‘But she’s a bit naïve about men. She hasn’t had many boyfriends. It would be easy for someone to take advantage, flatter her with some attention. Especially now when she’s just suffered a loss?—’
Luca didn’t wait to hear any more. He felt like running away, mortified that Claire’s family could think he was on the make, but he forced himself to carry on up the stairs. Surely Claire wouldn’t believe that about him if they said it to her. He knocked on the door of her room before entering. She was lying under the duvet, fully dressed.
‘Are you okay?’ he asked softly. ‘Do you want anything?’
‘No, thanks,’ she said, as he crossed the room and sat on the bed. ‘Are Michelle and Liz still here?’
‘Yeah.’
‘I’m just being a wimp, hiding up here until everyone’s gone. I can’t take any more of Michelle being “marvellous”.’
‘I’ll tell her to fuckoff if you want.’
Claire smiled. ‘Better not. She already doesn’t like you. I think she suspects you’re after my money.’
Luca laughed in relief. ‘Yeah, I heard her talking. She’s going to warn you about me.’
‘Oh God – sorry. She’s an awful wagon.’
‘It doesn’t matter. I’ll let you know when the coast is clear.’
‘Thanks,’ Claire said, her eyes drooping closed.
‘You should try to get some sleep.’ Luca kissed her forehead and crept quietly out of the room.
When he went back downstairs, Claire’s sisters-in-law were in the kitchen, surveying the food.
‘I don’t know what people are thinking,’ Michelle said, standing in the open fridge doorway. ‘I mean, they must know that Claire’s on her own now. She’ll never get through all this.’
‘Well, we could divide it up for her and put it in the freezer,’ Liz suggested, standing at the table, beside the cakes. ‘It’d be handy for her to have some stuff ready when she comes home from work.’
‘I know people mean well, but it’s not thoughtful,’ Michelle continued, as if Liz hadn’t spoken.
‘Or she might have people over,’ Luca suggested.
‘Who would she have over?’ Michelle said dismissively. ‘Well, it would be a shame to let all this go to waste. I’ll take this,’ she said, pulling a huge tray of lasagne out of the fridge. ‘It’ll save me having to cook for a couple of nights. I was up to my eyes this week already, and now with this funeral on top of everything else, I won’t have a minute.’
‘Maybe we should stay and eat with Claire tonight,’ Liz said uncertainly.
‘I think she’d rather be on her own,’ Michelle said.
At least she’d got that right, Luca thought.
‘I’ll be here anyway,’ Luca said, adding, under his breath, ‘eyeing up the silverware.’
‘What?’ Michelle asked sharply, turning to him. ‘What did you say?’
‘Nothing.’
Liz smirked at him, obviously having heard, but said nothing.
‘You can take these casseroles, Liz.’ Michelle heaved two large dishes onto the table. ‘My lot won’t eat them anyway. They won’t touch anything with gravy.’
‘Maybe just one…’
‘Take them both. They’ll freeze well. And I’ll take all this cake. Holly has a bake sale in school this week, so we can get rid of a lot of it that way. And the rest I’ll freeze and use for school lunches.’
‘We should leave something for Claire,’ Liz said.
