She didn’t want to preach to her daughter, but she was scared for her. Millie was young and impressionable, as she herself had once been. She could so easily be led astray. She’d tried subtly questioning her about her social life and got nothing but vagueness for answers. Telling her that she was worried for her, that she didn’t want Millie making the same mistakes she’d made, only invited the roll of the eyes that accompanied her daughter proclaiming she was ‘sixteen, not six’. She and Jake needed to sit down and talk to her, Emily decided. She would have a word with him later.
‘Shouldn’t you be leaving?’ she asked Ben, who was standing in the hallway by the front door, his art portfolio in one hand, his car keys in the other and an impatient look on his face.
‘I’m trying to, but she’s taking forever.’ He glanced despairingly at his sister.
Millie scowled at him in the mirror, and then went back to grooming her eyebrows. God forbid there was a hair out of place.
‘You look fine, Millie,’ Emily assured her. ‘You’ll need to get a move on if you’re not going to be late.’
‘I’m trying,’ Millie huffed. ‘What’s your problem anyway?’ she asked Ben. ‘You have a free period this morning, don’t you?’
‘To prepare for my ceramics exhibition,’ he pointed out exasperatedly. ‘Can’t you just get a move on, for fuck’s—’
‘Ben, language.’ Jake cut him short as he hurried down the stairs, roping his tie around his neck and waggling his watch arm at Millie as he passed her.
‘Sorry,’ Ben mumbled. Then, emitting a world-weary sigh, he dumped his portfolio against the wall and ran a hand through his dark mane of locks – grown long since starting his fine art course, apparently to assert his individual style. Emily had refrained from pointing out that he might actually be following the herd, since the majority of the male art students were similarly hirsute. ‘Mum, can you tell her, please?’ he appealed to her. ‘I’ve got loads to do and she’s making me really late.’
‘Come on, Mils.’ Sensing her son’s frustration, Emily chivvied Millie on. ‘He’ll leave you to walk otherwise.’
‘I’m coming, I’m coming.’ Millie turned grudgingly from the mirror, retrieved her shoulder bag from where she’d hung it on the stair rail and dropped her make-up bag into it. ‘I have my interview after college for the Saturday job at the vet’s. I can hardly go looking a complete mess, can I? This is important work experience for my future.’
‘So you couldn’t have got up earlier?’ Ben muttered. ‘Like, three hours earlier? Dunno why you’re bothering anyway. They’ll have loads of applicants.’
‘Because I like animals – present company excepted.’ Millie eyed him with disdain. ‘I’ve decided to apply for a foundation degree in veterinary nursing. What are your life goals, other than to starve for your art?’
Ben glared at her. ‘You have five seconds, Millie,’ he warned her, a thunderous look flitting across his face. ‘And then I’m gone, and you can find your own way there.’
‘All right. I said I’m coming. Keep your gorgeous hair on. Agitated doesn’t suit the carefully cultivated laid-back arty look.’ She gave him a flat smile and patted his cheek as she sailed by him to the front door.
Ben rolled his eyes. ‘Counselling,’ he mumbled, picking up his portfolio and trudging out after her. ‘I need advice on how to divorce my sister.’
‘I’ll let your father know.’ Emily smiled, and cautioned herself to ignore Ben’s flash of anger. It was justified, since his sister had been deliberately winding him up. ‘Good luck, Millie,’ she called. ‘And well done on getting the interview. Don’t forget you have to—’
‘Concentrate on my studies as well, get good grades, don’t let myself be distracted or dictated to by anyone …’ Millie picked up, with an irritated sigh. ‘Yes, Mum, I know. You tell me about a thousand times a week.’
‘Only because I care about you.’ Emily felt a bit hurt. ‘I just don’t want you—’
‘Making the same mistakes you did. I got that bit too.’ Millie smiled flatly over her shoulder and headed out the door.
Emily tried not to mind. She probably did go on a bit. Going into to the kitchen, she found Jake swilling back an instant coffee.
‘Let me know what?’ he asked warily. He looked absolutely shattered. She noted the dark shadows under his eyes and wished he would slow down a little.
‘Your son’s decided he needs counselling in regard to his sister,’ she informed him, glancing at the kitchen clock. The dishwasher needed emptying, but that would have to wait. Jake had a full list this morning and, as practice manager, Emily needed to be there. Their cleaner, Fran, who squeezed in a day at the house in between cleaning at the surgery, was due in later anyway. It wouldn’t hurt her to actually do a bit of work rather than nattering.
‘Again.’ Jake smiled amusedly. ‘Tell him I’ll make a referral.’
‘God forbid.’ Emily walked across to him to straighten his tie. Ben did have a tendency to lose his temper, something she was naturally wary of, particularly since the episode when, escorted home by the police after drinking far too much and arguing with another youth outside the pub one night, he’d openly challenged Jake. Jake had handled it well, although he’d been shocked by Ben’s sudden volatility. Emily had tried to reassure herself it was just normal teenage rebellion. Ben showed no signs of calculated malice, thank God. Underneath his moodiness, which, after all, was normal at his age, he was a sensitive soul, she was sure, artistic by nature like her. She wished he would confide in her more, but she doubted he would easily open up to anyone.
‘Do you think she’s serious?’ Jake asked, nodding after Ben and Millie.
‘About the foundation course? She seems to be.’ Emily turned to grab her multivitamin tablets, washing them down with the coffee Jake had made her. He wasn’t convinced they actually did any good, but the woman at the healthcare shop had persuaded her they would help reduce her levels of stress and anxiety and also improve her memory and mood. Emily wasn’t entirely convinced either, but the way she was feeling at the moment, anything was worth a shot. Remembering that the bottle she kept on her desk was running low, she made a mental note to collect some more at lunchtime.
‘She’ll need to buckle down and apply herself at school,’ Jake said, depositing his mug in the sink and then grabbing his case from where he’d left it on the kitchen island.
‘As I keep reminding her.’ Emily sighed, worrying afresh about the impact Millie’s late nights would have on her grades. Jake had been out on a call when she’d rolled in last night. He’d been here the previous time she’d come home the worse for wear, though, and was as worried about her as Emily was. ‘We probably need to have a talk to her, present a united front,’ she suggested. ‘Shall we have a chat about it, make sure we’re singing from the same hymn sheet? Later this evening, maybe?’
‘Can do. I’ll make sure to get back a bit earlier,’ Jake promised. ‘Oh, and in case I forget, could you have a word with Ben? He left the back door unlocked again when he was out smoking last night.’