Page 47 of The Mother-in-Law

‘Tom says you’re doing a great job.’ It’s Diana’s voice now.

‘Tom is very kind. And I am not as kind. I was rude to you. Forgive me.’

I edge forward a couple of steps.

‘There’s nothing to forgive,’ I hear Diana say. ‘Just go and take care of your family. I know you will do that, Hakem.’

‘I will.’

There is movement, and I lift my hand to knock, like I’m just arriving. Archie is throwing rocks at Diana’s Land Rover. ‘Stop that,’ I whisper, as Diana appears in the foyer.

‘Lucy.’ Diana frowns. Her gaze is panoramic, sweeping the front yard, stopping briefly at Archie who has frozen in a guilty stance. She gives him a stern look and, one by one, he lets the rocks drop back onto the driveway.

‘We just arrived!’ I say brightly.

‘I see that.’ She turns away from me, to face the man who has joined her in the foyer. ‘Thank you for coming by, Hakem.’

‘Thank you for seeing me. I will not forget your kindness.’

We watch the man get into his Volvo and roar away. Then I grab Archie’s hand and yank him off the pebblestones. Diana picks up Harriet, who has woken up and is watching us intently with blue startled eyes. Harriet, I realise now, doesn’t cry any more when Diana holds her.

‘Who was that?’ I ask, guiding Archie up the front steps.

‘Hakem is an engineer who works for Tom.’

‘He seemed very grateful to you.’

‘Did he?’

‘Diana. Obviously you did something for him.’ I’m venturing into pushy territory, but it’s not like I have a wonderful relationship with Diana that I could potentially destroy. Having nothing to lose has its upsides. ‘Tell me.’

Diana rolls her eyes. It’s as if I’m a pest that she doesn’t want to encourage. ‘He was having trouble getting a job, that’s all. He wasn’t being given a chance. I just made sure he was given one.’

‘That’s wonderful of you.’

Diana sighs. ‘Yes, well. You probably don’t think I’m especially wonderful. But I do feel strongly that everyone should be given an equal chance. Hakem was not given one. My children, on the other hand, have been giveneverychance. Now it’s time for me to stay out of the way and see what they make of the opportunities they’ve been given.’

It’s the closest I’ve ever come to a proper conversation with Diana and for a second, I get a glimpse of who she is.

‘What a good philosophy,’ I say.

We look each other straight in the eye for a second or two and I think something like mutual respect passes between us.

‘I’m glad you think so,’ she says and she takes my children and bustles into the house.

26

LUCY

The past . . .

‘Higher,’ Archie shouts. ‘Higher! Make it go weely high.’

He’s already soaring so high he looks like he might go loop-the-loop.

‘Okay,’ Nettie says. ‘Here we go!’

Nettie has taken the day off work to help me with the kids. She’s done this a handful of times since Harriet was born and each time, afterward, I feel like I have a new lease on life. Right now Nettie has Harriet strapped to her chest while she pushes Archie on the swing. All morning she’s been tossing a ball to Archie, climbing trees and playing hide and seek. She’s nothing if not a devoted aunt.