A Family for a Season

Emily Youre just a meddlesome nosybird who loves poking around other peoples families! I heard Claire lunge at me, spitting the words out.

It was almost funny.

Emily burst out laughing.

Could you even think of a more ridiculous accusation? she snapped back. When I first met Mark, you two had already been split for three years. And, if Im not mistaken, you were the one who walked out on Mark for some other bloke. So what family am I intruding on?

***

Emily always had a thing for numbers. Digits were easier to manage than people, especially the kind who dont get you. Shed always been solid with the exact sciences, and that carried over into her work. So when Mark showed up in her life, bringing his sevenyearold daughter Lucy along, Emily happily took on the role of private tutor.

Why do these numbers cancel out here? Lucy asked, hoping Emily hadnt forgotten the weekend lessons.

Because theyre the same, Emily replied.

That’s not the worst answer. Good job, she praised. Alright, Luce, look again. Emily ran her finger confidently down the textbook page. If you multiply this part by that one, you get hold on how does it go Ah, right, thats it. She paused a beat, hunting for a simple analogy. Lucy, its just regular multiplication but you pull it out from under the root. Its no harder than counting sweets in Year3.

Lucy was sprawled at the kitchen table that morning, fiddling with her pencil. Emily always pushed for a quick review before school, while Lucy begged for a few extra minutes of sleep. Emily always won.

This isnt sweets, Emily. These are *problems*, Lucy sighed. Complicated ones.

Theres nothing complicated if you approach it the right way, Emily smiled, feeling a motherly urge shed kept under wraps. Lets try this Oh, were running out of time

Mornings usually started with that routine.

Mark, smoothing Lucys slightly messy bangs, asked, Emily, could you drop Lucy at school today? Im in a rush.

No problem, Emily said, already pulling on her coat. Dont worry, Ill get her there in good shape.

Thanks, Em.

Happy to help. She helped Lucy pack her books into the backpack. She loved Mark, and she loved Lucy too. Their family was a bit odd, but Emily didnt need anything else.

At school they ran into Claire, Marks exwife. Claire, wrapped in a thin trench coat on a blustery October afternoon, looked a touch irate. She always seemed a little offkilter to Emily.

Lucy! You didnt bring your spare shoes from home and youve got PE today! Here, Ive got a pair for you. Say thank you someone actually cares, Claire barked.

Seeing her mother, Lucy waved goodbye to Emily, darted over, snatched the bag of trainers, and slipped into the school building without a word.

Emily was about to get back into her car when Claire suddenly threatened, Dont you dare meddle with my daughter.

Emily raised an eyebrow. Excuse me?

Im not meddling. Im just teaching her, giving her rides. Do you think youre her second mum now? Claire spat, the hatred in her voice thick.

Emily didnt expect that outburst. Claire usually kept her feelings to herself.

Im not trying to be anyones replacement, Emily replied calmly, refusing to be provoked. She spends a lot of time with us, I chat with her, help with her maths, go shopping together. Im not pretending she doesnt exist on the weekends.

Thats exactly why youre a meddlesome nosybird who loves poking around other families! Claire retorted, eyes flashing.

Emily laughed out loud. You really cant think of a more absurd accusation? When I met Mark, youd already been divorced for three years. And if I recall, you left Mark for some other bloke. So whose family am I intruding on?

Claire was momentarily speechless, no words coming. Emily gave her a gentle nudge away from the car, slipped into the drivers seat, and drove off to work. The argument replaced her morning coffee.

Wheres all this aggression coming from? Emily wondered. Hes not even living with her any more, and Claire never said those things to my face before.

Shed figured it out on her own later.

That evening, while Emily was polishing her boots, Mark said, Emily, I need to talk. Its not a pleasant one Would you mind if Lucy stayed with us for a while?

Emily raised an eyebrow. Stay? Shes already here all the time.

No, I mean permanently. Or at least for a long stretch.

I dont see a problem. If it helps Lucy, Im fine. But why? How does Claire fit into this? she asked, a hint of sarcasm in her tone.

Mark didnt finish. Theres a catch Lucy would move in with us and Claire too.

Emily dropped the boot onto the floor. Whats your ex doing here? Are you hinting that were done and you want to move back in with her?

He hurriedly replied, No! Absolutely not! I cant stand her! I love you! He lifted the boot, grabbed the brush and started scrubbing it as if hed wear it out. The bloke she ran off with dumped her and gave her a week to move out. Renting is pricey, you know.

So let her go back to her parents! Emily snapped.

