Protecting Lily by Serena Lyons

Author:Serena Lyons [Lyons, Serena]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Zikuyenda Press
Published: 2019-10-28T16:00:00+00:00

*

“Mammy! You’re late!” Toby flings his arms around me as I walk into the kitchen where the food I prepared at breakfast is simmering away.

“I’ll head off, love,” Barbara quickly pecks me on the cheek and then rushes to the front door.

“Who was that coming out of the house?” Paul stomps into the kitchen, mud falling off his workboots. “The mad hippy looking old bird?”

“You mean Barbara?” My hands freeze as I stir the stew; how am I going to get out of this?

“Barbara? Who the hell is Barbara and why was she in our house?” Paul’s bulky frame gets closer to me, I can feel annoyance vibrating off him.

“She’s er, Lewis’s grandma,” I dig my fingernails into my thigh hoping the sting of pain will take the shake out of my voice. “Toby and him had a playdate after school and she was just dropping him off.” I risk a wink at Toby while Paul wrenches the fridge open, stuffs some cold cuts into his mouth and the takes out a can of beer.

“You let some old woman do your job for you?” Paul talks with his mouth open, meat smeared across his teeth. “What kind of mother are you?

“I thought it was good for Toby to socialize more outside of school.” I don’t usually answer back when Paul is in a rage like this, but I can’t just let him lecture me like I’m a child.

“Lazy cow, you just sit at home all day and can’t even be bothered to look after our son.” He sits down at the kitchen table. “And where’s my bloody dinner?”

“I, er, I just wanted to make sure it was warm for you arriving.” I quickly scoop the stew on to a plate, gravy splattering on to the counter as my hands tremble. That was so close. “Here you go.”

Paul stands his fork into the food without offering a word of thanks. Silently I dish up Toby’s food, then my own. Three more weeks and this will all be a hellish memory. I just need to last three more weeks.

“What are ye looking so bloody smug about?” Paul jabs his fork on my plate bringing my attention back to the present.

“Oh I, was just wondering if I should use for thyme next time I make this.” I struggle to answer him.

“Anything that would make it taste less like shit would be good,” Paul drops his cutlery with a clatter and pushes up against the table, so hard it rattles. “I’m going to shower then I’llgo the pub and get some edible food.”

“Mammy why did you say Barbara was Lewis’s granny?”

“Because we want to keep it a secret from daddy, remember?”

“I forgot about the secret.” Toby’s face is solemn.

“That’s okay, sweetheart, just remember it’s our secret for now, okay?” I ruffle Toby’s hair, then can’t resist pulling him close for a hug. He wriggles like a trapped kitten in my arms

I sit at the kitchen table long after Paul leaves the room. My body is shaking too much for me to be able to stand up.

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