Page 22 of The In-Laws

‘Go to a dinner?’

‘A book launch?’

‘A meeting?’

‘A book fair?’

‘A Zoom call?’

‘A book awards?’

‘A book festival?’

They were furious, glaring at her, but it was just a class play. They’d only been back in school four weeks, so it couldn’t be a big deal. It wasn’t like an end-of-year performance they’d rehearsed for months. Melanie’s parents were pharmacists who ran a late-opening pharmacy. Theynever went to school plays or sports days. They were busy, working. Her youngest sister, Leona, had been bothered by it, but she was the only one. Melanie and her older sisters, Niamh and Vivienne, hadn’t cared at all. Melanie had thought the mums who sat up the front at school events, overdressed and over-made-up, were silly and must have no lives.

Still, the twins were very annoyed and she wanted peace. She raised her hands in surrender.

‘I’m sorry, girls. I’ll get your dad to record it. It’s Sloane’s big celebration dinner.’

‘Whatever,’ Janis said.

‘I’m not hungry. This food is cold.’ Joni pushed her plate away and stood up.

Janis mirrored her twin. They left the kitchen. Melanie was going to tell them to scrape their plates clean of the expensive food and put their plates into the dishwasher, but decided now was not the right moment.

Her phone beeped, it was Peter:Any updates on the edits? Have you looked through them yet? What do you think? Do you agree with Larissa???????? I can’t switch off. I need your feedback!!!!!

Melanie pulled her laptop out of her bag and began to read the editorial notes. It was going to be a long night.

7. Amanda

Amanda stood outside the office door and took a deep breath.You’re doing this for Theo and for you. You have to salvage the mess your husband and son have made of your lives. It’s up to you to make this move back to Dublin work out and make sure Ross gets to run the agency and pay off that slut.

Amanda knew that if Melanie or Jamie took over the business, Ross could be out of a job. Jamie tolerated Ross, but they were not close, and Melanie owed him nothing. Melanie clearly did not like Ross and wasn’t very good at hiding it. Amanda thought Melanie should be nicer to Ross and a bit more respectful. After all, he was the eldest and the presumed heir to the agency. Melanie seemed to think that having a few good writers on her books made her irreplaceable, but if there was one thing Amanda had learnt in life it was that no one was irreplaceable.

Plastering a smile on her face, she walked through the door. Frank was the first person she bumped into. Thank God, he was the nicest of the whole lot of them by miles. A bit useless, but kind, and there was a lot to be said for kind men. Her husband could learn a thing or two from his brother.

‘Hello, Amanda, great to see you,’ he greeted her warmly.

‘Hi, Frank.’

‘What have you got there?’ He pointed to the big box she was carrying.

‘An afternoon treat for you all. Nancy’s favourite lemon cheesecake. And I got a vegan one, so you can enjoy it too.’

Frank beamed at her. ‘That’s so thoughtful of you. Mum will be thrilled.’

Amanda doubted that Nancy was about to backflip around the office, but she hoped she’d crack a smile.

Frank called to the others, who were all in their individual offices, except Ross, who was working from the small conference room. So he hadn’t got an office yet, Amanda noted. The problem was, Ross had told her, there were only four, and then some hot-desks in the reception area for the accountant, who worked two days a week, and the admin girl, who worked three days a week, and for the readers who sometimes came in to attend to the slush pile of submissions. Nancy, Frank, Jamie and Melanie each had an office. But Ross fully intended to move Frank out of his as he was, in his words, ‘a total fucking dead weight’.

The dead weight announced her arrival. ‘Amanda is here, bearing gifts.’

The others looked up from their desks and came out. Nancy wheeled herself, looking distinctly unhappy with the interruption.

‘What’s going on?’ Ross asked. He didn’t look thrilled at the sight of his wife and her cake either.

‘I brought Nancy’s favourite lemon cheesecake for an afternoon coffee break.’ Amanda kept her voice bright.

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