Three is a crowd: Diane loses more ground to Julie

(Continued from last issue)
David and Diane have been married for years; then there is Julie, the young secretary whose axis collides with the couple’s in ways none of them saw coming.

JULIE
Although David’s parents’ unexpected arrival at the site had freaked me out, all things considered, I thought it had wound up going pretty well.

Not only had it felt like David’s father was finally beginning to accept me, but his mother, who had always seemed to do so, had been more unreserved in her approval, praising the simple snacks I had prepared like they were some fancy gourmet meal, and even going as far as calling me a ‘superwoman’ for being able to raise a young child, run a home, and now take on the management of such a big project singlehandedly.

Her praise was touching, especially since it was in such stark contrast to my own mother’s constant criticism.

It felt good to have someone recognize just how many hats I wore, and that someone was David’s mother made it even more special, because from what I had heard from David, she was not an easy woman to impress; so, if I had succeeded in doing so, then that said a lot.

At the same time, while his parents’ acceptance and approval thrilled me, it scared me as well, for it put me under increased pressure to ensure that I did not let them down.

Although I was confident and excited about this new responsibility, David’s mother had been right when she said it was a lot for one person to handle single-handedly, and I knew that the reality was in order to succeed, I would need David’s help, especially logistically, to cater for the constant transport costs to and from the site, at least until the manager’s unit was ready and I could move onto the site.

He had entrusted me with this job, now he needed to provide me with the tools to do it.

DAVID

“Well, that was nice!” I remarked to Julie as we watched my parents drive out of the site.
“Yes; when I first saw them, I thought I was going to have a heart attack, but I think it wound up going really well,” she nodded happily in agreement.

“I noticed that you and Dad seemed to be getting along pretty well too; what did you two talk about while mum and I were gone?”
Neither her, nor my father, had given away any hints about what they had discussed while they were alone, as we devoured the hamper Julie had packed, and I was anxious to hear what they had talked about.

“Not much; he had a few concerns about whether I would be able to manage a project of this size, especially considering that I’ve never done anything like this before, but I think I was able to put those fears to rest, and that we’re good now.”

“That’s good to hear, but I’m not really surprised; I mean you are passionate, driven, and honest, all qualities one needs to do this, and anyone just needs to spend a few minutes with you to see that you have all three in truckloads.”

“Aaaw, thank you,” she answered softly, and then reached over and gave me a quick hug, before releasing me to begin packing away the hamper.

I was relieved that her talk with my father had gone well, as it was obviously important to me that they got along, but beyond that, watching Julie with both my parents had given me a glimpse into what could be.

The relationship between Diane and my parents was so strained and fractured that I was not sure it could ever be fixed, and that was something I had come to accept over the years, but now there was this new dimension of a relationship between Julie and my parents that looked like it could be the start of a completely different, positive relationship, and it was one that I wanted to explore and nurture.

If this new relationship between Julie and my parents continued to grow, then not only would it have an impact on them and her, but on Junior as well.

While my parents already had a strong bond with my other children, having them develop a similar bond with Junior was important to me, and if they had a good relationship with Julie at the same time, then the possibilities for how far that relationship as a whole could grow were boundless.

DIANE

Alone in the kitchen, it was not long before my mother once again turned the conversation to David. “Does David work a lot of weekends these days?”

“Like I said, when there’s work to do,” I shrugged, and then after a moment’s hesitation added; “He and his dad are also partnering on a building project; so, that’s keeping him busy too.”

“Oh! I didn’t know about that! What sort of building project?”

“An estate of some sort in Katosi; I don’t have all the details.”

“Why not? How can you not have the details of a project your husband is involved in?” she asked in shock, like she had never heard of something more absurd.

“Because it’s his project with his dad, not me.”
“But he’s your husband!”
“Exactly, my husband, not my business partner.”
“But if he’s involved in it, then it’s something that will benefit you and the children too; so, I don’t understand how you can be so disinterested!”

“He doesn’t know all the details of the boutique, does he? Besides, it’s a project he’s working on with his dad, and you know his parents and I aren’t exactly best friends; so, I’m not going to go out of my way to spend more time with either one of them than I have to,” I answered coldly.

“Diane! Those are your in-laws!” my mother exclaimed, aghast at my candour.
“I know, and I see them at family functions that I can’t avoid, which is more than enough for me – and them.”

“Those are David’s parents, and the children’s grandparents; so, whether you like them or not, they are family, and if I were you, I would keep that in mind before distancing myself from them. A divided house cannot stand; so, you can’t expect to have a strong marriage, or a strong home, while alienating yourself from David’s side of the family. Trust me, my daughter, that is a huge mistake, and one that is a recipe for disaster.”

Her words had an ominous ring to them, and remembering how close David’s parents had appeared to be with his little whore, I could not help but think that disaster had already struck.

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