Truly Madly Guilty

Naturally Erika hadn't said a word to her mother about what had happened at the barbeque. You would think it was a straightforward story but who knew how she'd react?

'We were at a barbeque with the next-door neighbours and Ruby fell into a fountain,' said Erika. 'Oliver and I sort of ... rescued her. We had to give her CPR. She was fine.'

There was silence from the back seat.

'Ruby is the littler one, right?' said Erika's mother in her regular voice. 'How old is she? Two?'

'Yes,' said Oliver.

'What happened? Nobody saw her fall in? Where was her mother? What was Clementine doing?'

'Nobody saw her fall in,' said Erika. 'It was just one of those unfortunate things.'

'So ... she wasn't breathing when you pulled her out?'

'No,' said Erika. She watched Oliver's hands tighten on the steering wheel.

'The two of you worked together?'

'Oliver did compressions, I did the rescue breaths.'

'How long before she responded?'

'It felt like a lifetime,' said Erika.

'I bet it did,' said Sylvia quietly. 'I bet it did.' Then she leaned forward and patted their shoulders.

'Well done,' she said. 'I'm very proud of you two. Very proud.'

Neither Erika nor Oliver said anything, but Erika could feel their mutual happiness filling the car; they both responded like thirsty plants to water when it came to parental approval.

'So Little Miss Perfect Clementine isn't so perfect after all!' crowed Sylvia as she leaned back in her seat. There was a triumphant, bitchy edge to her voice. 'Ha! What did Pam have to say about that? My daughter saved her grandchild's life!'

Erika sighed, and Oliver's shoulders slumped. Of course she would ruin the moment, of course she would.

'Pam is very grateful,' she said flatly.

'Well, that certainly evens up the score then, doesn't it, for all that family supposedly did for you.'

'They didn't supposedly do anything, Mum,' said Erika. 'Their home was a haven for me.'

'A haven,' snorted Sylvia.

'Yes, that's right, a haven, with running water and electricity and actual food in the refrigerator. Oh, and no rats. That was nice. The lack of rats.'

'Let it go,' said Oliver quietly.

'Well, all I'm saying, my darling child, is that we don't have to feel quite so grateful to them now, do we? Quite so subservient. Like they're our feudal overlords. You saved that child's life!'

'Yes, well, and now Clementine is going to donate her eggs to help us have a baby, so we're going to be back to feeling grateful to them,' said Erika.

It was a mistake. As soon as she said it she knew it was a mistake.

There was a beat. Erika looked at Oliver. He shook his head as he resignedly flicked on the indicator to turn right.

'I'm sorry ... what did you just say?' Sylvia leaned forward as far as her seatbelt would let her.

'Dammit, Erika,' sighed Oliver.