Mother and The Father (eBook)

Mother Ah, there you are.

Father Yes.

Mother You’re a bit late.

Father A bit, yes. All right?

Mother Yes, yes.

Where were you?

Father Mm?

Mother This afternoon.

Father What did you say?

Mother Where were you?

Father Why?

Mother Just wondered. That’s all.

Father What about you? Good day?

Mother Why are you asking me that? When you know the answer.

Father Wanted to know.

Mother You’re interested?

Father Yes.

Mother You know perfectly well my day was shitty.

Father (astonished by her answer) What’s the matter with you? Anne …

Mother Nothing. I’m just wondering why you bother to pretend.

Father Me? Pretend what?

Mother To be interested.

Father But I’m not pretending at all, Anne. What are you talking about? I am interested. Very interested.

Mother Well, it’s not very interesting. I stayed in, did nothing. Waited.

Your seminar, is it tomorrow?

Father Yes.

Mother You’re leaving tomorrow?

Father Yes. In the morning.

Mother Good. Are you happy?

Father It’s only a seminar.

You seem upset.

Mother No, it’s just … Nicolas.

Father What?

Mother He still hasn’t phoned.

Father Why should he have phoned?

Mother Because I’m his mother. I left him a message, but he hasn’t called back. As usual. I don’t understand why he never tells me what’s happening in his life. Why he never comes by to see me. Never. He behaves as if I didn’t exist.

Father He’s busy.

Mother Doing what?

Father Mm? I don’t know. Living.

Mother So?

Father What?

Mother Where were you?

Father What do you mean, where was I?

Mother This afternoon.

Father In the office, darling. Why?

What’s the matter with you?

Mother I called the office just now.

Father My office?

Mother Yes. Just now.

I wanted to talk to you.

Father Oh, yes?

Mother And they told me you weren’t there.

Father When?

Mother This afternoon. They told me you weren’t there.

Father I was in a meeting.

Mother Oh, so that’s it …

Father Yes.

Mother Ah, right.

Father Yes. Didn’t my secretary tell you?

Mother (blandly and lightly, as if she’s posing the question for the first time) Everything all right?

Father Fine …

Mother (still unemphatic) Where were you this afternoon?

Father Mm? I told you, I was in the office.

Mother You were in a meeting?

Father Yes.

Mother You were preparing tomorrow’s seminar?

Father No, no connection.

Mother (suspiciously) Really? (Pause.) Is it tomorrow, your seminar?

Father You’re worrying me, Anne.

Mother I am?

Father Yes. You’re weird … You are, I promise you, you’re weird this evening.

Mother I’m not … not at all. What makes you say that? I spend my days on my own bored sick, while you’re banging little bitches in hotel rooms, so obviously …

Father (as if he hadn’t heard) Sorry?

Mother Mm?

Father What did you say?

Mother (as if nothing had been said) I said I’m aware of a great void.

Father It’s your fault as well, you know … You don’t do anything. You haven’t developed any enthusiasms. You stay here, doing nothing. So obviously … the world seems … dreary to you.

Mother What am I supposed to do?

Father I don’t know.

Mother See.

Father You have no interests. Since the children left home, it’s as if … I mean, you have to find yourself something to do. Some focus of interest. Some …

Mother I’ve been had. That’s the truth of it. I’ve been had. All the way down the line.

Father What are you talking about?

Mother There were the children, yes. I took care of them. I certainly took care of the children. Two children, that’s quite something. I say two … three, including you. Because I took care of you as well. And then I took care of this house.

Father You did.

Mother But now everyone’s gone. And here I am on my own. In this big house. Nobody needs me any more. And not even a phone call …

Father You’re exaggerating …

Mother He never phones me. Never. Sara, I’m not saying. But him … Nicolas … Not even a phone call … To ask how I am. To, I don’t know, let me hear his voice. He’s cut me out of his life.

Father He’s in love. It’s natural …

Mother (as if to herself) Little bitches in hotel rooms …

Father You … What’s the matter with you? Anne … Are you all right? You don’t look very …

Mother (her tone suddenly completely normal) I’m fine. What about you? Had a good day?

Father (disconcerted) Mm? Yes.

Mother You had meetings?

Father Why are you doing this?

Mother Why am I doing what?

Father You keep repeating yourself.

Mother You didn’t have a meeting?

Father I did. I told you I did.

Mother Just one?

Father Yes.

Mother So? Did it go well? Did you close the deal?

Father Mm? Yes.

Mother Great. I’m very happy for you.

Father (walking on eggshells) And you …

Mother Oh, I just stayed here. I didn’t do much. Tidied up a bit. Oh, yes, I did go out … Did some shopping. I bought a dress. Want me to show it to you? You won’t like it, though. It’s not your style. It’s red. Need some bravado to carry it off. Or else some really important occasion. I’ll wear it to your funeral.

Father Have you been drinking today?

Mother Me?

Father Yes. Have you been drinking?

Mother Not a drop.

Father You haven’t been drinking?

Mother No. Why are you looking at me like that?

Father No reason.

Mother Actually, I should never have had children.

Father What?

Mother I realise now. I should never have had children. Especially with someone like you. Someone who works, I mean. Who has meetings. And seminars.

Father Anne…

Mother It’s true … When we met, I was what, twenty-two? Naive. How could I have known? If you’re twenty-two, you have no idea what a huge cheat life is. You don’t know anything about it. You can be had so easily. Especially by a man like you. Apparently presentable, superficially at least. Later, as time passes, you find you have to dig a bit deeper. And that’s when you find out the extent of the disaster. Anyway, and I don’t mean this as a compliment, Pierre, you were a … pathetic father. Really. I’ve been meaning to tell you.

Father Me?

Mother Yes. Pathetic. The complete opposite of a role model. At least for Nicolas.

Father Why are you saying this?

Mother It’s what Nicolas told me. He told me he’s always taken you as an anti-role model. Obviously, he’s an artist. He told me that as far as he was concerned, to be anything like you would mean his life was a failure. To some extent, I agree with him.

Father Are you listening to what you’re saying to me?

Anne … Are you...