Lives Unravelled

Lives Unravelled

Another bright blue-sky morning dawned over the olive growing region of Andalusia. The welcoming family-run rural hotel sat nestled in the early morning shadow of Mount Tiñosa. The family who ran it were the envy of friends and neighbours alike. They were living the dream. Living and working in an idyllic location, three generations together. Janet and Robert, their daughter Laura, her husband Jamie and their two children. Guests left glowing reviews praising the warm, welcoming family and the cosy Andalusian Cortijo with its pretty patio and stunning views.

Jamie was a tall, handsome, charismatic salesman with a good line in chat. In the beginning he charmed his mother-in-law and talked sport and joked with his father-in-law. Characteristics that also served him well in his dealings with the hotel guests with whom he could indulge in boasting about his achievements and his ownership of the Cortijo. He always failed to mention that his ownership was only twenty-five percent. His wife and her parents owning the remaining seventy-five percent.

Beneath the surface, if anyone had chosen to look, tension, jealousy and hatred inhabited his heart. He had had his eyes set on his in-law’s wealth from the start. And yes, he had been very attracted to Laura, she was a beautiful looking girl, fifteen years his junior and easily manipulated.

***

The clocks had fallen back an hour. It was a dark night and there had been a drop of rain in the air earlier in the day. Janet was waiting for some guests who were arriving late because their flight had been delayed.

As she walked from her apartment towards the main building, she was surprised to see that the whole place was in darkness and the main gates were shut. The Cortijo looked like a fairy tale castle when the welcoming lights were on. They were also a necessity as the isolated Cortijo was hidden amongst the olive groves.

Have Jamie and Laura forgotten that we’ve got guests arriving at ten thirty tonight? She unlocked the gate and opened the apartment up. She checked everything was in order - no birds had flown down the chimney, as sometimes happened, and put the heating on to give welcoming warmth from the chilly night air. She continued down to the office to the large electrical cupboard to put on the outside lights. To her surprise the office was locked. She had no access to the cupboard. She stood in the dark debating what to do. The families had an unspoken rule that they didn’t disturb each other after nightfall. First, she tried to telephone Laura, it was just possible that the guests had cancelled and Laura had forgotten to tell her. No answer. Becoming increasingly agitated in case the guests should arrive at the dark, isolated building, or worse still not be able to find it, she gathered her courage and tapped on the door to her daughter and son-in law’s apartment. No answer. Their car was outside and the lights were on inside, she checked her watch, she didn’t want to wake the grandchildren if they’d just settled down to sleep. It was only 8.00pm. The children wouldn’t be asleep yet. Maybe they were all in the bathroom. She knocked the door more loudly.

The door flew open, as if Jamie had been waiting behind it, his face was ugly with anger.

“Sorry to bother you but I need the keys to the office to put the electric lights on for the guests who are arriving shortly.”

He came outside, marched up to Janet and shouted in her face, “You know you don’t come here at night banging on my door, disturbing us all.”

She could feel herself getting annoyed by his attitude and shouted back, “It doesn’t look very welcoming for the guests like this, I need to put the lights on!”

“You don’t NEED to do anything you interfering old woman. You’re always sticking your nose in where it’s not wanted, now get lost.”

Janet usually tried to keep the peace by pandering to her son-in-law’s ego. He always expected to receive superior treatment, even though he thought nothing of ridiculing her and her husband who had given him and their daughter everything.

Janet could feel anger bubbling inside her. She pointed her finger at him and exclaimed, “Don’t speak to me like that.”

To her shock he hit her hand away and growled, “Don’t point your finger at me.”

“Don’t you dare hit me!” she retaliated.

He drew himself up to his considerable height, raised his clenched fist and brought it down to within inches of her face. “I didn’t hit you, you silly cow, but I would if I wanted to,” he threatened, bringing his fist closer to her face.

Janet panicked, her heart was racing, fear and anger coursing through her body. She pushed past him into their apartment and ran to tell her daughter what was happening. “He’s mad,” she shouted, “He’s dangerous. He hit me. You should divorce him.”

Janet noticed her eight-year-old granddaughter, who she loved immeasurably, cowering, terrified in her mother’s arms. Jamie had followed her into the bedroom and was still screaming profanities at her. Laura yelled, “Both of you get out, you’re frightening Maisy.”

Janet left. He was still right behind her, breathing down her neck. “Get out you old cow, I don’t want you here. You’ve never done anything for me or this business.”

“That would suit you, wouldn’t it? You’ve had all our money and now you want to see the back of us.”

“You’ve never given me anything.”

“That’s true. You’ve just helped yourself to everything that was ours.” Janet gasped in a breath, her heart pounding. “You’re nothing better than a common thief. You’ve stolen my daughter, my grandkids and the quarter of a million euros we put into this business.”

“Leave, you old witch and never come back,” he yelled after her as she ran back to her husband and the safety of their apartment.

“Don’t worry love,” said Robert after she relayed the story to him. “Laura and you have a very close relationship. Talk to her in the morning, I’m sure you’ll be able to sort it all out.”

He went to bed. Janet stayed awake to welcome the guests in. She couldn’t have slept anyway. The crazy events of the last hour tumbled through her mind.

The following day she tried to speak to Laura. Her daughter looked through her as though she didn’t exist.

Janet sent Laura an email apologising for upsetting the grandchildren. The children came for pizza that night.

Janet asked Laura to meet her so she could explain what had happened. Laura refused. Janet received an email telling a totally different side of the story to what really happened. The only truth in the email was that she had knocked on the door asking for the key to put the lights on!

Laura told her mother to leave. Saying she didn’t want to see her ever again and she must not contact the children, who she had loved and looked after almost continually since birth.

***

Janet had never experienced narcissistic behaviour, had never heard the term “gas-lighting” or believed that she could be estranged from her beloved daughter or grandchildren. To say she was devastated would be an understatement. After one more thwarted attempt at making peace, which resulted in a three-page email telling her they’d never wanted them there in the first place, and the money that they’d put in was her rightful inheritance, Laura told them to leave and never come back.

***

So today we’re leaving our little apartment. My husband and I are in our seventies, we’ve no money and don’t know where we’re going next but “There’s no going back now.”

I closed the door and turned the key in the lock literally and metaphorically. That phase of my life is over!