The Little Stranger

Chapter Eight

With Ellie safely tucked into the car seat in the back, Gemma sat upfront with Jake in his car, as they headed for his father's house. Now dressed in a casual shirt and jeans and clean shaven, Jake looked a lot more respectable, but Gemma didn't miss the tension in his face as he negotiated the busy traffic, but she had a feeling it was more than a lunchtime traffic jam that was on his mind.

"I thought you and your father would have resolved your differences by now," she finally spoke up with a bewildered frown, "I mean, he use to give you a hard time about being in the band, but you proved your point, you made a success of your life and your music career, you have done well. Surely he recognises that at least?"

"Well that's the thing," Jake replied, still looking out the windscreen in front of him, "I think he begrudges me my success, and that I proved him wrong in some way. He will never it admit outright of course, his pride won't let him, so he hones in on other things, like my failures, and he likes to remind me of them. He keeps telling me it's to keep my oversized ego in check, and remind me I am no different than every other mortal on the planet"

Despite the fact knowing Jake's father's attitude irritated him to the point of frustration, Gemma couldn't help smiling as she imagined Robert, or as he liked to be known, Bob Kavanagh coming off with such statements to his son.

"I take it you agree with him then?" Jake queried accusingly, as he glanced around, noticing Gemma's smile of amusement.

"Eh no, I wouldn't say that," Gemma hurriedly replied, her expression quickly turning serious again, "I am sure you do not believe you are that different to the rest of us, but it's just now, I can imagine your father coming off with something like that"

"Like I said, he hasn't changed" Jake sighed wearily

"You know he just gets on your back sometimes, and seems hard on you because he worries and cares about you, " Gemma then said consolingly, "I know he has a funny way of showing it, but like you said he is a proud man, and stubborn, that's the problem you both share that trait"

"I guess so," Jake admitted, "But sometimes it would be nice if he would even acknowledge how far I have come, then I ask myself why do I even care what he thinks?! It's my life"

"Yeah, it is, and you have lived it how you wanted too," Gemma agreed, "You shouldn't let what your dad says get under your skin. He is from a different generation, with different values, so it doesn't mean either of your viewpoints are right or wrong, they are just different" she pointed out diplomatically

Jake nodded thoughtfully, "Yeah. you are right. And you know what, you can pass that bit of wisdom on to him, if he starts on me"

Gemma remained silent, hoping it would not come to that point. She had great respect for Jake's father, he had always been kind to her, and made her feel welcome, she would never dream of lecturing him about how he behaved with his son or taking sides.

They finally arrived at his father's house a nice three bedroomed semi-detached house, just outside town. "He didn't really want to move out of our old house," Jake explained, as Gemma fetched Ellie out of the back of the car, "Only he got fed up with my fans turning up at the door, and having to tell them to clear off, then giving me a hard time about it"

"Oh dear," Gemma looked suitable concerned, as followed Jake up the pathway with Ellie in her arms.

"I mean this is a much nicer house I found for him, and no one bothers him. But he still gets the odd dig in, about having to move out of his home, because of me and my fame" Jake continued to grumble resentfully.