Jessica's mother, Denise, was a mildly plump woman of five foot four with mostly grey hair streaked with the original brown, not light, but not dark, a brown in the middle. She had the same blue eyes as Jessica, but whereas Jessica's were warm and kind, Denise's were dictating and disapproving. She wore a navy blue blouse tucked neatly into her ash grey, knee length skirt, dark grey tights and black 'old granny' shoes.
Louisa noticed the natural hair colour in Denise's greying hair and looked at Jessica. Jessica was blonde. Unless Jessica's dad was blonde, Louisa didn't understand.
"Mom, this is Louisa." Jessica paused, but her mother didn't notice her hesitation. Denise shuffled forward, moving her walking stick in time with her right foot.
"Where is the father?" Denise asked haughtily, looking Louisa up and down.
"Uh, he's… busy…"
"Does he live here?"
"No." Denise rounded on her daughter.
"So, you are a single mother?"
"Well, not exactly. He visits from time to time, doesn't he, Lou?" Louisa was watching Denise carefully and not paying attention. "Lou?"
"Uh?"
"Your dad. He visits often, doesn't he?"
"Oh, yeah, he does." Denise frowned, shuffling back to study Louisa. She tapped Louisa's shins with her walking stick.
"She's got his looks then?"
"Yeah." Denise continued her inspection of Louisa. Louisa restrained herself from blurting out something rude and offensive and from stepping away, (she wasn't that mean to floor old ladies). Her shins were going to be bruised by the walking stick. It took everything Louisa could muster to not snatch the walking stick and smack it over her adoptive grandmother's head.
"What is with your clothes? Are you a boy?" Louisa bit back another rude retort. "Do girls your age not wear jeans?"
"I don't like jeans."
"Mom, she's comfortable as she is. Uh, do you want some tea?"
"That would be nice. No sugar and a little milk."
"Please." Louisa grumbled.
"Excuse me?" Denise demanded sharply.
"I was told manners don't cost a penny." Jessica was sending a warning look behind her mother's back to Louisa, her blue eyes wide.
"You are not one to give out orders, young lady."
"'N' ya ain't in charge of me."
"Mom, why don't you get comfortable? Lou, please can you put Mom's bags in my room? Gently." Jessica stressed. Louisa and Denise continued to have a glare off. "Lou? Gently." Jessica moved around her mother and grabbed Louisa's shoulder. Louisa pulled away, stormed to the front door and snatched up Denise's bags. "Gently!" Jessica called after her.
Louisa made the point of kicking the door to Jessica's room open and dropping the bags with loud, dull thuds on the floor.
Denise had been here five minutes and Louisa already wanted her to leave.
She had three more months of this.