Marie had been as good a lawyer as our father, probably better. She’d practiced in England after Ava was born, going back to work for a decade before announcing she’d had enough and wanted to become a ‘lady who lunched’, to which our father had mentioned something about her having to become a lady first. He’d just about escaped with his balls.
She was now standing outside the over-sized family home with folded arms and a faux fur coat over her shoulders wearing a glare that would be classified as a lethal weapon in some countries.
“Where’s Ava?” My mother’s all-seeing eyes caroused the car.
“She’s in the boot.” Claire gave a grin, leaving me to entangle Eliza from her car seat. She was fast asleep and pretty much a dead weight, the lisped words of a nursery rhyme giving way to soft snores.
Mum made some form of muttering noise that none of us bothered to try and interpret and reached over to take Eliza. There were more mutterings, but these were softer, cooing over her granddaughter.
“I’ll take her tonight. Give you and Killian a chance for a night off.” Marie inspected Claire. “You look exhausted.”
“That’s one word for it. Heavily pregnant and being mum to a toddler are not the best combination.” Claire rubbed her stomach that looked huge, although I had the sense not to tell her that.
“I had twins the same age as Eliza – which included Seph and Payton – and was pregnant with Ava, so I know exactly how you feel.” Marie glared at me. “And Seph and Payton were little shits.”
“We were influenced by our elder sister.” I didn’t need to look at Claire to know she was glaring at me.
“I was wonderful with you two. Used to babysit and everything. Changed your nappies, cleaned up your sick, bathed you…” She dug me in the shoulder with a manicured fingernail. Heaven forbid Claire ever skipped a nail appointment.
“Was it Seph or Payton you dropped on the head when you were taking them out of the bath?” Marie looked up from a still sleeping Eliza.
I rubbed my head automatically. Ididhave an odd sized small lump on it.
“Payton. She was trying to hit Seph while I was holding her, and she wriggled out.” Claire lifted a very small bag which Killian proceeded to whip straight out of her hand.
“Why do I have a bump on my head?” I took hold of a suitcase before my sister could even dream of trying to lift it.
Claire shrugged. “Who knows, Seph? Who knows.”
My father was cooking.
This shouldn’t be a shock. He wasn’t a fifties’ husband who thought that his wife’s place was in the kitchen, and on many occasions, he’d volunteered to help out with a meal. He was, however, completely and utterly useless at making anything edible from scratch to the extent if he tried to compose something in the kitchen, none of us would sample it.
“Dad, you’re cooking…”. Claire’s voice contained a large element of both horror and fear.
“I’m stirring cookie mixture. Even I can’t go wrong with that.” He raised one eyebrow and shook his head. “And Maven made the mixture.”
I snapped my head round, expecting Maven to materialise in the room. “I didn’t think she was getting here until tomorrow?”
Marie picked up a glass of wine, Eliza now sleeping on the large sectional sofa. It was an open plan kitchen with a vast family area and Marie’s favourite room in the house. “She arrived three days ago but asked us to keep it quiet. She’s exhausted, poor thing, and jet-lagged. She’s staying in your old room, Seph.”
I was eyeballed hard enough to realise I wasn’t allowed to dispute this. “Where am I staying?”
There was a sigh and my mother bit her lips together. “We’ve had the cabin done up. It has a small shower room in it and it’s heated, so you won’t freeze…”
“It’s a bit small, Mum.” It really was. Designed for a couple of kids to camp in without the bother of having a tent. Dad and his brother had built it one summer and we’d added bits to it over the years, although there was a separate bedroom area and a small sitting bit.
“I know. We’re going to have an extension put on the house next year, but this Christmas, with so many of you staying, it’s a bit of a squash. Maven would’ve taken it, but now she’s staying longer.” Mum shrugged.
“I thought she was staying through New Year and then heading back to New York?” Claire unpacked a bag of stuff that I assumed was for Eliza, unless Killian had developed a thing for rusks.
Marie sat down, putting her feet up on the coffee table. If I’d have done that, she’d have toasted me on the fire.
“She’s moved over early. Her belongings are being shipped and we’re going to help her find a house.” Marie smiled round at us. “We’re going to have a good Christmas. All of you together for the first time in years.”
“Since Ava was about ten, I think.” Claire finally sat down. “And next year there will be more of us. At least one.”
“Hopefully two. Or more. You never know, Seph might actually bring home a girl he’s serious about!”
