We’d had it catered, mainly because of time constraints as making up an afternoon tea was quite fun and something I would’ve enjoyed doing with Ava. But it also would’ve meant getting Vic out of the way, which would’ve gone horribly wrong at some point. There were several trays of canape-type nibbles laid out, then on the table where we’d sit, traditional afternoon teas had been laid, using some kitsch stands that Ava had sourced. Finger sandwiches and tiny cakes took up two plates, while scones with jam and cream filled the third. Champagne was there for those who weren’t driving or weren’t pregnant, and we had several teapots of tea. This wasn’t diet friendly.
“Let’s just nip out to the store. I could do with bringing in more champagne.” Ava tucked her hand through my arm and ushered me out. “Don’t let Mum catch us. I don’t need forty questions right now, and she knows something’s up.”
We headed out of the dining room onto the hallway and in the opposite direction from the kitchen, although that would’ve been the quickest way to go.
We loved our mother, but if she smelt that something wasn’t quite right with one of us, she was a bloodhound trying to solve it. While this was something we all appreciated, sometimes we needed to deal with our own shit first.
The store was an outbuilding across from the kitchen and contained an extra fridge, freezer and cold wine storage. Our parents had bought a winery over in Toronto a couple of years ago, and wanted to be able to store some of their produce at their own home for gifts and to drink, so they’d converted an old stables, the ones we’d played in as kids. In fact, I remember tying Seph up in there and leaving him for a good few hours.
“What’s the matter?” I didn’t pants around. Ava hated sharing what was wrong, preferring to tough it out.
She shook her head, blonde curls scattering about her shoulders. “It’s Eli.”
I sat down on a pallet. It was freezing in here but telling me her problem was her fiancé and the man I shared my office with had just added fire to my veins. “What’s he done?”
She shook her head. “Nothing. That’s the problem. We still haven’t set a date to get married. He’s not getting here until Christmas Eve and I really wanted us to have a couple of days to ourselves because we’ve hardly spent any time together recently.”
“He’s been mega busy at work, Aves. We both have.” We’d had a case that we’d worked between us, a multi-million pound litigation and it had taken over both our lives.
“It isn’t just that. He could’ve asked me to go to his sister’s and we could’ve come here later, but he didn’t. It feels like we’re just growing apart and I really don’t want that to happen.” There were tears in her voice, which wasn’t like Ava.
“Have you told him how you feel?”
“That would be too obvious. I didn’t want to sound like a nagging girlfriend, not while he was so busy. He fell asleep at the kitchen table one Saturday morning, Payts, and then went into work on Sunday. And I just feel that if I mention it now, everything will come out and I’ll sound like some immature girl who has no idea how to manage a relationship.” She rested her back against the wall and closed her eyes, probably forcing back tears.
I wasn’t usually the person of choice to confide in about relationships. Apart from Owen, all of mine had been a disaster.
“I know the easy solution is to get Christmas out of the way and then bring it up. But I don’t know how to.” She sounded full of despair. “What do I say? Are you still in love with me? Do you still want us to be together…”
She stopped talking as the door opened.
My twin, tall and broad and bespectacled today – even though we all knew he didn’t need glasses – stood in the doorway looking flummoxed.
“Joseph. We’ve spoken about you listening in on conversations.” I glared at him. Hard.
He sighed, his shoulders relaxing. “I saw you come in and Mum was about to follow to get some wine for tonight. I figured you didn’t want her coming in, so here I am and I genuinely tried not to listen, I was just waiting for the right time to interrupt.” He bit his bottom lip. “Do I need to hit Eli?”
“Why do men always think that hitting someone is the answer?” I glared at Seph. “It isn’t. You’re not hitting anyone. Especially someone you work with. Jackson will have you assassinated.”
Seph shrugged and stepped through the doorway, closing it behind him. “What’s he done?”
Ava shook her head. “Nothing. Which is the point. He’s just been busy and we’ve kind of drifted. And I don’t know if he wants to be with me anymore.”
I saw Seph’s expression grow darker. Our youngest brother wasn’t one to be jumping into fights or even the first to come to our defence – we had Max and Jackson for that – but he felt stuff far easier.
“Aves, I know he’s been mad busy at work. And I know his sister has been struggling with her mental health – you do know about that?” Seph looked torn. “Ava, he thinks you walk on water. There’s no way he wants you to split up.”
“You don’t know that.”
He shrugged. “I know what he’s got you for Christmas. Or one of the things, anyway, because I’ve been hiding it in my office. If he wasn’t bothered about you he wouldn’t have had it organised by September.”
She looked at her feet.
“What is it you want, Aves?”
“Him. I’d quite like to get married now. I just want to spend a bit more time with him; be a couple…” She brushed at her eyes.
I looked at Seph. He looked back. I knew exactly what he was thinking; not necessarily a twin thing, more of adoes she remember when they got together.
