Jay lifted a filo-wrapped prawn and flashed a look in my direction and I knew he was thinking the same thing. This was meant to be a discussion between four grown-ups about what was going on with our sons but Maya was acting like she was hosting a dinner party.
After a few minutes of awkward small talk where we discussed everything but the boys, Hugo appeared downstairs.
‘There you are, darling,’ Maya trilled. I was surprised by how affectionate she was being. Maybe things were better between them again since the night of the fundraiser. Their marriage seemed to be more volatile than the Atlantic on a stormy day and it made me thankful once more for the calm, loving,stablerelationship that Jay and I shared.
‘Everyone sit down and I’ll serve,’ Maya ordered.
We all took our seats around the table as she placed bowls of fluffy rice and creamy mashed potatoes and a cast-iron dish full of the delicious-smelling casserole into the centre of the table. She dimmed the lighting so that the room was lit by gentle candlelight flickering from the glass tealight holders and soft acoustic music played in the background. We heaped the food onto our plates. If circumstances had been different, it would have be an inviting and atmospheric dinner party.
‘I just wanted to thank you for asking us here tonight so we can talk it all out properly,’ Jay began. I knew he was keen to get down to the real reason we were here. He wasn’t going to get caught up in the charade of being at a dinner party.
‘Yes,’ I chimed in, smiling at Maya and Hugo. ‘I think it’s important to remember that ultimately, we all want the same thing here so hopefully, by us adults talking about it maturely, we can help the boys.’ I wanted to keep this as amicable as possible.
‘What are you all talking about?’ Hugo asked, wrinkling his brow and shooting a confused look in his wife’s direction.
I turned to Maya, who was sitting beside me. ‘You didn’t tell him?’ I whispered.
‘I know… I’m sorry but I knew there was no way he’d have agreed to it,’ she replied.
I exhaled heavily. This had been sprung on all of us and it felt unfair in its own way.
‘The boys have been having a few problems in school,’ Jay began, filling Hugo in. ‘I thought you would have known this?’
‘What kind of problems?’ Hugo asked, spearing a piece of chicken on his plate.
‘Well, Finn claims that Elliot has been bullying him,’ I said.
‘But Elliot is also being excluded by Finn and his friends,’ Maya jumped in.
Hugo turned to Maya. ‘Why didn’t you tell me about this?’ he asked.
‘I only just realised what was happening a few days ago. And besides, you haven’t been home early any evening this week so when were we meant to discuss it?’ she said pointedly.
‘So that’s what this dinner is all about: to discuss the boys?’ Hugo asked in disbelief. His face grew redder as he became increasingly worked up. ‘You told me that you had just invited them over for dinner – you never told me there was a reason. I would have liked to have at least been informed about all of this!’ He lifted the wine bottle from the centre of the table and filled his glass without bothering to top up Maya’s.
‘Because I knew you wouldn’t do it. You’d find some silly excuse not to be here.’ Maya lifted her wine glass and took a generous sip.
‘Cheers, love, you too,’ he snarled. ‘So would anyone like to tell me what’s going on?’ He eyeballed me and Jay, daring one of us to speak.
I took a deep breath. ‘Elliot has been calling Finn names,’ I began, my voice wobbly with nerves. Hugo seemed so riled up and I didn’t want things to escalate. ‘I-It started with his weight, then it was his hair. He was getting really upset and didn’t want to go into the school in the mornings.’ I turned to Jay for reassurance. ‘W-we told Finn not to play with Elliot if he was being mean.’
‘But he and the other boys have excluded Elliot; that’s also bullying,’ Maya interjected. ‘I’ve spoken with the teacher and she confirmed it’s true.’
Jay reached for my hand underneath the table and gave it a squeeze.
‘Only because you went to her first,’ Jay defended Finn. ‘I wanted to go to the school but Liv was convinced we should waitand that she wanted to talk to you first but you just went straight in there.’
‘Look, clearly, the kids don’t have anything in common. Elliot can hardly be blamed if he doesn’t like Finn,’ Hugo reasoned.
‘There’s a difference between not liking someone and being mean to them,’ I said.
‘Oh, come on. Don’t you think you are both overreacting here? They’re kids – this is what they do. They are learning life lessons. In my day, you could have had the head boxed off you by another child and nobody would bat an eyelid.’
‘Times are different now, thankfully,’ Jay muttered.
‘I hope you don’t take this wrong but you are both so overprotective.’
‘Maybe we are,’ I said in disbelief, ‘but it’s not right to call a child names based on their appearance, Hugo!’
