Read Online Where Have You Been? by Wendy James - Free Book Online Page B

the wild subterranean currents of his mother’s emotions, but senses that this conversation is probably about Susan. He knows that his mother has always had something of a problem with his wife, though she’s never admitted it and is probably not even conscious of her behaviour. He supposes it would have been the same regardless of who he married – though he does recall her being quite taken with the first girl he went out with at college, a fellow business student – Angela – who was tall and vivacious and exceptionally well groomed, and went on to make a fortune working the stock market.
    â€˜You spend far too much time worrying about other people’s problems, Ed,’ his mother says now. ‘You’ll wear yourself out. I know what I’m talking about, believe you me.’
    Ed, on the other hand, doesn’t know what she’s talking about and isn’t sure that he wants to. He tries diversion. Flattery. ‘God, this is good gravy, Mum. Susan uses packet stuff, but it’s just not the same, is it?’
    His mother’s face lightens. ‘These modern girls just can’t cut the mustard when it comes to cooking, can they?’ Her smile is coy, almost a smirk. ‘Perhaps I should write out a recipe for her.’
    Ed is vaguely ashamed of his disloyalty, but it has had the desired effect.
    â€˜Two potatoes, Ed?’ his mother asks brightly. ‘More gravy?’
    ***
    Ed is not told the truth about Karen until two weeks before the wedding and he is so hurt by Susan’s behaviour, the confected story – a lie! – her humiliating lack of trust in him, that he considers (only fleetingly, it’s true) calling the whole thing off.
    They have been flat hunting – unsuccessfully. All they can afford (if they are to remain in the beach-side suburbs of their childhood) with their combined student allowances and Ed’s pitiful paycheque, are dark and dirty cockroach-infested studio apartments. Ed’s father has offered to convert their double garage into a self-contained flat and though Ed is becoming gradually more inclined to accept the offer, Susan remains stubbornly, and to Ed’s mind unreasonably, opposed.
    â€˜But it looks like we mightn’t have any other options, Susy,’ he says. They are sitting in a seedy cafe on Manly’s Corso, drinking cheap coffee and arguing.
    â€˜There are plenty of options, Ed.’
    â€˜Yeah, like what?’
    â€˜We could get share accommodation near college. We don’t have to live around here, y’know. We don’t have to live near your family.’
    Ed ignores the suggestion and goes straight to the heart of her remark.
    â€˜I don’t see why you always have to bring my family into it, Susy. Sometimes I think you just don’t like my family. You don’t, do you? Why not admit it?’ Susan says nothing, stirs sugar into her coffee.
    â€˜Anyway,’ he adds sulkily, ‘It’s not just my family. Your parents live here too. Surely you want to stay nearby?’
    â€˜No, Ed.’ Susan ignores his last comment, speaks softly, deliberately. ‘There’s nothing for me to admit. It’s not that I don’t like your family. It’s your mother – who doesn’t like me.’ She smiles, briefly. ‘Your mother thinks I’m not goodenough – not clever enough, respectable enough, or even pretty enough for her little darling.’ Ed is suddenly ashamed. Tries to take her hand. ‘Oh, Suse,’ he begins, but she shakes him off.
    â€˜No, listen Ed. Your mother thinks I’m not good enough and that my family’s worse. Don’t think I don’t get what’s behind all those innocent little questions about Gillian and Dad, those sly comments about my mother. And the way she always brings up stories about missing teenagers: “I expect the stepfather’s murdered her.” I don’t know why she