Page 4 of The In-Laws

‘I’m going to get involved in everything. I want to see how efficiently the agency is running. I have more experience than anyone at this table after fifteen years with Jackson Mayhew. They are, after all, one of the largest publishers in the world.’

‘We know who Jackson Mayhew are,’ Melanie said. Amanda could hear the irritation in her voice and she wished Ross didn’t always have to take the bull-in-a-china-shop approach. It had earned him kudos in London, but it might not work the same way here. ‘The agency is running very well, Ross. We’ve had a lot of success with Sloane, in particular, this year.’

Ross leant forward. ‘We all know that the agency’s success is mainly because of Hayden Lang’s cookbooks and Jessie Wright’s crime fiction – both authors my mother signed years ago.’

‘Sloane’s sales figures have far surpassed Hayden’s this year.’ Melanie was not backing down. Amanda was enjoying watching someone put Ross in his place. ‘And Jessie is way behind schedule on her new book.’

Ross had a serious adversary there, but Amanda thought Melanie should be grateful to have a job at the agency. Not only was she lucky to have been hired by Nancy all those years ago, but she’d also got a husband out of it. She’d met Frank at the agency and married into the family, thereby cementing her job and her future.

‘Ross will be a big asset to us. His expertise and experience from working on the publishing side will be invaluable,’ Nancy said, in his defence, and Amanda breathed a sigh of relief. Ross needed a big salary. There was no plan B. They needed the money to deal with the shit-show they’d left behind in London.

‘How are you finding being back in Dublin?’ Katie asked Amanda.

Amanda sighed. She missed London. She’d been so happy there until her husband and son had ruined everything. The truth was, she hated being back in Dublin: it was so small and insular and claustrophobic. ‘It’s so differenthere from London. I know everyone thinks Dublin has become cosmopolitan, but it seems backward compared to London. I miss the shops, the cafés, the restaurants, the theatre. London has so much more to offer. Dublin seems small and limited.’

‘But you’re from a small town,’ Jamie said. ‘I mean, you’re not originally a city girl.’

Amanda flinched. ‘Yes, and I hated living in a town where everyone knew everyone’s business. I couldn’t wait to leave it, which was why I went to university in Dublin.’

‘And met Ross,’ Melanie added.

‘Yes.’

‘Lucky for him that you did.’ Frank smiled at her.

Amanda had always thought she was the lucky one, but lately she wasn’t so sure.

‘Daaaaad, we’re so bored.’

The twins were not happy being at the children’s table. They looked pleadingly at Frank. He caved in immediately, which Amanda felt might only prove Nancy’s view of him.

Frank took out his wallet and gave them a note. ‘Here you go. Why don’t you nip down to the shops and get ice creams for yourselves and your cousins?’

‘Thanks, Dad.’ They blew kisses at him as they sprinted out of the door.

‘For God’s sake, Frank,’ Melanie hissed, ‘stop indulging them. They could just sit down like their cousins.’

‘You need to put manners on those two. They’re getting wild,’ Nancy told her middle son.

‘They’re just teenagers, Mum. They don’t want to be cooped up all afternoon, which is understandable.’

‘I’d fancy escaping to the shops myself,’ Katie muttered, as she poured herself more wine, emptying the bottle.

‘How is Theo finding school?’ Jamie asked his older brother.

Ross put down his fork. ‘Good.’

‘I hate it,’ Theo said, from across the room.

Amanda swooped in. ‘He’s only just settling down and it is very different from his old school. In London they had a swimming pool, a nine-hole golf course and indoor tennis courts. The facilities were on a different level, but he’ll just have to adapt. We all do.’

‘It’s not easy changing school at seventeen,’ Melanie noted.

Try changing house, country and life, Amanda thought darkly.

‘You’ll be all right, mate,’ Frank told Theo. ‘Hang in there. The first few weeks are always going to be a bit rough, but you’ll find your tribe.’

‘He just needs to put his head down and crack on,’ Ross said. ‘We’re all adjusting to this new chapter in our lives.’

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