get out! You’re no friend of mine.’
‘But I haven’t done any real harm,’ Mabel protested. ‘You said yourself that Amy has already told Tommy and he’d have passed it on to his mother.’
‘In a few days, yes, but that isn’t the point,’ Phyllis said bitterly. ‘You couldn’t have known that when you told Edna! I’ve always defended you in the past, made excuses for your poisonous tongue, but never again! Now as I said, get out!’
‘Fine, please yourself!’ Mabel snapped.
As the door closed behind her, Phyllis slumped onto a chair, unable to believe that in one morning she had told two women to get out of her house. As her temper cooled, Phyllis wondered if she had been a bit harsh on Mabel, but there was no getting away from the fact that she would never be able to trust her again.
On Friday afternoon, Tommy was pleased with how the day had gone. He was happy with Len’s work and the two of them got on well together. However, as soon as he walked indoors after work it was like being confronted by a mad woman instead of his mother – and the smile instantly dropped from his face.
He was unable to get a word in as she ranted and raved, though when he did get the chance it wouldn’t be to put up with her demands.
‘Did you hear me, Thomas? I said you’re not seeing that girl again!’
‘I could hardly fail to hear you,’ he replied. ‘But unlike you, I don’t blame Amy for Rose’s behaviour and I will be seeing her again. In fact, I’m taking her out tonight.’
‘You are not!’
‘I’m not a child that you can dictate to now. I’m a grown man and I can see who I want, go where I want to, and even find a place of my own.’
Shocked, his mother stared at him, blinked, and then came the tears. ‘You’re going to leave me … just … just like your father.’
Tommy found that though he was able to stand up to his mother when she was in a temper and making demands, he was hopeless when she started crying. ‘Mum, I didn’t say that. I was just pointing out that if I wanted to leave home, I could.’
‘I … I couldn’t bear it if you left me too,’ Celia said in a small voice.
He could have told his mother that when he got married he’d want a place of his own, yet knew she wasn’t ready to hear that yet. He began to wonder if she ever would. For now though he had to make a stand and said, ‘I don’t want to leave home, but you’ve got to accept that I’m not going to stop seeing Amy.’
The handkerchief came out and she wiped her eyes, silent for a while, but then at last she drew in a breath. ‘It seems I’ll have to, but don’t expect me to welcome her into my home.’
‘You haven’t so far, so that won’t make a lot of difference,’ he said, only just managing to keep the sarcasm from his tone. ‘Now I’m going to have a wash and change my clothes.’
With that Tommy left the room, glad again to get away from the rollercoaster of his mother’s emotions.
Celia was left feeling that she’d been blackmailed by her own son. The threat had been there; if she tried to stop Thomas from seeing Amy, he’d leave home. She’d been left with little choice, at least for now, but one day in the future she hoped to find a way to come between that tart and her son.
Amy’s mother was just as bad, Celia thought, lying when she said she didn’t know where her cousin was. Of course she knew, and no doubt Amy did too. Well, that was something she’d talk to Thomas about. At least he’d be able to get that information from Amy and when he did, she’d be able to confront George. She needed to vent her feelings, to tell George just what she thought of him, and that tart he’d left her for would feel the sting of her hand across her face.
That thought made Celia feel a little better, and when her son came downstairs to find his dinner ready and on the table, she had a story in place. She waited until they were both seated and then said, ‘Thomas, I don’t feel I can move on with my life until I can ask your father for a divorce.’
‘Don’t you think it’s too soon to think about divorce? Dad might realise he’s made a mistake and come home.’
‘I’d slam the door in his face! After leaving me for
that common woman, I’d never take him back!’ Celia snapped.
‘Are you sure, Mum? Divorce seems so … so final.’
Celia took a deep breath, endeavouring to sound calm. ‘Yes, I’m sure, Thomas. The problem is, I don’t know how to contact your father. As he left with a cousin of her mother’s, Amy must know where they are, so when you see her tonight, would you ask her for their address?’
‘I can ask her, but I doubt she’ll know.’
‘At least try,’ Celia urged.
Thomas agreed and then tucked into his food, while Celia just picked at hers. After all she had faced that day she had no appetite, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t get George’s betrayal out of her mind. It was then she remembered something and asked, ‘Thomas, did you bring the account books home?’
‘No, sorry, I forgot, but as I told you they’re up to date, so you don’t have to worry about them.’
‘It isn’t that I’m worried. I just need something to do, something to take my mind off your father. It will at least help me to feel that I’m of some use.’
Thomas quietly ate his food, but at last he said, ‘All right, Mum. You can take over the accounts, but there’s little for you to do yet.’
‘Thank you, darling,’ Celia said. It was a start, but in the future she hoped to gain control of all their finances.
Amy arrived home a little later than usual, and as dinner was ready she’d have to eat it before going to see Carol. Now though, she was listening to her mother, aghast as she continued, ‘Not only did the woman barge in demanding to know where Rose is; she called me a liar and a tart!’
Before Amy could react, her father said angrily, ‘I’m not going to let her get away with that.’
‘It’s all right, Stan. I dealt with it. I chucked her out.’
‘She called you a tart and deserves more than that. If Celia Frost was a man I’d knock her off her feet.’
‘Well she isn’t, and as I said, I dealt with it. Now come on, Amy, give me a hand in the kitchen.’
Amy shared her father’s anger that Celia Frost had called her mother a tart, and as she followed her into the kitchen, she said, ‘I didn’t think it would be long before the truth came out. Tommy wasn’t going to tell his mother yet, but now that the gossip has reached her she had no right to barge in here like that.’
‘You’re right, but the fact that it got out is my fault, Amy; well, partially. I’m sorry, love, but when Mabel heard some gossip about Rose I assumed it was about her running off with George Frost. As I thought Mabel knew I started talking about it, but it wasn’t what she’d heard. Of course, it was too late then, but Mabel promised to keep it to herself. I should have known better – Mabel couldn’t keep her mouth shut and broke that promise, but I’m finished with her. I told her that she’ll never be welcome in my house again.’
‘Mum, you’ve been friends for years; there was no need for that. I told Tommy the truth and he was going to tell his mum. She just got to hear about it a bit earlier, that’s all.’
‘Mabel still betrayed my trust.’
‘She