Pregnancy,a self-deluding husband and a burnt toad in the hole all contribute to Helen’s cabin fever – perhaps only Kirsty can succor her nowMy grandmother – now, we’re going back a bit – used to describe pregnancy delicately as “being confined”. It’s a phrase that suits Helen very well. Ever since she became pregnant, and she has been a wraithlike presence,a pale face at the window of Blossom Hill Cottage, lank-haired and wearing the charity-shop clothes her husband, or Rob,prefers, making occasional disconcerting distressed forays into an oblivious ((adj.) lacking consciousness or awareness of something) Ambridge. Wilkie Collins would believe spat on his hands and whistled.
This sorry situation burst into flames recently when a toad-in-the-hole caught fire. Who Torched the Toad escalated into a full-scale fight, and with Helen showing a flash of spirit,Rob hitting her and five-year-old Henry, entering into the spirit of things, or shoving a small school friend called Xanthe. Though,frankly, I contemplate any child called Xanthe is just asking to be shoved.
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Source: theguardian.com