The Apple of My Stepmother's Eye
Marianne threw the apple up and down, infatuated with the shiny red globe. She was like a cat playing with its toy. Iona almost thought she heard Marianne purr, but her father had always said her imagination ran wild, especially with people she wanted to frame as villains.
Iona had arrived late. She had to change on her way home from work after she remembered that last time she saw her father and stepmother in the top she was wearing, Marianne had commented on how well it rounded her stomach. It was better that she was wearing a baggy jumper anyway. Marianne always kept the house a few degrees too cold. It was an excuse to delay the inevitable. Iona’s lateness didn’t seem to matter as dinner wasn’t ready anyway. Neither was her father who was upstairs finishing a work call.
Marianne couldn’t help making a comment, “you weren’t nervous to have dinner with your own father and stepmother, were you?”
At least she remembers to put ‘step’ in front of mother. It probably helped her feel young. Iona had never imagined her father would marry someone so close in age to her. She didn’t think he was enough of a catch. He had money but looks and a nice personality was out of the question.
The red skin that wrapped around the apple was too perfect. It was almost like it was chemically altered. The fruit complimented Marianne’s outfit like an accessory. Her nails and lips were just as red. Her body-con dress was sickly green and her bleach blonde hair was curled in the style of a sixties housewife. Iona was hunched over on a breakfast bar stool in the kitchen so Marianne could keep an eye on the dinner.
“How’s your sessions with the personal trainer I recommended going?” Marianne asked Iona, preferring to look at the apple rather than her stepdaughter.
Iona looked down immediately. Her hands shuffled in her lap. Marianne continued her catching game with the apple.
“You didn’t call her, did you?” Marianne said, the thump of the apple falling back into her hand punctuating her sentence.
Iona was saved by footsteps speeding down the stairs.
“Girlies, my girlies,” Iona’s father said, running into the kitchen as fast as his middle-age plump legs would take him.
He gave Marianne a hug first despite the fact that they lived together and had seen each other before his work call. Then he gave Iona a hug.
“That new diet thing your mother recommended to you doesn’t seem to be working, darling,” he said after he let her go.
Iona resisted the urge to say ‘step-mother’.
“She just needs to put a bit more effort in, Steve,” Marianne said, resting her head on his shoulder.
They both stared at Iona, unproud parents.
“If it can work for this lovely lady it can work for you, kiddo,” Steve said, pinching Iona’s nose.
It would have been endearing if she was about twenty years younger.
“Lots going on with the business then?” Iona asked, changing the subject as she sat back down at the kitchen island.
Marianne checked on the food in the oven.
“Yes, yes, well we all got a bit distracted at the end. We’ve planned a hunting trip for next weekend,” Steve explained.
“Next weekend?” Marianne said shrilly, turning back around, “we’re having dinner with my university friends next weekend.”
“You’ll have to go without me, darling. This is business.”
Marianne pouted.
“It’s how I give you all this,” Steve said in a patronising baby voice as he gestured around the immaculate kitchen.
Marianne’s pout didn’t deflate.
“And much more,” he said, pulling her to him by her hips and slapping her bum.
Iona cringed. Marianne’s bum kept its shape despite the hard slap. Clearly that’s where some of the money was going. Iona thought about how much her bum would shake if it was slapped. It would be quite excessive. Marianne was smiling at Steve again. It wasn’t a real smile though. Iona could tell it was a ‘playing dumb for my husband’ smile.
“Dinner won’t be long, but you can have an apple whilst you’re waiting,” Marianne said, picking up the perfect apple again.
Steve shooed it away.
“We all know you could do with it,” Marianne continued, scratching his belly.
From where Iona was sitting it looked like she was digging her acrylic nails in his flesh. Well, he had enough of it. Iona had seen her dad really let go after their marriage. He put on an extra few pounds every year. Iona wondered if you chopped him down like a tree, whether you would see rings of fat counting the years since their marriage.
Steve ignored the comment and cracked open a bottle of red wine. He poured each of them a generous glass. Steve sipped it regularly so he could get away with only responding with ‘mmm’ to Iona’s conversation about her job. Marianne gulped it down thirstily. Her drinking had been so eager that the red wine stained the corners of her mouth. The tone was a little too dark to blend in with her bright lipstick.
The father and daughter pair were too consumed in not enjoying each other’s company that the piercing sound made them both jump. Marianne was sharpening a large knife. Each slash against the blade built Iona’s anxiety. She was about to cry out when Marianne stopped.
“I think the chicken is ready for carving,” Marianne said sweetly.
Steve stepped out of the way so his wife could reach the oven and as he turned, Marianne gave Iona a wink. The rest of the dinner party went to plan after that.
The father and husband was found the next day by his personal assistant, laying on top of the dining room table, eyes wide open and skin pale like snow.
A neighbour would later report that she had heard a woman shouting. She couldn’t tell exactly who was shouting but she distinctly made out the words, ‘Despite everything you didn’t do, I never loved you any less. Despite everything I did do, you never loved me anymore.’
The apple was in his mouth. His teeth had pierced its flesh. That was all it took. They do say that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.
Written by Rebecca Clark
Rebecca is 21 year old freelance writer from London. After graduating from university in the Summer of 2020 with a degree in Creative Writing, she has already set up her own freelance writing business. Her website discusses all things social change and can be found through the following link!