Chapter 9
Cora did not need to be told it was the morning after the night before when she woke up.
She had thought the day before when she did so that day, she was going to do it next to the warm body of the husband.
It was not to be. And she was tired and heavy.
As she woke up, she reached for her phone. It was a habit she had developed since the girls were teens just to check that none of them needed her. She had had calls from sleeps overs and parties. I need money, I feel sick, can I stay out longer, can you come and get me… The girls always turned to her.
And she was never off call.
It occurred to her right then that none of them were going to be texting her right then.
They were all home with her, that was what she had to focus on.
So there was really no need to be checking her phone right then, she lied to herself.
She got out of bed, pulled on a skirt and blouse and brushed her hair. She had been about to go down to breakfast when she heard a knock on her door.
"Come in," she called.
Sybil stepped into the room.
Yes, they needed to talk.
"Good morning mama," she said to her and Sybil looked down at her feet for a moment after. She looked as if she was a little girl right then once more.
Cora knew her daughter well enough to know that though she was not sorry for what she had done she was feeling bad about the way she had gone about it. Funnily enough that was her issue as well.
"Good morning," she returned as she looked at her.
She was not going to make this any easier for her. Yet.
"I – I wanted to talk to you before we went down to breakfast. I think – I think you were right and I should have spoken to you – about moving Tom in..."
"What before you snuck in your boyfriend to lock down with us? Yes that I might have been polite my darling." Cora said and wished she could bite her tongue. When Sybil was trying to say sorry that was not the attitude to take with her.
"I could not do anything else mama. He had lost his flat, he's been laid off," she said to her.
All she wanted to do was fight against the injustice which Tom was going through.
"You could have talked to me about it and you should have done. Darling, I know we have not been as supportive as of the two of you as we have been as Mary and Matthew."
If she was not so eager to make up with her mother right then, Sybil would have pointed out what an understatement that was.
"But that did not mean you could not come to me and have the two of us have a sensible conversation about this. I am not a monster Sybil and I do know the way you feel about him. I would not have seen him on the street."
If her father was there then she did not know how she would have got round him but if there was one thing Cora knew, it was that she would have done. She would have done it for her.
"I know you are not a monster mama. And I do regret the way I went about this – especially given everything that is going on right now," she said and she did not have to go any further for her mother to know what she meant. She had let it all – corona, lockdown, work, family - cloud her judgement.
And she was not the only one going through it.
"Did papa tell you why he did come up here?"
"Nothing beyond what he has said already. That he needs to be in London for work," said Cora as she sat by her vanity.
"Mama, I am sorry he hurt you," Sybil said and nothing could be more truthful.
There was silence for just too long.
"I know you are my darling. This is a blip and I am sure we are going to work all of this out." Cora said to her lightly. She did not want her to be worrying about them right then. She had enough on her plate.
"So are we friends again?" asked Sybil.
She did not like to think that they were at odds.
She could hold her own in an argument but right then she did not think was the moment for a fight.
She wanted her and her mother to be on the same side.
"We are always going to be friends," her mother said to her with a nod and Sybil came to kiss her cheek.
Cora was not one to hold a grudge against her daughters. Her husband right then might be a different story but she would not hold anything against her girls.
"I was thinking though – and if you want me – us I guess - to move out then I will."
Cora's eyes widened.
"Oh Sybil I am not so hurt by last night as all that-"
"I am not saying this due to last night, I am saying it as I am going to be going out to work at a hospital all of the time. I am going to be a threat to all of you mama."
Cora shook her head.
"No, my baby. If one of us was vulnerable, then it may be a different case. But we're not, none of us," she reasoned. She would not abandon her. Sybil would see awful things. But at the end of all of her bad days she should be able to return to her home and all who loved her best, so they could take care of her.
"If there is a case at the hospital, if you come into direct contact with someone with covid, then we can review it. Together," Cora emphasised.
As far as she could see, all that mattered now was that they kept talking.
She took her daughter in her arms, and held her close. They were one family, one household and they'd see it through together. She had a feeling Sybil would not always allow her this so Cora savoured it and wondered what the day ahead held.
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Author Note: Hi all. Just wondering, what did you think of a slightly shorter chapter? I prefer to post longer ones, but just wondering if shorter more frequent ones are better than longer ones not so often? We've got some building work about to begin and my maternity leave is drawing to a close so my time will begin to be a bit limited so shorter ones may be the way to go?