Page 75 of Lie For Me

‘Well,’ Heather gave a demure smile and nodded, ‘that’s nice of you to both say so. I did,’ Lucy sensed her sister defrosting, ‘I did practice, rather a lot, to find the rhythm of the words. I wanted to find the natural musicality in the piece and be guided by it.’

Lucy took a swig of wine and organised her features into an earnest expression of interest. ‘I think you did.’ She nodded.

‘And I researched Emily Bronte, too.’

Of course you did. Lucy topped up her glass.

‘Did you know that—’

‘Darling,’ Mark interjected. ‘Do we have a clean top for Peter?’

Peter, realising that he would never win the battle to keep his shirt off while it was clean, had chosen destruction. He smiled as he sucked at the red wine soaking his shirt.

***

The speeches passed without incident. Dave gave a suitably humorous speech at Ollie’s expense, and Valerie smiled with her mouth only as Dave told stories about her son that she could never unhear. The DJ was setting up, plates were being cleared, and guests were shambling over to the bar or beckoning passing waiting staff. Mark and Heather had given up trying to keep the boys still any longer and had gone into the gardens, while Jack headed to the bar.

Nanna had cornered Lucy. She was on at least her third rum and coke––‘Rum thins the blood, dearie’–– and her false teeth were starting to slip as she spoke. She dug through a collection of tissues in a string bag hanging off her walking frame and dabbed at her mouth.

‘It’s the heat,’ she said, as her hand shook a little.

It’s the three rums and two glasses of champagne, Lucy thought, but kept it to herself.

‘So you think they’ll make it?’ she asked Nanna, nodding at Ollie and Sophie who were across the room, perched on the edge of the head table. Sophie whispered something to Ollie, and he burst out laughing and kissed her nose.

Nanna followed her gaze with watery eyes and dropped her tissue back into her bag.

‘Humph,’ she said. ‘I think they’ve got as good a chance as anyone.’ She reached for her drink. ‘I’ve seen marriages work with less.’

Lucy nodded.

‘On the other hand, hic,’ Nanna said, rubbing an arthritic knee with an arthritic hand, ‘you never know. Someone goes to work one day, meets someone new, and that’s it—poof! Over. That’s what happened to Virgil and wassername… Linda, who your dad went to school with. Linda went to work one day, met some new sales director and was gone within the week. Left Virgil,’ she swung her glass, ‘just like that. Said she hadn’t been happy for a while.’

She slurped another sip of rum and coke. Lucy craned her neck, looking for Jack, but couldn’t see him.

‘And then there’s Carolyne and Steven.’

Nanna waved her drink about, the heavy-bottomed glass pulling her wrist awkwardly to the side. Lucy’s eyes followed it, her own hands poised to catch it.

‘Whatcha doing, girl?’ Nanna suddenly said. ‘Don’t be thinking you can take my drink off me.’

She narrowed her eyes and glared at Lucy.

‘Wouldn’t dream of it, Nanna,’ Lucy said, resting her hands in her lap. ‘What happened to Carolyne and Steven?’

‘Humph, well,’ Nanna smacked her lips. ‘They fell out of love and would have got divorced but couldn’t afford it.’ Nanna tried to swallow down the hiccups. ‘Couldn’t bear to give up their lovely home so they still live there,’ she said with a sweep of her arm. ‘Been over twenty years now, living in separate parts of the house. They have a rota for using the kitchen.’ She shook her head. ‘Do all their food shopping separately, cook separate meals. Very sad.’ She gulped some more rum. ‘And they were childhood sweethearts,’ she added. ‘So there are no guarantees, my girl,’ she wagged a finger dangerously close to Lucy’s face.

‘And you.’ Nanna banged down her glass suddenly and grabbed Lucy by the wrist, her bony grip surprisingly strong. ‘And that boy you’re with. You’ve got as good a chance as anyone else. I see how he looks at you.’ Nanna nodded and pursed her lips, her blood-red lipstick bleeding into the lines around her mouth. Lucy caught the syrupy spicy smell of the rum on her breath. ‘And how you look at him.’

Lucy blushed.

Nanna stood up shakily and tried to reach across the table for an open bottle of champagne.

‘Nanna, are you sure you—’

‘Pass me the champagne!’ Nanna said brusquely, shaking her head and rapping her knuckles on the table. ‘Tsk, my own granddaughter telling me what to—hic—do.’

Lucy did as she was told. Nana stood, swaying slightly and used both hands to hold the bottle and pour herself some champagne. It sloshed over the glass, but she hissed through her teeth when Lucy tried to help her pour it. Lucy looked round for her father, but he was nowhere to be seen.

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