Page 48 of Fake Rocks
“Tris!” She enveloped me in a hug. “It feels like I haven’t seen you for ages.”
I laughed. “Aunt Annie, I saw you on Thursday night.” I extricated myself from her arms and gestured to Saff. “This is Saff and Jonas, her cousin.”
Uncle Col appeared, reaching around me and pumping Jonas’ hand in a vigorous shake. “Come on in, don’t stand on the doorstep. Annie’s been up since six cooking up a storm.”
The aroma of a home-cooked Sunday roast permeated the air and my stomach rumbled in response. “Smells good, I can’t wait.”
We went inside and I could see Saff nervously glancing around. Aunt Annie’s neutral decor, chintzy knick-knacks and plethora of photographs on the walls was the total opposite to the chaos of her own room. I looked at it, seeing it through Saff’s eyes and could see how she might think it somewhat dull and boring compared to the London bubble she existed in.
“Thanks so much for inviting me,” said Saff, her voice more subdued than normal. “It’s lovely to meet you.”
“You too.” Aunt Annie’s smile didn’t quite meet her eyes and I sensed she wasn’t exactly telling the truth. “Lunch is almost ready. Col, why don’t you take Saff and Jonas into the dining room and Tris can come and help me?”
I followed her into the kitchen. “What can I do?”
She turned to me, wiping her hands on her apron. “I’m sorry, Tris. I’m not sure about this.”
“What do you mean?” I frowned.
“You and Saff. This whole being paid to go out with her thing. Doesn’t it make you some kind of gigolo?”
If it wasn’t so inappropriate, I might have laughed. Aunt Annie was serious.
“Maybe it did at the start, but we moved past it. We’ve been together properly without any witnesses or gossip columnists charting our every move.” I went over to her and touched her on the arm. “I really like her, Aunt Annie, she’s amazing. Surely you can be happy for me?”
The expression on her face told me the opposite. “I’m worried what might happen, Tris. You’ve been through a lot the past few months. I’m not sure someone like Saff Barnes is the right girlfriend for you.”
“Why not? Because she’s got pink hair and a nose ring? Should I be going out with someone who’s got platinum extensions and a nose job instead? Does it make that person any less fake?”
Aunt Annie pursed her lips. “That’s not what I meant. Going out with someone who’s constantly in the limelight is going to get you unwanted attention as well.”
I threw up my hands. “So what if it does? I’m enjoying myself right now, so why can’t you let me get on with it?”
“I just want you to be careful, Tris. Don’t go falling too hard.”
It was already way too late.
Lunch ended up being a cordial affair, despite my aunt’s best sabotage attempts before we sat down.
As I thought, Aunt Annie practically chewed Jonas’ ear off asking him thousands of questions about the bands and artists he’d looked after. Jonas promised her tickets to her favourite group if he was able to persuade them back out on the road.
“Comeback tours are all the thing right now, aren’t they?” asked Aunt Annie. “There are loads of bands re-forming and going out on tour. What makes them think they’ll be popular the second time around?”
“They probably need the money.” Uncle Col had always been the more cynical one. “Blew all their cash on cars and drugs the first time.”
“Saff’s about to take her band out again, aren’t you?” I looked over to Saff, who had been unusually quiet throughout the meal. That said, it had been difficult to get a word in edgeways between Jonas and Aunt Annie.
“That’s right.” She gave a small, tight smile. “Jonas has been great in getting us back on track.”
“Not only me, Saff. You guys had to want it as badly too.” Jonas nodded in acknowledgement.
She stared at him, her gaze intense. “I do want it, Jonas, you know I do. We’ve worked hard this week to get ready for the gig, I’ve barely slept.” There was a determined edge to her voice I hadn’t heard before.
“Surely it’s not what you want to do forever though, is it, love?” asked Aunt Annie. “I mean, once you’re a couple of years older you’ll want to get married and settle down, have a family.”
I could see the change in Saff’s body language as she tensed at my aunt’s comments. It wasn’t like Aunt Annie to be so…old fashioned about things. She was usually encouraging me to get out and about, see as many people as I could, not to settle. Here she was telling Saff to do exactly the opposite.
“Yeah, maybe. But I’m only twenty-four. Anything could happen in the next couple of years, even in the next couple of weeks. I mean, Tris and I might forget to use a condom and then, bang, I’d be pregnant. Who needs to put a timeframe on these things?” Saff picked up her glass and took a huge gulp of wine. “We haven’t talked about kids yet though, have we, Tris?” She glanced over to me, her eyes sparkling with mischief as Aunt Annie’s face took on a horrified look.
