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“Magnolia, darling—” My mother swans in. “This is Eric. My boyfriend.”
I drop my chin to my chest and stare at my sister.
“Hello Eric,” my father says dimly. “So glad you could join us.”
Henry offers Eric his hand, then Eric extends his hand to me.
I stare at it for a few seconds but don’t take it. “Charmed I’m sure. Quick question.” I glance up at my family. “Considering you don’t live here—” I point to my mother. “And she’s your mother—” I point to Bushka. “And he’s your brother—” I point to Uncle Aleksey and then to Eric. “And he’s new… why are we having this dinner here?”
“Thank you.” My father waves his hand in my direction. “I’m not running a halfway house here, Arrie. You have to stop letting yourself in.”
“You could just change the lock,” I tell him.
“Magnolia!” my mother and Marsaili say at the same time in surprisingly similar tones.
“You should probably at least stop throwing dinner parties here, Mum,” Bridget tells her gently as she rolls up the sleeves of her deconstructed zebra pattern jumper from R13.
“But, darlings—” She sighs. “The wallpaper in my dining room makes me look fat.”
“Wallpaper does not make you look fat,” Bushka starts. “Fat makes you look fat.”
Henry snorts into his napkin but turns it into a cough.
I point to her, nodding. “That is actually very infallible logic.”
Eric looks like he’s struggling to keep up.
“Anywho, all dysfunction aside, it’s convenient for me that you’re all here as I have an announcement to make.” I give them a polite smile, fold my ankles demurely, though none of them can see that. Which is a shame because my shoes are cute.
“As many of you know—”
“There are seven of us here that aren’t you,” Bridget interrupts.
I repeat myself louder. “As many of you know—”
“Seven,” she repeats.
I stare at her silently, waiting for her to behave.
“I am no longer returning to New York and instead will be residing in London where I belong, in my dream job.”
“Congratulations,” Mum’s BOTM tells me.
“Thank you, Eric.” I nod appreciatively. “Thusly, as of next week, Bridget and I will be moving out.”
“What?” says Marsaili.
“What?” blinks my father.
“Sorry, what?” says my sister.
I nod at her. “We’re moving out. Henry and I found our new house this morning.”
She shakes her head. “I don’t want to move out.”
I roll my eyes at her. “Well not absolutely everything has to be about you, Bridget.”
Mars eyes me. “Magnolia…”
