Ellie, you have to understand, its all getting desperate, David rubbed his brow and let out a weary sigh. Sandras been on my back for two months now.
She found some kind of fancy learning programme for Ben in Cyprus. You know, our Ben.
Shes saying the lad needs a good start, needs to brush up his English and all that. But where am I supposed to find the money?
You know my work situations gone down the drain.
Ellie raised her eyes slowly, meeting her dads.
So youve decided selling the cottage is the best solution? she asked softly.
What else can I do? her father perked up, leaning in. That place just sits empty. Sandra never goes there, she moans about being bored, the midges and that…
She still thinks the place is mine, by the way. Shes convinced well flog it and suddenly life will be grand.
Ellie, youre a smart lass. Heres what we do: you sell it, officially. You get every penny back you lent me ten years ago.
And whatevers left over, the bit extra thanks to the market value, you give to me. Were family.
You wont be out of pocket, will you? You get your own back, and youve helped your old man out.
Hed shown up without so much as a text. Truth be told, they barely spoke anymore hed had a whole new family for years, and Ellie never really fit into their lives.
She half-guessed why hed come. Figured he needed money again, but… this deal he was offering was odd, to put it mildly.
Dad, lets cast our minds back to ten years ago, Ellie cut in once hed finished. When you came to me needing money for your operation and recovery.
Remember that?
David winced, looking a bit uncomfortable.
Why rake all that up now? We got you fixed in the end, thanks to God.
Rake up the past? Ellie scoffed, shaking her head. That lump sum in my account was what Id saved for five years, pound by pound. It was meant for my flat deposit.
I worked weekends, skipped holidays, scrimped on everything. And then you showed up. No work, no savings, but theres Sandra, and theres Ben.
You took everything Id put away!
I was desperate, Ellie! What was I meant to do? Go lie in the street and wait to die?
I did offer to help you, Ellie pressed on, barely registering his protest. But I was upfront. I told you: Im scared of losing my money and my future home if something happens to you.
And you had a wife already Sandra. You know shed never let me near that cottage if you were gone.
Remember how we argued for a whole week over it? You refused to sign anything, kept sulking.
How could you not trust your own dad?
But I just wanted some peace of mind.
You got your guarantee, David interrupted, a bit sharply. We signed over the deeds, the cottage became yours.
I sold it to you for next to nothing, really. Just what I needed for the hospital.
But the deal was: Id get to use it, and when I had the money, Id buy it back.
Its been ten years, Ellie shot back. Ten, Dad. Did you ever mention buying it back? Did you give me a single pound? No.
You lived there every summer, grew your tomatoes, burned the firewood which I paid for.
The council tax was on me, that roof repair three years ago, also me.
You carried on like lord of the manor while I was chipping away at my mortgage.
David dabbed at his forehead with a handkerchief.
Well, I couldnt work, you know that… It took ages after the chemo, and then what with my age, nobodyd have me.
And Sandra… well, you know what shes like. Sensitive soul, the job at the office gets to her.
We live off what she sells online, and really, it just about stretches.
Sensitive soul? Ellie stood and began to pace the kitchen. So Im just made of stone, am I?
Im supposed to juggle two jobs, keep up my mortgage, and still bankroll your little country retreat every summer?
And now its Sandras bright idea to sell off my cottage for her son to jet off to Cyprus?
My cottage, Dad! Mine!
Well, technically, yes, it is but we both know it was only meant to be a short-term fix.
Ellie, Im your father. I gave you life! Can you really cling to a patch of land when your own brother needs a leg up?
Brother? Ellie whirled round. Ive seen Ben twice in my whole life.
Hes never so much as sent a birthday card. And Sandra… has she ever shown an ounce of interest in how Ive been scraping by? Kept up all those payments over the years?
She still thinks youre some tycoon whos just fallen on tough times.
Youve lied to her for a whole decade, Dad.
At that, David looked away, guilt written plain on his face.
I wanted to keep it simple… didnt want her getting cross. Shed have gone spare if she thought Id shifted the place out of the family.
Out of the family?
Oh, dont pick apart my words! he snapped, raising his voice. Im being fair. That cottage is worth four or five times what it was. The markets rocketed.
You get your £30,000 back, what you gave me for the operation. Thats fair, isnt it? The rest say, £70,000 goes to me.
I need to set Ben up, sort out Sandras teeth, get a car that works, the old ones falling apart.
It wont make a difference to you, will it? Youve got your nice London flat. Come on. Do something for the family!
