CHAPTER 93
CHAPTER 93
Friday September 18th
Unpacking.
It’s taking quite a long time.
I shouldn’t have packed so much stuff for Katy – I hardly used any of it. Those baby goggles were a waste of time. And she didn’t touch any of the water learning toys, rubber beach books or the water baby walker.
Saturday September 19th
Just saw Nick with Sadie in Great Oakley.
Feel violated, like they’ve broken some unspoken pact.
Great Oakley is MY place. They should stay in London.
They were having lunch with Helen and holding hands over the table.
It’s bad enough knowing they’re living together in London. But to have them flaunting their relationship on my own doorstep …
They were even brazen enough to be on the patio outside, where everyone walks past. It’s like they wanted to be seen.
I know they saw me, because they suddenly got really interested in their salads.
I walked past, head held high.
Dignity, dignity, dignity.
Then I saw Nick’s car parked across the street and squirted one of Katy’s apple and banana pouches all over the windscreen.
Ha ha ha!
Sunday September 20th
Lost four more pounds!
Whoop whoop!
I can never get my head around weight loss. It seems to me the weeks I’m really good, I don’t lose much weight at all. And when I let the apron strings loose … poof! It all comes falling off.
Laura reckons it’s the running.
And she’s probably right – it can’t be what I’m eating.
After I saw Nick and Sadie at the restaurant, Mum and I shared a box of Milk Tray, then ordered Domino’s pizza.
I’ve been doing crazy over-thinking since I saw them.
I suppose deep down I’ve always expected Nick and Sadie to split up.
But what if they stay together? What if he’s a proper father to her baby and not to Katy?
Helen must be over the moon. For all Sadie’s faults, she comes from the ‘right background’. She knows about cutlery. And sitting up straight. And I doubt she’d ever let a dog get hold of a shitty nappy.
Monday September 21st
Morning
Little Callum started school today. I can’t believe it. He looked so grown up in his uniform.
He’s had a few settling in sessions,, but this is his first full day.
Brandi held it together, but I had tears in my eyes. It’s true – they grow up so fast.
Somehow, Callum managed to vandalise his uniform before he’d even gotten to the school gate.
Brandi was really proud. She said, ‘He’s such a little dude.’
It was really strange going back to Oakley Primary as an adult. Everything looked tiny.
I remember my first day at school so well. Our teacher, Mrs Bat, had an attack of nerves and forgot the alphabet.
Callum went tearing across the playground and into the classroom without a backwards glance.
We saw him through the classroom window, chatting up a little blonde girl. Then he chivalrously pushed another boy off the computer so the girl could have a turn.
I think it’s safe to say he’ll be fine.
That’s Callum – he takes life in his stride.
Brandi was a bit cut up on the walk home. She said, ‘One day, he won’t need me anymore. Not today. But one day.’
Weird to think of Callum needing anyone. If there was a nuclear war, the rest of us would die, but Callum would be alright somehow. He’s the toughest little kid I know.
Evening
It’s amazing, but I’m really loving running right now.
And I can run for ages. I’m still pretty slow. But that’s okay. It’s not as if I’m planning on winning the marathon.
I feel so much lighter after I’ve run. I don’t just mean weight-wise. I mean … just in my heart.
Tuesday September 22nd
Dad 's birthday.
He said he didn’t want any fuss, but Mum arranged a surprise party.
It’s not much of a surprise these days, since Mum does it every year. But Dad was as delighted as ever, hugging all of us and saying he’s the luckiest man in the world.
Dad is easy to buy presents for. He likes anything practical, so I gave him a special rack for arranging his spanners.
He got all teary and kept saying, ‘How did you know? How did you know?’
Mum gave everyone in the pub shots of her homemade butterscotch vodka to ‘get the party started’.
I only drank fizzy water, though. I can’t drink much these days. Not now Katy is moving around. She’s a little demolition machine. It takes her less than a minute to unwind a whole toilet roll or pull the bin over and eat whatever she finds inside.
Wednesday September 23rd
Got a call from our solicitor, Ted Grunty, today.
The paternity results are back. They show Nick is Katy’s dad.
Of course.
Ted said, ‘Fancy Nick putting you through all this.’
I told him I didn’t care anymore. Then I burst into tears and asked why Nick was doing this.
Bloody pregnancy hormones. Shouldn’t they be gone by now?
Thursday September 24th
Visited Dr Slaughter today for my maternity health check-up.
He ranted about Nick and what a ‘nasty piece of work’ he was.
The whole village thinks so, apparently.
Dr Slaughter said, ‘If it makes you feel any better, Nick was in here three weeks ago and his blood pressure was through the roof.’
Then he ranted about Mum ‘not respecting’ her diabetes – apparently he saw her in Tesco’s with ‘a trolley full of sugary 2 for 1s’.
I asked Doctor Slaughter whether he’d seen Sadie recently.
He said no. Her family are paying for private care.
I hope she gets varicose veins. And haemorrhoids. Really massive haemorrhoids.
Saturday September 26th
Katy’s toes are poking holes through her baby gros.
Nick really does need to start contributing to his daughter.