Damaged Goods by Diane McNab - HTML preview

CHAPTER EIGHT

ZAC'S FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL

Zac was like his Mother, laughing out loud and generally had a lovely demeanour.

His first day of Primary School Summer was fretting, something which she was not prone to do. At the commune all the children had been home schooled for primary and only sent out in to the big bad world for High School (or at least that's how she was feeling on this particular day).

Madge took one look at Summer and understood immediately the reservations that she was having.

“It will be good for him” Madge said “to have other children to interact with.”

“He has had plenty of sleepovers here, so it's not as if he has no friends” Summer said, saying it a little sharply, even surprising herself.

“He will be fine” replied Madge “you I am not so sure about. I will make sure a couple of bottles of wine are in the fridge for you tonight unless you think you need one now?”

Summer, taking the conversation literally, said “God no, I can't go to the first day of school with alcohol on my breadth.”

Madge looked at her fondly, patting Summer on her back, saying “You will survive this.”

Summer spent the whole day fussing around. When she asked what Madge was doing Madge had answered “Just cleaning as usual.”

“Isn't that what you did yesterday and the day before that, ever thought of changing it up a little?” Summer almost screamed.

“Now don't take it out on me young lady, there's a mere two hours before schools over. Why don't you go upstairs and throw paint at the walls or do something to get it out of your system cause I don't walk to speak to you until after Zac's home” said Madge finally putting her foot down and walking away.

Summer watched Zac walk out to the gate. He was talking to two children, his arms waving in the air, a behaviour he always used when trying to get a point across.

“Zac I am here, I am over here” said Summer waving.

“Hey Mummy this is Tom and Billy” said Zac beaming.

“Hye boys” said Summer just wanting to snaffle Zac up in to her arms but resisting the urge, not wanting to embarrass her Son.

A woman behind her said “Hello, my name is Karen, I am Billy's Mother.”

“Lovely to meet you” replied Summer.

“First year is it? I remember that feeling. I have another one in grade 4 now” Karen said chuckling “the first time you always feel like you are kicking the little one out of the nest but it gets easier every day.” The woman gave her a genuine warm smile and Summer couldn't help but say “Guilty as charged.”

Zac bounded through the door shouting out “Madge, Madge where are you?”.

“Right here you little rascal, you think I would be anywhere else?” giving Zac a huge hug. “Tell me all about your day.”

The two woman sat together listening to Zac regale his recollections of the day, both smiling at each other as he painstakingly explained how each class worked.

After dinner, a bath and bed time for Zac, Summer went downstairs to find Madge with her feet up on the coffee table and a glass of wine poured for each of them.

“There you go” said Madge “you deserve it, you survived the first day.”

“No I don't deserve it” said Summer bursting in to tears “I was a complete bitch to you, I am so so sorry, will you forgive me?”

“Oh fiddle, faddle, you would have to do a lot worse for me to be upset with you. Unless of course you behave like that every day before 3.00pm then I would have to re think my lodgings.”

“You aren't thinking of leaving are you, I couldn't stand it?”

Madge looked at Summer straight in the eye and said “A long time ago a wise woman said to me you are home, this is your home and don't forget it. I have never forgotten those words and never shall” said Madge.

The two women hugged each other feeling all was well in the world.

Over dinner one night while Grayson was in attendance he asked Zac what he would like to do when he grew up.

Zac's little face screwed up in concentration and then he declared he would like to go to the moon so he could stare down at the earth and wave to all his friends.

“Well you had better take me with you seeing you have so many friends you will need more hands” Madge said laughing.

But Grayson did not see it as a laughing matter.

“Son you are now in grade 5 and its a good idea to start looking to the future and what you envision that to be. Have you ever considered being a Doctor?”

“No way, When Billy fell out of the cubby house I felt sick to my stomach there was so much blood. He was fine but I sure wasn't” said Zac looking a little pale just remembering the incident.

“Yeah that was a nasty fall but a couple of stitches fixed him up right as rain” said Madge.

“Madge would you mind if I could have a conversation with my Son without you interrupting?” asked Grayson.

“Don't be damn rude Gray. Madge can speak here whenever she wants to without you deciding what the main topic of the day should be” Summer said angrily.

“Then I bid you goodnight ladies and goodnight to you Son.”

Grayson was angry, not just angry, but furious. The 'help' had interrupted him when he had been trying to have a serious conversation with his Son.

He went home and actually basked in the normality of his marital household. Over dinner he complimented Alice on her new hairstyle and commended Jane for her excellent grades.

Alice and Lily had no idea what had come over him but crossed their fingers that it could possibly be a turning point (Alice in particular hoping that to be the case).

Grayson didn't visit Summer's house for a couple of weeks. He eventually texted her and asked if he could come over the following night and she answered yes. Knowing Summer he was prepared for battle.

“Hello” he said entering the door clearly noticing that Summer was alone. “Is my Son here?”

“Your Son Grayson, really, do you know his name because you never actually use it” was Summer's reply.

“Of course I know his name, I just call him Son as a form of endearment.”

“Bullshit, bullshit, bullshit, you never wanted him to be called Zac and therefore have never called him by that name. Well I have news for you that is his name. I also have something else to say, if Zac has dreams to fly to the moon I am not going to crush them, but most of all I won't allow you to do that either. Do we understand each other?”

“I apologise. My honest answer is that Zac would have never been my first choice name for our Son but I never questioned it at the time and acquiesced to you simply to avoid any conflict. To tell you the truth I was feeling a little out of my depth on that particular day” Grayson said.

Summer looked slightly mollified saying “Fine, would you like a tea?”

“That would be lovely, is my................Zac here?”

“No, he is at the movies with Madge and won't be home for a while so you won't be able to catch up with him tonight as I am going to bed shortly.”

Well there it was, a dismissal, and he left soon after.

It was the first true argument that occurred between them. Yes, Summer often told Grayson to fuck off, that's just how she was, but Grayson recognised this moment as being totally different. This time it would take a lot longer for Summer to soften. He was worried he would have to pick up his game or lose her and the thought of that made him sick to to his stomach.

Unlike other women Summer was not a person who could be cajoled by trinkets or flowers. Grayson was well aware that the only process was time and he sincerely hoped that would be enough.

Time passed and Grayson and Summer settled their differences.

One day Summer heard the front door open and realised Gray had arrived. This was unusual as he always arrived after surgery hours.

“Hey you” shouting out Summer “did you hear on the grapevine Madge is making eye fillet and tossed salad tonight?”

Grayson walked in to the lounge and Summer taking one look at him said “Jesus Christ are you alright, you look shocking?”

“Alice is dead” stated Grayson.

“What, what, how, when?” spluttered Summer.

“A few days ago. Her funeral was last Thursday.”

“Oh my God where is Jane?” asked Summer.

“She has returned to school. I decided it was the best place for her to be at the moment.”

“Her Mother has just died and she is at school, are you sure that is the right decision?” asked Summer.

“I gave it a lot of thought and decided it was the right thing to do as there were a couple of nosy reporters hanging around the house” said Grayson.

“Why would reporters be outside your house Gray?”

“Just checking out why my Wife had died under mysterious circumstances. Though there is no mystery. She decided to top herself off. Of course that has not been made public and I decided to have a closed funeral to avoid any such hearsay or gossip for that matter, no good could come out of that.”

Summer felt quite sick to her stomach and hesitantly asked “You mean she committed suicide Gray?”

“Yes” he answered “and not in a particularly graceful manner.”

Summer not knowing how to respond said “I will make us some tea.”

“Tea would be good” replied Grayson.