Page 130 of Alice Carver Manifests Her Perfect Life
Three.
‘How about not sweating all over the beer, Roger?’ snapped Arrie. ‘Rather than fussing about Alice’s envelope for Matthew.’
Two.
‘Oh that,’ said Astrid. ‘Don’t worry, Alice. I found it on the bureau this morning.’
One.
‘I dropped it off for him after my run.’
The champagne cork popped and arced into the air, making everyone jump.
‘Woah!’ said Edwin. ‘Did you see that?’
‘Build-up of pressure,’ said Roger. ‘Could have taken an eye out.’
‘You did what?’ I said, staring at Astrid in total horror.
Time froze. Or stopped. There was no time anymore. What was time?
‘I delivered it for you. Why, has he not got it?’
A trickle of icy champagne ran down my hand.
‘There’s the man himself,’ said Mum. ‘We can ask him.’
I closed my eyes and swayed slightly; I could feel the smooth glass of the champagne bottle sliding from my desperate grip.
‘Do you want a hand with that?’ said a familiar deep voice, and suddenly the bottle was steadied. ‘Let’s get some glasses,’ said Matthew, and just like that everyone was distracted and fetching glasses and Mum was saying, ‘Yes, we must do a family toast before the guests get here.’
Matthew leant a little closer; apple and earth and the faint tang of sea mocked me. ‘If you let go of the bottle now it would help,’ he said.
I started to relinquish my hold, my hands shaking.
‘Gosh,’ he said quietly, taking the bottle from me. ‘You must have been seriously slaughtered last night.’ Our fingers touched and my eyes snapped open, as if he’d triggered an electric circuit. He was looking right at me. I froze, trying to read him. Oh my god. Did he know? His face was a mask of neutrality but I could see the faint crease at the side of his mouth, tantalising.
‘Here we go, Matthew,’ interrupted Dad, pushing glasses in front of us. ‘Fill these.’
Dumbly, I watched as Matthew filled the flutes Dad was holding, and then the others on the trestle table. Astrid handed me a glass, and Drunk Stephen nudged me.
‘Fuck, Alice,’ he said in a low voice. ‘You look terrible. Have you not noticed Matthew Lloyd’s here? Couldn’t you have made an effort? Have I taught you nothing?’
I looked at him, still stupefied.
‘Okay,’ said Arrie, ‘everyone’s got a glass, so let’s keep this short and sweet. Mum, do the honours.’
‘To Astrid and Aziz,’ said Mum. ‘May you have a gap year to rival Alice’s.’
‘Except without the multiple sexual partners,’ said Arrie.
‘And no drugs,’ said Dad. ‘I’ve not forgotten that phone call from Holland, Alice.’
‘And no ill-advised tattoos,’ said Astrid.
‘You’ve got a tattoo?’ said Matthew, his eyes flicking over me.
‘You’ve got a tattoo, Alice?’ said Mum in horror. ‘Astrid, are you saying Alice has a tattoo and you’ve never told me? Alice Carver?!’
