No going back - 28. Family Matters

We got home to find a full-scale war in progress between Mhairi and Joe. Joe expected that whilst he was on his Summer course, his Mother would go on holiday, and she had told him there was no way he was living in their house alone for any length of time. I hadn't the slightest idea what to do, the last time I inserted myself in one of their disputes, Mhairi had been furious. In normal circumstances, Joe could have stayed with his Dad, but Joe had announced that there was no way on earth he was spending two weeks under his Dad's roof, having to mind his Ps and Qs and keep good church order. The odd night or weekend was bad enough. I couldn't fault him on that one.

"What if Joe came to stay with you?"

Colin and I were having a Chinese take-away, eaten at the house rather than sitting on the wall by the restaurant.

"Would he want to? Stay with me, that is. And besides, we're going on holiday."

"Again." He smiled, "But only for two weeks. Joe could stay with you when we got back, and Mhairi could go away."

"That would work. Of course, it would mean me living with a teenager for two weeks. Us living with him, you’d be coming over wouldn’t you?"

"Of course. But he'll be at the course during the day, and two weeks can't be that annoying, surely. Anyway", he grinned, "you could spend a night with me and leave him alone. Trust him a bit?"

"What, to burn down the house?"

"Hardly."

"I'd wondered about inviting Mhairi for the first weekend of our holiday?"

He looked puzzled, "Do I know about this?"

"Sorry, no. It's been going round in my head. I wasn't sure. I kept intending to tell you, then decided it was a crazy idea."

"What was the idea, though?"

"Sorry. Have her come with us for the first few days of the holiday".

He raised his eyebrows, "Is that a good idea?"

I shrugged, "You tell me. But this new plan cancels out that one. And I think the new plan is more coherent. Thank you."

"My pleasure", and he gave an exaggerated bow.

But it would work, though whether Joe would find it acceptable or not, I had no idea. There was also the suggestion of a part-time job with Colin's firm; Colin had not got around to speaking to Mhairi and Joe about that. So, very much taking my life in my hands, I suggested that Mhairi and I have lunch together in town. As we sometimes did, we sat in the Minster yard eating our picnics.

"Is this because you haven't seen me in a week, or is there something?"

"Both, in truth. There are a couple of things I wanted to talk to you about, and I think doing it face to face is best. And besides, you're my sister, so seeing you is good."

She rolled her eyes, "I'm pleased. So, what is it?"

"The first thing is from Colin. He's adding painting, decorating and general gussying up…"

"Gussying up. Really?"

"His words not mine. I think the term interior design sounds too poncey for him. But I've sort of encouraged him to offer more in the way of those type of services."

"Good idea, judging from what he did at your place. But where do I come in?"

"It's not you, it's Joe. Colin was impressed with him, the work he did on my house, and wondered whether he could offer Joe a job, part-time. Flexible, fitting in with whatever he's doing."

Mhairi fixed her eyes on me, "And this is because?"

"Colin's a nice guy and was impressed both with the work Joe did and, more importantly, with the speed he learned. He wouldn't need that much supervision."

"And it has nothing to do with him being my son?"

"Of course it does, but not in that way. It's just that Colin wouldn't have considered the idea without seeing Joe in action. And…"

"And?", this came out rather sharply and she lifted an eyebrow. Careful.

"Joe seems to work best when he's engaged."

"Mmm", she nodded, "Acting and doing his sick uncle's living room."

"That's it."

"You reckon he'll be engaged working for Colin?"

"Don't know. But Colin would like to give it a try. Joe can work around the Course this Summer and see where things go. OK?"

"You're asking me…"

"Permission to speak to Joe. I don't want to do it without your agreement."

"OK. Yes. And thanks. It's actually a great idea. And the other thing?"

"Your problem with the Course and holidays."

Mhairi bridled, "Oh don't you start."

I held up my hands, "Just a suggestion. Last two weeks of July, he lives with you as usual, and we are on holiday. When we get back, then first two weeks of August, you go on holiday, and he stays with me?"

She stared. "You. Having a teenage boy to stay. You must be mad. Do you know what you are letting yourself in for?" She shook her head.

"I think I can cope for two weeks. I know having a teenage boy at home isn’t sweetness and light”, Mhairi gave a dry laugh, “but I figured I could last two weeks, besides Colin will be around. It’ll be a novelty for Joe too, I hope, but he'll have to cope with Colin being there."

"Cope with what, exactly?"

I grinned, "Nothing like that, but Colin and I will be in my bedroom. Joe will no doubt see Colin in his morning attire, that sort of thing, and there might be Private Displays of Affection."

She rolled her eyes. "It'll be good for him. And if you can cope, then it'll be good for me too. I'm not sure where I want to go on holiday, but two weeks away sounds lovely."

"What sort of thing were you thinking of?"

She pulled a face, "Blowed if I know. When Nathan and I took Joe on holiday, it was mainly focused on something Joe wanted to do. I don’t fancy exploring abroad on my ownsome and a lot of the small tours that I found are booked up. I need to plan ahead”, she gave a wry grin. “This year, I was thinking somewhere quiet, and lots of long walks. Wales maybe, find a nice hotel, go out each day, read when its wet."

That definitely wasn't me, so I didn't try and offer any suggestions.

“Have you mentioned it to Joe, the job and the idea of staying with you?”

