Pieces of My Heart Read Online Free PDF Page B

look as shocked as I felt. ‘OK, Nancy. I’ll try to get something shorter for you.’
    ‘Good. Now, about the food for the adults. I think sushi and some nice canapés will do. We’ll be spending the afternoon in the house and popping down to see how the boys are getting on every now and then. I don’t want them in my house, so please make sure they’re contained in the marquee and the garden. I’ve just had new carpets put down and I don’t want twenty-five mucky boys running about.’
    ‘In that case, maybe having it outside the home would be easier?’ I suggested. ‘We could hire somewhere for you.’ Clearly this woman didn’t want any children within a mile radius of her house. I was surprised her own kids were allowed to live in it.
    ‘I wish I could, Ava, but Dan said, “What’s the bloody point in having a big house if you can’t have a party in it?” ’ She rolled her eyes. ‘Men just don’t seem to mind mess and dirt. Now, regarding toilets, they can use the one at the back of the garage.’
    I was surprised she wasn’t going to make them pee in the bushes – it would have been in keeping with the jungle theme.
    ‘I hope you have lots of activities planned for them. I want them kept busy so we adults can have a few drinks in peace.’
    Why do people like this have children? I wondered. As if on cue, the twins came charging into the kitchen and proceeded to have a wrestling match.
    ‘Stop it, you two, you’re going to break something,’ Nancy snapped.
    They stuck their tongues out at her and continued to beat each other up until one of them fell against the dresser, knocking over a large bowl that smashed on the floor.
    ‘GET OUT!’ screamed Nancy, and the boys fled. I bent down to help her clear up the mess. ‘That was a wedding present from my godmother.’ She shook her head. ‘Do you have children, Ava?’
    ‘Two girls, but they’re teenagers now.’
    ‘God, I wish I’d had girls. Boys are a nightmare – I just can’t understand them. I had three sisters and we never behaved like that. All they do is fight and break things. I have no control over them at all. They never listen to me and their father is away all week. When he gets back he just wants to be a “fun” dad so he wrestles with them. Honestly, I feel as if I have three sons, not two.’
    ‘As the saying goes, girls wreck your head and boys wreck your house.’
    ‘Well, I can tell you, Ava, boys wreck your house and your head.’
    ‘They’ll probably calm down soon. I think seven is supposed to be a turning-point,’ I lied.
    ‘The day they leave home will be a turning-point,’ she said wearily. She shook the remnants of her wedding bowl into the bin.
    Her desire not to have the party inside the house now seemed wise and sensible.
    On my way to pick up the girls from school, Paul rang. ‘How did today go? Good to have Sally back?’ he asked.
    ‘Brilliant. I appreciate her more every time she takes a holiday.’
    ‘You make a good team.’
    ‘You’re not going to believe what Charlie did.’
    ‘Nothing would surprise me.’
    ‘He sexually assaulted Magda and she broke his nose.’
    ‘Jesus Christ! He must be desperate – Magda looks like a bloke.’
    ‘Don’t be mean about her. She’s wonderful.’
    ‘Poor old Charlie just needs a good shag. He’s got six years of pent-up sexual frustration, and that’s not healthy.’
    ‘OK, OK, let’s stop talking about my father’s sexual needs, please.’
    ‘Fair enough. Listen, I’m going to be late tonight. We’re installing the new surveillance equipment – apparently it takes a while – so don’t wait up for me.’
    ‘Do you really think you need it?’
    ‘These cameras are top of the range. They’ll give me a crystal-clear picture of the cash register from twenty feet away so none of the staff can steal from me.’
    ‘I don’t understand why people would steal from their employers.’
    ‘Everyone wants more, especially when things are good