Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 119548 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 598(@200wpm)___ 478(@250wpm)___ 398(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119548 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 598(@200wpm)___ 478(@250wpm)___ 398(@300wpm)
I tilted my head to the side. “Where we were sure they’d make babies if we put two of them in one goo together?”
“That’s it.” She snapped her fingers. “Yeah, she looks a bit like that. Her head seems wildly disproportionate to her little body.”
Nobody could fault her honesty, that was for sure.
I took the little printout she gave me and stared at the grainy black and white picture for a minute. “Aw, you’re right. She kind of does.”
Lucy beamed as if I’d given her a great compliment. “Do you know where Nana is? Is she at yours?”
“Mine?”
She blinked at me like I was stupid.
I felt stupid.
What was she talking about?
“Hawthorne House, my lady,” Lucy said snarkily, using the same tone she’d used when she caught me rifling through her wardrobe when we were teens. “Where you live? Lady Coventry? Ring any bells?”
Wow.
Was it me, or was everyone being mean to me today?
I took a quick step back, hugging the glass and tea towel to my body. “Why is everyone being mean to me today?” I muttered before I could stop.
She stopped. “Sorry. My back really hurts today; she’s sitting super awkwardly.” She shifted and winced as if to prove her point. “I didn’t mean to snap at you.”
“That’s what Fred said,” I grumbled, putting the glass on the shelf. “Maybe I’m the problem. I’m just going to go back to bed.”
“Who’s being mean to my favourite girl?” Si asked, appearing from the back with a towel slung over his shoulder. “Need me to kick someone out?”
I pointed at Lucy, who protested with a, “Hey!”
Si chuckled. “I’m not kicking a pregnant woman out. Here.” He tossed something green her way, and her face lit up.
“Crisps! Si, I love you!”
Her and her bloody salt and vinegar crisps.
And what was up with that? Why did she get treats when she was being mean to me?
“Got delivered this morning. I ordered an extra box to keep mini-Lucy happy.”
My sister shoved a big crisp into her mouth and patted her round belly. “Mini-Lucy thanks you for it.”
He grinned, then turned to me. “Who else is being mean to you?”
“Fred snapped at her over something,” Lucy said, happily nibbling on her crisps. “You came out before she could tell me what, though.”
“Do I need to beat him up?”
“Si.” I turned and looked at him, quickly darting my gaze up and down his towering frame. “You’re a man.”
He blinked at me. “Thank you for noticing.”
Lucy snorted.
“No, I mean, help me.” I flapped my hands and sighed. “He seemed really off this morning, and all I did was ask him what was wrong. He told me to just leave him alone, then when I stormed into the bathroom, he came rushing after me to apologise.”
“What did you say to him?” Lucy asked.
“I’d forgive him in eight to ten business days, three to five if the apology is really good.”
She nodded. “Good girl. Just like I taught you.”
“Yeah, you finally came in useful for something.”
“You little—”
Si tossed another bag of crisps in her direction, and she was quickly distracted by them. He chuckled under his breath and patted me on the shoulder. “Everyone has bad days, Deli. Marriage is hard. I’d imagine yours is much harder than either of you thought it would be. Despite all the time you spent together before, you’re always there now that you live together. Maybe the two of you just aren’t used to it yet and tensions are a little higher.”
“Yup,” Lucy interjected. “When me and Harvey started living together, I swear we argued every day. It was so frustrating to just never be able to be alone and have my routine messed up. He did things differently to me and it really annoyed me for a while. Even something little like us organising the cutlery drawer differently was cause for a fight.”
Si nodded at her. “Living with someone is completely different to just being with them a lot of the time. It’s something you have to figure out together, and it requires a great deal of compromising from both sides. Maybe the two of you need more space. This all happened so quickly, after all. Maybe neither of you have properly adjusted yet.”
“It’s been a month since we got married,” I said, grabbing another glass.
“Which is no time at all compared to the almost thirty years of friendship the two of you have.”
Huh.
I’d never thought about it like that.
“Plus, well… You share a bed sometimes.”
I nodded. “Not every night, but I finished early yesterday, so we did last night.”
Si glanced at Lucy, and she nodded knowingly.
“What’s that look for?”
Si took a deep breath and laid his hands on my shoulders, looking down at me. “Deli, you’re a very beautiful young woman.”
I leant away from him, stilling my hand inside the pint glass. “Si, please, I’m married.”