Summer Storm

Are you arguing again?

Jake asked his mother and her boyfriend, a mixture of irritation and sadness clouding his young face.

Yes!

snapped Sean and

No!

snapped Liz simultaneously.

June sun was streaming in the kitchen window onto the breakfast table.

Look, love,

said Liz, gently now, picking up the rasher rind on her plate,

Why don't you bring this to David Bailey and take him into the wood to play fetch for an hour or so? It's a gorgeous day.

Jake sighed and rolled his eyes, but he took the rind from his mother.

Okay,

he said.

Can I play computer games for an hour when I get back?

Half an hour. But nice try

smiled Liz as Jake went into the hall to find the dog.

Liz and Sean looked at each other frostily. Liz got up to make some more tea - she felt she could do with it. She put a teabag in a cup for herself. She didn't intend to offer Sean any. If he was so concerned about her spending, she'd show him that she knew all about how she could look after the cents so that the euros looked after themselves.

She could hear Jake clipping the lead onto David Bailey's collar and the spaniel's excited barking and jumping as he realised he was going to get out of the house for some fresh air and exercise.

Liz got a teaspoon from the drawer and waited a second to hear Jake closing the front door before she switched on the kettle.

Bye!

mother and son called to one another. He was a great son. She appreciated that. She was sorry for what she and Sean had been putting him through for the past month, with all the rows, but she felt all that would soon be behind them, one way or another.

Her tea made, Liz sat back down at the table. She noticed that the clock on the wall said 11.15.

She took a deep breath and opened her mouth, but it was Sean who spoke first.

Liz, I think you know as well as I do that this isn't working and it's no good for Jakey

- Sean always called her son Jakey; she still loved that. So, he'd come straight to the point. Liz was a bit shocked. It wasn't like Sean. He wasn't one for blunt statements, as he hated to hurt people's feelings. She had a sinking sensation. She was suddenly afraid that they might break up. She'd fantasised a bit lately about telling Sean where to go, but now that she might have the opportunity, she just wanted everything to go back to the way it had been.

Even though she would almost have preferred to drink poison, Liz made herself say the words:

Do you want to break up?

. Her voice sounded unsteady to her own ears.

Sean looked exasperated.

Don't you? It seems as though you've been picking on me on purpose lately so that you can dump me or make me dump you. I can't do anything right.

Liz sighed heavily. She thought for a moment.

It's the money thing, Sean. You're so anxious about it. I'm not used to that. I've been a single mother for 10 years. There's been no-one else but me to manage the finances and I've done grand. Jake's never wanted for anything. I have a good job, and in spite of what you seem to think

- she could feel the anger rising again -

I don't actually spend much on myself. I make sacrifices to make sure Jake has everything he needs.

She took a gulp of tea. She looked out and realised it had begun to rain quite heavily. It was 11.45.

890 words approx