Chapter 2

2: 2

2

Lucy hadn't bothered to lower her voice, so my parents heard every word.

Then she and Garry both hurried to the door to greet the relatives, leaving my parents and their four sacks stranded where they stood.

They had done nothing wrong.

And yet for a moment they looked like two lost children, rooted to the spot, afraid to so much as move.

I was about to step over to them when my daughter, a year and a half old, came running out of the bedroom.

Beth Walter had just woken from her nap, still bleary with sleep, and threw both arms around my leg.

"Mommy, Beth woke up and couldn't find you."

The instant they saw Beth, the helplessness left my parents' faces and their eyes lit up.

My mother rushed to the bathroom to wash her hands, wanting to hold her granddaughter.

But before she could even take the baby, Lucy snatched her away.

"You've been living out in the country all this time. Who knows how many germs you're carrying?"

"Beth is the treasure of this family. She's not something any old riffraff can go picking up."

The anger I'd been swallowing all this time finally broke loose.

"What do you mean, riffraff? Beth is my daughter. My parents are her own grandparents."

"My mom just went and washed her hands. What more do you want from her?"

"I'm Beth's mother. Are you saying you care more about her health than I do?"

Seeing me flare up, Garry started smoothing things over again.

"Mom, what are you going on about?"

"I know you dote on Beth, but you can't talk to them like that."

"All right, Penelope, don't be angry. Mom only means well for the baby."

Maybe it was because I'd lost my temper, or maybe because so many relatives had arrived and she didn't want to lose face in front of them. Lucy pursed her lips and, grudgingly, shoved my daughter into my mother's arms.

At last there was joy on my mother's face again.

My work kept me busy, and our hometown was far away.

Beth was already a year and a half, and we'd only been back once, over the New Year.

The rest of the time they saw her only over video calls, and they missed their granddaughter terribly.

My father's eyes were full of tenderness too as he kept coaxing little smiles out of her.

Maybe because of all those video calls, Beth wasn't shy at all. Her grandfather had her giggling in no time.

But the warmth hadn't even lasted two minutes before Lucy impatiently snatched her back.

"That's enough, isn't it? You've held her, so what more do you want?"

"Don't get so close to the child. Beth's been raised delicate. Don't let your shabby poor-folk smell rub off on her."

My spine went rigid and I was ready to fire back, but my mother caught my arm.

She leaned close to my ear and spoke in the softest voice.

"Don't fight with your mother-in-law. Your dad and I are only guests here. You're the ones who are family."

"We're fine. Just getting to see you is enough for us."

At her words my nose stung again, and I nearly couldn't hold back the tears.

Garry and I had dated two years and been married five.

From the first time our families met when we were dating, all the way to my thirtieth birthday now, my parents had been enduring it all.

Garry's father had died young, and Lucy never remarried, pouring her whole life into her son.

Garry and I met at the company. We had similar educations, our work and temperaments matched, and marriage came naturally.

Lucy was domineering, and my parents gave way again and again, hoping only that she and Garry would treat me a little better.

After all, a harmonious home makes everything else go well.

And all these years, that was exactly what I'd done.

My parents had lived honest, humble lives, and their one pride was me.

They didn't fear their own suffering. They only feared that their only daughter, a thousand miles away, wasn't living well.

I'd already made up my mind.

But right now, with my parents and my child here, I didn't want to clash with Lucy. I didn't want my parents to worry.

After a moment I forced the anger back down.

"All right, Mom, Dad, I won't argue with her. Let's go sit over on the couch."

But before they could reach the couch, Lucy's sharp voice cut in again.

"Sit? What is there to sit on? Can't you see there's no more room on the couch?"

"The relatives are all here. Shouldn't the two of you get into the kitchen and start cooking? Who's supposed to make the food for you?"