That's Life ( Pt 15 )

I caught the bus and returned to the house, full of my excitement at now having a son who could feed properly, just wanting to let the world know how relieved I was feeling.

 

Unlocking the front door I entered and walked down the usual dark hallway, it was quiet as I checked the front and back room, then the kitchen, the back door was locked which was unusual, there had always been someone in normally, even if it was just the son.

 

“Hello!” I called out. “Is anyone home?” Still no reply. So folding the pushchair, I made my way up stairs feeling suspicious as I got to the next floor, looking up I noticed my room door wide open. My first thought was that someone had been in there rummaging through my belongings.

 

Climbing the stairs, I entered still holding my son. I was shocked when I saw their dog stretched out on my bed and their cat curled up in my son's cot. Now I'm a lover of all animals and perhaps some people do allow their pets on their beds, but this was my domain and they weren't my pets. I was angry because they'd intruded on my only personal space.

 

Quickly I put my son in the playpen, then shooed the dog out, he jumped off the bed quick smart, darting passed me and down the stairs at top speed. The cat wasn't so easy and was prepared to put up a fight, showing its claws and hissing at me, so I grabbed my dustpan brush and nudged the cat, “come on...out now!” I said, trying to sound as stern as I could, but the darn cat thought it was a game and started playing with the brush, this was getting ridiculous.

 

It looked at me in a threatening way, as if to say; “come on...I dare you to try and move me.” The trouble was that it could be a vicious cat and I didn't want to get scratched to high heavens and back. But then as I turned my back to find something else to use, the cat leaps out and does a runner down the stairs in hot pursuit of the dog.

 

I was fuming, because there were dog hairs on my quilt cover, it was enough to have to sit on the settee downstairs next to the canine and its feline friend when eating, but to find the dog on my bed sprawled out left me grinding my teeth. We had a dog when I was living at home with my parents, I loved her to bits, but she always knew not to go upstairs. Training my dog was one of my first priorities when we got her as a puppy.

 

I decided to take the quilt and my sons cover and shake them out the window, hoping that nothing sinister was lurking in them.

 

Now I don't like confrontation and tried to think of a way to tell the landlady I was annoyed, without sounding too angry, as I knew she had the upper hand.

 

Waiting for someone to come back seemed like ages as the day wore on, but eventually the dog began barking and scurrying up and down the hallway as the front door opened.

 

I called out from the landing; “It's Jenny...I'm back from the hospital.” The landlady had returned from shopping. Taking my son downstairs, I had it all planned out what I was going to say, but you know what happens to plans never going right...well this was one of those times.

 

I placed my son in his bouncy chair and strapped him in, then prepared myself. “Would you like a cup of tea?” I asked, as she put her shopping down.

 

“Yes!” She replied, continuing to ask how my son got on, I told her he was fine, as I tried to pluck up the courage to confront her. “Oh! Can you peel some potatoes after you've made the tea?” She said, looking in her usual stern way.

 

I agreed and there was a silence. This was the moment...it was now or never. “Um! I was just wondering...did someone leave my room door wide open? Only your dog was sprawled out on my bed and the cat was asleep in my son's cot.” I waited for a reply.

 

“Oh! That was probably me when I went to collect your dirty washing,” she said, completely nonchalant.

 

“But I haven't been here to have any dirty washing!” I replied, surprised she'd even use that as an excuse. “It's been over a week now that I've been at the hospital.”

 

“Oh! But there were dirty towels in the bathroom I collected and while I was there, I checked on your room.” She looked at me with those piercing eyes, then said. “I hope you're not accusing me of anything.” The landlady stopped what she was doing and stood with her hands on her hips, there was no where to go as she stood in the doorway.

 

“I'm not accusing you of anything,” I replied. “It's just I'd rather my door was shut...I don't want the animals going in there.”

 

“Look!” She said. “It was a one off accident...there's no need to get so up tight, it's not the end of the world.”

 

I realized it was useless arguing with her, it was getting me nowhere, so I changed the subject. “Okay! Look I'll make this tea and peel the potatoes, then go up to my room.”

 

“Fine!” She said. and started to unpack the bags again, putting things away. “That's good news about your son,” she commented. “I'm glad he's okay, he's a sweet little thing and deserves to have a normal life.”

 

I'd not really heard a kind word of sympathy from her since I arrived, she always seemed hard, but now here she was smiling at my son and being nice.

 

“I agree, life will be a lot easier.” Yes I thought! Life will be much simpler. I felt as if I'd turned a corner in me and my son's life and it made me feel good...well! Apart from having to live here, but we can't have it all ways and at least I had a roof over my head.

 

After dinner, I took myself and my son up to our room and switched on the television. Sitting on my bed, I cuddled him and decided to read from his nursery rhyme book he was given when he was born. These were treasured moments I shan't forget in a hurry, there's nothing like mother and baby bonding to cheer you up.

 

Eventually I put him in his baby grow pajamas and placed him in his cot, speaking to him softly. These were also moments when the guilt clicked in, that feeling of his dad not being able to say goodnight, but it always passed.

 

That evening I fell asleep with the television on, but was awoken by my son crying which was very unusual, he always slept so well. Taking him out of the cot I tried to comfort him, but he wouldn't have any of it, so in the end I took him to bed with me, but he still persisted in wriggling around and keeping me awake. I didn't understand why? But by morning I would.

 

To be continued...