Member-only story
‘The Threads That Bind’
Conversation between Ailsa and her mother…
Chapter One…
“It’s really not my problem Ailsa.”
Helen sucked in her breath, and held it. Not usually so direct she could already feel the elevation of her heartbeat, and the constriction in her chest that routinely followed. Why was it that with her one daughter she always had to tread so carefully just to preserve any sort of relationship? She couldn’t quite remember when their conversations had become so peppered with curve balls, ones she was forever dodging. Recently they had become relentless. Today however, she was determined not to be coerced into something that wasn’t of her making.
“Oh for heaven’s sake, please Mum. I’m pretty desperate. Who else am I going to ask? I spent the whole damned week trying to work out what to do, not that you’d know. The place is bloody shambolic.”
“It’s a bit of an imposition on you too Ailsa, and a long way to come just to clean up your father’s apartment. Couldn’t he have used a reputable agency?”
“They just CLEAN!”
“Sorry, I don’t understand.”
“Correct, you don’t! We’re talking about borderline obsessive compulsive stuff. Not even sure why I said borderline. If I didn’t know him better I’d say it’s a mental health…
