Respuesta :
Answer:The uni trimester ended while leaves still clung to the trees. Betsie found herself missing the crunching sound of the fallen leaves as she travelled home, the audible sound of autumn weather that usually meant it was holiday time.
Elaine greeted her daughter at the door. A candle burned on the fireplace, it resembled a small amount of warmth yet to come.
Arthur had gone to collect wood, Elaine told Betsie. āHeās losing it. Iām over him. I know we had you late and all, and it is harder I guess when you have a child at a late age but itās not you that worries me. You are fine!ā
Elaine plonked her rear down on the floral armchair, it rocked a little then came back to centre ā she didnāt flinch when the hot tea soaked her leg.
It reminded Betsie of a time when she watched her mother push material underneath the foot of the sewing needle. The chain roared while Elaineās fingers pressed the material. Then she watched as her motherās finger slipped underneath the foot, punctured by the sharp end of the needle which went all the way through her finger. Elaine didnāt flinch, she finished running that edge, then licked her finger between her thin lips before changing the edge around. Betsie had stared at her mother in wonder.
āI donāt not love Arthur but I donāt like him.ā Elaine sipped her tea and it spilled over her chin on to her knitted woollen cardigan.
The candle flickered against the wall above the fire.
āJane told me, you know young Jane, the teacher next door? She told me that she saw Arthur at the car out front and you know what he said to her? He said āI thought I saw a blonde girl walking towards me and Iām blind enough that I couldnāt see her until she was on top of me.ā Then he got in his car and drove off! Iāve told him not to drive. But you know.ā
āMum, cars have always been Arthurās passion.ā
Elaineās eyes flickered.
Arthur appeared at the arched entry to the lounge room. āYouāre near the sex candle. Cost me a lot of sex, that candle!ā
āArthur! Your daughter has come home.ā
Arthur giggled. āWhoops! How are you dear?ā
āGood dad.ā
āCome out back and Iāll show you the beast.ā
āNew car dad?ā
āOld car-new engine!ā
āGreat!ā
Arthur and Betsie left Elaine and the candle flickering in the lounge room.
In the shed they examined a beautiful old Willyās Jeep with a motor cradled in the bonnet, still chained up on the hoist.
āNow darling,ā he turned to his daughter. āI know what youāre thinking. Another car! This old cob canāt deserve another car, can he? But with your mum and all, itās been hard. Her dementia is getting worse and, well, I need some space.ā
Arthurās eyes flickered.
āI do love your mum. Itās just that, sometimes I donāt like her.ā
Explanation:
