Rock, Hard Place

My husband and I bet on the decision Hayley would make about giving Christian the £5,000 he had asked for. He said that, knowing Christian was manipulating, threatening and bribing her for it, she wouldn’t give him the money.  I said that, knowing he was manipulating, threatening and bribing her, she would give it to him. It’s a rock and a hard place question, either way.

My husband thought that Hayley, in her moral surety of right and wrong, would be strong enough to simply say no. She would not be bribed by anything or anyone, including grandchildren. He believed she would not allow anyone, including Christian, to back her in a corner like this. To use her guilt, love and generosity of spirit in such a blatant rip-off.

I thought she’d give him the money so the insult would not have voice. She wouldn’t want it out there, requiring acknowledgement. I thought that, despite knowing that she was being bribed and bullied, she would choose to swallow that hurt in order to avoid another larger one to be said aloud.

Manipulation attempted

If she said no, she’d still know the manipulation he had attempted. She would have to hear the words she feared he’d say; you owe me this, you were never there for me, you can’t be a father to me and you’re certainly not my mother. Those words plus the knowledge of his manipulation would live in her mind forever. Why run that risk?

Justify the money as an inheritance to your child, whether deserved or not, think about your own feelings of guilt toward him, and move on. Lalalala, I can’t hear you say nasty things about me.

But Christian turned nasty even before she had told him yes or no about the money. I wanted to change my betting position. When he started the ‘you owe me’ accusations, I thought she’d say, sorry, changed my mind due to having to listen to your vitriol. I would have. But she is a better person than I.

Despite the figurative slap in the face he gave her, she took out her chequebook and asked “are you sure that’s enough.” I think church-going young Sophie could learn some lessons in true Christian behaviour from non-religious Hayley. She understands what turn the other cheek means. But she’s also recognizes a rock and a hard place.

• Emma Hynes writes an interesting piece about this story. Also see my previous scene of the week.