Page 121 of Endgame

‘Dad has had this coming for a while,’ Zachary says a little too loudly, drawing attention to him, Dahlia and Isszy, who areall listening as they huddle by the sliding door. They’re not even trying to hide that they are eavesdropping.

‘Dahlia?’ Hugh Mason calls for reinforcements.

‘I like Caleb. It’s not how I’d want it to happen either, but I remember being eight months pregnant when I walked down the aisle. We didn’t have a plan either. Is it risky? Sure. Can it work? We’ve got a beautiful family with two appropriately stubborn children to show for it.’

‘Is this why you showed up that night?’ Hugh rounds on me.

‘What night?’ Ariella asks.

‘He—’

‘Hugh Mason!’ Dahlia interrupts. ‘I invited Caleb to dinner the last time he was in the UK just to catch up. If you’re fifteen weeks now, you won’t have been pregnant then. He wasn’t hiding anything, Hugh.’

‘Why am I the villain here?’

‘You’re not, baby,’ Dahlia says, stepping into the garden to hold her husband’s hand. ‘You’re just realising that Ariella is human too and, no matter how much you love her, her choices won’t always align with yours. If we really think about it, you chose Jasper for her. They both just didn’t realise it. Maybe it’s time to truly support her choosing Caleb rather than just tolerating him as long as he doesn’t put a foot wrong.’

‘This isn’t just Sunday lunch, Dahlia. This is for ever.’

‘MrMason, I have no plans to leave,’ I inform him.

‘Only, your plans to leave are already in motion, Caleb.’

‘Daddy! That’s really unfair,’ Ariella objects.

‘Ariella, you didn’t honestly think he’d stick around, did you?’

‘Hugh, stop it,’ Dahlia whispers to her husband.

‘Are you trying to tell me that no one else is wondering why he won’t just quit his job and move back with her?’

‘Then he’d be the loser who quit his job and can’t provide for his family, because according to you love doesn’t pay the bills. He can’t win with you, Dad,’ Zachary adds in my defence.

Dahlia holds her hand up. She has had enough.

‘That’s it.’ Dahlia Mason shuts the conversation down. ‘We’re supposed to be a family. If everyone can’t sit at the table and be fully accepted into this family, then no one is sitting at the table.’

‘Mum! No, please. I’m hungry,’ Zachary pleads.

We all watch Dahlia return inside the house and head up the stairs. Hugh Mason shoots me a look that would give anyone not used to his antics a heart attack, and follows his wife.

‘Well, I’m eating,’ Zachary says sitting at the dining table.

‘I’ll join you,’ Isszy says happily. ‘Caleb, Aari. Come on,’ she encourages us as we join them. I’m happy to sit but I’m definitely not eating. I’ve pissed Hugh Mason off enough already today. I risk pouring myself a glass of water.

‘Zach, I was thinking…’ Isszy starts, stroking his head affectionately.

‘Oh no,’ Zachary says, dropping his fork. ‘We had a plan, Isz.’

‘I know but,’ Isszy says with her eyes shining, ‘let’s move the plan up.’

‘What plan?’ Ariella asks.

‘This is your fault,’ Zachary complains. ‘It was bad enough Sophia getting pregnant. And now you too? Nightmare.’

‘Oh shush. I want our kids to play together,’ Isszy explains, ‘There are no guarantees you guys are going to have more kids so, if everyone is pregnant now, I might as well join in the fun. That way, they can grow up together.’

‘I’m going to be so poor,’ Zachary says. I laugh because that’s exactly what I thought.

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