Free Perfect Daughter by Amanda Prowse

chilli, not too much. ‘There we go, Mum. Don’t worry, it’s not too hot.’ She smiled, trying to pre-empt any shouts about being scalded.
    ‘Do you want to hear my joke?’ Jonty sat up straight, wiggling his bottom on the chair in anticipation.
    ‘Oh yes, I love a joke!’ Jacks nodded as she dished up for Pete and placed his food in front of him.
    ‘I don’t like kidney beans!’ Martha commented as she gripped her fork.
    ‘Just pick them out.’ Jacks sighed as she put the plate of chilli in front of her daughter.
    ‘Are you ready for my joke, Mum?’
    ‘Yes, sorry, Jonty. Go ahead. I’m listening.’ She loaded up her mum’s spoon and helped her guide it to her mouth.
    ‘There’s too many to pick out, they make me feel sick. Can I just eat the rice?’ Martha prodded the gelatinous lumps with her lip curled.
    ‘For God’s sake, Martha!’ Pete shouted as flecks of rice fell from his lips. ‘Firstly, your mother’s cooked it for you, so just eat it. And secondly, your brother’s trying to speak!’
    ‘Can’t I just have some toast?’ Martha whined.
    ‘No!’ Jacks and Pete shouted in unison.
    ‘Can I become a vegetarian? Then you can’t make me eat this!’
    They ignored her.
    ‘Go ahead, Jont.’ Jacks nodded. She watched as her little boy took a deep breath.
    ‘What happens in space when they want to have a party?’ He beamed.
    ‘Don’t know!’ she and Pete chorused.
    ‘They planet!’ he shouted.
    ‘Ah, very good!’ Jacks chortled.
    Martha winced and placed her head in her hands. ‘That’s bad, Jonty. You are talking out of Uranus!’ She grinned.
    ‘Oh, please!’ Pete sighed. ‘Eat your chilli, Martha. I can tell the moon has eaten all his tea up tonight because he’s full!’
    ‘Oh, Dad!’ Both kids groaned.
    ‘And you’re certainly not getting pudding,’ Jacks added sternly. ‘Although if you are good, I might fetch you a Mars Bar!’
    All four laughed, eagerly trying to think of the next joke.
    It was Martha who came up trumps as Jacks fed her mum her next mouthful. ‘I might not eat my chilli actually. In fact I’m thinking of trying that new restaurant they’ve built on the moon, but I’ve heard it lacks atmosphere!’
    Jonty wheezed with laughter and Pete laughed to see his son so happy.
    ‘Cracking!’ Jacks guffawed loudly. ‘Brilliant, you lot!’
    All four were brought back down to earth by Ida’s sudden loud sniffing. Her distress was evident.
    ‘Oh, Nan! What’s the matter?’ Martha was sweet, leaning towards her nan, her voice soft.
    ‘What’s up, Mum?’ Jacks placed her hand on Ida’s arm.
    ‘I need to find something, but I don’t know where to start. I need some help!’
    And just like that the joy was sucked from the room and everyone finished their meals in silence, broken only by the sound of Ida’s sobbing between mouthfuls of brown chilli that dribbled down her chin.
    Jacks kissed Jonty’s forehead and snapped off his bedside lamp.
    ‘Why does Nan get so upset?’ he whispered.
    ‘Because she’s confused, love. She feels sad and she doesn’t really know why. Sometimes she thinks she’s young again, waiting for Grandad to come home. Other times I think she’s sad because she realises he’s gone and she misses him.’
    ‘I miss him.’ Jonty pulled the duvet up to his nose.
    ‘Me too.’
    ‘He’d have liked my jokes, wouldn’t he?’
    ‘Oh!’ Jacks shook her head. ‘He would have loved them!’ She watched as Jonty turned onto his side and pushed his face against the wall, cocooned in his Batman duvet, snug as a bug.
    She made her way over to Martha’s side of the room and ran her palm over her daughter’s beautiful thick blonde hair, which in a certain light had a glint of ginger streaked through it. ‘Night night, love.’
    ‘Night, Mum.’
    Jacks stood, hesitantly, and pointed at the book in Martha’s hand. ‘Not too late, now.’ She knew Martha sometimes read until the early hours.
    Martha nodded.
    ‘He seemed