“Because I am spending some time with my friends and family, Jim, and we agreed coming back on Sunday. Saturday allowed me and Lizzie to settle in, Sunday I saw my family, Monday to Thursday will be mainly work, Friday I will catch up with Gerry and the girls will get a day out together and then Saturday we will be packing and seeing my grandparents before flying back. There’s no conspiracy here. I am as keen to get back and see you as you are for me to be back there with you.” She really meant every word.
“I know.” He sighed. “Sorry, baby. I’m miserable without you and I just want you to come home. To be with me.”
It made Tasha smile that he missed her as much as she missed him. “I feel the same as you do, but it will only be a few more days and I am enjoying catching up with my people. Tomorrow night there are a group of us going out to dinner, but other than that and Friday it’s a week of work.” She’d impressed herself again with her ability to get her night out with Jake in there smoothly.
“Okay. Let’s change the subject, otherwise I’m going to be even more pissed off this afternoon than I was this morning,” said Jim, allowing Tasha to move onto Kayla.
“I don’t want you to be unhappy. Let’s talk about the wedding then, have you spoke to Kayla?” she asked.
“Not since she was reluctant to discuss anything with me.” He at least laughed now.
“Sorry. That’s my fault because I wanted to speak to you properly, not over the phone, but that may not be possible now,” she admitted.
“Go on,” said Jim.
“We went through the guest list last week and I may have made some changes,” she admitted hesitantly.
“What sort of changes? Have you added names?”
“Not exactly,” she replied fervently.
“How exactly, Natasha? You appear to be avoiding answering as much as Kayla was.” His suspicion was rising.
“Sorry. I removed guests, well, one guest actually.” She sat on the edge of the bed and braced herself for the fallout.
“Who?” Jim spoke with apparent calmness.
“James,” she started as she tried to plan her explanation.
“Oh no! No James! Just tell me what you’ve done.” There was a note of irritation to his raised voice now.
“I’ve had Mickie removed from the guest list,” she replied, low, but confidently.
“You did what? You have removed one of my guests from our wedding and not only did you not discuss it with me first, you coerced the wedding planner into keeping it from me too. Is that what you’re telling me?” He was very angry now.
“I guess that sums it up.” It did sound bad, really bad when he put it that way.
“Fuck, Tasha! You have just finished telling me that I can trust your judgement where appropriate decisions are concerned and then you reveal this.”
“I’m sorry for not talking to you about it first, but I just kind of did it and you were in New York and I didn’t want this conversation on the phone…” She hoped she’d explained the situation sufficiently.
“Well, you can call Kayla and put her back on the list now that we’ve discussed it, can’t you?” he told her rather than asked.
“No,” Tasha replied bluntly, determined not to give in on this.
“No?” asked Jim slightly disbelievingly.
Tasha jumped as there was a knock at the door. She opened it to reveal Lizzie standing there.
“Sorry, Tasha, but Lucy is here and Pippa is on Facebook asking if she can stay with us until we fly home. She has text you, but I told her you were talking to Daddy.”
“Okay, thanks, Lizzie. Tell Lucy I will be out soon and tell Pippa I will call her in a few minutes after we’ve spoken about her staying.” Tasha was overtly aware of Jim waiting at the other end of the line and probably getting more cross as the seconds passed.
Lizzie smiled at her and headed back towards the lounge as Tasha pushed the door shut, returning her full attention to the phone in her hand.
“Sorry,” she began. “Look, Jim, I can’t tell you just how strongly I feel about this, but please let me try to explain, properly. I thought Mickie was an old friend, one of the boys, but as we both know she is far from that. We worked through that particular obstacle and even though you and she had been more than good friends I could have got past that. What I can’t get past is the fact that she hates me, Jim. She takes every opportunity to be unpleasant and bitchy, even in company, making everyone uncomfortable, although she does tend to wait for you to leave us. Now, I’m not one for ultimatums and I know you wouldn’t be receptive to one…” she paused.
“You’re right there, Tasha, so what are you saying?” he asked flatly.
