Norma stood and glared at Beth, barely containing her rage.   She allowed Jack to lead her over to the door.

“Come again, Jack honey,” called out Beth, “But by yourself next time, all right?”

Outside in the corridor, they looked around for Chris.

“What are you smiling about?” demanded Norma..

“I was just thinking about her saying she’d never hold out on me,” explained Jack.

“What’s so funny about that?” demanded Norma.

“Only that one of the main reasons that I divorced Beth was because she was always such a frigid bitch,” said Jack.   “She was so certain she had the perfect shape, and she was afraid that sex would make her less than perfect.   Or worse, she might get pregnant which would really spoil her perfect figure.   You wouldn’t believe the fuss she made after Chris was born.   She spent a fortune on special diets and exercise classes to get back her perfect shape.

“Although, personally, I always thought she was a bit too scrawny,” said Jack.   He reached around from behind Norma, to grab her large breasts in his hands, and whispered into her left ear, “I’ve always preferred women with a bit of meat on their bones.”

“In that case you must have me by the breastbone at the moment,” said Norma.

“To be quite honest,” said Jack, “I was amazed she and Bob ever had children.”

Chris stepped out of the elevator and walked down the corridor to where Jack was still squeezing Norma’s breasts.

“Looks like I’d better get you two home,” said Chris.   “Or at least get a bucket of water handy … Quickly!”

*      *      *

Norma nibbled on the toast for a moment, then carried her cup of tea over to the kitchen table.   Sitting she asked Chris, “How was your mother last night?”

“Beth?   No better than the first time we saw her, as far as I could tell,” said Chris.   “Although the doctor in charge told Rosie that Beth was making a slow but steady improvement.”

“That’s a shame,” said Norma.   She finished the slice of toast, then sipped her tea for a moment before asking, “Have the girls been going to see her very often?”

“Rosie goes once or twice n week.   But from what I could find out Collie hasn’t been back since the time we all went together.”

“That can’t be helping Beth at all.”

“Don’t blame, Collie,” said Chris.   “It’s the fault of those animals at the CES.   If they hadn’t thrown Uncle Bob off the dole, held still be alive, and mum … Beth would still be normal.”

“Chris!   Your mother isn’t abnormal … she’s … she’s just temporarily unsettled, that’s all.   The doctors were quick to write her off during her problems after the divorce from your father.   But she was up and around again in a little under two years.”   Norma paused for a moment, then said, “I suppose you don’t remember much about that?”

“No, nothing at all really,” said Chris.

“That’s understandable, you were barely six when your mother was released that time.”

“Is that why I was given to you and dad, instead of Beth?” asked Chris.

“It was partly that,” agreed Norma, “and partly the fact that someone had to look after you while your mother was in hospital.   Then your mother was still far from well when she was first released, and your father and I had already married by then.   So it was agreed your father and I would look after you, at least for a while. Plus, of course, there was your kidney troubles as a child.   We had enough trouble running back and forth between home and the Royal Children’s, but Beth wouldn’t have been able to take it at all.   She was only just out of hospital herself, and didn’t need to be reminded of it by seeing you sick.”

“Didn’t she ever visit me in hospital?” asked Chris.

“No, never,” said Norma. ‘Or at least not to my knowledge,” Norma sipped the last of her tea, then took the empty cup over to the sink to rinse it under the hot water tap.   She took a nibble from the second piece of toast on the tray, grimaced, then dropped the toast in the kitchen tidy before saying, “Then of course your mother married Bob Bennett, and surprised us all , a year later by giving birth to Colleen, a few days before Beth’s fortieth birthday.   Two years later she gave birth to Rosemary, so, since I was nearly forty, and unlikely to have any kids of my own at that stage, it was agreed between the two couples, with a little help from our legal advisers, that Jack and I would continue to raise you.   But only on the condition that you were always to know that Beth is your real mother….”

“Oh mum,” said Chris.   Standing, he walked over to put an arm around Norma’s shoulders.   “You should know that I’ve always thought of you as my mother.   Beth is more … more like half an aunt to me; Collie and Rosie like cousins than sisters.”

THE END