Eddie crosses the room and pulls me into a bear hug. I note the absence of the hair ruffle and wonder if he’s finally accepted I’m not a kid anymore. ‘He’s going to be okay. You heard the nurses. He’s just sleeping off the pain meds.’
I nod my thanks, while Nathan stares at the two of us, wary eyes taking in our exchange. ‘Did you know… ?’ he asks Eddie.
‘Not until this afternoon. I’m ashamed to say I gave him a pretty hard time earlier today.’ His huge brown eyes fall.
‘I suspected. But then he fobbed me off with that Finding Forever story.’ Nathan looks to me and shrugs.
‘It wasn’t a story. They actually did set us up.’ I finger the chain that hangs around my neck but offer no outward explanation or justification. Today, I am finished answering to anyone else or trying to please anyone else. Anyone except myself and my fiancé, if he’ll still have me that is.
‘I had no idea,’ Eddie says. ‘It was massive fucking shock. No brother wants to imagine their kid sister…’ He trails off and shrugs.
‘Jesus, I had no idea.’ Marcus’s eyes widen, raking me over from head to toe as if seeing me in an entirely new light.
Callum says, ‘You know he wouldn’t have started this lightly.’
‘We can see that, gauging by the ring on her finger.’ Nathan’s eyes travel to my hand again.
‘Holy fuck! I never even clocked it!’ Callum pulls me into an enthusiastic and completely unexpected bear hug.
‘You could do a lot worse for your sister, you know.’ Nathan’s head nods in support.
‘I am here,’ I remind them.
‘Sorry, Amy.’ Callum lifts his hands into the air.
‘Look, it’s serious. We’re serious. It’s been six months. I’m prepared to lose my job over it. I don’t care. The only thing I care about is Ollie.’
‘Ouch,’ Eddie says, a half-smile curling at his lip.
‘Don’t make me pick, brother.’ My tone is jovial but the warning is clear.
‘Looks like you’re gaining another brother.’ Marcus smirks.
‘He’ll be lucky if he doesn’t get another niece or nephew soon too, because when Ollie wakes up I am going to—’
Eddie cuts me off before I can finish, ‘Urgh! Enough! Who are you? And where is my sweet little sister?’
‘She’s long gone. You’re stuck with me, pal. And if you ever ruffle my hair again I might actually brain you.’ I stick my tongue out at him. The atmosphere lightens a fraction.
A woman in a navy floating dress enters the room. Her knee-high boots match the tan leather jacket she clutches in front of her swollen stomach. Nervous eyes scan the room almost apologetically.
‘Anita.’ Eddie looks startled, glancing from her to me, then back again.
She gnaws on her lower lip in an anxious fashion. ‘Luke’s gone up to him but I wasn’t allowed in. Family only apparently.’ Anita braves a quick glance at me before looking away again. Before I can introduce myself Marcus’s scoff echoes around the room.
‘Did you not tell the nurse you’re his sister-in-law?’ He sniggers, but he’s the only one who thinks it’s remotely funny.
‘I was talking to him on the phone when it happened. We got into the car the second Luke arrived home.’ She takes a seat in the corner of the room with her back to the wall and her eyes search the room before landing on me. I can only imagine the daggers my eyes are shooting.
He was on the phone to her when it happened…
Maybe I should be worried. If my brother-in-law rang me as much as Anita phones her alleged future brother-in-law, my own sister would have a lot to say about it. There is something really off about the whole thing. It must be written all over my face because Anita pats the chair next to her and motions for me to sit with her.
I briefly toy with the idea of walking straight out the door and never looking back. After all, Ollie isn’t critical. His family are here. And so isshe. But I vowed I was going to give him the benefit of the doubt, so that means I should give it to her as well. Plus, curiosity is killing me. I trudge across the room feeling anything but feminine in jeans and an Ireland hoody.
‘You must be Amy.’ She offers a dainty hand which boasts a diamond on the fourth finger. It isn’t a patch on the one that sits on my left hand and I’m not being a bit catty.
‘I am. I would say it’s a pleasure to meet you, but I’m still deciding.’ Long gone is the woman frightened to offend anyone. And it feels so liberating not to give a damn.
