Juliet remains tight-lipped on the topic, but at least offers me some version of a smile—albeit a small, indifferent one—as I take my seat.
“So, the food looks good,” I remark brightly, determined not to engage and instead take the high road. “Have you eaten here before?”
“Yes, last week,” Dad replies irritably. “When you didn’t come. We didn’t want to waste the reservation.”
I take the hit, answering brightly, “Then you’ll know what to order. How handy! Juliet, could you pass the wine? How is the job, sis?”
“Fine,” she replies shortly, pouring me a drink and returning the bottle to its cooling bucket.
I’m impressed by my own self-restraint that I don’t down my entire glass straightaway, but I do allow myself two large glugs before I set it back down again.
“Great! You want to expand on your answer at all?”
She scowls at me. “Not really.”
“Okay. No problem. Fun chat while it lasted.”
Two more gulps of wine are taken.Positive vibes, positive vibes…
“Juliet has made partner at her firm,” Mum announces proudly, beaming at her. “She’s done extremely well, considering she’s so young.”
A blush of pink appears on my sister’s cheeks as she stares down at her lap. It’s not like her to look so modest about her achievements. She used to tell me all about them the minute I stepped within her vicinity.
“Very impressive, Juliet. Well done,” I say dryly.
“It’s wonderful news and we should celebrate,” Dad announces.
“Dad, it’s not news, you’ve known about it for months,” Juliet says, seeming irritated. “And we already celebrated when I came to see you.”
“We never tire of celebrating our daughter’s success. Not that we’re surprised, of course. They really should have made you partner last year with everything you’ve done for that firm,” he says pompously. “But here you are and there are great things to come!”
“I’ll toast to that,” Mum smiles, raising her glass.
We follow suit, but Juliet shifts uncomfortably under the glare of their attention, glancing at me and then looking quickly away. Maybe she’s starting to put herself in my shoes for once and realizes that being in her shadow has always been a bit chilly.
“It’s such a shame that Harry couldn’t join us for dinner,” Mum says, placing her glass down before looking pointedly at me. “You haven’t met Juliet’s boyfriend, have you, Harper? He’s an investment banker, studied at Cambridge. He’s very impressive.”
“He’d have to be to keep up with Juliet,” Dad chuckles. “Not too bad on the squash court, either. Although I taught him a thing or two!”
“And he’s so handsome, too,” Mum adds.
“He sounds like a catch,” I say, studying the menu intently. “Congratulations.”
“How are things with you, Harper?” Juliet asks, taking me by surprise. “How’s the job? Is there anyone on the scene?”
“I’m single and the job is fine,” I say briskly. “Hey, did anyone get the hake last time? Because I’m tempted. And Dad, how’s the squash going? Do you still play a lot or just when Juliet’s impressive boyfriend is in town?”
My bitterness is overlooked and it’s a successful steer of the conversation, prompting Dad to tell us a story about his latest win that he’s clearly told several times because it’s well-rehearsed and he stops at all the moments that seem to require a laugh.
My determination to ignore any gibes and bat away intrusive questions works right through the starters until our plates are cleared from the table. By then Mum’s had enough wine to ignore any willpower to mask her disappointment in me, and I can sense trouble brewing at her first question.
“I read an interesting article the other day about how the evolution of social media has impacted our connection with people in the public eye,” she begins. “Thanks to Instagram and the like, celebrities can allow people full access to their lives, so now, media outlets reporting on them are… redundant. I wanted your opinion on that, Harper?”
If it was someone else asking, it might have led to a very interesting discussion. But my mum likes to goad. She knows how to get under my skin.
“I think that is probably true in some ways,” I answer coolly. “But their social media posts give people a glimpse of what they want you to see. My job is different.”
“How?”
