Claire: If it were true it wouldn't have been a new low. There's been lower. I must make sure Vanessa is aware of how low Jackson can actually go. She's my friend: I have a duty to protect her.
Seph: And you brother and your duty to him?
Claire: He'll have been cockblocked. Duty done.
Payton: Okay sibs, since Jackson is possibly buried balls deep in our marketing consultant (who seems very nice, btw and I hope he doesn't mess it up) am I not including him?
Ava: I have a horrendous image in my head right now...
Maxwell: Consider it revenge for some of the things we know you've done.
Claire: He's stalking us. You can see he's been reading the messages. Jackson, use your hands to text rather than molest your companion, or more likely, yourself!
I decided that now would be a good time to make an appearance.
Me: Cheers for that, C. Me and plus one, thanks, Payts.
Claire: Who's the plus one? Because if it's not Vanessa I'll message her and ask her to come anyway.
It was going to be a gorgeous sunny day. Did I really want to spoil it by subjecting Vanessa to the mess that was my family, although she had met most of them already? "You sure about this?" I said to her, giving her one more out.
She had been reading over my shoulder. "What's the lowest thing you've done that she's referring to?"
"I have no idea. Probably something I did in one of her nightmares." Claire could irritate the fuck out of me sometimes so I'd frequently tormented her.
"I'm happy to go; it'll be fun. They don't need to know we've spent the night together. Yet. Let's just be vague." She was touching me still, close to my side, her hand on my thigh. There was no chance of being vague.
Jackson: It's Vanessa. She's just texted me back to say she can make it. I mentioned it to her yesterday.
Claire: Is this after you'd toured a museum? You know, you refused to step inside them with your step-mum. A pretty girl asks you and you've probably become a curator.
Me: Well it was an exhibit on underwear...
Maxwell: With her gran. Not trying to get in someone's good books...
Seph: Or her pants.
Seph: You can't like her that much. Or has she friend zoned you? Too complicated – business/pleasure etc etc.
Jackson: What do you mean?
I was genuinely confused. Why would he think Vanessa would friend zone me? For a moment I was genuinely concerned that he was worried about the work connection or something.
Seph: If it was someone you were really interested in, you wouldn't bring them to meet our lot – all together – after just a couple of days of knowing them. It'll scar her for life, Jacks.
Claire: Fuck off brother.
Payton: Fuck off Seph, you turd brain.
Seph: That hurt. Throwing shit! Some freaking sister you are!
Ava: Go Payts! What did you throw?
Payton: A shoe. I think he'll have a bruise.
Claire: Well done, kid. See y'all at 1.30. Try not to be late and if you are, have a decent excuse which does not include having to go to the hospital because your sister threw a shoe at you. Do you understand that, Joseph?
Claire: Joseph?
