Jess sighs. ‘Well, the pub was really busy, so we sat in the garden. Well… on a bench on the side of the road.’ She pauses. ‘We’d been there for about an hour and a half, and we’d had a few glasses of wine and some general bar food – you know, crisps, peanuts, etcetera.’ She pauses and shakes her head, trying and failing to swallow her laugh. ‘And then he told me he hadn’t slept well the night before, but he was having a really nice time and didn’t want to leave, so could he have a quick nap?’
‘Jess, that is actually insane,’ I howl.
‘The worst part is my sister set me up with him.’
‘What did you do?’ Luc asks, shaking his head. ‘When he asked if he could take this nap?’
‘I couldn’t really say no, could I?’
I can’t stop myself from crying with laughter. ‘Please tell me you left after that.’
‘I couldn’t! He was asleep on my scarf!’
I can’t be held responsible for the noise that erupts from the back of my throat. ‘That is gold.’
‘I really love everyone laughing at my expense,’ Jess pouts.
‘Sorry, Jess. You’ll see the funny side of it one day,’ Rory reassures.
‘I’ve also had some terrible dates,’ Luc says. ‘If you want to laugh at my expense.’
‘Go on,’ I urge.
‘Well, there was this really weird one at the theatre where there was a line…’
‘Luc!’ I laugh. ‘You can’t usemeas your terrible date story.’
‘Good job it wasn’t a terrible date,’ he smirks. ‘I just wanted to tell the story.’
Mimi seems to have gotten her way in the kitchen because the roast potatoes that eventually come out are perfect. Crispy and golden on the outside, fluffy on the inside. I’ve never tasted anything like it coming out of Mauve’s kitchen. In fact, the entire dinner tastes like Mimi cooked it with Mauve believing she was still in charge.
Everyone tucks in, making slight groaning sounds at the backs of their throats when the food melts into their mouths.
‘So, Luc,’ Rory starts through a mouthful of honey-glazed carrots. ‘What are your intentions with my sister?’
Everyone is stunned into silence before the laughter starts.
‘What?’ Rory joins the laughter. ‘She’s never brought someone back here before!’
‘I can’t work out if I’m supposed to answer this or not,’ Luc admits.
‘You’re good, mate. Just don’t hurt her,’ Rory says.
‘Rory, being the overprotective younger brother doesn’t suit you,’ Jess laughs.
‘I agree,’ I nod.
‘Jess is right,’ Mauve pipes in, a resounding laughter reverberating around the group, but I don’t react.
The table falls back into silence, and this feeling of contentment settles over me. This feeling of I could be happy with this. I don’t need anything else. The memories, the fact I’ve done it, is enough for me.
Everyone knows this is my last tour. The last time it’ll be Rory’s birthday and I’m back, bleary-eyed, from the other side of Europe for a week.
‘I’d really love to make amends with you, Sienna,’ Mauve says, a mouthful of potato. ‘I know what I did was wrong, but I was only trying to protect you. To make you see that you were hurting yourself.’
‘Not here, Mauve,’ I grumble. ‘Not now. Not on Rory’s birthday.’
‘I know you’ll find it hard to trust me again, but please can we try?’
