Death of a Perfect Mother Read Online Free PDF Page B

other than to annoy her mother, who hated above all to see her with it hanging loosely from her mouth?
    â€˜That’s where you’re so daft, Mum,’ said Lill, deftly aiming ash in the direction of the stove. ‘You’re not as young as you were. You need someone here all the time, to see you’re all right.’
    â€˜Hmm,’ said Mrs Casey, settling down into her chair again and taking up her coffee cup, ‘you needn’t pretend it’s concern for me that’s behind it.’
    â€˜Well, there’s Gordon and Bri too, of course. They need a bedroom to themselves each. Stands to reason at their age. Debbie’s would just suit Bri down to the ground. Give him room for all them books of his.’
    â€˜Not to mention the fact that you’d be pleased to get Debbie out of your hair. Well, I’ve told you before, it’s not on. I’m too old to go looking after a girl of her age.My notions are not her notions, and it’s silly to pretend she’d put up with it. After the sort of life she’s had in your house. I’m seventy-five. That’s no time of life to start bringing up a teenager.’
    â€˜It’s because you’re so bloody old you need somebody here,’ said Lill, sucking in her coffee noisily. ‘Someone around all the time to see that you’re still living and breathing.’
    This appeal to the perennial fear of the old cut no ice with Mrs Casey. ‘It’s not me has to be afraid of dying. I’m ready. And it’s not as though I’m alone, with all you lot living next door. The boys are very good. They pop in.’
    Lill’s voice took on a harsh edge: ‘I’m not having my boys running in and out here every five minutes to see if you’re stretched out. They’ve got better things to do. You’ve gotter have your fun while you’re young.’
    â€˜Of course,’ said Mrs Casey cunningly, ‘if you want the boys to have a room of their own, then Gordon could move in here with me.’
    â€˜ ’Ere, you’re not having my Gordon! What a cheek! That’s disgusting, an old woman like you!’
    â€˜He’s older,’ continued Mrs Casey, paying no attention, ‘so there wouldn’t be the same problems. He could go his own way. And it’s always easier with a boy, as you know.’
    The conversation had taken a turn that Lill Hodsden had not at all anticipated, and she tried to change tack. ‘The boys are staying together, and that’s flat. You only suggested it because you knew they wouldn’t—’
    â€˜I knew you wouldn’t have it, more like.’
    â€˜You’re just a selfish old woman. You haven’t changed a bit all the years I’ve known you. Think about nothing but yourself. All my childhood you kept me down, stopped me having my bit of fun—’
    Mrs Casey sniffed expressively. ‘I tried to stop you leading a life of sin and depravity—’
    â€˜No need to chuck the ruddy Bible at me. Nobody givesa damn about that sort of thing these days. You were jealous, that was all, under all that religious talk. Jealous. That’s why you forced me to marry Fred—’
    â€˜Forced you! Ha!’ Mrs Casey let out a bitter, reminiscent laugh. ‘You’d have married Jack the Ripper only to get away from home. When you went off and married Fred I was just pleased it was no worse.’
    â€˜How would you know how worse it was? You know nothing about it. You never understood me. You’ve made trouble in the family all the time you’ve been here. You’ve never fitted in—I should never have let you come here.’
    â€˜Went down on your bended knees,’ amended Mrs Casey, who never let swervings from the literal truth pass uncorrected. ‘So you’d have a home help and someone to dump the kids on to when it suited you.’
    â€˜And a fat lot of dumping I’ve been