The South West Series Box Set

by Rebecca Paulinyi

  Chapter 15

  Her mum’s response to the text - ‘See you then x’ - was far less inquisitive than she’d expected, but that didn’t stop her from being nervous on Sunday morning when she woke up at James’ house on the day of the big family meal. She’d given James’ address to her mum and sister, but without any explanation - Beth knew she was dating James, but Lee’s mother was currently completely oblivious. There were a few things she would be learning today.

  “Stop stressing,” James said as they sat in the kitchen drinking a hot drink. It was already the third time he’d said it, but it wasn’t helping anything; Lee had already been sick once that morning, and she didn’t know if that was because of the baby or her nerves.

  “I can’t help it,” Lee said.

  “It’s going to be great. I’m going to start prepping everything in a minute, the meat’s already in, they’ll get here at one, we’ll have a drink, break the news, have a lovely meal and then they’ll leave. Simple.”

  Lee raised her eyebrows. “I highly doubt it will be that simple - but I’m very glad you’re cooking, and not me. I’ll go and get the table set while you start chopping, then I’m going to jump in the shower.”

  It was handy that James was used to having the whole family over for meals, as it meant he had a larger than average dining room table to accommodate them all. With his mum, dad, sister, brother and their wives, the room would already be crowded - never mind Lee, Beth and their mum.

  “I was just thinking,” Lee said as she collected cutlery from the kitchen. “About the last big family meal around this table - well, unless you’ve been having secretive family meals that I don’t know about.”

  James laughed, methodically chopping vegetables and tossing them into the steamer. “You mean the one where you turned up at my door on Christmas day and announced in front of my family that the sex was incredible and you couldn’t live without me?”

  Lee blushed a deep crimson. “I don’t think you’re quite remembering all the details there James - and they didn’t hear me! But yes, that meal. Your brother and sister-in-law announced they were pregnant then - and now everyone’s meeting together and we’re announcing the same thing!”

  “I didn’t think of that. I haven’t seen Jack and Janet since January - I wonder if she’s showing?”

  “We never had any cousins,” Lee said, grabbing the place mats from their home above microwave. “It’ll be lovely to think that our baby is going to be so close in age to its cousin.”

  She wrapped her arms round James’ waist as he chopped, leaning her head on his shoulder for a moment.

  “It’s going to be okay, isn’t it?” she said in a muffled voice into his back.

  “It most definitely is.”

  ***

  The shower went some way to calming Lee’s nerves, but the issue of what to wear made her stress levels rise once more. Stood in just her underwear, she looked at herself in the full length mirror, running a hand over her stomach. There was definitely something visible there now - a rounded bump that could be mistaken for a few weeks of overeating, but most certainly wasn’t. In fact, eating was something she was still struggling to do, with everything still making her feel quite sick, or causing her to vomit. The problem was that, while she didn’t really need to hide it after today, she didn’t want to just look like she’d piled on the pounds - and she didn’t really want them guessing before she had a chance to tell them.

  Her usual black jeans wouldn’t quite do up, she knew that from a previous attempt, so they were definitely out. She’d brought a few options with her to choose from, and not for the first time thought that the sooner she moved in with James, the better. Having room in the wardrobe, and all her things in one place, would be a luxury she had been missing these past few months.

  In the end, after several discarded options, she settled on a pale pink shirt dress over some leggings. It felt comfortable and she hoped was floaty enough to conceal her rounded tummy.

  “Smells delicious,” she said as she re-entered the kitchen to find potatoes roasting, gravy bubbling away and James chopping mint carefully for his mint sauce. “Sorry, I’ve not been much help.”

  “Do your mum and sister know that my family will be here too?” James asked. “You look great, by the way.”

  “Thanks. And no, they don’t… I just couldn’t face all the questions over the phone, but I told them to be here a bit earlier than your parents, so I’m hoping to fill them in before they all meet…”

  “Ah well, my mum’s good in any social situation so I’m sure it won’t be awkward for long. Right,” he finished making the mint sauce in a jug and passed a wooden spoon to Lee. “Can you stir the gravy for me, and then put the vegetables on in about five minutes? I’m going to jump in the shower while I’ve got time.”

  “Don’t blame me if I mess it up!” Lee shouted after him.

  ***

  Ten minutes before they were expected, the doorbell rang and Lee was sure that it was her family. After all, she had given them a half hour head start ahead of James’ family and her mother had never been late to anything in her life.

  “Ready or not,” Lee said, more to herself than to James, and opened up the door to find her beaming sister and her slightly confused looking mother.

  “Hi mum, Beth,” Lee said, leaning in to give each a hug before stepping aside so they could get through the doorway.

  “Hey sis,” Beth said. “Gorgeous house!”

  “I didn’t realise you’d moved, Shirley,” her mum said, glancing round the hallway and trying to peer through the living room door. “It is a lovely house though, your sister’s right.”