Her parents live far away. If she leaves, Lucy would have to change schools, move towns, lose friends And Claire wont go anywhere without Lucy. Our flat has three bedrooms, we can all fit.

Youre serious? All of us in one flat with Claire?

Emily laughed, thinking he was joking. Sounds a bit mad, but I dont see any other options. We cant afford her a separate place. If she goes back, Ill only see Lucy every six months, and she doesnt want that.

She repeated well fit in her head, not noticing the brush smudging her cheek.

And they did fit.

But at what cost? When Claire moved in, she acted like shed taken over the place. Her belongings slowly filled the space.

Emily, Claire said from the living room where she was now crashing, could you shift this vase? It blocks my view of the telly.

The vase sat on the coffee table, hardly in the way.

Claire, its

Just move it. I want to watch the news.

And you cant? Emily asked.

Its my vase. I cant just touch your stuff without asking, or Ill get into trouble later.

Emily carefully nudged the vase aside.

Thanks.

Next came the curtains, which Emily had tossed in a basket while she ran an errand. What did the curtains bother you about? Emily asked.

They were always light, the ones I picked. I want them back, Claire replied.

So youre not upset that Im touching your things? Emily pressed.

I figured you wouldnt mind, Claire said.

Emily walked around the rooms. We chose those curtains together with Mark.

Well then I dont like them, Claire shot back. Ill ask Mark to replace them. Well get new ones tomorrow.

It felt like a domestic harem.

Claire kept restoring the flat to the way it was when she and Mark lived together. The kitchen got reshuffled pans moved into the oven, spices piled on the top shelf because she never used them. The washing machine, once run every other day, now only once a week to save water. Emily never understood that saving, because the machine was cranked up five or six times a day.

Emily, Claire would pop up out of nowhere, could you please put your perfume off the hallway table? I need space for my makeup.

Theyre not in the way, Emily replied.

They are, Claire insisted. I live here, I need to be comfortable.

This is my home too, Emily said, but Claire seemed deaf to it.

Youre nobody here, Claire snapped. This is my house, my man, my family. And you just a side effect.

Emily relayed those words straight to Mark.

Mark, when are you going to sort out housing for Claire and Lucy? Im fine with Lucy, but Claire called me nobody. Is that normal? Are you going to pretend you didnt hear?

Mark tried to soothe her. Emily, youve probably misunderstood. Claires having a rough patch. She didnt mean it. She was just stressed, maybe said something offhand and you took it personally.

Stressed? She said it to my face!

What do you want me to do? Throw her out? Where would she go?

Mark chose his exwifes side.

Days passed and Mark spent more time with Lucy and Claire. Theyd go for walks together, share jokes that left Emily feeling like an extra. She really was out of place.

Then the little bliss between Mark and Claire cracked over something trivial. Mark placed a mug the wrong way on the table and Claire couldnt let it go.

You know I hate it when you do that! she shrieked.

What did I do? Breathe wrong? Im just having tea! Mark protested.

Look, theres tea spilt all over the table, the cloth is ruined! And dont bang on the table when you set anything down. My nerves arent made of steel.

Your nerves, you old cow, Claire snapped.

And youre a lazy slob who cant remember the basics! Mark retorted.

Emily listened from the other room, like an old couple squabbling after decades of marriage. She wondered where she fit into that.

Lucy chimed in, Dad and Mum are living together again and fighting again. It was nice when they split

Thats when Emily realised she wasnt part of any family any more. She was just a temporary guest who didnt belong in this remerged, tangled household.

Mark was forced to face the fact that they were heading for another divorce. He didnt know how to untangle it, begged Emily to wait, but she knew it wouldnt end well.

The day Emily was moving out, a small mishap occurred that might have meant nothing if not for the whole mess. While she was packing, Claire decided to launch a deep clean. She started rearranging the books on the livingroom shelf. Emily, a stickler for order, had her collection alphabetised by genre. Claire, guided only by aesthetics, moved everything because she liked the way the spines lined up.

Emily wanted to protest but remembered she wasnt the owner any more, so she cracked a joke, What, youre trying to banish my spirit with a tidyup?

Just love a clean house, Claire replied, polishing another volume. It looked like a library dump.

Its for convenience. So I can find the right book fast, Emily said.

I look for books by cover, Claire answered. Feels nicer and looks better.

They could never coexist.

When Emily walked out of the flat, she saw Lucy at the window, waving goodbye. For a split second Emily thought the girl might try to run after her caught between two fires.

Shall we go? asked Marks brother, who had come to help with the move.

Yeah, Emily replied, Lets get a move on.