It was a good job Marilyn had been de-stressing all day. By the time she came home, the team had dispersed, along with the skip, a dozen bags of recycling, and a carload of items for the charity shop. Nancy and Pete were gurgling on the sofa while I read them a story about a family of sausages. The smell of slightly damp carpets, bleach and thirteen women working at full pelt for eight hours had been just about replaced with baby-bath, bunches of fresh flowers and the pasta bake warming in the oven.
Marilyn waltzed in, in a whirl of contented spa-day bliss. She plonked herself on the sofa next to Nancy before doing a double take.
‘What?’
I bit my lip.
‘Who?’
I gathered up Pete and sat him on my lap, like a human shield.
‘When?’
Pete burped. I think I squeezed him too hard.
‘Did you do this?’ She lowered her eyebrows at Nancy. ‘Did you help Faith tidy up?’
She looked around a bit more. ‘Tidy up, and throw out three-quarters of my things?’
I gulped.
‘Is it just the living room?’ She spoke to me now.
I shook my head. Silently, she got up with Nancy and walked out into the hallway. I sat and listened to various doors open as she checked the rest of the rooms. Her feet plodded up the stairs and we heard her doing the same above us.
‘Bah,’ Pete said.
‘I know. Do you think she’s pleased, or is she never going to talk to me again?’
‘Ppffiffif.’
‘Well, she’s your mum. You should know better than me.’
We waited with bated breath until she finished her inspection. Standing in front of the fireplace, she balanced Nancy on one hip and nodded at me.
‘Hester.’
‘Yep.’
‘She thought my house was in no fit state for Polly and Baby Pol.’
‘Actually, it was my idea. For you as much as Polly.’
‘You thought my house was too messy. You’ve been coming here, twice a week and thinking I can’t take care of my own house.’
‘No. That’s not true. I’ve been thinking anyone in your situation could do with some help.’
‘What do you mean, my situation?’ She pulled Nancy’s fingers from where they tugged at her hair.
I swallowed. ‘I mean a mum with twin babies and a husband who works away most of the time. Who has no support apart from a sister who works four days a week. You get no sleep. And hardly any breaks. Goodness me, Marilyn, I look after them for two hours and I’m exhausted.’
‘Where’s everything gone? You must have needed a skip.’
I nodded, attempting a wry smile.
‘You had a skip? How many people came?’
‘All of us,’ I said.
