And... – Sandra 26

 

[For back story go here: Story so far at 17 Sept 2020 and especially this one.]

[Other back story through in-links.]

And so a complicated situation became more complicated. Today not only were the kids in the space, and Jackie in her armchair, plus tea, plus mask, but also on the opposite side of the room sat Yolanda. Yolanda was not her actual real given name, but neither Sandra nor Frankie had the patience or energy left to call their mother by the name she had before she decided to be called Yolanda. In any case, Yolanda had not just come for the morning, but had come to stay at Frankie’s house because she’d decided she and their father could no longer live together (Eric, real name Eric). This had put the cat among the pigeons somewhat, as well as raising the total number of cats and pigeons in the downstairs space by one and therefore further complicating the see-saw act they were already carrying out to keep the numbers legal.

Plus it was raining.

Sandra had an umbrella under which she could shelter with however many people were required to shelter, at which point Frankie became worried about the proximity of those people and then, after Sandra said she was about to scream, Frankie said it would be alright after all.

“He doesn’t understand me,” said Yolanda. “That’s the thing about him. Maybe he never did. Did you ever think he ever understood me?”

She waved her large gin and tonic vaguely in Sandra’s direction to heighten her enquiry. Sandra muttered something under her breath but made more play of her upbeat talking to the children voice so she wouldn’t have to engage with Yolanda much, if at all.

“What do you think, Jackie?” said Yolanda, leaning forward to try and get a conversation going. “Men. Take ‘em or leave ‘em?”

Jackie’s response seemed to be positive but was lost behind her mask.

“Your Uncle Rory and Aunt Flo seem a lot happier since they stopped talking to each other. Me and your dad haven’t really spoken for years – I mean not really. This just makes it… official.”

Sandra grimaced and thanked her less than successful life that she didn’t have a house that was big enough for Yolanda to stay in. 

“I do hope you’ll have a think and come up with another plan,” Sandra told Yolanda.

“I do hope you’ll have a think and come up with some bananas and chocolate and a biscuit for my break snack,” Sukie told Sandra.

“Now, Sukie, I think that chocolate might be a bit much,” said Sandra in her soothing voice of denial.

Sandra’s phone went off, and seeing who it was, she answered.

“Hi Trinny,” she said, “Welcome to the mad house, what can I do for you?”

“Oh, are you there again?” sighed Trinny. “I was hoping we could talk work.”

“We can,” said Sandra, “It just might be… challenging.”

“Not to beat about the bush, then,” said Trinny, “Have you thought about whether you want to stay working on Together… Apart? Really, this is getting to a point.”

“I…” began Sandra.

“And look at your sister and Rob,” interjected Yolanda. “No messing around, just got rid of him.”

“There was plenty of messing around,” countered Sandra, covering the phone, unable to help herself. “You know Rob has been after me? Hanging round? Annoying me? He said he loved me – says he still does – well, you know that from that disaster of a TV show.”

Sukie was now jumping up and down, trying desperately to reach the biscuit tin on the sideboard. In doing so she knocked the bowl of sliced bananas onto the floor.

“So what did you do to get rid of him?” asked Yolanda.

“I had him and his campervan towed away,” said Sandra, before ducking down and gathering the bananas. 

“You had him towed away..?” echoed Yolanda. 

“Oops a daisy!” said Sandra to Sukie, seeing off the girl’s quivering bottom lip and verge of tears.

“I just want bananas, a biscuit…” listed Sukie.

“What about the app?” said Trinny, “Are you in or out?”

“I have made a decision about that,” said Sandra to Trinny, with the phone in one hand, wishing she could lodge it under her chin or at least had headphones.

There was a tap-tapping on the patio doors to the rear of the space. Frankie was standing there under an umbrella with two of her clients, waiting for Sandra to shuffle people in various directions so they could get out. Or rather in, and then out.

“And..?” asked Trinny.

“And..?” asked Yolanda.

“And…” said Sukie, “Chocolate.”