As usual, they’d drawn her into their world of jumbled conversations, momentary squabbles and laughter. Normally, she’d have insisted she pay for her share, but she’d been too cross with Harry to offer. She’d never met anyone before who invoked in her such a conflicting array of emotions. Whenever she was in his orbit she found herself lurching from annoyance to laughter to sadness and gratitude then back again. The man drove her bonkers.
So why are you putting up with him?
Holly and Hunter.
The thought landed uneasily. She grabbed a knife and cubed the chicken in preparation for the five-spice skewers she planned to barbecue for dinner—if she could wrestle the tongs from her father. The meal was an unspoken apology to her parents for days of being morose and asocial.
The back door slammed and Karen walked into the kitchen, her eyes taking in the honey and cream cheese residue from the cheesecake that Alice was yet to wipe up. Karen wiped every spill as it happened whereas Alice cleaned up at the end. She tensed and waited for Karen to say something, but her mother merely breathed in deeply.
“Hello, darling. Have you invited Dan for dinner?”
The knife caught the edge of her finger and Alice flinched. A pool of blood formed and Alice sucked it, her heart racing. How did Karen know about Dan? The staged dinner at Hilary’s that she’d reluctantly attended had taken place months earlier. It turned out to be surprisingly easy to argue with Dan over their disparate political views. In fact, it had been exhilarating not censuring herself to be polite. The sex after had been some of their best.
“You were sensational, Twin Two,” Dan had told her when he’d caught his breath.
“Are you talking sex or my performance at dinner?”
“Both. You’re the best mate a bloke can have.”
But the dinner was long past and Hilary hadn’t invited her again, so the parents couldn’t have been discussing the possibility of them dating. The only person who knew about the FWB arrangement was Libby and she’d never say anything.
Karen opened a cupboard above the microwave, pulled out the first aid kit and wrapped a Band-Aid around Alice’s finger. “I ran into Dan at school yesterday. He told me about the arts council grant. I think he assumed that since you’d told him, you’d have told Dad and me.”
Hurt rolled through her mother’s voice and guilt stirred. “I was going to tell you, but last week was …” Don’t say anything about that until you know for sure. “… difficult.”
“Were you going to tell us about the job or about Dan?”
“There’s nothing to tell about Dan.”
“Oh, Alice!” her mother snapped. “I wasn’t born yesterday. You deserve so much better than Dan van den Berg.”
The need to defend Dan rushed in so fast she gripped the edge of the counter to avoid swaying. “Are you saying I don’t deserve an honest and true friend? Because, that’s what Dan is and as far as I know he’s never once lied, cheated or misled me. That’s more than I can say for Lawrence or Tim or most of the men I’ve met through dating apps!
“Of course, Dan’s not my future, but he’s my now. And thank God too, because he doesn’t judge me, he isn’t disappointed in me and he doesn’t hover and find me wanting in every area of my life like you do!”
The landline rang shrilly and they both jumped. A pale Karen answered the call and Alice, who was shaking hard, poured herself a glass of water. Damn hormones! She’d never been this brutally honest with her mother.
“… wonderful, thank you, darling,” Karen was saying. “I appreciate it. Thank Nick too. See you soon.”
“Is that Libby? I need to talk to her.” Alice held out her hand for the phone, but her mother had already hung up.
“She’s coming over.” Karen smiled brightly. “And staying for dinner.”
Alice narrowed her eyes, trying to work out what was going on. Libby had promised to call her when she got the test results and that should have already happened. Now her twin was coming to dinner at Pelican House on her own? Libby never came to dinner on her own.
“It will be nice just the four of us, won’t it?” Karen said. “Like old times.”
Libby, no! You wouldn’t. “Is this an ambush?”
Her mother looked momentarily flustered. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I think you do. It’s what American television shows call an intervention. You called Libby and asked her to come to dinner especially to—”
“I phoned Libby because we’re worried about you. She suggested coming for dinner so we can have a good talk without being interrupted by the children.”
Alice’s blood chilled and just like that, she knew this wasn’t about Dan. Her twin was bringing her bad news.
Karen met Libby at the door. “Thank you for coming, darling. I’m sure between the three of us we can convince Alice—”
“Mom, how about I just get inside the door. Hi, Dad.” Libby kissed Peter. “Got any tonic water?”
“Always. Do you want some gin with it?”
“Goes without saying. Where’s Alice?”
“Murdering chicken in the kitchen. I’ll send her out to fire up the grill.”
“Actually, I think it’s best if we all get a drink and sit down. Dinner can wait,” Libby said firmly as if she was talking to patients not her parents.
Karen had thought the conversation with Alice would work best over dinner. But given her failed attempts to get Alice to reconsider any of her life choices—her head throbbed every time she thought about Alice with Dan—she was willing to try anything. If Libby thought drinks would work, she was on-board.
“I’ll get some nibbles.”
Karen entered the kitchen and Alice, who’d been mute since she’d found out Libby was coming to dinner, walked out. Grabbing the dip platter, Karen hurried back to the living room.
