May 2009 – Day Out

The baby was fast asleep in her baby bouncer. But her bag was all ready to go. Tom’s mother had volunteered to have Eve overnight. The baby’s bag contained just two of her favourite toys. There was no need to pack nappies or formula. Tom’s mother had all that set up at her own house. Since her son had left she had transformed her cleaning rituals. Chloe had insisted on making an inspection though, before she would allow Eve to spend any time there.

It was midday on a glorious spring, Sunday afternoon. Chloe had just finished painting her nails and was sitting on the sofa blowing them dry. The bell rang. She opened it and her three best mates burst into the room. All hugs and kisses. And they were bearing gifts. A bottle of cheap port, a box of blue WKD, some sort of ice bucket and a packet of pink straws. Niamh waved the bucket in front of her mate’s face.

“Come on let’s get going. It’s you’re first decent session for over a year. Get the glasses out. It’s Super Sunday!”

Chloe smiled and retrieved four glasses of various shapes and sizes from the back of a kitchen cupboard. She gave Eve’s bouncer an affectionate jiggle with her foot as she passed on her way through. Her friends were gathered round in a cooing crescent. The little girl’s eyes fluttered open to an accompaniment of excited squeals.

For the next hour Eve was given the undivided attention of four teenage girls. She loved every minute. Chloe was on her second Cheeky Vimto and could certainly feel the effects. It had been over a year since she had last drunk this much. A warm feeling was spreading through her body, and most probably, she thought, across her face.

Still, much as she loved her daughter, a day out with her mates sounded like just what the doctor ordered. She picked up her iPhone and plugged it into the speaker dock, perched on the coffee table in the middle of the room. Bit of a classic needed. The sounds of Cyndi Lauper filled the room a few seconds later. Eve was lying on the floor, kicking her legs for all they were worth. The four girls were grouped around her. Arms on shoulders, screaming out the words.

They never heard the door open. But suddenly the music stopped. The singing continued for a few seconds ‘til they realised what had happened. Then it petered out to an embarrassed silence. Tom’s mother was glowering over the table, the iPhone clenched in her hand.

“Couldn’t you even wait ‘til I’d picked her up. You’ve got to get pissed in front of the baby haven’t you? For God’s sake what sort of mother are you? The poor bugger doesn’t see her father as it is. The last thing she needs is a piss head for a mother.”

Chloe started to open her mouth to reply. But in reality, she wasn’t at all sure she was a good mother. None of her friends had kids. And of course she couldn’t discuss any problems with her own mother. Her dad loved the little girl and she could talk about certain worries with him. But it just wasn’t the same. So Chloe just stood in silence as the girl’s bully of a Nanna picked her up and strapped her into the buggy. She hooked the bag over the back and thrust her way out of the door without a backwards look.

Chloe raised her eyebrows at her friends. Niamh looked at her in dismay.

“What a horrible fucking bitch!”