She Stole My Mum!

move more.’

Remembering what Danny said, I forced myself to smile, and add, ‘Well, don’t hesitate to call me if it starts to rain and you change your mind.’

‘Thanks for the thought, but a bit of rain won’t stop us!’

Oh, but that ‘us’ stung. Still, I tried to focus on Danny’s advice and ended the call in a friendly way.

Over the next couple of weeks, every time I called at Mum’s bungalow, Lynn was either sitting on the sofa or expected imminently.

Despite my best efforts, my resentment bubbled in my chest and I had to keep my visits short because I was afraid I might say or do something unpleasant.

Then, at our exercise class, Lynn rushed over to me, beaming.

‘Great news, Jude!’ she exclaimed. ‘I’ve found a new place to live.’

‘That’s fantastic!’ I replied, secretly hoping it was 50 miles away.

‘You’ll never guess where,’ Lynn continued, looking thrilled. ‘Right at the end of your mum’s street!’

I felt like I’d been kicked. Lynn was moving into a house a few doors down from Mum? Now she’d be there all the time!

‘I can’t wait to pick up the keys,’ Lynn crowed. ‘I know I’m going to love living there. It’s just the new start I need.’

‘I suppose you told Mum on the walk in,’ I said, with a feeling of doom.

‘Yep. She was the first person I told.’

I wondered whether I should make a bigger effort to spend time at Mum’s — to claim my territory as her daughter. But it was really hard. Every time I popped over, she seemed to be in mid-conversation with Lynn, and my input wasn’t needed.

Naturally, Lynn wanted to talk about her new home and how she could make it nice.

She admired Mum’s wooden floors and wondered aloud whether she might choose something similar. She admired Mum’s little multi-fuel stove and thought she would call the contractor who had fitted it.

Mum seemed delighted to be consulted, and I thought how little I’d involved her when I’d moved into my place and done it up.

Was I a bad daughter? Was that why this was happening with Lynn?

One night, when Danny and I were out for dinner, my feelings overwhelmed me and I burst into tears.

‘I feel like Lynn is stealing my mum,’ I sobbed. ‘And I don’t know what to do about it.’

Danny reached across the table, took my hand and squeezed it gently.

‘When Lynn first appeared on the scene, I thought you were over-reacting a bit. But she does seem to be a very invasive plant, to use a gardening analogy. OK, first things first — let’s get you a slice of that honeycomb cheesecake to take home, and when we get there, we’ll have a think about what to do.’

‘Then you don’t think I’m being paranoid? You believe me that Lynn’s edging me out?’

‘You’re usually pretty level-headed, Jude. If, after so many weeks, you’re this upset, then we need to work this out.’

Back at my place, I had a good cry and Danny held me in his arms. Then he asked me to tell him the whole story again from the start.

He listened patiently, then said: ‘From what you describe, it sounds like Lynn always paints herself as the victim. First, her boyfriend cheats on her. Then her mum shuts her out because she’s met a new man. Thirdly, Lynn is practically evicted from her home because the boyfriend sells it out from under her.

You’ve mentioned other little things, too — trouble at work that’s never her fault, and being excluded by everyone at her previous gym class.

‘You might say there’s a bit of a pattern there, Jude, and it’s not very positive.

But it might just be worth investigating, if you want to find out exactly who you’re dealing with.’

I blew my nose on a tissue. ‘Where would I start?’

‘Take a leaf out of her book.’

‘Meaning?’

‘Make friends with her mum.’

Lynn Raven had been the only person at school with that surname, so when I asked around at work whether anyone knew of a family with that name, I thought any results would probably be linked to her.

‘I know a Maggie Raven,’ Carla from payroll said. ‘She used to babysit for us when the kids were younger.’ ‘What age is she?’ I asked. ‘Oh… she must have been about 50 then, so in her mid-fifties now, I’d guess.’

‘You don’t happen to know if she had a daughter.’

‘She did. Although I always got the impression it was a difficult relationship. Why do you ask?’

‘Just looking for help with a little problem. Do you still have an address for Mrs Raven?’

Carla looked at me. ‘I wouldn’t usually pass on personal details, but since you’re one of the nicest people I know, Jude, I think it’s safe to make an

exception. When I knew Maggie, she lived in Denby Terrace. Number 12.’

‘That’s incredibly helpful,’ I said. ‘Thanks.’

Denby Terrace was a nice little row of red-brick cottages with neat privet hedges.

I crossed my fingers that Maggie Raven still lived where Carla remembered and that she turned out to be Lynn’s mother.

I knocked on the door. ‘Coming!’ a muffled voice called.

‘Hello,’ I said, as a pleasant-looking woman opened the door. ‘My name’s Jude Lyttle and I work for Landor Cosmetics.’ This was true.

