Page 80 of The In-Laws

I’m not in love with my husband.

28. Amanda

Amanda set the table reluctantly. She was not happy about this lunch. It felt wrong. It felt deliberately cruel and she felt like a traitor for being involved. But what could she do? She was living with Nancy, and her husband worked for his mother.

She had texted Katie that morning:I just want you to know that I hate this. I think it’s wrong on every level.

Katie had texted back:Me and my big mouth got me into this mess. Nancy is Jamie mother, his boss & my kidz granny. I wont stand in the way of that even if she is a poysonus bitch

Nancy limped into the room and checked the table. ‘Why are there twelve settings? There are only eleven of us.’

‘I set a place for Katie, in case you changed your mind.’ Amanda busied herself, stirring the casserole she had made.

Nancy’s back straightened. ‘Katie will never cross my threshold again. I’ve made that clear. Remove the setting.’

‘No.’ Amanda continued to stir.

‘Excuse me?’

‘I said no, Nancy. I think it’s wrong to exclude one member of the family, especially when she has apologized profusely to you.’

Theo glanced up from his phone and grinned at his mother. ‘Boom,’ he mouthed.

Amanda felt buoyed by her son’s support.

Nancy muttered under her breath and snatched up the place setting.

Ross came in with two bottles of red wine and two of white.

‘You can probably halve the wine,’ Nancy said. ‘Katie won’t be here drinking herself under the table as usual.’

Amanda hated the way she spoke so dismissively of Katie. Yes, she did drink too much on occasion, but she was wonderful in so many ways.

The doorbell rang. Glad of an excuse to leave the kitchen, Amanda went to open it. Jamie, Lucy and Toby stood on the doorstep.

‘Hi, guys,’ Amanda welcomed them in.

Lucy rushed past her, calling, ‘Granny, I’m here.’

Jamie and Toby hesitated at the door. ‘I don’t wanna go in,’ Toby moaned. ‘I hate Granny’s lunches. They’re so boring. I want to stay with Mummy.’

Jamie leant down. ‘Hey, buddy, remember what Mummy said? She wants you to be nice to Granny and to have a good time with your cousins.’

‘My cousins arewaaaaayolder than me and they never want to play.’

‘Theo will play with you.’ Amanda tried to placate the young boy.

Toby’s face lifted. ‘Theo was fun when he babysat us.’ He ran in shouting, ‘Theo, let’s build another fort.’

‘How’s Katie?’ Amanda asked quietly.

‘Upset, but trying not to show it. She appreciated your text.’ Jamie took off his coat and hung it on the coat rack.

‘And how do you feel about it all?’

‘Not good. I wanted to stay at home, but Katie insisted we come. She made the valid point that I work for my mother’s agency and Lucy adores her granny and, no matter what happens, Nancy is my mother and Frank and Ross are my brothers.’

Amanda shook her head. ‘Well, I for one think it’s awful. I really feel for you.’

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