Page 22 of One Night in Edinburgh

‘All right, wee sis?’ He looks up at me with a toothy grin. ‘Happy New Year. Mum wasn’t too happy about this, but I told her it was either that or I puked all over the kitchen counter.’

‘Nice. How did that go down?’

‘Told her my hangover’s so bad, my head’s spinning every time I stand up. Total BS obviously, but it means I get to watchHome Aloneinstead of listening to those two cheep on about utter shite.’

‘Well played.’ I can’t help feeling in awe of my brother’s uncanny ability to get out of literally any situation that doesn’t suit him.

‘Score, eh? I wondered if you were going to pull a sickie. Big one last night, was it?’

‘Something like that.’ I flop down on the armchair opposite him. ‘Is Shelley here as well?’

‘Nah, she went to her own parents’ place for a few days. Bit soon for bringing her in on the family traditions, don’t you think?’

‘Why? Because you don’t want to scare her off?’

‘Nope. Because I don’t want to scaremeoff.’

‘Mikey, you’re such a loser. You’re thirty-four. When are you going to grow up and stop playing Peter Pan?’

‘When I meet someone who can handle me.’ He gives me a theatrical wink.

‘I don’t even want to know what you mean by that.’ I gag a little, and he chuckles, pleased to have grossed me out.

‘Connor not here?’

‘No.’

‘Something up?’

I quickly weigh up the options of how this could go. Either I tell Mikey first and face the pain sooner than I wanted, but I might at least have an ally in him when I tell the others; or I could stretch it out till the last possible second, and drop the news just as I’m heading out tomorrow. While the latter is probably the most attractive option to avoid the inevitable twenty questions, and the let’s-assassinate-Connor’s-personality-and-in-the-process-take-down-Steph’s-poor-life-choices routine, I decide that having Mikey on side will help me fare better in the long run.

‘Steph?’ Mikey prompts me. ‘There’s something up, isn’t there?’

‘Eh… yeah. Connor and I have broken up.’

‘Aww, sis, I’m sorry. What happened?’ He pats the couch on the opposite side from the bowl of carrots, and I cross the room to sit next to him.

‘We’ve just grown in different directions.’Reallydifferent directions.

‘Are you OK?’ Mikey asks.

‘I am actually. Think we were on course for it for a while, but I still didn’t see it coming.’

‘So, he ended things?’

‘Yes.’

‘Want me to punch his lights out?’

‘Thanks, but no,’ I chuckle.

Mikey looks thoughtful, and I’m sure I know what’s going through his mind. He’s considering whether to give me the speech I expect to hear several different versions of, as my other family members receive the news. Mikey’s will undoubtedly be the most palatable.

‘Say it, Mikey. I know what you’re thinking, so get it over with.’

‘I don’t want to upset you, Steph.’

‘I know you don’t, but you’ve never rated Connor, I know that.’

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