Bonds That Break

To start afresh in a new place, saying farewell to the old, and the beginning of a new age. It did seem to make sense and a great idea at first. Two families join to one. The Goldie Oldies as most said, however, three’s always a crowd.

“Look at how the little ones play.” Louisa laughed watching Tammy waddle after her three-year-old brother, Jake. Tammy’s nappy bounced like a little balloon between those scrawny legs.

“Yes.” Karen stood with a hefty sigh as the wooden bench creaked. “Come Tam-Tam.” She said opening her arms. “Let’s go change that nappy.”

Ignoring her Granny, Tammy tried running faster after her giggling brother still edging her to follow him around the pool.

While Karen battling with a screaming and kicking two-year-old fighting her way indignantly that she did not want her nappy changed, Louisa admired the aviaries of various canaries, pigeons, and other species she did not know as she sipped her almost cold mug of coffee.

How she wished she could run and jump with the Grandchildren but her body was just not as it was thirty years ago. 

Jake suddenly appeared and sat on Louisa’s lap. “I love you.” He said looking up at her with his dimpled cheeky grin and sharp brown eyes. Ruffling his dark blond hair with a smile she dug into her bag on the wooden table and pulled out a biscuit. “There you are,” Louisa said giving him a tight squeeze. 

With a great smile, an attempt at thank you he jumped off her lap and ran inside the house. 

Louisa watched Snowball prowling, hidden amongst the garden foliage, in hopes to catch one of the wild birds fluttering around the bird feeder dangling from a tree branch. From inside the house came a crash, Tammy crying, and adults arguing.

What on earth? Louisa thought, holding crutches close to her body she made her way into the house.

“I left it right here!” Johan said finger pointed at the kitchen table near the Urn. Karen just stared at him blankly while holding a wailing Tammy on the countertop with one hand. 

Jake stood not too far from them holding his blue Toy Story plastic cup asking for more juice. 

“Can I help with anything?” Louisa smiled making an attempt to help pour Jake more juice.

“No!” Karen snapped. “I’ll do it.”

Louisa watched as Karen left Tammy on the countertop and shuffle her way to the fridge. Soon Jake was settled in front of the television engrossed in Disney Cars with the sound blaring inside the lounge. At times Louisa found that the sound was extremely loud but thought it best to say nothing and decided a small nap may help the excruciating pain in her back. Each day it seemed to get worse but there was not much anyone could do especially with the hospitals full of COVID patients. An operation would be too risky for her at this time.

“Johan, I told you I did not take it!” 

Louisa abruptly woke up by the loud clanging and banging of pots and pans. She hadn’t realised that slept so long. Johan usually began cooking at 3PM. Slowly she managed to slide out of bed and found Jake fast asleep on one of the lounge leather couches; Paw Patrol was now showing on the television set.

“You always blame me for everything.” Louisa heard Karen say. “Since Louisa arrived you blame me for everything!”

“It’s not my fault you’re useless,” Johan said. “I told you we needed more cheese. How can I cook without cheese?”

“If it’s not on the list –“

“I apologise,” Louisa said as she entered the kitchen. “I asked my son to make me a sandwich this morning and I didn’t realise it was for tonight’s meal.”

Ignoring Louisa, Johan turned away and began chopping away at the tomatoes. “It was on the list.” He mumbled.

“Isn’t that Tammy?” Louisa heard crying from the room belonging to Karen and Johan’s son. A baby cot and small area had been set up in Ben’s room to accommodate Tammy since birth. 

“She must just wait,” Karen said. “She didn’t want to eat, doesn’t want her bottle, and hasn’t slept all day. And my leg is hurting today; the shingles is flaring up again.”

Sitting at the wooden garden bench watching Snowball, who had made a friend with a stray cat now called Bonny, lazing around near the aviaries Louisa felt useless and unwanted. Most days her son, Samuel, came from work and had his meal, made coffee, and stayed in his room for the rest of the night. She was either in her room or outside; alone. Ben would chat with her whenever he was homebound working remotely. He didn’t mind making her as many mugs of coffee as her heart desired. Jake and Tammy had slowly and gradually been kept away from her. 

“What have I done?” Louisa asked. “I don’t like the way my Grandchildren are being treated and when I try to help I am pushed away.”

“Nothing,” Ben shrugged. “They have always been this way. Don’t like it when people get involved.”

“Then why was I invited to come here? Wasn’t it about easing the burdens of finances for each of us and because we get along, we are friends?”

“It’s all about money,” Ben said. “They almost lost the house and would have had to sell everything. They took out a second mortgage to upgrade the kitchen and I paid to help improve other areas of the house.” He sighed, “They made a big mistake and now they are realising it.”

“I don’t feel comfortable here anymore and my back gets worse every day,” Louisa said. “I just want to enjoy my Grandchildren. Jake and Tammy are my Grandchildren too. Whenever I speak to Brenda and John they don’t seem to care. Brenda is so controlling.”

“Well,” Ben said. “John needs to man up and do something. He just lets Brenda do what she wants and he does all the cooking and looks after the kids –“

“I know!” Louisa said. “Brenda is a bad excuse for a mother and wife. The children come here every day in the same clothes as the previous day.”

