Soldierboy

chapter Twenty one

*

After the first few weeks of feeling thrilled and happy that Danny now had a steady regular job, and bringing in a reasonable wage. Kelly also discovered the downside as well, in that she didn’t see quite so much of him, now he was working five days a week mostly doing nine to four o’clock shifts.

It left her with a lot of time on her hands and forced to spend a lot of time with Danny’s mother, who still wasn’t being exactly over friendly with her, and always made Kelly feel she was in the way.

So when Janice mentioned that the local pub was looking for some part time bar staff to work two days a week and an evening shift at the weekend, Kelly decided to apply for the job.

Danny thought it was a great idea. He told her to mention that she was married to him, as John McIntyre the proprietor of the pub, had high regard for the armed forces, as his nephew was also a soldier, and he was into all things military, so was all for supporting the troops.

It seem to do the trick, three days after her job interview Kelly had the job, there had been limited applicants because the wages were not great, but it had appealed to Kelly because it got her out of the house for a few hours, and that had been her main reason, so it suited her perfectly.

On discovering that her daughter-in-law was going to work part-time in the local pub down the road, Carol Phillips had just sniffed with slight disapproval. “I guess my son’s wages isn’t enough to keep you then, if you feel you have to work as well. Some people are never contented”

It took all of Kelly’s efforts not to say something back, like the real reason why she wanted to get a job, was to get away from her, and it had nothing to do with how much Danny was bringing in.

But she managed to bit her tongue, and just walk away, though she found herself venting to Janice a few hours later, when her sister-in law called, because she wanted Kelly to go into town with her shopping for new shoes.

Kelly was only too glad to escape, and take up the offer.

“I don’t think your Mother is ever going to take to me” she admitted to Janice gloomily as they sat on the bus on their way into town.

“When I was hanging around the house, she always makes me feel like I am invading her privacy, and she would prefer me to be elsewhere so she can have the house to herself. Now I thought getting this job at the pub might make her happy, that she was getting me out of the way for a while, but instead she thinks I am undermining Danny in someway because I want to work. Apparently I should be contented that he is bringing in the wage, and I should sit at home twiddling my thumbs,” Kelly went on

“Its not like she even lets me help her around the house, or hardly cook a meal, when I do that, she implies I think she is incapable, and that I am trying to take over her domain”

“I am so sorry about my Mum,” Janice apologised with a frown of annoyance, “The sooner you and Danny get your own place, the better it will be for you both. Believe me, I know what she is like, that was why I ended up leaving home the first chance I got”

Janice now sighed heavily, “The thing is, if I were you, I wouldn’t take what my mum says and does too personally, The truth is she is not a happy person, and she has got so used to playing the victim and the martyr, ever since my dad left her to go of with another woman she thought was her friend, that she doesn’t know what other way to be.

She just refuses to get over it, and move on with her life preferring to remain lonely and embittered about it all” Janice explained.

“That’s sad,” Kelly shook her head, “Danny did tell me a bit about your father walking out on you when you were young. But he never mentioned it was with another woman, that was also a friend of your mother’s”