My dad looks confused. “Anita doesn’t understand…she was sheltered…she needs help and guidance—”
Scott stands too. He laughs, but it’s hard and full of hurt and sadness. “No wonder Raymond wanted you out of the way. There can only ever be enough room for one abusive, asshole, dictator.”
I look to Liv, wanting her to stop this. Raymond was hers and Scott’s stepfather who was the head of the weird church and in different ways he abused them both.
“Scott.” Liv reaches across and takes his hand.
“What?” he asks. “Tell me he doesn’t sound like him with his opinions being more important than anyone else’s and his need to help and guide the rest of us, Anita, because she clearly isn’t capable of making her own choices, especially not if he doesn’t approve of them.”
Everyone falls silent until Dec speaks again. “We didn’t come here to ask for permission or approval. We’re together. It would be nice if you supported it, but if you don’t the only people you’ll hurt will be yourself and Anita.”
“Nigel, sit down.” My mum looks well pissed off with Dad now. “Dec’s right and although I would never compare you to that awful man, I can understand why Scott may have said what he did.” She turns to Scott who is still standing, his hand still in Liv’s. “Please, Scott, sit down.”
He does.
“So, no baby shower, in case there was any doubt.” Mase’s dry delivery makes everyone laugh, albeit briefly.
Chapter 21
Declan
My mood is still out of kilter by the time dinner ends. Liv and Anita’s dad’s attitude towards me pisses me off. I don’t need him to like me, and he doesn’t. He has made that crystal clear, although, I think it is more his perception of who and what I am that he dislikes. I may not be a parent, but I get that, after all, he still views her as his little girl, but fuck me, he hasn’t given me a chance yet.
Having Mase and Liv in my corner had been a blessing, their support and diffusion of some of the tension had been very much appreciated. The real advocate for Nigel treating his daughter like an adult, if not for our relationship was Scott. The way he had taken his dad to task had been impressive, but again, that was more about Nigel’s spouting of needing to guide Anita.
“You okay?” Liv asks, leaning in to whisper to me.
I turn and smile. “Yeah, even better when we can leave.”
She laughs, drawing some attention from the others including Anita who is getting to her feet along with her parents. Presumably, Liv and I have missed that the evening is ending.
I stand too and watch on as they all start exchanging kisses before preparing to leave. Liv takes Mase’s hand and once standing does a bit of a strange jig from one foot to the other.
“I need a wee,” she announces.
“I’ll come with you.” Anita is already grabbing her sister’s arm and dragging her off to the ladies.
“We’ll leave you both to wait for them then,” Nigel tells us, preparing to leave with his family. He pauses before me. “Should I expect my daughter home tonight?” He’s wearing an expression that suggests he has a bad taste in his mouth.
“Maybe you should ask your daughter that,” I reply, snapping a little.
No more words are exchanged as Nigel turns and follows the rest of his family out.
“What a complete and utter cockwomble he is!”
Mase laughs. “He loves her.”
“And if he said that to you about Liv?”
He shakes his head. “I’d be calling him far worse than a cockwomble. I’ve told you before, with Liv he had no choice but to accept I was there if he was going to enter her life again. But with you…you’re the one entering her life, not the other way round.”
“He’s still a cockwomble.”
“And I am sure he speaks as highly about you.”
Mase is right. I know that. I am the big bad wolf coming along to take advantage of Little Red Riding Hood and Nigel is the woodcutter, ready to split me open or chop my head off. I smirk rather immaturely as I decide it’s my balls he is ready to chop off.
“He’ll come round,” Mase assures me. “You just need to show him that you’re not the man he believes you are.”
