‘Oh, you’re a bitter pill, girl. At least your father wants to come home. More than you can say for poor Jimmy, I’m sure.’ Mary knew it was a cheap shot but she couldn’t help herself; sometimes Cynthia pushed you to the limit. Job himself would have struggled to be patient around her daughter.

Chapter Five

Jimmy Tailor liked all his in-laws. In fact, he was thrilled to be spending Christmas with them – anything was better than the silent dinner he would have had at home, with Cynthia sending him sneering, reproachful looks over the table. At least here he’d have a bit of fun and so would Gabby. Jimmy was especially fond of Celeste, his wife’s younger sister. She was a really nice girl, not as beautiful as Cynthia, but still very attractive. She had a generous nature and kind heart too, and that made her a joy to be around.

‘Hi, Jimmy, you look well.’

He grinned with pleasure. Celeste was always glad to see him. ‘So do you, love. In fact, you look wonderful.’

She almost shone with pleasure at the compliment. Jimmy would never understand his wife’s animosity towards her sister. It was beyond his comprehension. Jimmy didn’t have a jealous bone in his body, so he never understood the naked envy in his wife’s eyes when she looked at her little sister.

‘Don’t start her off, her head’s big enough as it is.’ He could hear the nastiness in his wife’s voice.

Celeste smiled at her sister and said sweetly, ‘You’d know all about that, Cynth. It’s a wonder you can leave the fucking house!’

Everyone laughed. Cynthia watched them as they laughed at her expense. She hated that they were her family, hated that these people were her blood, hated that she needed them, that they were the only people who really knew her. It was the last place she wanted to be on Christmas Day but, then, she never missed an opportunity to lord it over them and look down her nose at them.

‘Ha bloody ha ha. What are you so done up for?’

Celeste grinned once more, she was always so good-natured it made Cynthia want to hit her.

‘Don’t you mean for who? Didn’t you tell her, Mum?’

Mary flapped her hand with feigned discretion. ‘Why would I? It’s your news to tell.’

‘Come on then, Celeste, out with it.’ Cynthia sounded bored now, as if anything to do with her sister was beneath her. Which, as far as Cynthia was concerned, pretty much summed up how she felt about Celeste and her excuse for a life.

‘I’m seeing Jonny Parker, have been for a couple of months.’

Mary watched Cynthia as she digested this little bit of information, saw the shock as it occurred to her what that statement actually meant in real terms.

‘He’s too old for you.’