Vic nodded, looking around her kitchen. This was definitely her room, although she rarely cooked – that was my job because I’d rather her not set the house on fire which had almost happened more than once. There was a desk in the corner that she favoured rather than her study, because she could keep an eye on the kids from there. It was also where Lucy reluctantly did her homework. Opposite the breakfast bar was a long sectional sofa, perfect for an afternoon nap or lounging on with a book, and I knew that was Vic’s favourite place to be.
“I don’t think I’m ever going to move out of here. I’ll be fine after you’ve died. I might get myself a toyboy.”
I shook my head but didn’t say anything. Her favourite pastime was to try to wind me up which she could do very well. “Our house isn’t the same as Dad and Marie’s. That’s more like a stately home.”
“True. What’ve the rest of you said about its sale?”
We wandered out into the garden, where most of our family was.
“Shit, Will’s up the tree again.” My technically youngest son was angling for a tree house for Christmas. In the meantime, he was up there anyway.
“He can get down. He’s like a cat. And if he can’t get down, we can sort out a belay system so we can still feed him. He’ll probably evolve into a squirrel or something.” She sipped at her champagne, an expression on her face that I usually associated with us being in the bedroom.
I glanced around my brothers, sisters and parents. Everyone was in the garden, making it feel small, which it wasn’t, really. The older girls were on their way inside now Nick O’Hara’sdaughters had turned up. They were old enough to be at college now, both almost grown. I suspected the media room downstairs would be turned into some make-up and hair boutique and I had no desire to get involved.
“Maybe we do need a bigger house for everyone to meet up at. This feels a bit small.” I was starting to think Mum and Dad’s place was ideal. We could renovate it into apartments or something for the kids as they were growing up. Or we could let them learn what it was like to stand on your own two feet as much as possible.
“You do have a bigger house. The one in Oxfordshire. We all fit in there very nicely and this doesn’t happen very often.” She shook her head. “And I heard your parents have a buyer anyway.”
“They do. They’ve asked me to co-ordinate sorting out what bits we all want in the next two weeks while they’re away. They’ve already put tags on the things they’re taking with them and they have packers booked to come in the week after next for everything else.” Marie had been her usual super-organised self.
“So it’s happening.” Vic took hold of my hand with the hand that wasn’t holding the champagne. “They’re not taking offers from you lot?”
“She said no. They don’t want us to fall out about it and I don’t think we would, but if Claire and K bought it, it would feel weird their kids living there and ours not, so I get it.”
“Claire won’t move anywhere. She’s had the bathroom of her dreams installed and I think she intended to wither away in the bath.” Vic squeezed my hand. “I think I have bathroom envy.”
“Does that mean you want a new bathroom?” I felt my heart sink.
“We have a spare bedroom that’s not doing anything, and it’d been easy to get the facilities in that room. Ava thinks it’s the perfect size.” She gave me a look she knew I couldn’t resist.
I said nothing. I’d attempt that battle and prepare to lose once my parents’ house had been settled.
Seph and Georgia had made their way over to us after dealing with a minor incident involving their sons who were arguing over something. Will managed to cause a distraction by half falling out of the tree, landing on his feet to no one’s surprise.
Seph looked better now, not as rocky as he’d seemed after rugby. “Claire’s called dibs on the dresser in the dining room already.”
I shrugged. “Claire can have what she wants.”
He frowned. “Do you not want anything?”
I shook my head. I liked my parents’ house, but I’d moved out decades ago and I’d been one of the few not to return at some point. The house had been redesigned at least twice since then, with some of the furniture moved to the apartment they’d invested in, and some sent to the place they’d bought in Canada where they liked to spend most of October and April, looking at the winery that’d become part of their portfolio.
I was well aware that my parents lived a life like few others. I didn’t aspire to it – there were aspects of my father and his father that I refused to inherit, but I didn’t begrudge them.
“Claire can have what she wants.” I turned to Vic. “But you should see if there’s anything you’d like.”
“I’d like that bathroom from my dreams.” She shot me a beguiling smile. “With a really huge bath that we can share.” She let go of my hand and put it on my stomach instead.
Georgia started to piss herself laughing.
I stayed grumpy. “It’s going to take more than you trying to flirt with me to get the bathroom.”
“I can afford it myself.”
She could. She had a more than decent inheritance.
“Not the point. It’s living with the house upside down while it’s happening. The last time this happened I went to work looking like a ghost had farted on me.”
