Free The Mummyfesto by Linda Green Page B

and what with the governors’ meetings at school, not to mention looking after Oscar. Jeez, there’s going to be nothing left of you.’
    I looked down at the quarry tiles, which were cracked and needed replacing. Not that we could afford it, of course. I wasn’t used to Rob doing serious. I knew this was an enormous ask. He was right, we didn’t spend enough time together as it was. And it had taken its toll on us over the past few years. It was probably only the fact that we’d been so bloody strong in the first place which had kept us going. And now here I was wanting to throw a huge bloody grenade into our already stressed lives and expecting Rob to be OK about it.
    ‘I’m sorry,’ I said. ‘I know this is going to be really tough on you and I don’t want Oscar or Zach to suffer in any way because of what I’m doing. But nor do I want them to grow up in a country where they’re the soft targets. Where the government says, “Oh yeah, we’ll cut services for kids because they can’t complain or vote us out.” I want to do something that will make this country a better place for them to grow up in. Them and every other child who lives here. And if I don’t do it I’m not sure anyone else will.’
    Rob stared at me as my eyes misted over. I thought I saw him swallow. He shook his head.
    ‘What?’ I asked.
    ‘It still does my head in sometimes. How bloody brilliant you are.’
    I grinned and threw my arms around him. ‘You mean you don’t mind if I give it a go?’
    ‘No,’ he said, kissing my shoulder. ‘Just so long as I don’t end up as Denis Thatcher.’
    ‘That will never happen,’ I said with a smile. ‘You hate golf for a start. And I don’t possess a handbag for you to carry.’

5

JACKIE
    ‘Is Grandma going to talk to me today?’ asked Alice.
    We were on our way to see Mum. I hadn’t taken Alice with me since Mum had come out of hospital. Mainly because she’d been so upset after she’d visited her there. But then yesterday Alice had asked why she never saw her any more. And the guilt had got me from the other direction.
    ‘She was only quiet when she was in hospital, love. It was because of that medicine they gave to her to calm her down.’
    The ‘medicine’ in question was actually an antipsychotic drug. I’d gone ballistic when I’d found out. There was no medical reason to put her on it. She was agitated because she was losing her mind and had been taken to a strange place. It was an entirely natural response. What she needed was love and familiarity and security. Not a bloody chemical cosh.
    ‘So is she cross and bothered again?’ asked Alice. ‘You said they gave her the medicine because she was cross and bothered.’
    I sighed. How did you even begin to explain this to a six-year-old?
    ‘She was cross and bothered in hospital because she wasn’t at home. She was confused. And when people are confused they can get a bit angry.’
    ‘So isn’t she confused now?’
    I turned off the main road through Boothtown and began making my way left, right and left again through the narrow roads of terraces which I knew so well. I pulled up as near to number 52 as I could park and turned to reply to Alice.
    ‘She is still confused, love. But not as badly as when she was in hospital. Just her normal confused because of the disease we talked about.’
    Alice nodded. She didn’t seem at all sure. I got out and went round to open her door.
    ‘Tell you what, love,’ I said as I helped her out. ‘If you want to go at any time you just tap me on the knee and I’ll know, OK?’
    ‘OK,’ said Alice.
    I knocked twice and then let myself in with the key.
    ‘It’s only me, Mum,’ I called out. Alice was holding on to my left hand very tightly. We slipped our shoes off on the mat and went through to the front room. Mum was sitting in her armchair. The first thing I noticed was that she had two skirts on; a beige pleated one poking outfrom under a mauve floral one. She had teamed