The Sister-In-Law(72)

I didn’t get chance to consider Joy’s part in the daughters-in-law drama because, to my deep relief, I heard children’s voices in the distance – my children’s voices – and the blood rushed to my chest as I ran through the garden. I probably greeted them like they’d been away forever, but I’d never been so happy to see them.

‘God, Clare, we only went to the ice cream shop,’ Ella was saying as she sashayed along behind them. She was carrying Freddie, who had his head buried in her neck; the intimacy of this bothered me more than it should, but I was eager to take him off her and reached for him. Instinctively, Freddie would always come to me, and I could see he’d spotted me, because his eyes were open, but he pushed himself back against Ella, like he didn’t want to be moved.

‘He’s certainly bonded with you.’ Jamie smiled at her, and she positively glowed, her eyes sparkling back at him.

I couldn’t force Freddie to come into my arms. I also didn’t want to risk him screaming if I tried, so asked Violet and Alfie about the ice cream they’d had and they described their cones in some detail.

‘So, who wants a last swim?’ I said, in a blatant bid for The Best Mum award. This was my chance to win back favour with my children. She could buy them all the ice cream they wanted, but at least Auntie Ella was never going to play with them in the water. The older two shouted, ‘Yesss!’ and immediately began throwing off their T-shirts, but Freddie continued to cling to Ella. ‘Freddie, are you coming in the water with Mummy?’ I asked gently.

‘I think Freddie’s too tired for the pool,’ Ella said, cradling him.

‘Then I’ll take him,’ I said, unsmiling. ‘He can sit with me.’

‘But I thought you were going in the water with Violet and Alfie,’ she said loud enough for them to hear. ‘You just promised them.’

She was right, I had said I would, and I wanted to, but I also wanted Freddie back. I stood there with my arms out for him as the other two called for Mummy to get in the water.

‘Go on, Clare, you play with the others. He’s fine with us,’ Jamie said.

‘Yeah… be good for him to get used to Jamie – and me,’ Ella added, making it clear exactly what she meant. If I denied them this time with Freddie, would she say something to Dan? I couldn’t risk it, so against all my instincts, I went in the water with Violet and Alfie, while keeping an eye on Ella and Jamie who were now playing with Freddie.

Once in the water, I discreetly said to Violet, ‘Auntie Ella took lots of photos of you, didn’t she?’

‘Yeah,’ she responded excitedly. ‘She always does… Mum, did you know she has twenty-five thousand followers?’

‘Mmmm, so I believe.’ I looked up and saw them the other side of the pool, Jamie holding Freddie in the air, Ella laughing and tickling his toes. For now I would play with my kids, give them the quality time they deserved. I would deal with @EllaFamily1 later.





CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT





Several hours later, I saw Ella go into the villa and followed her. She went into the lounge area, still in her bikini, and closed the door. I wasn’t being closed out of a room in my own holiday home, so, after a brief knock, I went in. She was lying on the sofa, scrolling through her phone, doing what made her happiest and probably uploading more photos of my kids.

‘I can’t believe you’d make an account featuring my children without asking me,’ I said of the photos.

‘What are you going on about now?’ she monotoned, without even looking up from her phone. I was gripped by rage, and having been careful with her until now, the time for playing games was over. She’d involved my children, and they were more important to me than anyone or anything else.

‘Your stupid bloody Instagram. Photos of my kids like they’re yours, what the hell do you think you’re doing?’

She finally looked up from her phone, but stayed in the prone position. ‘You mean the Ella family account? I thought you’d like their photos,’ she said, all innocence. But I saw the gleam in her eye. She was enjoying this. And now I could see how clever she was, always stage-managing the situation, manipulating me so I appeared to be the unreasonable one. It was so frustrating I found it impossible to hide my irritation.

‘It isn’t my kids’ photos I’m objecting to. It’s the fact you’ve posted them without my permission and they’re on your Instagram.’



‘God, Clare. Get a grip,’ she sighed.

‘Please take them off NOW,’ I said. Loudly.

She finally looked at me through hand-shielded eyes. ‘Wow, hun, you need to calm down.’

‘No, hun. You do!’ I spat.

‘Anyone would think I’d kidnapped them,’ she said calmly, a perfectly posed look of hurt on her face. ‘They’re my niece and nephews, they’re my family too, Clare. I never once said they were my own kids. Why are you always looking for ways to get at me? I can’t do anything right as far as you’re concerned. I even take your kids for ice cream– and you turn that into a drama.’

‘That’s not true…’ I started, trying to compose myself, not show my anger so she could look like the victim. ‘I wanted to like you when you first arrived, and you were straight out rude to me. From that first moment, it’s like you’ve had it in for me. But there’s no rational reason for that, you didn’t even know me – I just think maybe we’re very different and find it hard to connect.’