Ellie looked at him, searching for a trace of the gentle dad who used to read her bedtime stories.
No, she said, clear and firm.
What dyou mean, no? David faltered, mouth open.
Im not selling the cottage. And Im certainly not handing you a penny on top.
That place is mine. Both legally and morally.
You had ten years there, free as you liked. You got back on your feet and enjoyed the countryside. Think of it as my support for my dad.
But thats where it ends.
Are you serious? Davids cheeks turned red. Youre going to rob your father of his last thing? If it werent for me, thered be no cottage at all! Your grandad built it!
Exactly, grandad. And I reckon hed be turning in his grave if he saw you squandering the family home for some dodgy language course for a lad who hasnt so much as lifted a finger in nineteen years.
Ellie, for heavens sake! David cried, leaping up. You owe me! I raised you! If you dont agree now, Ill… Ill go public. Ill tell Sandra what a greedy daughter you are.
Ill take you to court! Ill have the sale overturned! Theyll say you tricked me out of it when I was ill!
Ellie just gave a bitter little smile.
Go on, Dad. Ive got every receipt from the hospital. All the bank transfers.
And the sale contract you signed in front of the solicitor, when you were perfectly sane and out of hospital.
By the way, Sandras going to love hearing you sold the cottage before Ben even started primary school.
Didnt you tell her it was your inheritance?
Ellie… his voice suddenly softened to a whine. Please, darling. Sandras going through a tricky patch right now…
If she finds out the truth, shell chuck me out. Shes fifteen years younger than me she only stuck around for a bit of security.
No cottage, no cash whats she want with me? Do you want your own dad sleeping rough in his old age?
Shouldve thought about that earlier, shouldnt you? Ellie bit back, fury rising. You didnt worry when you packed in work, or let Sandra get into debt, or made promises you couldnt keep all with my money.
So thats it, then? No help from you? David stood tall, bristling. Some daughter I raised…
Go home, Dad. Tell Sandra the truth. Thats the decent thing left to do.
Choke on that bloody cottage! he spat as he stormed out. And dont bother calling me. I dont have a daughter any more!
He slammed the door, and Ellie just laughed dryly to herself as if hed ever really been there.
Hed left when she was seven.
***
Her mobile rang on Saturday morning. Unknown number.
Hello?
Is that Ellie? It was Sandra, the step-mum, instantly recognisable. Who do you think you are, you little cow?
You really think we dont know how you tricked David? He told me everything!
Stuck papers under his nose right after surgery when he was out of it!
Sandra, good morning, Ellie answered, icy calm. If you want to talk, lets not do it by yelling.
What morning?! Weve already drafted a claims letter!
My solicitor says that dealll be thrown out in seconds. You took advantage of your dads illness, stole the family home off him for peanuts.
Well have you in court!
Sandra, listen closely.
I know youve heard Davids side. But Ive got all the proof that the money went to his treatment.
Whats more, Ive got messages from him, every year for the past decade, thanking me for looking after the cottage and letting him stay.
He wrote, in black and white: Thank you, love, for not abandoning me, for keeping the cottage safe.
What do you think the judge will say to that?
There was silence at the end of the line Sandra clearly hadnt expected Ellie to be so prepared.
You greedy little cow, she hissed. Isnt your flat enough for you? Do you have to take what littles left from Ben? He needs to study!
What Ben needs is a job, Ellie shot back. Like I had at his age.
And maybe its time you knew the truth. Remember those shares he told you he had?
What shares? Sandras voice wobbled.
The ones he invented. He just took the money I was sending him out of kindness, called it his dividends.
Check his bank statements if you dont believe me. The lot, he begged off me, always playing the sick card.
I went into debt thinking I was saving my dads life. I only pieced it together myself a little while ago.
Sandra slammed the phone down. That evening, Ellie got a text from her father.
Just three words: Youve ruined everything.
***
She didnt reply. A couple of days later, she heard from a neighbour at the village that Sandra had thrown an almighty fit.
Apparently, Sandra was screaming, chucking Davids things out the cottage windows, and the police had to come.
Turned out shed already borrowed a hefty loan with the cottage as collateral, banking on a quick sale and an easy life for Ben.
David had to pack his things and go. Sandra filed for divorce once his lies were out.
As for Ben, used to being waited on, he just shrugged, moved in with his girlfriend, and said old man brought it on himself.
Ellies got no idea where her dad is now. And, honestly, shes no intention of finding out.
