Page 17 of Alice Carver Manifests Her Perfect Life
‘And you’re a pain,’ said Astrid. ‘Tell her, Aziz.’
‘Aziz?’ I turned to my brother-in-law.
‘Did someone say something about presents… ?’ said Aziz.
‘Ooh!’ I put down the tablecloth. ‘Good point, Aziz.’ I was quite excited about the present I’d hoped Mum and Dad had got me.
Matthew checked his watch. ‘I’m going to take off.’
I tried not to roll my eyes whilst everyone demurred and begged Matthew to stay, and instead distracted myself by having another quick check through Charlotte’s posts. (Well actually, not everyone was persuading Matthew to stay. I noticed Roger was pretty silent too – apart from piping up, ‘I’m sure the man has business to attend to what with his hotel hobby, haha,’ and then laughing just a little too hard.)
Once Matthew had promised he’d return tomorrow (joy of joys) he was finally allowed to say goodbyes. I was nearly heaving a sigh of relief when he paused by me and whispered so no one else could hear (he’s always been goodat that – making out like he’s nice when he’s not), ‘Tasteful top, Alice. Although quick heads-up: we wouldn’t let you in at the Lamb looking like that. I’m sure you understand. Standards.’ Then he said at normal volume, ‘Bye, Alice,’ gave my shoulder a squeeze and made his way to the kitchen door.
‘Yeah, piss off,’ I called after him.
‘Alice!’ Dad exclaimed.
‘You didn’t hear what he said!’
‘We all heard him,’ said Mum, shaking her head. ‘He said goodbye. Sorry for Alice, Matthew.’
‘Don’t worry, Nell,’ said smug Matthew. ‘Merry Christmas, everyone!’ he called as he left. ‘Especially you, Alice!’
‘Bye, love,’ called Mum after him, as the door closed with a whoosh of cold air. ‘He is a darling. Despite your rudeness, Alice.’
She held up my abandoned tablecloth and tutted. ‘Dear lord. And to think of all those fees we spent on St Hilda’s.’
‘Well, at least I was trying to help,’ I countered. ‘Matthew never helps anyone except himself. To hotels.’
‘Alice,’ Mum sighed, ‘do you realise that Matthew spent an entire day in A&E with your father a couple of months ago when his back went again? Drove him there, insisted on staying for the blood tests and then said he may as well wait, and drove him home. Eight hours later. That’s help, Alice.’
‘Well, it was probably nice for him to sit around a bit and drink tea with Dad,’ I said, giving Dad a squeeze. ‘I wish I’d got to be there with you.’
‘You haven’t tried the tea there.’ Dad shuddered slightly. ‘It comes out of an urn.’
‘I’d have stopped at Starbucks on the way.’
‘You didn’t visit me in hospital once when I was stuck in after the twins, Alice,’ said Arrie.
‘That’s different. I was at Glastonbury and Dolly Parton was playing. You wouldn’t have wanted me to missthat!’
‘Matthew missed collecting an award in person,’ said Mum, ‘just to keep your father company. We only found out afterwards. That’s how thoughtful he is. He put your father’s needs first.’
I rolled my eyes. ‘Dad’s a grown man. He’d have been fine on his own.’
‘Fine on his own?!’ Mum threw her hands up in despair. ‘Who would have caught him when he fainted?’
‘What?’
‘Alice has forgotten her own father has a blood phobia. Thank goodness Matthew cares enough to remember!’
‘Did he really have to catch you, Dad?’
‘Yes, darling,’ Dad told me. ‘I’ve got to say, he’s remarkably strong, Matthew. Gosh the muscles.’
‘And so handsome—’
‘Can I openeverythingunder the tree?’ shouted Ernie from the sitting room, saving me from this rabbit warren I’d fallen into, where every tunnel led back to a Matthew Lloyd love-fest.
