The Other Ida by Amy Mason Read Free Book Online

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    â€œOh, come on Ida, let’s go and find your dad before your sister shops me to the PC police,” she said.
    It was extremely warm in the house and Ida took off her jacket as they walked through the hall. The wall had a floral strip halfway up; above it were pastel stripes, below it pale pink paint. On the stripy part there were framed photos, and Ida slowed down as she recognised Terri’s gormless blonde nieces and nephews, remembering how terribly she’d teased them when they were young. There were other pictures too, prints mainly, and a cross-stitched sampler that read I like hugs and I like kisses but what I love is help with the dishes . It was initialled T.I. in bright pink thread.
    From the room they were heading to Ida could hear the muffled sound of the TV and then a gravelly voice. “Is that my girl here to see me?”
    â€œYes it is,” said Tom affectionately, poking Alice in the small of the back as Terri led them into the room.
    â€œHe doesn’t mean me,” Alice replied crossly as Ida pushed past her to hug their da.
    He was sitting in a beige chair facing an enormous television. On his lap was a cushioned tray strewn with biscuit crumbs and a glass of milk . The room was a startling mauve, filled with porcelain ornaments, and in it her father seemed terribly out of place. Against the back wall were shelves packed with his ‘archive’ – thousands of copies of The Daily Mail, Radio Times and Readers Digest , each containing one of the polite reviews or sycophantic interviews that were, as Bridie so often and cruelly pointed out, his hallmark.
    It had been four years since Ida had seen him, but in that time he’d aged a lot.
    â€œHere she is, Bry,” Terri said with enthusiasm as Ida leant towards him. He reached awkwardly for her face and Ida was shocked to see that his arms were shaking.
    â€œYou gorgeous girl, stand back and let me look at you,” he said.
    Ida could hear Alice muttering to Tom in the background, trying hard to ignore their father’s delight at seeing his oldest child.
    Ida stepped back and flung her arms out.
    â€œTa da!” she said, attempting a wide smile to hide the shock on her face. He was very thin.
    â€œOh dear, darling, you’re not a lesbian?” Bryan asked, looking her up and down from her boots to her shorn hair. Alice groaned with annoyance in the background, but Ida just laughed, walked back towards him and kissed him on the cheek.
    â€œWould you mind if I was?” she asked.
    â€œNot really, I suppose. The theatre was full of them.”
    There was a loud laugh from the telly and he grimaced, fumbling for the mute on the remote control. “Oh bugger, this noise. There we are.” He took Ida’s hand in his. “I’m so sorry about your ma, it’s hit us hard.” Ida noticed tears in his eyes.
    â€œI’ll go and make the tea,” said Terri, taking the tray from his lap. As she lifted it, Ida noticed that under the milk glass and crumbs was a large photograph of a fat Jack Russell.
    â€œPull up a chair sweetheart, tell me everything,” he said, brushing down his cardigan which looked, to Ida, as though it would have fitted a child.
    â€œThere’s someone else to meet you Dad, Alice’s boyfriend, Tom?” she beckoned to him from behind her and Tom stepped forwards, extending his hand.
    Bryan held it weakly and craned his neck backwards to look up at Tom’s face.
    â€œWhat is he? Some kind of hippy?” he asked happily, pointing at Tom’s hair and shirt.
    Tom laughed.
    â€œFucking hell,” said Alice wearily, to Ida’s astonishment. Bryan didn’t appear to hear.
    â€œIt’s lovely to meet you Mr Irons, can I sit down?” Tom asked, reaching for a chair.
    â€œEee by gum,” said Bryan, noticing Tom’s accent, and Tom laughed again, politely.
    They chatted about the theatre and TV while Ida sat near