stuck her hand out in her direction for her to shake. Douglas, hovering in front of her, darted his head forward in a semblance of a kiss, somewhere in the air by her left ear, his arm propelling a small boy towards her.
‘Say hello, Johnny,’ he said.
Alice smiled down at him; he was the child that Evie had implied had some sort of difficulties. At first sight, whatever it was didn’t show up. He was small, skinny like a sparrow, brown hair like his father and enormous dark eyes that gazed fearfully upon the world. He tentatively shook her hand with his left hand, while holding on to his father with his right.
Zara walked straight into the living room and sat down on the biggest chair, glancing round as if she were looking for something to amuse her. Johnny scuttled in beside his father, dodging to keep in his shadow, using his bulk as protection, as if he were afraid of snipers. Douglas told him not to be silly in a weary way as if he said it often.
‘Hi Mum.’ Laura kissed her. Alice recognized her expression. Her ‘I forbid you to make any remarks, or dislike these people I’ve chosen,’ message flashing in her eyes.
Julian would have told a joke, welcomed them in as if they were old friends, making it easy. No wonder Laura found it hard to bring her new family home, knowing her mother was prone to pointing out the complications of a situation that loomed like hazard lights before her.
‘It’s lovely to see you… all, darling.’ She hugged her, feeling detached from them as if she were in a play.
‘And you, Mum.’ Laura snuggled close a moment and Alice realized this was an ordeal for her too. If only they were alone, she’d try and explain that the void left by her beloved father could not be easily filled and surely taking on a divorced man and his two children was going too far in trying to achieve it.
Douglas, as if he guessed her thoughts said jovially, ‘We’ve almost decided on the wedding day. Venues for the summer, as you know, are always booked up way in advance, and anyway it’s nearly summer already, so what about Christmas? You can never rely on the weather in this country, so we might as well choose somewhere indoors from the start.’
‘This Christmas?’ Alice exclaimed. Hadn’t Laura said the wedding was to be
next
summer? Over a year away and by then she might have second thoughts.
‘Yes,’ Douglas said, ‘it’s over six months away and surely Evie’s baby will be born by then. Would that suit you?’
Laura seemed rather quiet, standing by the table and idly flicking through a magazine that Alice had put down when she’d heard them arriving.
‘Is that all right with you, Laura?’ Alice said. She felt trapped, as if Douglas had spoken and no one would dare to argue with him.
‘Yes… if that’s… all right with you, Mum.’ Her voice was firm and she went on quickly, eyeing Douglas as if she needed his support. ‘We haven’t chosen where to have it, I thought Suffolk, but as Douglas said it will be difficult for people to get to. We’re not having a big thing and most of his friends, and his mother, live in London, as do you, and Evie can come up and…’
‘I’m going to be bridesmaid and have a pink, floaty dress,’ Zara piped up.
Johnny crept even closer to his father, his eyes wide with horror as if he too might be pushed into some outlandish outfit.
Douglas, perhaps guessing Alice’s feelings, said quietly, ‘We don’t want a big affair. I think too much is made from some of these do’s, so much planning and themes and expense and then people are left feeling rather flat after them. It is after all the marriage that is important, not the scale of the wedding day? Don’t you agree, Alice?’
Alice, who’d had this conversation with friends, nodded. Some of the weddings she’d been too had been so elaborate it was hardly surprising that the couple couldn’t settle down to an ordinary life together when they returned from an equally
‘Say hello, Johnny,’ he said.
Alice smiled down at him; he was the child that Evie had implied had some sort of difficulties. At first sight, whatever it was didn’t show up. He was small, skinny like a sparrow, brown hair like his father and enormous dark eyes that gazed fearfully upon the world. He tentatively shook her hand with his left hand, while holding on to his father with his right.
Zara walked straight into the living room and sat down on the biggest chair, glancing round as if she were looking for something to amuse her. Johnny scuttled in beside his father, dodging to keep in his shadow, using his bulk as protection, as if he were afraid of snipers. Douglas told him not to be silly in a weary way as if he said it often.
‘Hi Mum.’ Laura kissed her. Alice recognized her expression. Her ‘I forbid you to make any remarks, or dislike these people I’ve chosen,’ message flashing in her eyes.
Julian would have told a joke, welcomed them in as if they were old friends, making it easy. No wonder Laura found it hard to bring her new family home, knowing her mother was prone to pointing out the complications of a situation that loomed like hazard lights before her.
‘It’s lovely to see you… all, darling.’ She hugged her, feeling detached from them as if she were in a play.
‘And you, Mum.’ Laura snuggled close a moment and Alice realized this was an ordeal for her too. If only they were alone, she’d try and explain that the void left by her beloved father could not be easily filled and surely taking on a divorced man and his two children was going too far in trying to achieve it.
Douglas, as if he guessed her thoughts said jovially, ‘We’ve almost decided on the wedding day. Venues for the summer, as you know, are always booked up way in advance, and anyway it’s nearly summer already, so what about Christmas? You can never rely on the weather in this country, so we might as well choose somewhere indoors from the start.’
‘This Christmas?’ Alice exclaimed. Hadn’t Laura said the wedding was to be
next
summer? Over a year away and by then she might have second thoughts.
‘Yes,’ Douglas said, ‘it’s over six months away and surely Evie’s baby will be born by then. Would that suit you?’
Laura seemed rather quiet, standing by the table and idly flicking through a magazine that Alice had put down when she’d heard them arriving.
‘Is that all right with you, Laura?’ Alice said. She felt trapped, as if Douglas had spoken and no one would dare to argue with him.
‘Yes… if that’s… all right with you, Mum.’ Her voice was firm and she went on quickly, eyeing Douglas as if she needed his support. ‘We haven’t chosen where to have it, I thought Suffolk, but as Douglas said it will be difficult for people to get to. We’re not having a big thing and most of his friends, and his mother, live in London, as do you, and Evie can come up and…’
‘I’m going to be bridesmaid and have a pink, floaty dress,’ Zara piped up.
Johnny crept even closer to his father, his eyes wide with horror as if he too might be pushed into some outlandish outfit.
Douglas, perhaps guessing Alice’s feelings, said quietly, ‘We don’t want a big affair. I think too much is made from some of these do’s, so much planning and themes and expense and then people are left feeling rather flat after them. It is after all the marriage that is important, not the scale of the wedding day? Don’t you agree, Alice?’
Alice, who’d had this conversation with friends, nodded. Some of the weddings she’d been too had been so elaborate it was hardly surprising that the couple couldn’t settle down to an ordinary life together when they returned from an equally
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