The Misadventures of a Playground Mother Read Online Free

his childhood had been a happy one until the day he decided he wouldn’t follow in his father’s footsteps and become a factory worker. He wanted to live his own dream; he wanted a country farmhouse with a beautiful wife and family.
    As a lad, the Farrier had often sneaked into the local farmer’s field where he taught himself to ride the horses that grazed there – which was where his love of horses originated. When he left school, he decided he would take himself off to college and train as a farrier, much to his father’s disappointment. He thought he was the luckiest person alive when he graduated, and then secured a position at the local stables but that was where all his troubles began.
    There were numerous stable girls employed there and as a young man with a good job, he could have his pick of the lasses. He was particularly taken with a girl called Melanie. The Farrier thought she was lovely, very feminine. Her long curly locks flowed beautifully down her back and her striking blue eyes that always sparkled with kindness were just perfection. She was exquisite – kind and funny – the type of girl he wanted to make a life with; the type of girl he wanted to marry. One day he was determined that she would be his.
    Then the day Camilla, his current wife, started to work at the same stables it all went wrong. Overnight, Melanie disappeared without saying a word. There was no trace of her. His heart was broken, and he had no idea why she’d suddenly vanished.
    It didn’t take a genius to know what was coming next; even with my hangover, I was able to surmise it was none other than the lovely Camilla lurking behind the stable doors waiting to pick up the pieces of the Farrier's broken heart. The Farrier was vulnerable, and unfortunately, fell into the arms of Camilla.
    The story didn’t end there, which was unfortunate for me but I suppose I wasn’t going anywhere; after all, how else was I going to celebrate my birthday? It couldn’t get any better than a dead Frisky Pensioner and a day spent with the Farrier. ‘Sod it,’ I thought to myself as I poured the leftover Malibu into a tumbler and took a swig – hair of the dog and all that, it was my birthday after all.
    â€˜I had no idea Bert was your father,’
    He nodded.
    â€˜Not many people do, it’s a long story,’ he answered taking a sip of his drink then making a weird sound which sounded like a sob.
    â€˜Well, I’m not going anywhere,’ I encouraged. Matt would most definitely be out for a while with the children so I might as well listen to him, he looked like he needed a shoulder to cry on.
    â€˜All communication with my father had become strained, he was disappointed in me.’
    I shifted in my chair and tucked my feet under my body, making myself more comfortable. His eyes were sad. He continued.
    â€˜I had ambition, I wanted a career, I didn’t want to follow in my father’s footsteps to become a factory worker in a mundane job doing the same thing day in and day out, I love the outside, that is what makes me tick.’
    I didn’t interrupt him, I stayed silent while I sipped my drink.
    â€˜He never listened to me, and when he was angry he would thump his hand on the table and order me to do what he said, but when I stood up to him, he didn’t like it. I always had the desire to work with animals so I persevered. It caused numerous arguments between him and my mother, she would often tell my father to calm his temper down and that would make him worse. I would often hear her sobs from the living room late at night while he was out working the night shift.’
    â€˜How awful,’ I agreed.
    â€˜The bottom line is we tolerated each other, he had no qualms in reminding me who the head of the household was and to be honest when I became close to Camilla this was my escape route.’
    â€˜What do you mean?’ I enquired tentatively.
    â€˜It