Meddling Matriarchs; How To Convince Them You Will Save Their Sons
Day 133 of The Andie Chronicles
“My dear, it’s wonderful to see you.”
Stepping inside Barbie’s home was like stepping into a cabaret museum. The posters from the classic shows decorated every wall; Liza in Cabernet. Barbara in Funny Girl. Julie in My Fair Lady.
And if you were lucky enough to stay at her house after a few dry white wines, Barbie would treat you to her choreography from her favourite musicals.
She recited crafted masterpieces of yesteryear. And they were fabulous.
“Thank you for inviting me over.” I kissed her on both cheeks. “And I didn’t tell James where I was going.”
I actually didn’t need to adhere to her wishes, because James wasn’t home when I left for lunch. I wasn’t sure he had even come home from the races from yesterday.
It was moments like this I could convince myself he was sleeping with my ex, or having threesomes with him and Annabella. It would be the only thing that made sense to me, and to why James was so captivated with my ex.
He’s either getting his kicks from him or Douglas is promising something he can’t deliver. Or, in the worst-case scenario, it was both.
After some nibbles and a glass of sparkling wine, Barbie served up a banquet for us two. We sat by her fireplace, with the plates of quiche and roast vegetables on our knees. “This is wonderful, Barbie. I feel spoiled.”
She looked pleased. “You’re welcome, my dear. But doesn’t James cook for you? He makes this quiche better than I do, you know?”
“James doesn’t cook for me. He’s barely home.” I probably shouldn’t have thrown her son under the bus, but I wasn’t into lying. There was enough of it going on, who give the world any more?
“Well, that’s one of the reasons I invited you here. I need to discuss James’ condition with you.”
Condition? What did she mean by that? “Ok. Sure.” I felt like a little child, not knowing what she was talking about. Was I meant to know?
“This whole thing with his aunty is unpleasant. And it’s taking its toll on him. He called me last night, at three in the morning, and he was incoherent. I had never heard so sloppy. Oh, it was undignified.”
I nodded. But I had no idea where he was when he called her. “Do you think he gets like this because of the lawsuit?”
“Oh yes, when something like this happens to him, he’s like a child. He forgets the world around him and he acts out. I’m sure you’ve seen it.”
I wanted to tell her I barely knew James anymore, and it started long before he was unceremoniously kicked out of his home and shoved into mine. I was also the wrong person to look out for her baby boy.
“In a way, yes. What do you want me to do?”
Barbie leaned across to my knee and rested her hand on it. “Look after him, ok? You can do that, can’t you?”
This was a strange position to be in. I felt everyone coddling me, keeping me out of their business, and walking on eggshells since my breakup.
But now someone was telling me I needed to do the same to the person leading the charge with me.
I didn’t quite know what to make of this situation.
You’re reading The Andie Chronicles, the 2023 romance-fiction series from the 1 Lovelock Drive (1LD) universe.
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