Parcel for You..Part 41

 

Vanessa felt quite relieved, driving away from the hotel with a strong sense of never wanting to return. Despite that, she was pleased with herself for making the effort and proving that she could get out and about with her robotic husband, beyond the confines of her hometown. Perhaps he would cope with somewhere a bit farther afield and a bit more upmarket next time, although the broken arm thing had been a bit sobering.

 

She was feeling quite relaxed driving home, knowing that the house had been left clean and tidy and her little cat was waiting. There was some television series to catch up on and she had set aside some money for a bit of internet clothes shopping to unwind before the working week began again.

 

Spencer in his mansplaining mode was proving quite helpful in the passenger seat, giving directions and traffic warnings. She was growing used to his helpfulness, and treated him the same way as she treated the lady who lived in the satnav; they both meant well even if some of their instructions were unnecessary, dodgy even.

 

They were only fifteen miles from home when Vanessa’s phone rang and seeing that it was June, her mother, she instructed Spencer to answer it and tell her that they would catch up midweek and arrange to have a meal together or something.

 

‘Hello, Mother,’ said Spencer, which made Vanessa glare at him and wince, taking her eyes off the road so that the vehicle strayed into the middle of the road and Spencer had to reach out and push the steering wheel back to their lane. ‘Women also swerve when they take their eyes off the road,’ he said with an annoying calmness, ‘it’s biological, it’s because they’re not predators, they’re gatherers, searching the bushes left and right for fruit.’

 

‘What?’ said June, her voice had switched to shriek-pitch, loud enough for Vanessa to hear. ‘You what, Love?’

 

‘Eurgh!’ Vanessa shook her head, ‘Tell her I’ll call tomorrow.’

 

It was no good. Spencer and June were having a full on conversation with every detail of their hotel stay revealed, even the bit about Vanessa having one too many gin and tonics and having a crush on the engineer who wasn’t even human. ‘So we’ll be home in about ten minutes and we look forward to seeing you both,’ he said as he hung up the phone.

 

Vanessa had turned pale. ‘You both?’ she said, ‘explain please.’

 

Spencer looked smug as he sat back in the seat. ‘It’s nice to be back isn’t it and what a nice surprise that June is coming over to see you on your birthday and your sister agreed to drive her here.’

 

‘Carol? Carol’s coming over here to my house?’

 

‘Yes, that’s what June said. They’ve clubbed together to get you something special and Carol is going to the Maldives later this week so they have to come today, on your birthday.’

 

‘Oh,’ Vanessa’s shoulders dropped, ‘I was just looking forward to a quiet afternoon at home with just the two of us and Charlie. I don’t want to see Carol.’

 

‘Why? What’s wrong with Carol?’

 

‘She’s just, I don’t know, she’s just so….I can’t put my finger on it, Spencer. When you meet her you’ll find out. You know, to outsiders, she’s wonderful, always socialising, helping in the community, giving advice but when you know her as well as I do she’s….’

 

‘What?’

 

‘Intolerable.’

 

‘Well June seems to like her.’

 

‘June gave birth to her.’

 

They finished their journey in silence. Vanessa now had a feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach. She just knew that while the duration of the encounter with her sister might seem okay at the time, it was later in the day, after she left, that their conversation always replayed in her mind like a bad dream. 

 

Carol had a talent for subtly undermining people. Vanessa suspected it was due to all the psychobabble that she read, consuming endless self-help guides and recipes for healing, dropping emotional baggage and living life on her own terms. The result was that she was self-centred but there was also an accompanying sense of entitlement to her selfishness. There was also the projection of always having more knowledge than anyone on every single subject, always knowing best and being right.

 

The sight of her hulking Mercedes four by four swallowing up half the pavement outside her house made Vanessa’s heart sink. Inside the diminutive figure of June, her head just visible above the dashboard and Carol next to her in her sunglasses, perfect hair sitting neatly on her shoulders. She shot out, and then went around the other side of the car to help June out of the vehicle because it was a long way down to the tarmac.

 

‘Oh she’s taller than you,’ Spencer said, ‘she’s almost my height.’

 

With June safely on the ground, Carol rushed over to Spencer and thrust her bejewelled hand towards him. ‘Hello, I’m Carol, you must be Spencer, my sister’s new husband.’

Vanessa was already annoyed. New husband sounded so hollow, like a new car or a new pair of trousers.

 

‘I’m very pleased to make your acquaintance,’ said Spencer.

 

Vanessa had never heard him say this before. It was usually a simple, pleased to meet you, his phrasing sounded a little reserved and she hoped that it reflected his feelings based on her pre-warning him about Carol’s ways.

 

‘Carol really wanted to see you,’ June pleaded, slightly out of breath as if stressed about the whole thing, ‘only she’s going away in a few days and she’s been absolutely desperate to meet Spencer. I hope you don’t mind, Dear.’

 

‘No that’s fine,’ said Vanessa as she took her suitcase out of the boot and handed it to Spencer.

 

‘Oh, he has his uses I see,’ Carol said. ‘Where did you go for your romantic trip?’

 

‘Just to Wales. It was very nice actually, a lovely little hotel near the mountains.’

 

Spencer stopped and turned to look at her. ‘You said it was depressing.’

 

Vaness shot him a warning look. ‘I just said the weather was a bit depressing that’s all but then it always is in Wales, isn’t it.’

 

‘The weather is what makes it so beautiful and green, Vanessa,’ said Carol.

 

Vanessa turned the key and opened the front door. She was immediately greeted by a yowling cat who was both hungry and angry at being left alone.

 

‘Oh he almost tripped me over,’ said June, gripping onto the door frame.

 

‘Be careful, Mother. I forgot you like cats, Vanessa. Cruel things aren’t they. My neighbour’s have decimated the local bird population.’

 

Vanesa took a deep breath, closed her eyes for a second and said, ‘Charlie’s not a killer, just the occasional mouse that’s all, he loves mice.’

 

Carol laughed. ‘Death is the greatest form of love.’

 

‘Pardon?’

 

‘That’s a Charlie Manson quote,’ said Spencer.

 

‘Oh wow!’ Carol said, her voice loud and grating.

 

‘He’s got lots of information and knowledge inbuilt,’ Vanessa said dismissively, ‘facts, quotes, all that sort of thing, he can access in an instant.’

 

‘That’s handy. I’ve got all that too but I’ve had to learn it myself,’ Carol said, chuckling. ‘a lifetime of learning. I was born with an insatiable thirst for knowledge.’

 

‘I’ll put the kettle on. Let me take your coat,’ Spencer helped June out of her coat and went into the kitchen to feed Charlie. ‘Tea for you, June?’

 

‘Yes please, Love.’

 

‘A simple green tea please,’ shouted Carol, ‘or turmeric tea but only if you have the organic one.’

 

‘