I didn’t blame my parents’ death for my bad behaviour. Oh, I’m sure some do-gooding psychiatrist would be able to lay the blame at someone else’s door – but the truth was – I just enjoyed being bad. It made me feel better for a while. It was just when Will looked at me with disappointment in his eyes and almost a look of disgust that I felt bad about myself. That hurt…
Yes, there were five of us – Tatum, my older brother, me, then Tomas and finally the twins, Trey and Toby.
I can almost see you rolling your eyes at our names – and believe me, I’ve done the same on many an occasion. I adored my parents but imagination clearly wasn’t their strong point…Anyway...like I've already said, they died tragically, in a car accident, leaving us with a very healthy bank balance and a great little business to run - but with absolutely no idea how to go about it - being only eighteen and all that... So, I had four brothers, three to bring up on my own, as they were all younger than me, and all three of them were full of testosterone with no idea what to do with all of those raging hormones. No I had to get creative... Now I had to become Mum...
Okay – so my family isn’t perfect – but then, whose is? And besides, it’s a loving and wonderful family and I love every one of my brothers – I have three of them; my sister and my brothers in law – and yes. I did say brothers in law – Tomas and Will are married now too.
I’m aware that we might appear dysfunctional. I’m aware that my relationship with my twin brother seems weird to some – but it’s what we are and they’ll just have to deal with it.
Oh, and to top off all of the madness - I'm in love with an actress - and of course she's never going to want me - but there it is. Ever since I saw the movie 'Captivated' - I have been....
I shook her hand and I was a little alarmed to find that I was really kind of taken with her.
I was totally used to calling the shots. Women fell at my feet – not the other way around. What the hell was going on here?
I took my pint off the bar where I’d set it down and took a sip. I nodded approvingly – the girl could totally keep beer.
She was smiling at me with one eyebrow raised, “Good, huh?” she asked, amusement tingeing her tone.
I grinned back at her, “Yeah, very good.” I admitted, “So – do you ever, like, get a day off?” Oh my God – I was at it again. I really wanted to take her out on a date.
She cocked her head to one side, “Are you asking me out on a date?”
She was forthright too – a quality lacking in most of the girls I’d dated so far – they were all the same really – coy and giggly and wanting something from me I didn’t want to give them – my heart. This girl, however, didn’t seem to want anything from me except to talk and to get to know each other...
I stared at True. “A letter from my mother?” My insides felt all wobbly and I was starting to lose feeling in my legs. I pulled out a chair and flopped down. Nausea threatened to have me running for the sink but I tried my best to stay calm.
She nodded, biting her lip. “I didn’t know whether to tell you or not…”
I swallowed. “It’s fine,” I lied, “I can handle it – give it here.”
She passed me the envelope and I took it with slightly shaky fingers. This was surreal. She’d never been able to write in all the time I’d known her – she lived only for the skunk and the sex… I shivered. She’d sold me to anyone for her next fix – and had enjoyed the whole sordid show too – I guess she could argue that she wasn’t fully aware but I’m not sure I would agree. In my opinion she just wasn’t quite right in the head…
“What does it say?” True asked quietly.
I shook my head, “Nothing much – just that she reckons she’s clean now and wants me to meet her and that she has a wonderful new boyfriend – how has she got a new boyfriend when she’s spent the last two years inside?”
True sighed and shook her head, “I have no idea – he must be one of those weird people that writes to the inmates.”
“Freak,” I muttered.
“Freak’s right.” She agreed, “Are you okay?”I
I looked up into her beautiful face, all concerned for me and not in any way other than that of a sister who cared about me. This was my family - the Fletchers. They were the ones who had given me their surname to give me a new start in life and to make me less easy to find. Mum's letter had come to me via the prison service. She didn't know where to find me. I could just ignore this letter and never see her again....
I couldn’t wait to marry Will. Seriously, I could not wait. He was the love of my whole life and I couldn’t imagine being with anyone else – ever.
We had a really great relationship but there was one thing I regretted not telling him when we first got together – and that was the small fact that I was named on my best friend’s daughter’s birth certificate… I know, right…
Oh, and to top off all of the madness - I'm in love with an actress - and of course she's never going to want me - but there it is. Ever since I saw the movie 'Captivated' - I have been....
I shook her hand and I was a little alarmed to find that I was really kind of taken with her.I was totally used to calling the shots. Women fell at my feet – not the other way around. What the hell was going on here?
I took my pint off the bar where I’d set it down and took a sip. I nodded approvingly – the girl could totally keep beer.
She was smiling at me with one eyebrow raised, “Good, huh?” she asked, amusement tingeing her tone.
I grinned back at her, “Yeah, very good.” I admitted, “So – do you ever, like, get a day off?” Oh my God – I was at it again. I really wanted to take her out on a date.
She cocked her head to one side, “Are you asking me out on a date?”
She was forthright too – a quality lacking in most of the girls I’d dated so far – they were all the same really – coy and giggly and wanting something from me I didn’t want to give them – my heart. This girl, however, didn’t seem to want anything from me except to talk and to get to know each other...
I stared at True. “A letter from my mother?” My insides felt all wobbly and I was starting to lose feeling in my legs. I pulled out a chair and flopped down. Nausea threatened to have me running for the sink but I tried my best to stay calm.She nodded, biting her lip. “I didn’t know whether to tell you or not…”
I swallowed. “It’s fine,” I lied, “I can handle it – give it here.”
She passed me the envelope and I took it with slightly shaky fingers. This was surreal. She’d never been able to write in all the time I’d known her – she lived only for the skunk and the sex… I shivered. She’d sold me to anyone for her next fix – and had enjoyed the whole sordid show too – I guess she could argue that she wasn’t fully aware but I’m not sure I would agree. In my opinion she just wasn’t quite right in the head…
“What does it say?” True asked quietly.
I shook my head, “Nothing much – just that she reckons she’s clean now and wants me to meet her and that she has a wonderful new boyfriend – how has she got a new boyfriend when she’s spent the last two years inside?”
True sighed and shook her head, “I have no idea – he must be one of those weird people that writes to the inmates.”
“Freak,” I muttered.
“Freak’s right.” She agreed, “Are you okay?”I
I looked up into her beautiful face, all concerned for me and not in any way other than that of a sister who cared about me. This was my family - the Fletchers. They were the ones who had given me their surname to give me a new start in life and to make me less easy to find. Mum's letter had come to me via the prison service. She didn't know where to find me. I could just ignore this letter and never see her again....
We had a really great relationship but there was one thing I regretted not telling him when we first got together – and that was the small fact that I was named on my best friend’s daughter’s birth certificate… I know, right…
Riverside the Weddings is now available for pre-ordering exclusively to Amazon
Release date 31st July 2019
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