Good Intentions
“Julia! At last! I was about ready to lose my mind!” huffed Margaret Porter as she flung open the door and pulled her sister into an embrace. “My head is in a complete spin. I havent the faintest idea what Im supposed to do!”
“For starters, breathe,” replied calm-as-you-like Julia Porter, gliding into the hallway. “Is she at home?”
“No!” Margaret gestured helplessly. “She packed up the kids this morning and disappeared! Refuses to listen to a word I say. Shes in love, apparently!”
“Well, what do you expect, Maggie? You let the girl off the lead and now you want to have a dramatic episode about it? Sit yourself down, put the kettle on, and tell me the whole story, then well sort it.”
Julia swept into the kitchen and perched at the table, scrutinising her sisters attempts at making tea.
“Rinse the pot with boiling water, for goodness sake! How many years have I been telling younever sticks.”
Margaret jumped, grabbed the teapot, spun about and promptly burnt her earlobe on her own scalded fingers.
“Hopeless! As cack-handed as ever. Let me do it before you scald yourself into oblivion.”
Julia elbowed Margaret onto a chair and got on with the job in the swift and efficient way that only elder sisters seem able.
“There! Now spill. Whos this chap, and what does Ellie think shes playing at?”
Margaret clutched her cup, wondering how to explain why she was so agitated. The chap Ellie brought home seemed perfectly reasonable: not a drunk, polite, had his plumbing sorted, and ran a halfway-decent garage. All very industrious. He’d even fixed the leaky tap in no time, hadnt he? Margaret had got so used to worrying about her youngest daughter that something positive just didnt seem reassuring enough on its own. And then the story of how theyd metwhat honest mechanic fixes a strangers car in the bleak midwinter for free just because shes got children with her? Was he Father Christmas? Even after all these months, he kept popping by to check the kids and the car were all right, and Ellie was absolutely besottedhadnt a sensible thought for the children or her mother. Marriage, she insisted! As if one failed attempt wasnt enough for her!
Margaret poured her heart out to Julia and waited for the verdict. Shed trusted her sister more than herself since childhood. Their father passed away early and their mother muddled through, working all hours, so Julia, eight years Margarets senior, ended up playing more guardian angel than sister.
“Julia love, youre a big girl now! You need to help!”
Their mum, Catherine, had said, juggling life as a single mother. Julia had raised Margaret, handholding her off to nursery, teaching her to read and write before shed even started school, and monitoring her through every sniffle and scrape.
“Youre her guardian angel,” Catherine would say as she did Margarets plaits in a rush before work. “Dont know where Id be without you, Ju.”
Julia took her responsibilities seriously. She was the one standing over Margaret, insisting on vitamins, naptime, and, of course, cows milk.
“I hate it! Theres a skin on it!”
“Dont fuss! Its for your own good!”
And, true to the doctors word, Margarets health improved. School came easier, and by the time she finished, Catherine called Julia in for an elder-sisters conference.
“What’ll we do with her?”
“Shes clever, should carry on studying. Would be a waste otherwise, Mum.”
“I cant afford to support her on my own.”
“Youre not on your own, are you?”
All was well enough, despite tight times. Margaret lived in a grotty room at her college and Julia would pop by with bags of groceries, sniff around for dust”Why are you living in a pigsty?”though Margaret always frantically cleaned first.
Disaster struck during Margarets second year: Catherine fell ill, just as Margaret, blushing, confessed she was dating someone.
“Julia! What do I do?”
“You? You study and pass your exams. And not a word to Mum that you know anything about this, all right? Ill manage.”
Margaret barely had time to say goodbye to her mother, quietly falling apart as the inevitable drew near. Julia was outwardly composed, all practicality and tough love.
“Stop weepingwhat goods that to Mum now? Let her go in peace since we cant help otherwise.”
Catherine passed quietly in the early hours, hand in hand with Margaret, who broke down at last after months of keeping herself together.
The sisters split the flat. Margaret got a little one-bedroom close to Julias.
“Not badat least youll be nearby,” Julia sniffed around, already planning the redecorating. “Dont invite anyone inleave it to me and the girls from work.”
Julia ran her own building firm by then, always in demand. “If only Alex would help, but nohes up to his eyes. Never mind! One day thingsll calm down, and then Ill take the world by storm!”
But then recessions rolled in as regular as rain. Julia struggled to keep afloat”Cant be everywhere, and no one does things properly,” she lamentedwhile always asking for an update on Margarets kids. Margaret felt guilty for marrying someone Julia didnt really approve of, but steadily, after years of determined charm, Max wormed his way into Julias good graces. He adored the family, lived for the children, handed over every last penny of his wages, and, it must be admitted, doted on the girls a bit too much for Julias taste.
“Hes going to ruin themwhat kind of man spends his weekends running after kids? No discipline at all!”
