Read Online Dead Calm by Shirley Wells - Free Book Online

about to set off for breakfast again, his phone trilled into life.
    It was his sister and he really wasn’t in the mood. If he didn’t answer though, she’d bombard him with text messages. “Yes, Laura?”
    “Good morning to you, too. Is Mum with you?”
    “No. Is there anything else?”
    “Wow, someone got out of bed on the wrong side this morning.”
    “Not at all, but since getting out of bed, I’ve been at everyone’s beck and call. A few minutes’ peace would be good. Now, did you need to speak to Mum or are you just doing your doting daughter impression?”
    “Tom! What on earth’s got into you?”
    “I’m just asking if you actually want to speak to Mum or if you only want me to pass on a message that her darling daughter is thinking of her.”
    “There’s no need to take it out on me.”
    “I’m not taking anything out on you.” He knew he was.
    “I assume Mum hasn’t come good with the money.” There was a pause that ended with a long sigh. “Nothing’s the same without Dad, is it?”
    Laura had been Daddy’s Little Girl, but Tom rarely stopped to think about it. And if their father was still alive, Tom would have even less hope of getting any money.
    “You’ve got your flash apartment in the sun,” Laura said when he didn’t answer. “You should try living in a two-bedroomed terraced house in the cold, wet Cotswolds. And only an idiot would go into teaching these days. The hours are long, the pay’s a joke, and most of the kids are walking nightmares.”
    “Then change your job. Dad’s gone. Accept it. He’s not going to whisk you off to a nice manor house in the country. And at least you’re not facing bankruptcy.” He was sick to death of listening to everyone else’s troubles. Everywhere he turned, someone wanted to moan about their lot in life. He was sick of it.
    “Are you really worried about the business?” Laura asked.
    He gave a hollow laugh at the understatement. “Oh, just a tad.”
    “Has Mum mentioned the money? Do you think she’ll relent?”
    “Mum relent? Come off it. When has that ever happened? She’s as stubborn as the day is long, you know that. Once she’s made up her mind, that’s it.”
    “How bad are things?”
    “About as bad as they can be.” He wished it was an exaggeration.
    Laura made a sympathetic clucking noise. “I feel bad now. I shouldn’t have booked this cruise without talking it over with you. I hadn’t realised it was such a bad time. Would you like me to have a word with her? She might listen to me.”
    She probably would. Tom would bet his life that if his precious sister had asked for money, the cheque would have been written in the same breath. “You could try.”
    “I’ll see what I can do. I really don’t see why she won’t help you out. Well, yes, I do. It’s because she wants us both to be independent, to face the big wide world on our own, and stand on our own two feet.”
    He almost smiled as Laura recited their mother’s oft-quoted words.
    “I’ll have a word with her,” Laura said.
    “It won’t do any good. But thanks,” he added. “I’ll tell her you called and make sure she calls you back later, okay?”
    As he ended the call, he wondered if a word from Laura would help. It was possible, he supposed. Not that he’d raise his hopes.
    He thought back over the years and tried to remember another occasion when Laura had offered to help him. He couldn’t. They’d never been close, and had fought all through childhood and their teenage years. All because Laura was the spoilt baby of the family. These days though, they hardly saw each other and he supposed that, outwardly at least, they managed to get along okay.
    It was her simpering, doting daughter act that always riled him. The way she’d arranged this cruise was a perfect example. She’d booked the thing without a word to anyone and received all the brownie points for being such a good daughter. Tom was the one obliged to leave his crumbling