Page 140 of Good Sisters

‘He said he’d meet us there,’ I told him.

‘Isshecoming?’ Gavin asked.

‘I doubt it. I don’t see Dolores slumming it on the cold sidelines of a rugby pitch,’ I said.

‘I bet she comes. She’s like superglue to him,’ Gavin said, as Lemon burped but thankfully didn’t vomit.

‘Bloody traffic! I knew we should have left earlier,’ Harry huffed.

‘Harry,’ Julie said, using her calm voice, ‘you need to take it easy or you’ll crash the car. We’re way ahead of kick-off.’

‘I want to get my seat on the halfway line. I want to chat to the other dads, hear their thoughts and just soak up the atmosphere of this momentous day.’ He swerved to avoid slamming into the car in front of us.

Jess was thrown against me.

‘Harry, I know you’re wound up, but you’re kind of putting Lemon at risk here with the erratic driving,’ Gavin called from the middle seat.

‘He has a point,’ I said, not wanting myself or my own daughter to die.

Harry glanced at us in the rear-view mirror and I watchedhis hands begin to relax on the steering wheel. ‘Sorry, folks,’ he said. ‘I didn’t mean to frighten Lemon, or you two in the back.’

‘Or me, I hope,’ Julie said.

‘I’m just so nervous for the boys. How lucky are we that Sebastian got injured and they’re all playing?’

Jess nudged me in the back of the car. I winked at her. No one but Jess and my siblings knew the whole truth. Harry knew most of it, but not all.

‘I want them all to play well and be happy with their performances. It’s been a long week.’

‘Don’t worry, Liam will be fine. He’s a pro,’ Gavin re-assured him.

Harry sighed. ‘I’d hate for any of the boys to be disappointed with how they played. If the team wins, great, but what matters most to me is that the triplets don’t come off beating themselves up about anything they did. I’m so proud of them. I never shone at anything in school. I was Mr Average all the way. It’s … well, it’s quite something.’

Jess whispered to me. ‘I never realized Uncle Harry was so insecure.’

It was true: despite all the money he’d inherited and the lovely life they lived, Harry never seemed to feel he had achieved enough. I could see it when he was with Jack, in particular. Jack was privately educated and confident. Even when he’d lost everything, he’d bounced back and his confidence returned. But Harry had never had that inner belief. It made me sad for him and Julie. He was a brilliant husband and an outstanding father – he had raised sons who were loyal, brave and kind. I’d been blown away by how they’d jumped to Jess’s defence. Hopefully, some day he’d realize that was enough, more than enough.

Julie patted his arm. ‘Harry, the boys are lucky to have youas their father and their chief cheerleader. Let’s just get there alive so we can enjoy it.’

Thankfully, Harry took his foot off the accelerator. We still arrived thirty minutes early and he got his perfect seat.

I put Jess between me and Gavin at the end of the row. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted Victoria arriving. She was wearing her fur coat but not strutting like a peacock as she normally did. She sat a few rows in front of us.

‘I heard Sebastian’s not playing. What happened, Victoria? Is he okay?’ a parent asked.

Jess flinched. I reached out and held her gloved hand in mine.

‘Oh, he got injured on Wednesday when he was training at the gym.’

‘How?’ a mum asked.

Victoria shrugged. ‘He pulled a muscle doing weights or something.’

‘Poor Sebastian. That’s just awful for him.’

‘These things happen.’

‘You’re taking it so well, fair play to you.’

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