I thought I might have a cup of t –
Nope, Freya says. Just sit and enjoy the booze like anyone else, on a day like today. Bit of Dutch courage. Robin, tell Josie about your antiques, will you. Nora, could you help me with the condiments?
Why would you need Dutch courage for an Easter lunch, Robin asks.
Josie coughs on her Pimm’s, and Freya breezes on, says to stomach my cooking, Robin! Although it’s notallbad. I do make a mean panzanella. Nora, she repeats, the condiments?
And because something seems off, because she doesn’t want to upset Josie who is watching, and because Freya – hard-nosed, unemotional Freya – actually seems rattled, Nora follows her into the kitchen, leaving the back door propped open, the breeze stirring the wind chimes in the hall.
What’s going on, Nora asks, once they’re inside. Why are you and Josie acting so – but Freya talks over her, says they just wanted to have a nice meal together, after everything. She opens the fridge as she speaks, so that Nora can’t see her face.
I was sure I had some mint sauce. Aha! Oh, no. That’s pesto. With a best before date of … three years ago. Is that edible, d’you think?
About as edible as your mushrooms, I’d imagine, Nora says.
Well, we’re still alive, aren’t we? Here, take the butter, and the mayonnaise. Apparently Bren likes it on his potatoes.
So Bren is coming, Nora says.
So Josie says. And I just wanted to tell you, Nora, before he arrives, that he and I had a little talk, the other day. Smoothed things over.
Freya still has her head in the fridge. Nora folds her arms, blood beating in her ears, says, eventually, how nice for you.
Don’t be so sassy.
Youraisedme to be sassy.
I am not going to argue with you on a day like this, Freya says. You said yourself, we’re here for Josie. Take the coleslaw, will you?
She shoves a tub, without looking, into her hands, and Nora puts it down on the side.
But I just want you to know that Bren won’t be bothering you, any more, Freya says, extracting two kinds of mustardfrom the shelf, and passing her those, too. I know you think I meddled in your affairs, Nora –
Poor choice of word, Nora says.
– but I made him see that it was the wrong thing, to ask you to go away with him. Not on that damn phone call, before you say it! But with whatever he said to you, the other week! So we can just put that aside, and focus on what’s important, today. Without any added drama.
Nora stares at the back of her mother’s head.
He … told you, that he asked me that?
And I toldhimto let you live your life.
Nora scoffs at this. Like you did, you mean?
Are we still on that?
What, you thought I’d be over it?
Ithoughtit was an excuse to be angry with me about Jon, Freya says, and she says his name, just like that, not lowering her voice or shouldering any blame and Nora almost storms back to the garden, almost grabs Robin’s arm and says actually, let’s go home, but then Freya withdraws from the fridge and says that’s not for right now, either, is it. Let’s get through this meal, and then we can talk about all that.
Except I don’t want to, Nora says.
Freya lets out a hollow laugh, and Nora can’t believe she has the audacity to act so righteous, here.
So we won’t talk, she says, ever again? Even after our family gathering?
But we’re not afamily, Nora says, slamming the jars she’d been holding onto the side – so hard, it’s surprising they don’t smash. We never have been! And what youdid, how you pretend it’s nothing, that’s notnormal, Freya.
