Having unloaded two more bottles on to the table with a shaking hand, keen to get home and read the communiqué that waited in the porch, Daisy had to admit that her knickers were most definitely in a twist. She tried to picture a trio of trees, and even imagining the lack of symmetry made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.
Gathering up empty plates, she tried not to stare at Cassian, who looked a little lost in thought. She wondered if he too felt an inexplicable sense of sadness at the prospect of losing a tree. She liked to think so. Kindred spirits.
On his plate, she noted a couple of discarded breaded mozzarella chunks and honestly considered eating them when she was safely out of sight in the kitchen. It was enlivening, the thought of putting her fingers on food he’d touched, the half-bitten piece that had touched his lips that she would place on her own ...
For the love of God,get a grip, girl!She focused. Gianna had been right; it wasn’t so bad serving the family next door and was actually a bit like being at a party. Her anxiety over the evening melted away.
‘Thank you, Daisy.’ MrKelleway grinned at her. ‘I think they’re trying to bankrupt me, this family of mine!’ He reached for a fresh bottle and topped up his glass.
She bit the inside of her cheek to subdue her grin, unsure if she should be having this much fun and wanting to look as cool as possible in front of Cassian as she plodded to and from the kitchen with laden trays, dishes of olives, platters of warm breads, and bowls of steaming pasta, all containing enough garlic to ensure they were vampire-free for the coming months.
‘Bankrupt you? I think you’ll find I’m costing you very little tonight.’ Cleo, who had overheard, rubbed her baby bump. ‘Apart from my very large bowl of Fettucine Alfredo, which I could eat again right now. I think I’m addicted!’
‘You’re my only girl. And you’re having our new grandchild. You can cost me as much as you like, sweetheart.’ MrKelleway beamed.
‘Cleo, tell Daisy when you’re due!’ MrsKelleway smiled.
‘Any day.’ Cleo nodded at her husband, who nodded back and bit his lip as if the emotion that threatened was more than he could handle.
‘Can you believe it?’ MrsKelleway held her clasped hands under her chin, as if her prayers had been answered. ‘Any day! Any minute! Hope you’ve got some clean towels and hot water out the back there!’
‘That’s ... lovely.’ She didn’t know how to respond and was also ridiculously over-aware of the fact that they were talking about sex and babies and all within earshot of Cassian, with whom she had fantasised about both topics. That and she dreaded thethought of Cleo going into labour there and then. She could only imagine the mess and the screaming – if it was anything like she’d seen on TV.
‘It’s actually due on my grandad’s birthday, tomorrow,’ Georgie announced, but it seemed no one heard him.
‘What I want to know,’ Lawrence chimed, ‘is what event there was nine months before now that was a cause for celebration for you and Georgie?’
‘And my great-grandparents!’ Georgie added, but again his voice was lost in the back and forth.
‘For the love of God, Loz!’ Cleo rolled her eyes, as Domino and Julie pulled faces of disgust.
‘What?’ He chuckled as Georgie balled a napkin and threw it at his brother-in-law’s head. Cassian reached for his phone and her heart flexed with the desire to know who and what he was texting. Wishing beyond wish that her phone might beep in her locker.
‘You boys.’ MrsKelleway gave her a knowing look, as if they were talking about the misbehaviour of little kids and not the jesting of two grown men.
Daisy felt the lance of envy go through her core. What must it feel like to be part of a family like this? A family who ate in restaurants together, who laughed and loved together. She tried to imagine her dad and his older brother Keith engaging in this way. Weird Keith who collected bird books and counted his carrots before he ate them. Then she thought of her mum, whose every syllable dripped with sadness as she whispered from within the confines of her fleecy blanket, seeming to feel the cold even on a sun-filled June day like today.
She hoped Gianna was right. She prayed that her future was something shiny and glorious, imagining in that moment being coupled with Cassian, which would mean that she was part of thisglorious unit, a Kelleway ... If only. Suddenly thoughts of her and him in that hot tub filled her mind.
With dusk now having given way to the dark of evening, only one other table was still occupied and Daisy noted that her tips were low. She wasn’t surprised. After all, who wanted to dine like a support act while all attention and the whole room was dominated by the perfect Kelleways? She felt a little guilty, not that there was a whole lot she could do about it now.
It was post-dessert. Gianna’s tiramisu had been eaten quickly and greedily and everyone had admired the prettily iced cake that honoured their special celebration. With wine sloshing in their veins, three of the Kelleways grew louder, their words somewhat slurred, and they slumped a little in their seats. Pregnant Cleo, the upright Julie, Georgie who sat as if he were on high alert, sweet little Domino, and Cassian, all stood out like sentinels dotted around the table. Like guardians of the drunken elders, watching closely in case they were needed to mop up any fallout from the drink-fuelled antics.
‘Speech! Speech!’ Lawrence suddenly called out, banging the table with the flat of his hand.
‘No, no – no speeches!’ MrKelleway shook his head and reached for his wine. ‘Definitely not.’
‘You have to, Dad!’ Cleo pleaded. ‘It’s your anniversary!’
‘It’s all right, I’ll do one.’ MrsKelleway made to stand, and this was when her husband stood, as if the thought were enough to goad him into action. He placed his hand on her shoulder and kissed the top of her head. The family clapped and stomped their feet, and all assembled had no choice other than to listen.
‘Come on, Bernie, you got this!’ Georgie called his encouragement.
MrKelleway took his time, gripping the wineglass under his tanned chin like it was a microphone. Daisy stood in front of thebar, feeling simultaneously fascinated and like an interloper. As a hush fell over the room, Gianna and Carlo stood by her side. The three leaned on the bar behind them, all, it seemed, interested in what MrKelleway had to say.
‘I hadn’t intended on speaking,’ he began. ‘I naïvely thought anything I might want to say would be done in the privacy of our home, just the two of us.’ He smiled awkwardly in Winnie’s direction and Daisy felt her neighbour’s embarrassment. It was sweet to see. ‘Please, Mrand MrsBianchi, don’t feel the need to stand and listen to my drivel!’ He pointed towards the kitchen.
‘It’s fine, my friend! You go ahead.’ Carlo nodded, his chest out. ‘We are Italian! Emotion and family are to us like breathing!’
