Page 76 of Lie For Me

‘Your mother,’ Nanna sat down heavily, took a long drink of champagne and smacked her lips, ‘was not who I would have chosen for your father.’

Lucy’s eyebrows shot up. Nanna on champagne had some things to say.

‘No, see, I see your face,’ Nanna said. ‘I knew what she was like—pushy and ambitious. I didn’t like it. She could tell your father was going to make something of himself. He was bright and clever, and people loved him.’ She pressed her hand to her chest. ‘And good looking, like your grandfather who—woo hoo!––was a goer in his time.’

Lucy cringed. ‘Okay, Nanna, maybe we—’

‘I was wrong. Your father needed your mother, or all that cleverness,’ she tapped her head, ‘might not have come to much. Your mother stopped him from only being a dreamer. Made things happen.’

She banged the table again, and Lucy righted the champagne glass before it fell.

‘And you’re like your father,’ Nanna said suddenly, digging her hands into Lucy’s knees and putting her face close to Lucy’s. ‘Oh my girl, you’re just like your father. Bright,’ she tapped Lucy on the head, ‘but soft. You need to show up in life, my girl.’

At that, Nanna necked the last of the champagne.

Lucy spotted her father deep in conversation with Kathleen and waved frantically at him. He looked at her quizzically for a moment, then saw his mother upending the champagne bottle in hopes of another splash. He excused himself and hurried over.

‘Mum,’ he said smoothly as he arrived. ‘Enjoying yourself?’

He pulled a face at Lucy.

‘I am, my boy,’ his mother said in an imperious tone, undermined by the hiccup that followed.

‘Mum, if you’re tired—’

‘Who said anything about being tired? Are you tired?’ She jabbed a finger at Lucy. ‘Didn’t think so. I’m old, James, I’m not tired. I’ve had more practice than anyone here at not being tired.’

James tried to slip his arm through his mother’s. ‘I think some fresh air and a spell on the terrace might be an idea. It’s boiling in here.’ She shook him off. He tried again. ‘I saw the drinks waiters out there just now.’

Nanna grumbled, pulled herself up with the table, and hitched her handbag over her forearm.

Nanna cut a swathe through the dance floor, taking the most direct route from table to terrace. She walked right between one dancing couple, others backing out of the way as she bashed through with her walking frame. Lucy’s dad hovered six steps behind, apologising for any bruised elbows.

The bored waitress drifted by, and Lucy grabbed her and ordered a gin and tonic. The party was by now in full swing, inhibitions flung aside along with jackets, ties, and hats. Mark had ditched his jacket and waistcoat and was dancing to Mambo Number 5 with Peter, who was bouncing around wearing only shorts. Thomas bobbed earnestly on the spot, his dad dance moves even better than Mark’s. Greg and Hannah, one of the bridesmaids, were bumping and grinding on one side of the dance floor, and Georgia had loosened up and was dancing with Dave and the rest of the uni gang.

Lucy still couldn’t see Jack, and then the crowd of dancers parted. He was standing by the bar, deep in conversation with a slender, pretty woman with thick, dark hair.

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The woman touched Jack’s arm as she spoke. Lucy watched as Jack leaned forward and said something in her ear, and the woman threw her head back and laughed as Jack grinned and looked on. They beckoned the barman, and both ordered more drinks. Lucy felt a prickle of heat rise up her neck.

She watched as the barman placed two glasses of champagne in front of them, and Jack solicitously passed the woman a napkin to place the glass on. He didn’t take his eyes off her. He brought out his phone and started showing the woman something. She leaned into him, her head practically on his shoulder, her dark hair falling across his arm as they pressed together to look at the small screen. The woman pointed and said something. Jack laughed and jostled into her side. They giggled together and sipped their drinks.

The bored waitress returned with Lucy’s G&T and plonked it unceremoniously on the table, slightly out of reach. Lucy glared at her departing back and lunged across the table for the glass, taking a long drink. She swung back to face the bar, but Jack and the dark-haired woman had disappeared. Leaning sideways, she tried to see around the dancers grooving their hardest to The Grease Megamix, but she couldn’t see them. She stood up and strained to see across the room. Her mother was remonstrating with her father in a corner, while a now rather sozzled Nanna sat beside them and refused to leave the party. Aunt Paula and Aunty Jacques were tucking into more slices of wedding cake.

Abandoning her drink, Lucy nervously made her way onto the dance floor to try to get a better view around the marquee. Greg, doing his best John Travolta, backed into her and gave a slurred apology, ‘sorry, sozzzy.’

Lucy kept going. There was no sign of them across the other side of the marquee. Lucy felt sick, wanting to know where Jack was with the woman, but worried about the answer. She shook herself and stopped at the marquee entrance. Out there were the dark gardens. Hundreds of romantic spots for a couple looking for some privacy to slink away to. Her stomach felt like jelly and her feet like lead as she held onto the drapes around the doorway.

‘Luceeeee!’

Ollie bounced through the doors and enveloped her in a bear hug, her arms pinned to her sides. Sophie was two steps behind him.

‘Put her down, Ollie!’ she batted at his arms. ‘Sorry,’ she mouthed and grimaced. ‘He’s very drunk.’

Ollie put Lucy down and wrapped his arms around his wife. His eyes welled up.

‘Lucy, can you believe this is my wife?’ he said, looking at Sophie and then back at Lucy. ‘Can you believe it?’

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