“Oh, right,” Fin said.
“No problem,” Mitch said.
Fin fetched their drinks and grabbing a handful of the decorations we’d just made, led the way out into the hall.
Thank you, Mitch mouthed as he closed the door behind them.
“Do you want to tell me what’s really going on here, Vee,” I asked, glad to have the room to ourselves.
My sister looked at me, her expression desperate. “I’m scared, Holly.”
“Of what?”
“Of not being good enough. As a parent, I mean. I know you don’t believe me, but Mum will try something and what if it works? And if I can’t protect my baby from my own mother, how am I going to keep him or her safe out there?” Vee gestured to the window and the world beyond.
As my heart went out to Vee, I took her hand. “It’s exactly because you’re thinking this way that you’re going to make a great mum.”
21
Istood at the sink with my hands submerged in water as I washed the dishes. Fin stood next to me with a tea towel drying them. We worked in silence. Vee’s visit was clearly on his mind as much as it was on mine.
The earlier happy atmosphere had all but evaporated thanks to my sister. Pregnant or not, she had no right to sneak around the garden trying to catch me out before bursting in and demanding answers to her questions. I felt embarrassed at the way she spoke to Fin; at the way she accused him of being the reason I wasn’t on holiday. At thirty-three years old I’d earnt the right to decide how I spent my time and with whom.
Not that anyone would think so. Even I saw the contradiction in the way I had to sneak around.
I also felt sad. Vee was obviously worried about the responsibility that came with parenthood. So much so it was making her irrational.
But I hadn’t allowed myself to be bullied. Much to my sister’s exasperation, I stuck to my word about not going to our parents for Christmas. Then again, she stuck to her insistence that I should.
However, to be fair, Vee had promised not to drop me in it with our parents. She’d agreed to keep the news about both my cancelled holiday and staycation to herself.
I snuck a glance at Fin, wondering what he must be thinking. As introductions go, Vee can’t have made a good first impression. In my defence though, I had already hinted that my family weren’t what most would call normal. The Noelles didn’t do things by halves.
“You okay?” Fin asked. He put a hand on my arm as he spoke.
I nodded, but I could see he didn’t believe me. I thought about my kind, caring and placid sister. “It’s just not like Vee to be so angry,” I said. “I’ve never known her to be so unreasonable. It’s like she’s been taken over.”
“That’s pregnancy for you.”
I frowned. “Well if that’s what it does, I’m glad I’ll never experience it.”
“You don’t want children?” Fin asked.
I let out a laugh. “Chance would be a fine thing. It takes two remember.”
“It certainly does,” Fin replied, giving me one of his winks.
A tingle ran up my spine, but I ignored it, telling myself that Fin was just being Fin, teasing me as usual.
“Honestly, I wouldn’t worry about your sister,” Fin said. “Having a baby can do weird and wonderful things to a woman’s body and mind.”
He was beginning to sound like Mitch. “And you’d know this how?” I asked.
“A friend of mine’s wife went practically doolally during her latter stages. One minute she’d be laughing, in the next she’d be yelling, and in the next she’d be crying. I don’t know how the rest of the family kept up.”
I knew he was exaggerating for my benefit. After all, there were mood swings and there were mood swings.
“But I wouldn’t worry. Whatever is going on with your sister, things will settle down again. After the birth she’ll be back to normal.”
