“Mum!”
“Really?”
“For the love of - ”
“Oh, grow up, daughters. You’re not the only generation to discover sex, you know.” I picked up one of the dainty sandwiches and bit into it. It wasn’t exactly a hearty meal, an afternoon tea, but it tasted delicious.
“You wouldn’t want to hear about our sex lives,” Payton said pointedly.
“Not in any great detail, but I wouldn’t want to hear about anyone’s in great detail. Highlights are interesting though and I probably know more than you think anyway.”
Claire was trying not to laugh. She knew where this was going.
“Why, what do you know?” Ava was looking rather horrified. “Did you read my diary from when I was a kid?”
I was definitely enjoying myself. “No. I would never do that. You brother did, because I caught him and swore him to secrecy else I’d tell everyone that he masturbated into Callum’s socks.”
Ava eyed me, disbelieving.
“I knew what you were getting up to, because I hadn’t been born yesterday, I’d already brought up two girls and I’d been a girl myself. I knew when Lawson Garrett broke your heart after he took your virginity. I didn’t need to read your diary to know that.” It was horrible watching your child have their heart broken, but I knew it was part of growing up and becoming you – those experiences were what made us.
Ava frowned at me. “How did you know?”
“You kept looking at yourself in the mirror or the glass in the kitchen doors to see if you looked any different and you bought a pregnancy test a few days later. Payton did the same thing after she slept with someone.” I looked at my middle daughter. “Exactly the same pattern.”
“What about Claire?” Payton gave a smug smile, clearly hoping to get her sister in trouble.
“Claire was at university.”
She looked serene, a shared memory or two from that time, which had its difficulties.
Payton frowned. “Was Killian the first boy you slept with?”
“He was.” Ever the big sister spoke. “I knew him since I was sixteen and had the hugest crush on him – I just wasn’t interested in anyone else. Maybe my subconscious knew something.” She cast her attention to me. “How long have you and Dad been together now?”
“Max was eight, so forty years. A long time.” I couldn’t believe it was four decades years ago. “It’s gone quickly at the same time as feeling like forever.”
“Are you glad you left New York with him?” Ava was getting through the sandwiches.
I laughed, the question almost ridiculous. “Of course.”
“Do you ever think ‘what if’?” Still Ava.
“Of course, especially when he does something utterly stupid, which is a daily basis, but you’ll all think the same about your partners. They probably think the same about you.” I knew what it was like to live with my three daughters and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.
“I’m a job to live with,” Claire said, checking her phone, probably to see where Eliza was. “And my dad has never thought ‘what if’ about you. He still looks at you like you’re his saviour.”
“He’s probably imagining what I look like naked.” I threw that in there and the complaining started again.
My phone had been bombed with messages, all coming through on silent which was a necessity with a family like mine. I checked through them, curious to see what mess someone was getting into now.
Grant: I need to let everyone know that I really do look at your mother like she’s my saviour.
Payton: I’ve just about recovered from Mum saying when you look at her you’re probably imagining her naked.
Seph: Did you need to share that?
Payton: We had to hear it so you have to know it too.
