Michael hated her when she was like this. She had always acted as if everyone that he liked or he wanted to be involved with had something chronically wrong with them, and as if he was too young or too stupid to see that for himself. He had always backed down, feeling guilty for wanting other people in his life. His mother had been enough for him when he was a kid, but he saw that he had never made friends unless his mother had given them her seal of approval. Now he was a grown, successful man, but she still expected him to choose her over everyone else in his life.

‘Why do you do this, Mum? Why do you always have to try and make everything such a fucking drama? You were invited, you know that.’

Hannah could sense the anger that her son was trying so hard to contain. She had pushed him too far. If only she could stop herself, enjoy his company while she had it, without trying to force him to prove that she was the only person he would ever love. But she couldn’t do that. He was hers, her only child, her only boy, and she was not able to let him go. He owed her. The few years with Josephine were nothing compared with the lifetime with her. He would see that at some point.

‘Josephine is forever inviting you out somewhere, Mum, and you are always saying that you can’t make it. Well, listen to me. One of these days she’ll finally take the hint and blank you, and who could blame her, eh?’

Hannah wanted to explain that she could not help herself. Josephine was like a thorn in her side. The day he had met that little bitch had been the beginning of the end for her and her son. Now with the wedding nearly upon them, she knew that she would have to accept her, at least on the surface. She had no choice. But it was so hard. Josephine Callahan was like a big balloon; bright and beautiful on the outside, but if you popped the fucker with a well-aimed dart, just hot air inside. Why could her son not see that? Josephine was not woman enough for a man like her Michael. He would tire of her eventually, that was a given.

‘Listen, Michael, I don’t accept her invitations for the simple reason I don’t want to spend a whole day looking in clothes shops! Jaysus, Michael, you tell me one time you ever knew me to go shopping for a whole fecking day! I’d rather boil me own shites.’

Michael had to laugh; in fairness, she was telling the truth. But it wasn’t about that – it was about showing willing, about accepting Josephine as her future daughter-in-law, as a part of the Flynn family. She knew that as well as he did.