Nigel is as nervous as I’ve ever seen a man be. The constant offer of drinks, pacing of the floor and the jabbering he is doing confirms this. Carol is not as nervous as her husband but is clearly anxious for him. Olivia is smiling politely as she accepts the glass of wine that is offered to her but looks relieved when Carol summons Nigel into the kitchen leaving me and my girl alone.
“You alright?” I ask her as I take her free hand in mine.
“Course,” she replies, but seems unsure.
“Baby, it’s perfectly natural to feel some nervousness, here,” I add thinking that without that last word she had looked incredibly concerned. She thought I was going to choose now to discuss marriage.
“Anita and the boys will be back in a while,” Carol says as she returns without Nigel. “We thought it might be a little overwhelming for you, to have us all here.”
“Thank you,” Olivia replies. “There’s a lot going on, in my life and in my head so it might be better.”
“That’s why we’ve kept everyone else at arm’s length too…your grandparents and Pauline and her family. They’re all dying to meet you, but not until you’re ready.” Carol smiles and although Olivia barely manages a verbal response she is clearly moved and emotional at the idea of being reunited with the family members she’d previously lost.
“You have a lovely home.” I hope to break the tension I can feel rolling off my girl in waves.
“Thank you, it suits us,” Carol replies as Nigel reappears with a tray of snacks that look very tasty. We’d declined an offer of dinner when he called which was the wise choice because I’m unsure if Olivia would have been able to consume anything, well keep it down at least.
We have been in this house for about an hour, and so far, Olivia is about three quarters of the way through a bottle of wine and it is beginning to loosen her up, not that I am convinced that’s a good thing. She could do with being a little more uptight for her first meeting with her stepmother and stepsiblings who have just come through the door.
“Baby,” I say as she accepts another glass of wine from her father. “You might want to slow down.” I’m speaking through gritted teeth as I attempt to make it sound like I’m making a suggestion rather than insisting.
“I’m fine.” Half a glass of wine disappears in one mouthful.
This is Sarah’s wedding reception all over again and look how that ended. Carol is on my wavelength at least as she takes the final drops of the wine away and calls to Anita who has just appeared in the doorway.
“Could you make us some coffee love, all of us.”
I smile at her gratefully before Nigel, who has been sipping brandy while his daughter has been downing wine decides to chip in. “I think we have a bottle of champagne, we are celebrating after all,” he says with a slur of his own.
“Ooh, champagne, I like the bubbles.” Olivia giggles.
“Not tonight baby,” I tell her before turning to Nigel. “Maybe next time. We should probably be getting off, very soon.”
He looks as though he is about to protest and as much as I don’t want to lock horns with him, I will if I need to. The investigations into him that I agreed with my dad have all come back clear…Nigel seems genuine. His account of his life since leaving Olivia and Scott appears to have been honest and accurate but I am going to need more than that before I fully trust him. Fortunately, with a small nod he chooses not to take me on tonight. Two young men appear and are quickly introduced as Aaron and Joel. They look awkward when they shake Olivia’s hand, but that could be because she is similar in age and seriously sexy, or it could be that she has giggled at each of them in her very merry state.
Anita returns with coffee and I have already decided that after one cup of coffee we are out of here. Olivia is going back home to bed, to sleep, well sleep it off.
Her stepsiblings are pleasant, polite and friendly. They bear her no malice for the intrusion she is making in their lives and their family.
“She’s not much of a drinker then?” Aaron asks with a smirk.
“Nope,” I reply as I realise Olivia is asleep against my shoulder.
“I recall,” Anita says, referencing the wedding.
“She has a lot on her plate,” I defend. “Like she did at the wedding.”
“Of course, she does.” Nigel frowns at his other children. “Any news on Scott?” he asks me and judging by the lack of surprised expressions they must all know about Scott too, but what else do they know?
“I can’t believe she knows that doctor and the freaky church,” Joel says with disbelief but no judgement that I can detect, although I am still pissed off that any of them would just out it like that.
“Joel!” the others all say with raised voices that barely cause my girl to stir.
Nobody speaks for a few seconds and then it is me that breaks the ice. “She does know the doctor, and the freaky church was her home and between them they provided her with the worst of memories, so if we could all refrain from the eerie fascination routine, I’d really appreciate it. Olivia, has been through enough.” I make sure it’s Nigel I’m looking at with my final comment. He nods, meaning he understands so I continue, “She has made a statement to the police so I imagine she might just get caught up in a media storm soon, so as I say, if we could avoid the pointing and staring…”
“Sorry,” Joel says.
“No problem.” The boy is barely out of his childhood years and meant no harm I’m sure, but I’ve had enough for tonight, so prepare to leave. “Thank you for tonight and I know Olivia will want to meet up again, but maybe less wine next time.” I offer them all a very weak smile as I shake her awake. “Come on, baby, let’s get you home.”