Margaret smiled, suspecting Julia was a tiny bit jealousher Alex was no help at home, and when Julias own son got into trouble, Alex shrugged it off.
“You raised him, you deal with it.”
Eventually, Julia packed her son off to the army on the advice of a client.
“Might knock some sense into him!”
He loved it. “Mum was a generalwhere else would I end up?”
Of course, Julias daughter soon caused her own commotion.
“Mum, Im pregnant!”
Julia sank onto the sofa. “How? Youve only just turned eighteen!”
“Well, I am an adult, you know. Spare me the lecture, Mum?”
“No time for lectures now. The deeds done. Therell have to be a wedding.”
“Dont bother. He doesnt want to get married.”
“Over my dead body! My grandchild will not be a statistic. Dont worry, darling, Ill sort it.”
And so, a wedding was had. Julia set the newlyweds up in a handy spare flat. “Live herebut quietly!”
Some mixture of maternal tyranny and unconditional support seemed to do the trick. Julias children launched, and finally she could breatheuntil, predictably, life threw a fresh set of troubles her way via her nieces.
Margarets daughters were robust little things, nothing like Margaret at their age.
“Cant believe how healthy they are,” Margaret beamed, watching the girls play tig with their dad. “Not an ounce of my childhood sickliness.”
“And bright too, I hope.”
“Bright as buttons! Ellies all energy and sparklelike their father. Sophies quieter, takes after me.”
“Keep an eye on Ellie, shell be trouble.”
To simplify things, Margaret put them both in the same classit helped Sophie, who struggled with school, while Ellie sailed through, dragging Sophie along for the ride.
But then Max was killed in an accidentcompletely upending their world. For weeks, Margaret haunted the house, a shell of herself as the girls clung together, reaching for warmth. It was Julia who thundered in and set Margaret straight.
“What on earth are you doing? The girls have lost their father, are you going to make them lose their mother too? Look at themtheyre floundering! Get a grip, Maggie!”
Eventually, Margaret did. Life inched forward again, and the girls grew up. By the end of Sixth Form, both fell desperately in love, as teenagers are wont, but only Sophie decided to listen to Aunty Julias stormy disapproval and dropped the whole silly business.
“Ive plenty of time. Julias right,” she sniffled.
Ellie, however, was relentless.
“I love him!”
“And what good will love do you?” Julia tried reasoning, shouting, even presenting the factshes not husband material, barely knows how to iron his shirt, let alone pay a mortgage. “Tell me the truthhave you?”
“Thats our business,” Ellie shot back, weary of Julias interference.
Ruffled, Ellie started to think for herself. Sitting her hapless boyfriend down, she issued an ultimatum: “Is this a game to you?”
“No! I love you!”
“Then marry me.”
“All rightjust need to tell my folks”
Ellie rolled her eyes. “Parents. Proper grown-up talk, please. Sort things out or you can stop coming round here altogether.”
Were Margaret to see her daughter just then, shed have called her the spitting image of Julia.
They married a year later. Margaret sobbed through the entire ceremony, while Julia seethed quietlywhy so soon?
Julias suspicions of a shotgun wedding were unfounded: Ellie had her first son two years later, after getting into university and deciding not to take time off for the babysupported by both her mother and sister. It was hard work, but she managed. Her husband, Tom, studied part-time and worked at his fathers company. With a supportive (if slightly mocking) parental safety net, things improved considerably when Ellie finished her degree, was taken on by her father-in-law as a trainee accountant and proved invaluable.
By the time their second child was on the way, Ellie was head of accounts and Tom had started his own consulting firm with his fathers help. The family’s income trebled. Margaret was over the moon about her daughters success, dampened only by Julias perpetual doubt.
“Its all too perfect. Sooner or later shell trip over that stubborn streak and youll have to sweep up the mess!”
Margaret, tired of criticism, shared fewer details about her daughters, figuring it was just jealousyJulias children werent exactly sailing smoothly. Julias standard rejoinder: “Mind your own! My lot are fine.”
And so Margaret tried, but fate loves an ironic twist. Tom, busy with his burgeoning business, started an affairEllie found out in spectacularly horrid fashion. At first, she suspected the strain was simply due to the second sons arrival and their hectic schedules, but after a few fruitless attempts at romance and some pointed, unanswered questions, she had her doubts.
One day, as she watched the boys at the playground, a heavily pregnant woman plonked herself on the next bench. Her bump announced her due imminently.
“Youre Ellie, arent you?” the woman asked, eyes as sharp as broken glass.
Ellies stomach dropped.
“Yes?”
“Im Lisa. The love of Toms life. Your ex-husband, I suppose?”
Ellie, momentarily stunned, surprised herself by snorting out a laugh.
“Oh, is that right? Is the baby his then?”
“Of course he is! Our son,” Lisa declared, patting her stomach for emphasis.
“How nice. Why tell me?”
“My baby needs his father.”
“And those two over thereare they surplus now?”
