head hard. She didn’t want that. She couldn’t have it. Not now. She wanted her mother to leave her alone. For everyone to leave her alone. All she wanted to do was to care for the little boy who’d come into her life. She couldn’t let him down. She had to keep him safe.
‘For God’s sake, Laura.’ Sherry fixed her with a reproachful glare. ‘Hasn’t this family been through enough?’
‘It’s painful for me too!’ Laura cried as her mother swept past her to the landing. ‘Mmmuch more p-p-painful …’ Her voice trailed to a whisper as she heard Sherry descending the stairs, muttering, ‘Selfish, selfish girl,’ as she went.
She’d found her house keys then. Fifteen minutes later, Laura watched from the landing, hatred burning inside her, as her mother strode to the front door, heaving her luggage along with her. Her heart stalled when Steve opened it from the outside just as Sherry reached it. She’d guessed he would have to meet her mother at some point, but she’d hoped it would be under circumstances that wouldn’t require her to explain away her mother’s interference in her life.
‘Evening,’ Steve said, looking Sherry over, bemused, as she bustled past.
She didn’t answer him. Didn’t even so much as acknowledge him, marching onwards instead towards the waiting taxi she’d called.
Steve watched her go, then closed the door with a shake of his head and turned his puzzled gaze to Laura.
‘My mmmother,’ she enlightened him. ‘We had a row and, um …’ The words catching in her throat, she stopped, turned her gaze to the ceiling and blinked hard.
‘Hey, hey.’ Seeing she was upset, Steve bounded up the stairs. ‘It wasn’t that bad, surely?’ he said, pulling her into his arms.
Strong arms. Tanned and toned from working largely outdoors. Protective arms. He was a good man. A fundamentally nice man, if a little too trusting. Laura relaxed into him, rested her head on his shoulder and allowed herself to feel safe, just for a second. She wished she could stay in his embrace forever, but it was impossible. Her mother would make sure it was. She shook herself mentally. It would be different this time. She would stop her. She had to. She couldn’t lose him. She wouldn’t lose Ollie.
‘It was,’ she said, easing away from him. ‘She can be a bit … dictatorial sometimes.’ With no way to tell him why she was so distraught, she improvised. ‘It drives me mad.’
‘I’m sure she’s just trying to look out for you.’ Steve followed her to the bedroom.
Control me, Laura thought.
‘My mum was always telling me I should do this and do that,’ Steve went on good-humouredly. ‘Course, I thought I knew better. Turns out she was right, more often than not.’
He’d obviously had a normal child/parent relationship. He’d certainly loved his father. She envied him that. He wouldn’t be quite so charitable about Sherry if he knew why Laura could never feel that way about her.
‘She’ll be back,’ he said reassuringly.
‘I’m sure she will,’ Laura muttered, and set about looking for the photograph her mother had discarded somewhere. She didn’t want Steve seeing it.
‘You sure you’re all right?’ he asked as she plucked the discarded clothes Sherry had brought her from the bed, hoping the photograph was underneath. It wasn’t there.
‘Yes, fine, honestly.’ Scouring the floor around her, she gave him a distracted smile. ‘She just rubs me up the wrong way sometimes, that’s all.’
‘Yep, my mother did that, too.’ Steve sighed. ‘She meant well, though.’
If only. Laura decided she’d rather not get into that conversation.
‘I’ll just have a quick shower,’ Steve said, ‘and then I’ll grab something out of the freezer for dinner. Unless you fancy takeaway or a pub meal? Might cheer you up a bit.’
‘Takeaway would be lovely.’ Laura managed a proper smile. ‘Thanks for being so thoughtful, Steve.’
‘No problem. I think I’d rather have that than my cooking.’ He gave her a warm smile in return and then headed for the bed, dropping down on it to take off shoes.
Laura willed him to hurry up as he bent to unlace them, and then scrunched her eyes closed as he delved under the divan, clearly having spotted something. Her heart leapt into her mouth as he drew out what she’d known he inevitably would.
‘Is this what you’re looking for?’ he asked.
‘Yes. Thanks,’ she said, her voice strained. She stepped towards him, her hand outstretched to retrieve the photo, but he held onto to it, a frown crossing his face as he