‘We give out free samples, and we’re always looking for new people to try them.’ This was also true, although we didn’t usually find people by knocking on their doors!

‘I was just wondering whether you have any women in their 50s living at this address, who would like to sample our new range for mature skin.’

The woman looked at me dubiously.

‘I’m 58, but I’m afraid Landor cosmetics are a bit too expensive,’ she said.

‘Oh, but there’s absolutely no obligation to buy anything,’ I explained. ‘We only want your feedback and product ratings.’

I held up one of our attractive little goodie-bags — high gloss with rope handles.

‘Shall I pop inside and tell you all about it?’

Over a cup of tea, we began by talking about the contents of the goodie bag, but soon Mrs Raven invited me to call her Maggie and we chatted about her lovely home and her job as a nursing assistant at the hospital.

‘Sounds like you have a very fulfilling life,’ I observed.

Maggie sighed. ‘I suppose it’s all right, but it could be better. I have a daughter, Lynn, who’s a bit of a trial. Never content, that one. Always making trouble.’

I felt my hands start to tremble and I sat on them so Maggie wouldn’t see.

‘Oh? What sort of trouble?’ ‘Well, she had a perfectly nice partner. Matthew. He had a good job and he paid for everything — big mortgage, sunshine holidays, spa breaks and so many clothes.

‘But it wasn’t enough for Lynn. She cheated on him with his boss and ended up wrecking the relationship and losing Matthew his job.’ ‘I’m sorry.’

‘Of course, they couldn’t keep up the mortgage payments and they had to sell up. Lynn came back here, although it wasn’t really up to her high standards. She moaned about everything from the size of her room to the age of the mattress. And she never lifted a finger to help — left her dirty dishes everywhere and didn’t even do her own laundry.’ I nodded.

‘As if that wasn’t bad enough, one night when I was working a nightshift, she crept into my room and got into bed with Nathan, my partner. He’s an attractive man, but he wasn’t interested. He’s decent and he loves me. He got out of there quick and went to stay at his brother’s. Of course Lynn tried to make out he was the one who had seduced her, but when I came home early one day and overheard her rowing with Nathan about it and laughing about deceiving me, I realised she was an accomplished liar.’

We chatted some more, agreeing that families could bring heartache, and Maggie thanked me for the goodie bag and for listening to her woes.

‘Mum!’ Lynn said with a gasp. ‘What are you doing here?’

Danny and I talked about how I felt. I hadn’t been the best of daughters, rarely hugging Mum or bringing her treats, failing to consult her on my home improvements or taking enough interest in hers and not telling her often enough that I loved her.

‘So do something about it. Ask her round for afternoon tea,’ Danny said. ‘In fact, ask both her and Lynn.’ He grinned.

‘Hi, Mum!’ I cried, grabbing her into a tight hug. ‘I love the dress. It really suits you.’

I turned to Lynn. ‘Won’t you come in? I’ve made sandwiches, scones and pastries, but everything’s tiny, so you don’t have to worry too much about the calories.’

‘Hello, Sue,’ Danny said, kissing Mum’s cheek. ‘Nice to meet you, Lynn. Won’t you both come through to the diner?’

I went in front to make the introductions.

‘Mum, this is Maggie Raven, a new friend of mine. Maggie, this is my mum,

Sue. And Lynn, I don’t have to introduce you, do I?’

‘Mum!’ Lynn said with a gasp. ‘What are you doing here?’

Maggie looked straight at Lynn, her eyes cool.

‘I’m here to start with a few home truths, Lynn. Then we can take it from there.’

‘I feel sorry for Maggie,’

Mum said, when we were out for a walk the following week. ‘She seems like a nice woman and she’s tried so hard to be a friend as well as a mum to Lynn. But it seems Lynn only ever wants what isn’t hers.

‘I did get a bit weary of her constant carping about men and money and bad luck, and now it seems that she brought it all on herself.’

‘So you don’t mind that she isn’t moving into Burnside Grove?’

‘I’m relieved, to tell you the truth, love. I enjoy having visitors, but not every single day. That doesn’t apply to you, though — you’re always welcome.’

‘You know I was jealous, when you were spending so much time with Lynn.’

‘No need to be. You’re my special girl, and you always will be.’

‘Thanks, Mum.’

‘What will you say when you bump into her at your exercise class?’

‘I’m not going back.’

‘Oh — that’s a shame.’

‘It was a bit competitive. I think I’d prefer to join you for a swim, a couple of times a week, if you’re willing, plus Danny and I are planning to buy bikes.’ ‘Good for you.’

‘Mum?’

‘Yes, Jude.’

‘Love you.’

Mum gave my hand a squeeze. ‘Love you too.’