“Bloody hell, no. Didn’t want to get my fingers burned”, I grinned, “Clear it with you first.”

“Thanks, and yes. I think both are a great idea.”

“Look, you can tell me to bugger off, but what’s Nathan’s role in all this. Anything?”

“Fair point”, she sighed. “Joe goes to see his Dad but won’t stay the night. They had a big bust up about something. Nathan’s rules, no doubt. Haven’t got a straight answer out of either of them. Joe’s adamant that he’s not sleeping there anymore, he just drops in”. She shrugged, “I tried to stick my oar in.”

“Bad idea?”

“You bet. Nathan and I ended up having a barney and he was shouting that I’d turned the boy against him. Thing is, Nathan can’t accept that Joe’s 17 and thinks for himself. The boy has friends at school who go to the Parish Church, they even talk about religion and that.”

“Surely, that’s a good thing?”

“You’d reckon, a bunch of teenagers interested enough to discuss what it actually means. But you remember what it was like at home. My rules or nothing, no debate, no choice.”

“Yeah, I remember all right.”

“Sorry, stupid comment”, she pulled a face.

“But. Are you still…”

She held up her hands, “No way. I’m keeping well clear of church and religion at the moment.”

“What does Joe actually want?”

“Not sure he knows. He doesn’t like that Nathan and I split, but he understands why. I think he’d put up with Nathan’s attitudes and rules, if the man would in Joe’s words, ‘Chill out and live in the 21st century’”, she smiled, “I think we both could relate to that.”

“I grinned, “Fat chance of Nathan doing that, I’d imagine.”

---

“Mum said you had a couple of things you wanted to ask me?”

It was virtually the end of term. Joe and I met at what seemed to have become our usual café. He was tucking into a huge slice of alarmingly rainbow-coloured cake.

“Yes. They are only ideas, right. If you don’t like either then it doesn’t matter, we can forget it. I mentioned them to your Mum”.

He grinned, “So, she won’t give you an earful.”

I nodded. “First off, a suggestion for over the Summer.”

He looked indignant, “I’ve told Mum…”

I held up a hand, “Just a suggestion from Colin and me. First two weeks of August you stay with me.”

“At your house?”

“Well, yes.”

“Will Colin be there?”

“I imagine so. Probably not all the time, but weekends and the odd night in the week. We haven’t worked a routine out yet.”

“Won’t he live with you?”

I waggled my head, “It’s a bit early for that and whilst we like being together, we also like our own space. So, we’ll compromise.”

“And I’d stay. Proper like?”

“Yes.”

“Cool”, he grinned, “I’ll…”

“Don’t make promises you cannot keep. Let’s both just try. And remember, I’ve never had a teenager staying before.”

Joe stared at me, you could see the cogs whirring, “I suppose not.”

“So. We’ll regard it as an experiment.”

“You know, Mum’s gonna give you a list.”

“List?”

“Of everything I’ll need to do.”

I smiled. “Fair enough. It can go on the fridge. We both have eyes.”

“Cool”, he grinned. By now he had finished his cake, “Was that two things?”

“Well spotted, Colin had an idea. He was impressed with the work you did at my house.”

Joe looked surprised, “But I only painted a few walls and a door.”

“I think it was more that you worked hard, were able to learn and benefit from instruction.”

“You mean, I did what I was told. Don’t tell Mum, she’ll expect that at home.”

I smiled at him, “Colin’s hoping to do more painting and decorating, doing up places.”

“Gussying up, he called it.”

“That’s right. I told him he ought to say that on the website”. Joe snorted with laughter. “So, he reckons you can be trusted to do stuff on your own, if one of the other guys is there too. He wondered if you fancied taking a part-time job?”

“Blimey, you mean get paid? A proper job?”

“Yes. It will be irregular, depending on the work in hand. Saturday mornings and the odd time after school.”

“So, if they were busy-like, but it were all building work…”

“Then there wouldn’t be much for you to do, but he’s hoping there will be more doing up places.”

“So he gets to visit IKEA”, Joe’s eyes sparkled.

“He mentioned that?” I shook my head, “I can’t fathom. Sounds as if you two had a real chinwag.”

“Well, not me, as such, whoever was around. I reckoned that without you to talk to, ‘cause you ill, he needed the outlet. Mum says that going out for lunch with the girls from work gives her a real outlet. Mind, they’re not actually girls. And thanks, I’d love to give it a try.”

We agreed that Colin would contact Joe directly about details. It was only when we were on the way out that Joe brought up what had probably been running around in his head the whole time. It seemed he’d attempted to reach a rapprochement with Melanie, but it had ground to a halt when she’d made a comment about his Mum getting money from his Grandad’s will.

“Did you tell her about the money?”

“No. I told her that you were in town and how you and Mum went to the solicitor’s about Grandad’s will. But I’m sure didn’t say more.”

I put my hands on his shoulders, “It’s OK, it’s very easy to let things slip.”

“You reckon she assumed…”

“That if your Mum was getting money, then you could afford the holiday. I imagine. When it comes to money, folk are not usually very pleasant.”

“We have to keep well quiet, like you said?”

“I’m afraid so. You and Melanie?”

“A wash out. But Rayleigh at school is coming on the course and we were chatting about it?”, he gave me a cheeky grin.