Keep It in the Family

by John Marrs

We both know that when morning arrives, this foul mood will have passed. But for tonight, I intend to have loud, passionate sex with Debbie’s son and scream the sodding roof down if I have to, and I don’t care who hears. If I can’t give him a baby, I’ll at least give him the time of his life.

I know that I wear a different, tougher skin now to the one I was born into, but scratch beneath the surface and below I am that same, frightened child.

My sweet tooth and increasing intake of pastries is actually starting to give me a paunch, or what Finn calls a ‘food baby’.

Of course I want her to get better, but I didn’t marry her because I wanted someone I could manage. I married her because I loved her and I wanted someone independent so that we could both lead our own lives as well as share one.

‘You expect your son to be with you for the rest of your life. But when he’s taken away from you, it changes everything. All you once felt is replaced by fear and confusion and, above everything else, anger. Because the someone . . . the something . . . that stole him can’t see the boy that you knew inside and out. All they see is an object they want to destroy. And they have no right to do that, no right at all. I’m not a violent man but when they catch him, I will happily rip him apart with my own bare hands.’

Maybe that’s why she’s not the only girl in my life: subconsciously I keep a spare as I don’t want to be left on my own. Perhaps I’m the one who needs therapy, not Mia.

I hate this man viscerally.

Debbie once told me in no uncertain terms that she thought Mia was like a cancer, eating away at this family. However, Mia isn’t the cancer. The rest of us are. And one by one we have all taken a bite out of this girl.