Where are the Snows by Maggie Gee

Author:Maggie Gee
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781846591365
Publisher: Telegram Books

21

Susy: London, 2005

That fucking woman wrote to me! Just as if nothing had happened. She dropped me a line after a five-year silence. Not mentioning Dad, as if he was dead. The letter was a sort of honeyed hiss.

Dear Susy,

Bet you’re surprised to see my writing, if you still remember it, if you’re still living at 9 Devereux Avenue. I hope so; it was a lovely house.

I’ve been thinking about the old days a lot. You were a sweet girl; I didn’t deserve you. I’m going in for motherhood again, and hope to do better this time around. A glorious Brazilian three-year-old from a desperately poor family. Black hair, black eyes, beautiful. You will have to meet her when I next come through London. I’m so excited about it all.

How are you? I’m sorry I’m so out of touch. You’re probably married by now with twins, or else headmistress of some marvellous school. In any case I wanted to drop you a line. Do write and tell me all your news. We’ll be staying for a month at the New York Plaza when we finally get out of here.

Your loving stepmother

Alexandra

Your loving stepmother! I couldn’t believe it. I was so angry I burst out crying. After the way she treated Dad. That was her thing, though, leaving people. After the way she wrecked our lives.

We didn’t deserve you, Alex. Nobody’s bad enough for that. Dad was crazy to do what he did but you must have pushed him till he snapped. He was a gentle man. He wasn’t violent. He never smacked me; he rarely shouted.

He loved her so much, she should have felt lucky, but it wasn’t enough for her, she wanted someone else, or however many other lovers she had. When I remember how she went on at me about sex! ... that’s what I can’t stand; she’s such a liar. Alex never thought I was a sweet girl. I’m sure she never thinks about the old days.

Everything was lying and acting. All that mattered was appearances. The way I dressed used to drive her insane. She looked at Isaac’s spots as if they were plague sores – later, of course, they were. And then she acted the angel of mercy! Who was she trying to impress? There must have been something in it for her ...

She ran off with that young boy. I heard he was really great-looking. Perfect for Alex, she was such a looks snob. But by now she must be getting on ...

I last saw her at the funeral, looking wrecked, frightful, at least forty.

– Come to think of it, she must have been older than that. She was thirty-six when they went away. My God, so she was fifty then. I admit she didn’t look fifty. And she was as brilliantly done-up as ever. She was still as skinny, and her hair as red. But she was a dead white, a real snow-white, as if they had drained away her blood, as if she were the corpse, not Isaac.

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