Fiona Gibson - How the In-Laws Wrecked Christmas

‘Sorry,’ I murmur, sensing my cheeks burning. ‘I didn’t mean to make a thing of it. I s’pose I’m just a bit on edge …’

He kisses my cheek. ‘Look, it was a pretty big deal, my getting married. I suspect they’d given up hope. Maybe that’s why they can’t bear to put it in a cupboard or something …’

‘You were only twenty-nine,’ I remind him.

‘Yeah, and that’s decrepit by their standards. And they liked Louisa. They know her parents, our families were kind of entwined …’

How fantastically cosy … God, what’s wrong with me? It’s their house, they can display whatever they like. They could have Louisa’s wedding dress mounted in a glass box and hung over the fireplace if they wanted. They could make a fancy mosquito net out of her veil.

‘I just feel a bit uncomfortable,’ I add.

Ben’s face softens. ‘Look, I know they’re a bit stiff. They probably don’t know how to be with you. I haven’t brought anyone back since Louisa and I split up. But they’ll warm up, and it’ll be fine …’

‘What did your mum mean when she said, “I didn’t expect …”’

Ben looks baffled.

‘When we arrived,’ I prompt him. ‘She looked a bit shocked …’

‘I’ve no idea,’ he says with a shrug.

‘You did tell them I was coming, didn’t you?’

‘Of course I did!’ he exclaims. ‘D’you really think I’d just spring you on them?’

‘No idea,’ I say truthfully, because in fact I don’t know what to think.

In the vast bathroom I sit on the loo, figuring that maybe it’s normal in these circles to display wedding pictures, even post-divorce. And maybe it’s me who’s weird, and not properly grown-up, still living with friends like a student.

I get up and study my reflection in the gilt-edged mirror above the wash basin. Cheap hair, cheap dress … even my red lipstick looks wrong. It seemed perfect when I chose it, but maybe there is

Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.