Secrets and Ties! IP 'Secrets' 909 Words

 

Secrets and Ties! IP ‘Secret's

Oh, Sonia, just look at that gorgeous dress.

Where?

Look, see, over on that rail, the magenta one.

Oh, I see it but, Rita, I don't know what you’re getting so excited about. You won’t be able to afford it anyway, not in this shop.

No, you’re right. I don’t know why we bother to come in here.

Because we like to see what the rich are spending their money on.

Well, I just want to take a look at that dress. It’s so lovely.

It’ll be too expensive I bet. Gorgeous it might be but you can’t afford it. Anyway, how much is it?

Cheap at half the price. Five hundred and fifty pounds.

For that? Well, I wouldn’t pay that for it. Some of these rich people must have more money than sense.

And I couldn’t pay that for it either so I don’t really know why I wanted to take a closer look.

Everything’s too expensive for us in this shop but we might as well have a mooch round.

Yeah, let’s mooch.

We’ll start on the ground floor and work our way up.

Yeah. Oh, while I think of it, did I tell you I saw your Dad the other day, Sonia?  He was coming out of the Doctors. Is he alright, only he looked really miserable?

Yep, that would be him. He never looks any different since he married that woman.

Is your step mum still giving him a hard time?

She’s been giving him a hard time ever since he married her.

Why does he put up with it?

Because he likes a quiet life.

She wants telling.

Yes, but he won’t do it. He’s completely under her thumb.

You could understand it if she made him happy.

She’s never even tried. All she wants is his money.

What a bitch. It must break your heart seeing him being taken for a ride by her.

Let’s change the subject, thinking about it makes me miserable.

I’m not surprised.

Yes, well anyway is there anything else you need to get?

No.

Then let's go for a coffee.

Not here though, it’s too expensive. Oh, speak of the devil, look, she’s over there.

Who’s over where?

Your stepmother. Look, she’s just coming out of the Fitting Room..

No surprise there then. Spending Dad’s money is all she’s fit for.

Doesn’t he say anything to her?

No. The last time I saw him when the Wicked Witch of the West was out shopping, he told me she’d nearly gone through all his savings. He kept getting letters from the bank saying their joint account was in the red so he had to keep taking money from his savings account.

No.

And that was money for his retirement. She won’t be happy till she’s had it all and now she’s trying to get him to sell the house.

He won’t though, will he?

The board went up yesterday.

But he loves that house.

I know, him and Mum were very happy there but I bet she gets her own way.

He’s too soft, your dad.

He’s always been the same so she walks all over him.

Here, look, she’s only trying on the dress I liked, and she’s got a bloke in tow. See, she’s with that chap sitting down by the Fitting Room. I wonder who he is? I bet your Dad knows nothing about him and that could make a difference to how he feels about her.

He’s too besotted to listen. Would you mind if we went somewhere else for the coffee only I don’t want to see her using my Dad’s retirement money to buy clothes?

No, of course not, it’s too expensive here anyway.

Come on then, let’s go.

We could go to Gino’s and have a latte.

Yeah, let’s do that. Suddenly I feel like I’m being stifled.

It’s hot in here. That’s probably why you feel stifled.

No, it’s not. It’s seeing her spend my Dad’s money.

Okay, Gino’s it is.

Then I’ll have to make a move because I’ve some more shopping to do but I’ll see you next Tuesday as usual. Is that okay?

Yeah, I’ll be ready to go too. My feet are killing me.

 

                 **************************************************************

Hi Sonia, over here.  I hope you didn't mind but Gino’s was a bit crowded so that’s why I phoned to say I thought we could treat ourselves and have it here.

That’s okay.

You look a lot happier now than you did last week.

Yes, well that’s because Dad’s sold the house...and to the first person to view it.

Oh, but what if she gets her hands on the money from the sale.

She can’t. He didn’t tell anyone, not even me, but he’s taken Equity Release so he’s off to the Caribbean tomorrow and says he doesn’t know when he’ll be back.

How do you feel about that?

Fine. I’m just glad he’s seen sense.

How did she take it?

Dad said she had a face like fourpence when he told her.

Good for him. Serves her right.

Yeah, and that’s not all he said because he told her he was cutting off all ties with her.

She made the mistake of thinking she had got him tied to her forever.

Yeah.

When all the while he was keeping his plan a secret. Well, good for him.

I couldn’t have put it better myself.

End