“It is not lady like, Abby, and what about Alexa? Do you want her to see you wasted? It really is inappropriate.” He sounded just like Jim which made Tasha laugh.
“Sorry,” she said as they turned to look at her. “I thought it was only me that got told off for being inappropriate.”
Bobby gave Abby an angry stare and shook his head disapprovingly.
“Sorry,” said Tasha again. “The over consumption of wine may be my fault. The sudden appearance of Mickie, who I thought was a man, was a bit much for me, so Abby brought me out here, but I think I may have led her astray.” She hoped to avoid any more recriminations for Abby.
Bobby didn’t look convinced. He was obviously as power crazy as Jim. Tasha definitely needed to get closer to Abby to see if he really was. Maybe he was a spanker too. Tasha giggled a little too much as she wondered if spanker was even a real word. Bobby frowned at her, making her laugh louder now at his resemblance to Jim.
Her laughter was interrupted by Jim. “I thought I told you to get some coffee, too.”
Tasha held up the cup in her hand.
“Then sit down and drink it.”
She did as he told her but was in no way going to play compliant when he was in the wrong and had created this circus they were all embroiled in.
He sat beside her. “So, you told my sister to shut the fuck up, to wind her neck in and to piss off?”
Tasha nodded. “She was a bitch at dinner and seemed to think that when she appeared with Mickie there would be some strength in numbers. She was wrong, but what the fuck, I will apologise for upsetting her or offending her if that’s what you want, but I won’t retract it.” She pouted.
“Are you pouting, Natasha? Pouting after that tirade of profanities?”
“Yes. I can give you a cut of the eyes too if you want,” she spat at him. “But you are in no position to judge me right now. I am more pissed with you than I was with your sister or your fuck buddy!” She got to her feet, her anger increasing with every breath and word uttered. “I’m going to find Philip and Juan and to check that Lizzie is okay. Sorry again,” she said to Bobby and Abby.
Bobby looked across at Jim and shook his head. “You are in serious shit now. She looks real pissed, Jimbo.”
“She’ll be fine.” Jim knew he sounded more convinced by that statement than he felt because his brother was right, Tasha did look real pissed, mightily so, and why wouldn’t she? He’d lied or at least misled and she’d uncovered his dishonesty by accident and not from him and he had always assured her of his honesty. The fallout from this was likely to be loud and angry.
“You are an idiot. You both are,” said Abby, breaking Jim’s thoughts and concerns. “Bria was out of order and you know it and as for letting her believe Mickie was a guy friend…that is low, but not as low as expecting her to go on holiday with her. Especially when you know what she is like and what she is capable of.”
“I never said Mickie was a guy,” protested Jim.
“Well, I hope that defence works for you, Jim, because you sure as hell never corrected Tasha when she thought she was.” Abby prepared to turn away but seemed to think better of it. Spinning back to face both Maybury brothers again her gaze found Jim, “You know what? I thought you were mad when you first spoke about Tasha and marriage and everything, but I was wrong because she is as close to perfect for you as you’re ever going to find so I hope this ridiculous encounter with Mickie doesn’t see you losing the best thing to ever happen to you.” With a wobble on her heels she turned away and she too headed back towards the house leaving the brothers together.
Jim watched his sister-in-law walking, well, staggering away, and replayed her words,I hope that defence works for you,and the truth was, so did he, but more than that he was praying to all things holy that he wouldn’t belosing the best thing to ever happen to himand there was not a single doubt in his mind that Tasha was precisely that. He looked back in the direction of Bobby. “Happy birthday, Robert.” He smiled in spite of the night’s events.
“And a happy birthday to you too, James. I gotta say I don’t reckon either of us will be getting lucky tonight though,” replied Bobby, laughing, unlike Jim who wondered if his luck with Tasha had just run out.
An hour later, Jim was rounding up Tasha and the kids when they came face to face with Bria. Tasha could feel she was staring when the other woman spoke to her.
“It was nice to meet you, Tasha.”
She was almost at a loss for words and initially settled for a short, ironic laugh. “If I offended you, I apologise for how I dealt with our situation.”
Bria smiled weakly, but had the decency to look uncomfortable. “You’re not sorry for the situation?”
“No.” She briefly transferred her gaze to Jim and remembered the words he often directed at her before turning back to Bria, “Because it wasn’t a situation of my making.”
Once in the safety of the car, Philip inadvertently addressed the tension between Tasha and his aunt. “Is it still Auntie Bria’s for the 4thof July barbecue?”
“Yes.” Jim’s single word reply ended all conversation until they arrived home.
Juan and Philip looked relieved to escape to their own space, away from the strained and awkward atmosphere that seemed to have the potential to explode with one wrong word by anyone.
Lizzie let out an over exaggerated yawn as soon as she walked through the front door. “I’m going straight to bed, but I am so excited that you are going to be part of our family properly.”
She hugged and kissed Tasha before hugging Jim, who squeezed her tightly and kissed her.
