Page 7 of The In-Laws

The two sisters-in-law cracked up.

‘Oh, God, Katie, how am I going to stick him in work? He’s so pompous with that foghorn voice of his.’

‘He’s a total arse. Stay close to Jamie,’ Katie said.

‘I will. He’s my ally.’

‘And Frank,’ Katie reminded Melanie about her own husband.

Melanie rolled her eyes. ‘Frank is Frank, and he lives in Frank’s world.’

‘Yeah, but he’s got your back,’ Katie said.

‘When he’s in the office, which is rarely,’ Melanie admitted.

‘Well, Nancy likes you, in as much as she can like anyone.’

Melanie snorted. ‘Nancy respects me because I make money for the agency. The day that stops, I’ll be out on my ear. Neither Frank nor Jamie will be able to save me.’

‘Jamie says you’re like a nicer version of his mum – clever and ambitious but not ruthless.’

Melanie covered her eyes and groaned. ‘I’m half flattered and half horrified by that.’

Jamie had also told Katie that Frank was more absent than ever, these days. But Jamie didn’t mind Frank’s casual attitude to work, he always said that Frank had never been the same after the car crash and that gave him a free pass in Jamie’s eyes.

‘Why do you think Ross and Amanda really came home?’ Melanie asked.

Katie shrugged. ‘I dunno, but it sure as hell wasn’t to nurse Nancy. Amanda is allergic to the old witch.’

Melanie pushed her glasses higher on the bridge of her nose. ‘Yeah, that excuse doesn’t wash. Whatever it is, it’ll come out eventually. The truth always does. And I’m looking forward to hearing the real story behind it.’

The twins came into the hall, carrying the ice creams they had bought in the shop. ‘We’re giving these to the others and then we’re going home,’ they announced.

‘No, you’re not, lunch isn’t over.’ Melanie frowned.

‘Dad said we could.’

‘Well, I’m saying you can’t.’

‘Granny is Dad’s mum, so he has the say. And Dad said it’s okay, so it’s okay.’ They backed out through the door and were gone before Melanie could stop them.

Crikey, they were a handful. Katie tried not to laugh.

Melanie shook her head. ‘I’m going to kill Frank. He never says no to them. They’re getting so difficult to handle.’

‘They’re teenagers, and all teenagers are supposed to push your buttons. I almost put my poor dad in an early grave when I was fifteen. I think that’s why he ended up moving to the west of Ireland. The minute I turned seventeen and left school to do hairdressing, he was gone. But it’s just a phase.’

It was funny: Melanie was in complete control and professional in work. Jamie said she was so impressive and dogged with publishers and editors, always getting the best deal for her writers, yet she had no control whatsoever over her kids. The twins had been running rings around her since they could talk.

Melanie took her glasses off and rubbed her eyes. ‘I’m just so busy in work. I probably need to spend more time with them.’

Katie reached out and patted her arm. ‘Give yourself abreak. You can’t be perfect at everything. None of us is. We’re all just doing our best.’

‘You seem to have a good work–life balance, though,’ Melanie said.

‘I kind of do, but then I work part-time and I’m not earning anything like the salary you are. Besides, there is more pressure on you.’ She didn’t want to saybecause Frank hasn’t earned the agency any money in years, but Jamie had told her they’d all been carrying Frank for a long time.

Melanie sighed. She looked exhausted. ‘Sometimes it’s a lot, but I love what I do, so at least that’s a bonus.’

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