I heard the clock chime from the hall, it was 11.15, as I stood by the kitchen table waiting for the kettle to boil. Click and I turn to see the steam wafting towards the ceiling. I lollop towards it, my head hurting with every step, my muscles aching. My own fault I know, but did it have to remind all the time!
I poured the black strong liquid, stirred it and turning I saw Emma standing by the door. I had not heard her come down. I smiled.
"Good morning." I said, inwardly wincing as my face muscle ached.
She replied walking towards me, dressed in a short red robe. She ruffled her wild hair trying to make it look presentable. I said the kettle had just boiled if she wanted anything. I suppose I should have been a good host and offered to make it, but I needed a sit down. And anyway she knew where everything was, she stayed here often enough.
I sat with my back to her nursing the hot cup, taking small sips, as I stared at the wall, trying to bring back my senses.
"I saw you last night." Emma said suddenly and quietly in my ear.
I nearly spilt my coffee I was not expecting her so close to me. Putting the cup down. I turned my head but she was back at the kettle.
Suddenly I remembered about last night. Emma and Marie, my daughter, in that room, in that position. I blushed very red as Emma put her cup on the table next to mine. She sat next to me, all the time looking at me with a knowing look on her face. There was a tense silence, me not wanting to look at her. I tried to obscure my face with the cup. Whilst she just stared at me for what seemed an awfully long time.
"I saw you last night in the room."
I was shocked, in fact I was mortified that I'd been seen. I thought I was hidden from view, I kept so quiet, not wanting to be found out for watching two girls have oral sex. Let alone one of them being my daughter! I continued with the silence.
"I saw you last night in the room, sat in the armchair."
This was getting painful, almost torturous, but I never moved as I sipped the hot black coffee.
"I saw you last night in the room, sat in the armchair, watching, as I watched you." Emma said, licking her lips before taking her cup and slowly sipping from it.
I knew I should say something but I was tongue tied, now ashamed of what I'd seen and unable to offer any words of explanation. Hindsight is a wonderful thing went through my head. I could and should have stopped it. The drink, atmosphere and lateness of the hour were to blame I told myself. All lies I know but it was the only thing I could hide behind at this present moment.
Emma having put her cup down, again leaned closer to me.
"Cat got your tongue Mrs Anderson," she whispered, "Nothing to say in your defence."
I turned to face her, our heads only inches apart.
"Did you enjoy the little show?" She said, smiling.
Again I remained silent.
"Oh I think you did, I saw you looking at me, and you never took your eyes of me. I could see your hands in your lap. They told me everything." Emma said, seductively licking her lips.
The tension was broken by footsteps on the staircase. Marie plodded her way down them.
"I have not finished with this yet." She smirked and rose to greet Marie.
I breathed a sigh of relief as my daughter walked in and offered a warm good morning to us both. I half smiled back.
- * -
By the middle of the afternoon I had to have a lie down in my room as the powers of recovery at my age were not as fast as they had been when I was younger. I now realised why I didn't drink very often. Two hours later and I felt a lot better as I made my way down stairs calling to see if anyone was in. No reply was forth coming so I went to the kitchen. I now had the munchies, looking in the fridge I saw some left over soup, which would do nicely until dinner later.
Just like this morning I was shocked to see Emma standing in the kitchen as I ate my snack. Again she had snuck up quietly. I stood for a moment not knowing what to say. Eventually I said.
"Where's Marie."
She smirked and made her way to the table. She wore a white shirt and a short black skirt. Her hair had gone from the wild look to a sleek pulled back style with a pony tail.
"She's asleep in her room." She said sitting down opposite me.
"Do you want any soup, it's homemade and very nice." I said in between slurping.
She shook her head. The quiet tension returned for a moment before she spoke quietly.
"Did you know Marie was a lesbian?" She stated all so matter of fact.
I never replied but stopped eating my soup. I was embarrassed by the statement Emma had made, mainly because I did not know that Marie was gay. In fact I would have said she was very heterosexual from the conversations that we had over the last few years.
"So you didn't then, guessing by your silence," Emma said nodding, "Naughty Marie, not telling mummy about her preference for girls."
Emma put her elbows on the table her face closer to me.
"What about you?" She asked, "Now there's no Mr Anderson, do you prefer girls?"
I suddenly felt sick, I dropped my spoon in the bowl.
"How dare you! I'm a respectable woman." I said rather louder than I was expecting.
With that I scraped the chair back and left very quickly. Away from this vile conversation and in my own kitchen as well. I walked into the lounge and sat down. But a minute later I got up and headed back to the kitchen. Emma was still sat there. I leaned on the table by her elbow.
"How dare you insinuate such things, get out of my house." I said quietly but with venom.
