Queen's Park

CHAPTER THREE

“I just can’t cope with it!” Nanny’s voice spit words like a router spit wood.

Beth felt the slick white meat of potato in her palm as she peeled. She thought, Remember that time you almost cut your finger off? So much blood in the sink. Water turning from pink to red. The white skin of the potato painted by blood. What had Mom been saying? ‘If you run away like your sister, it’ll kill me.’ The doctor said the words the day after Beth’s 13th birthday. Nanny never forgot them and reminded Beth whenever…

“Ernie, his pervert grandfather, the police and Bob’s tough friends. Any more of this’ll kill me! Are you listening to me?” Nanny said.

Beth sliced the potato in half, dropped the pair into the pot and watched them sink. “Yes.”

“What did I say then?”

“Ernie, his pervert grandfather, the police and Bob’s tough friends. Any more of this’ll kill me.” Beth wiped the back of her wrist across her forehead. Through her reflection in the window, she watched Ernie picking up Scout’s turds in the back yard.

She saw her reflection superimposed around the boy and said, “Middle-aged, recently divorced, living with Mom.”

“What’d you say?”

“Nothing.” She picked up another potato. The pot began to boil.

“Speak up! I’m deaf you know!” Nanny leaned to pick up her smokes.

Christ, she’s gonna blow us up, Beth thought. “It’s beautiful out. Why not go outside on the deck?”

“It’s my house and I’ll do what I damned well please!”

Scout’s nose peeked out from under the table. Beth said, “How are you doing, girl?” Scout’s nose lifted and she crawled forward.

“I told you, I can’t cope anymore!” Nanny said.

“Feeling more like yourself?” Beth said to Scout.

“No! Haven’t you been listening?” Nanny stabbed the air with an unlit cigarette.

“I think we should call the police.”

“Police couldn’t help when they took my Judy away.”

Nanny took a breath. “Police couldn’t help when they broke into the store.” Leona lifted a Kleenex out of the box.

“Police couldn’t help when they slashed my tires.” She dabbed at her eyes. “Police couldn’t stop the nasty phone calls.” Her right hand shook. She reached for the lighter. “Police couldn’t help when they turned my Judy against me.” The lighter flared.

Feet pounded the deck. “Hey!” Ernie said.

The tags around Scout’s neck clinked together. She whined to get outside.

“Do I have to do everything around here?” Nanny leaned and opened the sliding door.

“Don’t!” Ernie said.

“It’s my house and… ”

Beth saw the black flash of a rodent’s horizontal tail.

“I’ll do what… ” Nanny said.

Scout’s nails scattered over the linoleum. She was all teeth and rage.

“Ernie!” Beth said.

A coffee coloured squirrel glared down at them from atop the fireplace ledge.

Scout growled.

“Why’d you let that thing in here?” Nanny said to Ernie.

“You opened the door!” Ernie said.

“Don’t get smart with me!”

“That squirrel’s been teasing Scout all summer,” Ernie stood, half inside the room and half out.

“I don’t care! Just get that damned thing out of my house!” Nanny said.

Beth saw her son’s mouth forming a reply. Fighting with her mother was as inevitable as the coming of winter. The old woman’s ensuing resentment thawed slightly faster than a glacier.

“Ernie!” Beth said.

He looked her way, his eyes black with rage.

She motioned with her hand, “Come here, please.”

He walked into the kitchen.

Beth took careful aim and tossed the potato. It slapped against the brick just centimeters above the squirrel.

The squirrel sprang.

Scout leapt to intercept. For an instant it looked as if she might close her mouth on the tip of the squirrel’s tail.

Scout thumped back to the floor. The rodent landed on the top of Nanny’s head then jumped through the opening.

Nanny’s mouth formed an O of surprise.

Scout was a tail length behind the squirrel. It leapt off the deck and onto the white table top. The dog jumped onto the table, skidded, and dived over the deck railing.

Ernie heard the air expelled through his mother’s nostrils. Beth stepped onto the carpet to pick up the bruised potato.

Nanny patted a rooster tail at the top of her head.

Scout barked and the squirrel chattered.

Nanny coughed.

Ernie took a breath.

BLATTT! Nanny farted, leaned forward and brought her hand to her mouth.

Ernie smiled.

Nanny slapped her knee.

The sound of Ernie’s laughter mixed with his grandmother’s.

Beth’s mouth formed a straight line. She reached for her mother’s inhaler and nitro pills. She had to be ready in case Nanny couldn’t breathe when the laughter stopped.