Ben nodded. “Yes, I know. Every day my Mom uses my bathroom when she baths Tammy and leaves it in such a mess. It’s flooded.”

“What about Jake?” Louisa demanded. “He is definitely neglected. I cannot stay quiet anymore. When John comes to fetch the kids I’m going to speak to him.”

“It seems someone is making trouble for us,” Karen said casually resting her leg across the wooden bench facing Louisa. Dressed in armbands and swimsuits, lathered in suntan lotion, Tammy and Jake were splashing around in the shallow end of the pool.  “The children were burnt the other day and as usual I got into trouble for it.”

“It has been really hot the last week or so,” Louisa said absentmindedly tapping on her cell phone.  “If I remember there was no suntan lotion. I think that is what Johan said but I really wasn’t listening. I am not in the position to look after the kids if they are in the pool.”

Karen nodded. “Yes, my shingles bother me every so often too. It does get hard, doesn’t it?”

Louisa remained silent. Comparing shingles to a much needed back operation was equivalent to comparing a paper cut to a broken arm. Every day was like living inside a lucky packet. She did not know if the day would come if she’d be able to get out of bed, let alone walk. 

“I’m sorry, Samuel,” Louisa said. Her door was closed but certain that everyone could hear what she was saying. Over the last few months, she became aware of Karen and Johan’s talent for eavesdropping, sending false dramatic cell phone texts and messages to members of the family.

“This is bloody ridiculous. I refuse to live like this. You can stay or you can leave but I am not staying here! They are evil and are not my family. I don’t know where or how, but I am leaving. I would rather live underneath a bridge.”

“I know, Mom,” Samuel said. “Since I have been on leave I have seen you leave the room, go outside and have your coffee and then come back inside.” His hands were clenched and his usual relaxed demeanour was tense. “They are coming after me now for more money but their caravan is full of liquor and drunk almost every night.”

“They start drinking in the morning. While the kids run around the house they close the gates to keep them inside.” Louisa’s eyes brimmed with tears. “The moment Jake and Tammy come and watch their kiddies program Karen comes to take Tammy for her bath, and they shout at Jake all the time. If I say something I am the one causing trouble. I can’t take it anymore.”

“I’ve looked around,” Samuel said. “I think I may have found something that is reasonable and we will have our own space again.  The rent we pay here is more than some of the houses available.”

“Thank you,” Louisa said. “I just feel so bad for Jake and Tammy.”

Another scorch of a day, Louisa thought as she sat outside with a cigarette in one hand and her mug of coffee. She stopped smoking but the stress over the last few months had been overwhelming. Johan had not been happy about it and couldn’t stop Louisa smoking, he didn’t mention any objections. All messages were conveyed through Karen.

“So, as long as you smoke outside, here, it’s fine,” Karen said watching Johan fetch a spade from the garden shed. “I thought you had stopped smoking.”

“Yes,” Louisa said. “I did and then the stress and pain over the last few months have been hard for me.”

“Oh.” She groaned dramatically as she lifted her leg to rest on the wooden bench. “I heard that you were moving? Are you not happy here?”

“Where did you hear that?” Louisa asked. Johan began digging near one of the aviaries.

“A little birdie told me.” Karen giggled indicating the canary aviary. “People are saying such bad, untruthful things about us behind our backs and it’s very hurtful.”

“Like what?” Louisa took in a deep breath on her cigarette and blew out very slowly creating a small cloud of smoke.

“Uh, it’s not important.” Karen looked away. “I don’t know if it’s true or not but where are you moving to? Have you found a place?”

“Firstly,” Louisa said feeling anger brewing inside her. “No, I am not happy here. You keep asking for more money, the both of you shout and scream all the time at my Grandchildren and you keep them away from me.”

“That’s not true –“

“Yes, it is.” As Louisa grew angrier her voice rose rapidly. “Another thing is, what I do is none of your business.”

“I – I thought we were friends.” Karen looked wounded. “I suppose it’s all my fault, as usual.”

“Perhaps it is,” Louisa said under her breath, taking in another breath of her cigarette.

John came storming into Louisa’s room with a loud bang on the bedroom door, waking her in fright. 

“What do you think you’re doing?” He demanded.

After blinking a few times Louisa said, “What the hell are you coming into my room like that! Have you no respect?”

“If you’re going to leave, then leave!” He yelled. “I don’t want stories. Just get out now.”

“Get out of my room.” Louisa managed to sit up. “How dare you come in here and think you can throw your silly weight around at me!”

“You – You!” Red-faced, pointing a finger at Louisa he was about to continue to rant when Ben came running through and yelled at his father to leave. 

“Get out, old man!” Ben stared at his father facing him squarely; both knew that Ben would not hold back his strength. “Leave before I hit you.”

“Do you think everyone will realise the truth?” Louisa asked her son as they left the place once called home. “John promised he would never keep Jake and Tammy away from me.”

“Yes, I do,” Samuel replied. “I think it is better we forget these psychopath lunatics.”

“I agree. They are only related by marriage but if I have to cut ties with John and my Grandchildren because of these people.” Louisa paused. “It will break my heart.”