The Mill House by Susan Lewis Read Free Book Online Page B

the door.
    'Will you be back in time for Dan?' Julia asked.
    'I said I would if I could.'
    'Josh!'
    He turned round, his expression irritable, impatient.
    'It's important to him that you make that match.'
    'I know, and I'll try,' he replied.
    Her eyes remained on his. 'Don't make him pay for crimes that are mine,' she said quietly.
    Anger tightened his jaw, and taking a step towards her he said, 'That's the trouble with you, Julia, you think everything's about you. Well, since we're on the subject, don't you think it's time you got back in touch with the therapist, because frankly, I'm not prepared to put up with much more of this.'
    'I'm not a machine, for God's sake. I can't just turn myself on and off ...'
    'You've never had a problem before. Not like this.'
    'Well, maybe if you weren't always fresh from screwing someone else I might find it a bit easier to get in the mood,' she hissed.
    'Oh for Christ's sake,' he seethed, and without bothering to kiss her he slammed out of the house.
    Already regretting her last words she listened to his footsteps, the opening and closing of the car door and roar of the engine as he pulled away. No pretence over whose car it was this morning, she remarked grimly to herself.
    'Mum!' Shannon shouted up the stairs. 'I can't find my blue top, the one with drop shoulders. It's not in the laundry room ...'
    'It's hanging up in your wardrobe,' Julia told her, collecting her thoughts as she started back down the stairs. 'Why do you need it now?'
    'I'm going straight to Gilly's after school. She's having a kind of party, you know, for her birthday.'
    'OK. Before you disappear, give me a hand loading the dishes. Where's Dan?' 'He went into the computer room.' Julia opened the dishwasher. 'So who's going to be at the party?' she asked as Shannon passed her a stack of cereal bowls.
    'Just a few of us hanging out, you know, while Gilly opens her presents and stuff. Her boyfriend's taking her out on Saturday. They've asked me if I want to go. I mean, like, there'll be a gang of us, not just me and Gilly and Guy.'
    Julia gave her a look. 'Are the other boys Guy's age?'
    Shannon shrugged. 'I don't know. I suppose so.' 'Then I don't think Dad will agree, darling. Guy's nineteen.'
    'But Mum, I'm never going to have a boyfriend if he keeps me locked up all the time.'
    'You'll be sixteen before you know it, sweetheart, he'll relax the rules then, he promised.'
    'But everyone else has a boyfriend, except me,' Shannon protested. 'I hate being the only one who doesn't. I feel like a freak.' With pouting lips and tears in her eyes she squirted a dollop of liquid into the dishwasher and slammed the door shut. 'Anyway, even if Dad was cool about it, it wouldn't make a difference,' she said, turning her woeful face to Julia. 'No-one's ever interested in me.'
    'Oh darling, it'll happen,'Julia assured her, drawing her into an embrace. 'You're so beautiful it can't not.'
    'But even the mingers in school have got boys after them. It's so embarrassing, being the only one who never gets asked out or anything. It's just not
    fair, because when my friends talk about the things they've done I can't ever join in. I haven't even ever been kissed, and some of them have gone all the way already.'
    Pressing her lips to the top of Shannon's head, Julia rocked her from side to side. I know it's hard,' she whispered, 'but you don't want anything to happen with someone unless he's the right one, do you?'
    'No.' Shannon's head came up to look into Julia's face. 'Was Dad the first man you ever slept with?' she asked.
    Julia thought fast. 'That's a question for another time,' she said, smoothing her hair.
    'Which means he wasn't.'
    Julia fixed her with a meaningful look. 'Come on, or you'll be late,' she said.
    'But it's all about sex, really, isn't it?' Shannon persisted. 'Dad doesn't want me to go out with anyone because he's afraid I'll have sex with them.'
    'Certainly it's a concern,' Julia admitted.
    'But you wouldn't mind if I had