  “Well,” Lee said, taking a deep breath and letting out the first piece of information before letting them into the living room. “It’s not actually my place - it’s my boyfriend’s. But we wanted to have you - and his family - round for Easter lunch and, well, there’s not a hope in hell we’d fit you into my flat so we thought here was a much better setting.” Another important piece of information - and right on cue, before any shock or horror could be expressed at the fact she was dating, James appeared.

  “Mum, Beth, this is James.”

  Lee was relieved to see that Beth wasn’t thrown by the direction events were taking, and she gave James a friendly hug as soon as they were introduced. “Lovely to meet you, James, I’ve heard great things about you.”

  Tina Davis’s eyebrows raised as if to say ‘You’ve heard of this man?’ But it seemed she was too polite to say that in front of him (although Lee didn’t envy Beth the drive home) and so she kept her mouth closed.

  “Mrs Davis,” James said, looking particularly handsome in a light pink shirt and blue chinos, the top button of the shirt undone, giving it a more casual look. “Lovely to meet you.”

  “I’d like to say I’ve heard a lot about you,” Tina said, “But I’m afraid I haven’t. Thank you for having us in your home for Easter.” Lee squeezed her eyes together momentarily; apparently her mother would say it in front of him. Luckily, he didn’t seem too fazed by it, smoothly transitioning to drinks in the living room.

  “What can I get everyone?” Lee asked a little nervously, reeling off a list of options. “We’ve got tea, coffee, water, wine…” There was, Lee knew, a bottle of champagne chilling at the back of the fridge but that was for later. That was for after they had broken the news. Champagne to celebrate. Possibly champagne to mask some unhappy feelings about the situation.

  “Tea for me, thanks,” Beth said, looking at the photos on the mantelpiece that Lee remembered noticing her first time in this house. Lee glanced to her mother. “Just water for me for now,” she said focusing her eyes on Lee and Lee alone. “Let me come and help you.” If she could have she would have sighed, knowing that being alone with her mother was a recipe for interrogation. But of course she couldn't and, after asking James what he wanted to drink, she resigned herself to her fate and left for the kitchen with her mother. She w
as pleased as she left to hear Beth and James chatting about his police work. She knew she could rely on Beth to make the situation less tense.

  “What's going on Shirley?” her mother asked as soon as they reached the kitchen and were presumably out of earshot of James. Lee’s mother never liked to make a scene, although she did like to have her say.

  “What do you mean?” Lee asked with an air of innocence, while in her head wondering exactly what parts her mother found questionable.

  “Shirley. I'm your mother. You invited me for Sunday lunch on Easter Sunday - which, by the way, is something you've never done before - and when I turn up I'm suddenly faced with this beautiful cottage and apparently a new boyfriend who your sister knew about but whose name I had never even heard mentioned in passing.”

  “I'm sorry, Mum,” said Lee, and it was an apology she really meant. “I didn't know how to tell you about James. I didn't want you to be disappointed or angry with me. So I just didn't mention it.” She tapped nervously on the side of a mug as she waited for the kettle to boil. It seemed to be taking longer than ever before. “But it's serious between us and that's why I invited you. I want you to meet him and his family because he's really important to me Mum.” Lee hoped her mother wouldn't be angry or upset when she found out a little later that this was not the only reason for her invite.

  Lee was saved from any further questioning by the doorbell ringing and James’ shout of “I'll get it!” Carrying a mug of tea for her and for Beth, and with her mother carrying James's coffee and her own water, mother and daughter re-entered the living room for phase two of the day.

  James's mother entered the living room wearing a floaty floral dress that made Lee instantly think of springtime. Close behind was James's dad, followed by the siblings and their wives. Each hugged James, the baby of the family, before turning to Lee and expressing their delight in seeing her again. She too received many hugs and so it was a few moments before she turned to introduce them to her family. James did the honours of introducing the many members of his family, saving a grateful Lee the potential embarrassment of forgetting his siblings’ wives’ names.

  “What a lovely day to all gather together,” James's dad said as they sat down and James this time disappeared to get drinks, flanked by his brother. If Lee had had time to think, she would have wondered whether he was grilling James just as her mother had grilled her - but suddenly being the sole host in the room with two sets of families meant her brain was otherwise engaged.

  “It is indeed,” said James's mum, glancing over at Lee. “I've been telling that son of mine over and over that we need another family meal. Christmas was so lovely with everyone together - and meeting you of course, Lee.”

  Lee’s mum's eyebrows almost disappeared into her hairline and Lee knew her well enough to know the question that she was screaming silently in her head: “You've been with him since Christmas?” Speedily, Lee changed subject.

  “You're looking great Janet,” she said, pleased that Janet’s bump gave a clear talking point. “How's it all going? How far along are you now?”

