Oh right, okay, thanks. Any parenting ones there?’ I asked jovially. Annie gave me a tight smile. She had just turned to go when we were suddenly both startled by a loud clattering that sounded as though it was coming from the kitchen. Annie looked towards the door.

‘Bloody feral cats again.’ Annie jumped up and started wringing her apron between her hands.

‘Are they in the house?’ I asked.

‘No… it’s outside. There’s an old tin bin, I leave out there to burn rubbish sometimes. They like to knock it over and it makes a racket.

‘Who do they belong to?’

‘Who?’ Annie was distracted by looking at the doorway.

‘The cats? Are they the neighbours’?’

‘What? No, they’re feral, like wild tigers. Stay away, Daisy, if you get scratched by one it will be a risk to the baby.’

She came over to the sofa and perched next to me and pulled up her sleeve ‘I tried to shoo one away last night, and look what the blighter did to me!’ There on Annie’s left arm were three scratch lines, red and raw. I sucked the breath in between my teeth

‘It looks sore.’

Annie shook off my comment. ‘There’s not long to go now Daisy, until the baby is born we don’t want to risk anything happening to you. Don’t worry about anything else except eating and breathing. The baby is the most important thing, do you understand?’ Annie stood up ‘Now let me deal with those cats.’ Annie walked from the room and before I realised what I had done, I had lifted my hand to my stomach and let it rest there.

36

ANNIE

I had known the day Ben had told me about Daisy that he was smitten. I then saw the way Ben looked at his tall slim wife with her blue eyes and blonde hair, her long eyelashes and perfectly pink cheeks. The way her long golden hair cascading down her back so effortlessly. He was like a moth to a flame when she was near. She was always the one he was going to leave me for. I saw in Ben’s eyes that look of pure love. It was true love, the sort of love that one only has for their mother. I feared I was going to be replaced. The relationship I had with Ben to date could be gone. Everything I had fought for and tried for could be finished because I would never be any match for such goddess beauty. Ben was putty in Daisy’s hands. But I had put an end to that obsession. I had shown Ben what Daisy truly was. And now he was gone. It was the price I had to pay to make him see the truth. But he would be back, I was sure of that. Ben’s absence would break their bond, though surely it was already broken? I wasn’t a bad person for seeing the truth in the woman my son married and for wanting the best for my unborn grandchild.