I cant really share anything nice about my mum. My childhood memories of her are mostly of a woman wielding my dads belt in one hand and a bottle in the other. If you were expecting warmth or maternal tenderness, forget it. Whenever she and dad had one of their legendary spats, Id be shipped off to grandmas for a visit quicker than you could say Jack Robinson.
Honestly, we all suffered thanks to mum. The day my parents finally got divorced, I practically did a little jig. Mum moved out, and grandma moved infor a bit anyway. She took over the reins of my upbringing, cooked us hearty dinners, and ferried me to and from school with her reliable old Ford. Thanks to grandmas encouragement, I actually started to enjoy school (imagine that) and grew fond of homework. Shed spoil me with homemade Victoria sponge afterwards and let me hang out with friendsplus, dad became infinitely more pleasant and, every now and then, slipped me a bit of pocket money.
But, as is the way with these things, peace didnt last. About a year after the divorce, mum wanted back in. She swore blind shed turned over a new leaf, got herself a job andat firstkept up the act. But it wasnt long before she hit the bottle again and dad booted her out, yet again.
Grandma reappeared and life picked up. I got into karate, which I adored. My coach promised plenty of trips and tournaments; I dreamt of heading off to a camp with the other kids. Dad supported me, grandma even more so. But our family life still felt like a rollercoaster. Sometimes dad was strapped for cash and we lived solely on grandmas pension, which meant I had to skip karate lessons because we couldnt pay. Other times, things were brighterdad would take me to the amusement park or the cinema. Then, sometimes, he’d bring mum round, and you’d think the pair were back together.
This endless drama finally ended when dad discovered that mum had a new boyfriend and was only milking him for extra money.
Dad did spend a while hoping theyd rekindle their romance, but grandma soon talked some sense into him. One day, dad met someone new, and after he married her, our lives felt genuinely normal. My stepmums a lovely personI know it, even though Im not a kid anymore and dont need mothering or live at home. Still, its a huge relief knowing dads no longer involved with my mum, that she cant cheat on him or make us miserable.
Over all those years, mum only tried once to reach out. One I dont want to over the phone, and I never heard from her again. Mixed feelings about that, really, but mostly relief. Im fairly sure Id have been a lot more miserable if shed stayed and kept turning our lives upside down.
