Page 50 of Merrily Ever After
I don’t know much about it other than Liam got it years ago. But the idea is … not bad. It’s also the only thing I can think of that gives me something to work with. And Molly’s right. It would be cute. Daniela loves camping. We go all the time.
I could even collect her in it.Surpriseher in it. We could spend all day wrapped up in blankets and have no one to bother us. Just us and the countryside and a box of snacks I’ll pack just for her.
Perfect.
*
My eldest brother lives annoyingly far away. Well, it’s not that far. Twenty minutes in the car. But I don’t have a car and no one will drive me, which means I have to walk for like two hours just to get there.
This. This is what I do for love.
Liam is nearly two decades older than me so we’ve always had a strange relationship. He’s more like an uncle than anything else. But he also has a lot more patience than Andrew and Christian, and because he’s the one who never moved away, I saw him all the time.
Unfortunately, he also runs a farm and has two kids and therefore is busy and practical and has little time to stop and marvel at my brilliant creative mind.
“Andrew’s no help,” I say, kicking at a stone as Liam works away. “He thinks it’s a big joke.”
“Andrew thinks everything is a joke,” Liam says evenly.
“But thisisn’t. And I find it a little bit annoying that even though I am asking for help, no one is helping me when I help people all the time.”
I catch his smile as he wipes his sleeve under his nose. It’s cold today. A chilly morning but also annoyingly sunny, the clear skies showing no hint of snow or anything magical like that.
“I just want to know why when Andrew or Christian wants to do something, everyone rushes to help and thinks it’s a great idea, while whenIwant to, everyone says I’m being unrealistic. Do you know what that’s not? That’s not being an ally.”
Liam stoops. Plucks up the hammer. Whacks the final nail into a board.
“Are you even listening to me,” I demand.
“No. Why are you here again?”
“Your camper van.”
“Right.” He shuts the gate with a clang and winds the rope around it. “Look, I don’t know what they told you, but there’s a reason it’s been sitting in the yard for years. Mairead got it from her cousin for five hundred quid because they wanted to get rid of it. We thought we’d use it to go camping. We never did. It’s not romantic. It’s not anything.”
“You’re harshing my vibe here, Liam.”
“I’m whatting your what?”
I fold my arms over my chest, determined to be stubborn. “Does it drive?”
“Do you drive?”
“I’m a great driver.”
He scoffs. “You drive like Mam.”
“I donot! Come on, Daniela’s coming tomorrow. You’re really not going to help me?”
“Why should I?”
“Um, I don’t know. Maybe because I mind your kids for free? Because I’m your baby sister? Because I asked nicely?”
“You rocked up here and demanded.”
“I texted first. And you like Daniela,” I remind him.
“I do,” he says, looking amused. “She’s quiet.”
