The Other Side: Prologue

Prologue

1st December 2014

“Missy, could you come downstairs, please? Me and your father need a chat with you, about something very important.” Mum shouted.

Was I in trouble? Did they need me for something? Has something happened? I did not understand what I was about to face.

And I wish I didn’t.

I flung open my bedroom door, and hurried downstairs, into the family kitchen. Many scenarios played out like a movie in my head. Was I doing bad at school? Had I got into trouble? Had something happened to Nan? Did Dad need me for something? Was there going to be a celebration?

Please let it be good news. Please let it be good news. Please, just let it just be good news just for once.

Anxiously, I slowly pushed the door open, and revealed the disastrous wreckage. It looked like they had burgled the place. A shower of shattered glass covered the worktop. There were smashed cups. The kitchen table had been pushed over. There was a huge dent in the back wall.

The place was a state.

“What’s happened?” I squeaked, with my voice quivering with apprehension. I’d never seen Mum this upset before. Usually, she’d be so happy. She was a global fashion designer. She had clients. She had friends. They admired her. Respected her. She had a husband. A daughter. A family. A home. She had everything. Things that some people could only dream of.

Why was she so upset?

“Do you want to tell her, Harvey, or should I?” She blurted out, bitterly.

So Dad had done something.

“You can tell her.” Dad replied.

But what was it?

Mum turned to look at me. Her caramel brown hair was tied in a messy updo. Her makeup was smudged all across her face. Her icy blue eyes were swimming with tears. This wasn’t the Mum I was used to seeing. This definitely wasn’t the Mum who I wanted to see. I just wanted to hug her, then. Hug her and never let go. Tell her how much I loved her. How much I appreciate her. Just try to make her feel better. I mean, wouldn’t you do the same?

“Your father has been seeing another woman.” She snarled.

“Wait, what?”

“Yep. Don’t suppose you’ve ever come across Leila Hamilton?”

“Um, I can’t remember, but I think I might have heard the name before.” I said, clueless to what was really going on.

“That’s who it is. Missy, you know that model who works at Paris-”

“Alright, I’m sorry Diana. You knew this was coming. Our relationship was already on the rocks. We’re both so caught up in our work, we barely ever spend time together anymore. Most nights, I’m working late at Havenshaw and you’re at a hotel, working with your team, or spending time with your friends and family. You never want to see me. You never even talk to me some days. So, this is me, this is me saying we need to move on. Missy doesn’t deserve this. She doesn’t deserve a dysfunctional family. She need not listen to us arguing all the time. She needs people who are going to love and support her. Care for her. Teach her. That’s not good enough for you anymore, is it? Being a mother. It’s not quite up there with what you want is it, Di? Like you always say to me, we’re only here once, why not reach for the stars in the meantime? And I know you’re with Jason, so don’t try and make out to be some god like saint, which you’re not,” He said, wiping tears from his face.

It looked like this was hurting him too.

“So, you’re going to give me a lecture on parenthood? About how to be and not be a mother? Let’s all listen to Harvey, shall we? The world’s best father, hmm? You went five weeks, five entire weeks, with no contact, last month. Remember that? When you supposedly went “sightseeing” around the country but turns out that you were with her all along. What do you think made me feel? How do you think it made Missy feel? She thought her own father had left her. She truly believed that she wasn’t enough for you. That she had let you down. Crying yourself to sleep, every night, weren’t you?” She asked, desperately awaiting my validation.

I nodded in response. That was the worst five weeks of my life. Every day. Every night. I felt the same. I barely slept. I couldn’t focus. I couldn’t see anyone. I couldn’t even go out. But I won’t go into all that right now. That’s a story for another time.

Slowly, Dad shook his head. What did it mean? Was it guilt? Was there something more he had to tell me? I wanted to ask. I wanted to know. I need answers. But I knew I would not get them straight away. I wasn’t old enough to understand what this meant for their relationship.

“I didn’t know, did I? I’m not a mind reader am I? I mean if you bothered to communicate with me, maybe I could’ve been able to talk to you Missy. Calm you down. Try my best and to explain what’s going on-”

“So you’re going to try to blame me? try to make out it was my fault for not “maintaining communication” about your own daughter’s mental health. Flipping hell, Harvey you have a nerve don’t you? I was the one who stuck by her. I was the one who had to put their work on hold for almost two months, to look after her. To cook for her. Care for her. Put her to sleep every night. Comfort her. Because of you, I almost went bust,” She snapped, hastily. “I had to put my entire life on hold, for you.”

“Funnily enough, Diana, that's what you do when you have a kid. You put the kid first, before yourself. Something which hasn’t registered with you still,” He looked at Diana. Her eyes darted all around the room. To me. To the ceiling. To the floor. To the wall. To the glass. What was she avoiding? Was she lying? Is there something else I didn’t know about?

She’d done the same.

She was just as in the wrong as Dad was.

“Are you going to answer me? Hmm?”

“Just leave Mum alone. She’s done nothing wrong. You are in the wrong. You should be ashamed of what you’ve done.” I disclosed, naively. I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought I was helping Mum. She was the only one who understood what it was really like for me. How hard it was, being in the public eye. Being exposed to cameras, people, festivals, awards, media.

She was the only thing I had.

“You don’t need to defend her, Missy. She’s just in the wrong as I am-”“I want a divorce.”

“What, why?”

“I said, I want a divorce.”

And that was the day that everything changed.

“Divorce Deeds for fashion sensation, Diana Gallagher and Heartland’s Harvey Middleheart.”

“After five years of marriage, Harvey Middleheart and Diana Gallagher announce a divorce”

“Affair Aftermath: Diana Gallagher divorces Harvey Middleheart after discovering his seven month affair with 22 year old model, Leila Hamilton.”

“Missy’s in the Middle: Harvey Middleheart and Diana Gallagher begin divorce proceedings.”