  It was halfway through Janet happily telling them all that the morning sickness had stopped being an issue (something Lee was silently grateful for, as it gave her hope that this would soon be over for her) and a conversation about whether Janet would be delivering at home or in the hospital that James reappeared with a tray of drinks, much to Lee’s gratitude.

  “Lunch will be ready in about twenty minutes,” he announced. “Traditional lamb, of course mum. I hope everyone's hungry because I think I've made way too much even for all of us.”

  James looked at Lee and shot her a reassuring smile. She couldn't help the sick, twisting feeling in her stomach that was part nerves and, she thought, part excitement at sharing their news. They’d planned the timing together: they would announce it just before eating dinner and she knew she would feel much better once everyone knew.

  A slight awkwardness gave way to chatter between the two families, as members caught up with each other and tried to get to know the strangers that they were sitting alongside.

  “Shall we sit?” James suggested, hearing the timer on the oven go off in the kitchen. “Sounds like dinner's ready.” Slowly, the party made their way through to the dining room and Lee made sure to position herself between James and her mother. She didn't want her mum getting a chance to grill James before they'd made their announcement.

  “Thank you James,” James’ sister said, “for having us all here today. This looks incredible.” James brought the lamb in and his sister was right: it was worthy of some TV cook.

  “There's more to come yet,” James said, heading back into the kitchen and returning with vegetables, potatoes, gravy and, of course, his homemade mint sauce.

  “Did you make all this?” Beth asked, her eyes a little wide at the impressive array of food on the table. “I mean, I know Lee didn't help.” There was a polite smattering of laughter around the table and Lee blushed, but found herself smiling anyway.

  “I'm afraid setting the table was about all I contributed,” Lee admitted with a shrug. “This is all James.”

  “Now,” James said, and Lee took a deep intake of breath. This was it .”Before I ask Mum and Dad to carve - because we all know they’re still better at that than me - we would like to tell you something. As you all know - well, you do now -” he paused with a smile. “Lee and I have been together for a few months, and we’re really happy and we hope you'll be happy too - well, excited even. Because,” he took Lee’s hand and gave it a squeeze, feeling the eyes of every person in the room on him. “We're going to have a baby, Lee and I.”

  For a moment, there was only silence, then a grin broke out across James’ mother's face and she stood up to give Lee and then James a very teary hug at the same time as Beth said “Oh my god.”

  “Congratulations,” James's dad said. “When are you due?”

  “October,” Lee said, feeling a little misty eyed herself. “October 20th.”

  Beth seemed to have got over her shock and she stood without a word and pulled Lee into a tight hug. “Congratulations,” she said, and then quietly to Lee only she whispered: “I'm so pleased for you. I know how long you’ve wanted this.”

  “Thanks sis,” she said. Congratulations and questions echoed around the group but the person who had still said nothing was sat next to Lee: her mother. With all the noise around, Lee felt she could turn to her Mum and say “Mum?”

  Their eyes met and she saw a shocked look in her mother's eyes and something else that she couldn't quite name.

  “How will it work?” her mum asked - always the practical one.

  “I'm going to move in here,” Lee said. “James has asked me and I just need to sort things out and then we'll live here together, before the baby’s born.”

  “Are you getting married?” Tina asked and Lee shook her head.

  “We don't need to get married, mum, to have a baby.”

  “It's just all so quick,” Tina said. “I wasn't expecting...this.”

  “I know,” Lee said. “I know - nor was I!” she laughed. “And now I am - expecting that is.”

  Their serious conversation was interrupted by James who, without Lee noticing, had disappeared to get the champagne. The cork popped to a cheer from most of the group and James began to fill every glass except for Lee’s and Janet’s, which only had a small measure put in for the toast.

  “I'd like to raise a toast,” James said, “to new beginnings and new babies.”

  “New beginnings and new babies!” everyone chorused and it was only seconds after the toast that Lee felt the sudden need to run from the room and throw up.

  Chapter 16

  Lee leant her head against the cool mirror of the downstairs bathroom, and wished she had a toothbrush downstairs. She settled for swilling out her mouth with water repeatedly, and taking a few deep breaths to make sure she was feeling normal again.

  “Lee?” James’ voice came
through the door. “You okay?”

  “Yeah,” Lee replied, semi-truthfully. “Just the sickness again. You go, make sure everyone starts eating, I’ll be there in a minute.”

  “Sure?”

  “Yeah, sure. Could you just make sure the gravy is not down my end of the table? I think that was what set me off.”

  “If you weren’t pregnant, I’d be offended,” James said with a laugh, and she heard him walk away from the bathroom door.

  Lee took a moment to check her make up wasn’t looking too bad, and that she didn’t look like she’d been sick, and proceeded to head to the kitchen for a glass of ginger ale. She found it settled her stomach, at least for a little while.