“Dont twist my words! Get it sortedIm due in a month!” Lisa huffed and thundered off.
Trying not to burst into tears in front of the kids, Ellie blinked rapidly as her eldest ran over.
“Mum, are you crying?”
“Of course not, darling. Just got something in my eye. Go and play, lunch soon!”
Tom didnt deny a thing.
“Youre always busy these days. Kids, work Im a man, after all!”
“Yes, how original.”
Their divorce was grim. Tom, transformed into some sunburnt, overdosed-of-ambition stranger, fought for every penny. When it was all overthe flat, the child support, the lotEllie was free, in every sense. Her ex-father-in-law, sheepish, asked her to leave work”You understand”to which Ellie just smirked. She knew how these things worked.
“If you want to see the boys, call me.”
He mumbled an apology, she left. She wasnt about to cut the boys off from their grandparents, however misguided they could be, and, to their credit, they still doted on her sons, even as the boys adjusted to their new, father-light routines.
Margaret shuffled between sighing over the boys and supporting Ellie as she hunted for a new job and got on with things. Julia, meanwhile, took every opportunity to criticise”The boys need better manners! Ellies never home!” Margaret protested.
“Theyre small! Theyll learn. Ellies working hard.”
“At nine at night? Its too muchshe should be home to raise those boys, not playing at careers.”
“You make it sound like shes feeding them to the wolves. Shes doing her best!”
“Wait till she finds herself another manand youre left with the kids.”
“Oh honestly, Julia.”
“Im only saying! Just wait!”
Margaret didnt really believe Julia until a new man appeared: Leonard. Suddenly, all of Margarets fears attacked at once.
“What am I supposed to do now?”
“Knock some sense into her! Two kids, and shes off chasing love again! Whats he after, exactly? Shes not short of a bob or twodecent flat, good salary. Could be after her money!”
“Oh, Julia”
“Best to be sure! Talk to Ellie.”
“She wont listen. Only ever says hes lovely and smiles as if butter wouldnt melt. Ive tried everything.”
Right. Time for action. Julia picked up the phone. Ellie answered.
“Your mother’s not well, and its your fault. Get here. Now.”
Ellie barely paused to grab her keys.
“Leon, somethings wrong with Mum. I have to go!”
“Ill handle the boys. Go!”
She flew through the city streets in the small hours, clutching the steering wheel and praying. For once, she didnt think to call Sophieshe was pregnant again and the less worry for her, the better.
Margaret opened the door, unable to meet her daughters eyes.
“Mum! Are you OK?”
“Im fine!”
“Then why”
“Come inside!” Julia appeared, face set. “Or shall we discuss this in the corridor?”
As Ellie sat on the edge of her seat, Julia started her tirade.
“If you dont come to your senses, Ill be forced to take the boys from you. Its not on! Playing about while your children watch?”
Something inside Ellie snapped, quietly but decisively. She stood up, smoothed her skirt, and spoke evenly.
“Aunt Julia, perhaps youd be better off focusing on your own children. Im an adult, and my lifeand my childrenare none of your concern. You barely nag Sophie, but me? Youre always on my case! Honestly, with all the energy you spend meddling, you could have improved your own lot a bit more. Well, Im done. From now on, I live my life, not yours.”
“You cheeky so-and-so! Who gave you permission to speak to your elders like that?”
“I did.”
Margaret was shocked out of her skin. “Ellie!”
“Im not the family scapegoat, Mum. Im a grown woman, not your personal misfortune. Aunt Julia, have a good look at what all your good intentions have done. Try minding your own business for a change.”
“For heavens sake,” Julia muttered, but the effect was obvious. Margaret clutched her chest and slumped to the floor.
“Call 999!” Julia shouted, but Ellie was already dialling.
After a night in A&E, the whole family gathered, subdued. Julia hovered awkwardly near Ellie, not quite sure how to begin. Ellie gave her a small nod.
“Apology accepted, Aunt Julia.”
“Ellie”
“No need. What matters now is that Mum recovers.”
Margaret did make a full recovery, and reconciled with Julia in hospital, afterwards refusing to hear a single word against her daughters. Julia, inevitably, took her time winding down, but eventually learned her lesson. At Ellie and Leonards wedding, she was the first to shout for a kiss and hugged her niece tightly. “Forgive me,” she whispered.
Life sorted itself out, as it tends to. Ellie cared for Julia through illness, and Leonard, with a surprising amount of gentleness, chauffeured Julia to doctors and ferried walking frames here and there. Bonding over Julias declining health, Leonard earned her grudging, then warm, approval.
“Youve got yourself a real man, Ellie,” shed say. “Dont let him go. Mind you, you ride herd on him!”
“Will do,” Ellie would laugh.
In the end, when Julia was bedridden, it was Ellie who sat with her, holding her hand. And Julias last word was a simple, heartfelt, “Thank you!”
