‘Don’t worry, I’m more than a match for these two,’ Espie said.
‘It’s great to have you home,’ Michelle said, stooping to give her mother-in-law a kiss on the cheek before they left. ‘Take care. See you all later.’
Bloody hypocrite, Claire thought, watching Michelle leave. She’d hardly seen Espie for years before they’d had the children. She had deliberately cut her mother-in-law out of her life, having decided she was a ‘toxic’ person who was a drain on her positive energy. Claire knew this because Michelle had written about it in her column, casting herself as the martyred victim of a nasty, interfering mother-in-law.
This was based on a couple of incidents that had caused Michelle great offence. First, Espie had organised a surprise party for Neil’s thirtieth birthday. Even though she had planned nothing to mark the occasion, Michelle claimed that Espie had stolen her thunder and was tryingto usurp her rightful position as the number-one woman in Neil’s life. She was particularly needled that the party was a raucous, roaring success. Neil had made the mistake of telling her he’d had the time of his life, and everyone was talking about it for months afterwards, praising Espie’s warmth and hospitality.
Second, Espie had visited Michelle on the day she’d given birth to Holly, eager to see her first grandchild – when, as Michelle told her readers, she had made it quite clear that the only visitors she wanted in the first few days were Neil and her own mother; she had told everyone else that, if they wanted to do something, they could stock up her freezer with food or do a bit of cleaning in preparation for her going home, instead of crowding into her hospital room and cluttering it with flowers and baby gifts.
Not long after she had taken Holly home, though, Michelle had changed her tune and decided Espie wasn’t so toxic, after all – not if it meant free babysitting on tap so she could enjoy child-free nights out and weekends away, and the ‘me time’ that was so precious to her as a new mother. But she had still acted like she was doing it for the sake of family harmony, at great personal cost to herself. Claire sometimes wondered how much of her own bullshit Michelle actually believed.
Back in the kitchen, Claire rang Luca, desperately hoping now that he would come. Would he think she was being clingy, trying to see him again already? Maybe it would be a good thing if she couldn’t get him, she thought, as his phone rang and rang. She was about to hang up when he answered.
‘Hey, sweetheart. What’s up?’
‘Hi.’ She felt a burst of happiness in her chest at the endearment – even though she knew he didn’t meananything by it. ‘I was just wondering if you’d like to come for dinner.’
‘Still on a mission to feed me up?’ He chuckled.
‘I mean, you’re probably doing something else, but I just thought I’d ask. There’s all this food?—’
‘No, that’d be great. Thanks.’
‘My whole family will be here,’ she said warningly, ‘so…’
‘Don’t worry, I won’t try to jump you in the middle of dinner.’
She laughed. ‘I was just warning you. In case you want to back out.’
‘I don’t.’
‘So, you’ll come? To dinner, I mean.’
‘Yes, I’ll come to dinner.’
‘Great. We’re eating at about six.’
‘Cool. See you then.’
Ronan and Liz arrived at five thirty, with Ben and Adam. A tall, slender and very pretty woman, Liz was loud, overbearing and bossy. But she was well-meaning and, unlike Michelle, there was no spite in her. A problem-solver by nature, she was always cheerfully doling out unasked-for advice, suggesting places Claire might find a boyfriend or telling Espie about alternative therapies and diets she might try. Ronan was so gentle and easy-going, he was completely overshadowed by his strident wife and rowdy sons.
Michelle and Neil returned shortly afterwards and Claire gave them all drinks in the sitting room while she put the finishing touches to dinner. She had just called everyone into the kitchen when the doorbell rang.
‘Who’s that?’ Liz asked, as they took their places at the table. ‘I thought we were all here.’
‘Claire asked a friend to dinner. Very unfair, I think, on Espie’s first day home,’ Michelle said, in a stage whisper, as Claire went to answer the door.
‘Hi.’ Luca bent and gave her a swift kiss on the lips. ‘Am I late?’ he asked, handing her a bottle of wine.
‘Oh, you shouldn’t have bothered – but thanks,’ she said, taking it from him. ‘No, you’re just in time.’
She stepped back to let him pass, and found Holly standing behind her in the hall with a sly grin on her face. She skipped ahead, as Claire led Luca into the kitchen. Michelle was making a great show of being helpful, pouring wine and fussing over Espie, while Liz barked orders at her family.
Everyone looked up as Claire and Luca came in. ‘Everyone, this is Luca,’ Claire said, then went around the table, introducing everyone in turn.
‘Well, Claire’s kept you very quiet, Luca,’ Liz roared, as he took a seat beside Claire. ‘I hope we don’t scare you off. Are you sure it’s wise throwing him in at the deep end like this?’ she said to Claire.
‘Sorry?’
