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She got to her feet and looked down at me. ‘Don’t get used to it.’
CHAPTER THREE
VALENTINA
Dough seeped up through my fingers as I pulverised it into submission, waiting for it to take on just the right texture. All around me, mess piled up. Flour dusted the counter top while bowl upon bowl stacked up waiting to be washed. I adored baking, but I wasn’t a clean cook.
‘Darling, you have to come. She’s your cousin.’
My mum’s face peered out amongst the baking debris from the screen of my phone.
‘She’s not really my cousin. Hugh is. You know she doesn’t like me. Why would she want me there?’
‘Because you’re family. It’s the done thing.’ Mum tutted as I smacked a fist into the dough before stretching it out.
‘So they want us there for appearance's sake? No surprises there.’
‘I know you’ve had your differences with them, but maybe this will be a good time to let bygones be bygones.’
I tilted my head at my mother with a raise of my eyebrows. ‘There is no way they are going to be suddenly cool with my job. They loved us being the poor relations. They hate that I’ve made good money without them.’
My mum sighed and ran a hand through her dark hair.
‘You know I’m proud of you, sweetheart, but your job isn’t one that most people can accept.’
‘I don’t need their acceptance. I’d be quite happy never having to talk to them again. They are up their own arses all because of their bulging pockets. I don’t need their toxicity in my life. I have you. And you’re all the family I need.’
Mum’s face softened as she watched me roll out the dough into a large square and sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon topping over it.
‘It’s not good for you to isolate yourself from everyone.’
‘It is when they are a bunch of twats.’
‘Valentina!’
My cheeks heated at my mum’s admonishment. ‘Sorry, Mum.’
‘Please come, love, for me.’
And then I saw it, the real reason she wanted me to go. She needed me. Facing her sister and the others alone would be as painful for her as it was for me. A reminder of everything she didn’t have. No husband, no security, no big family surrounding her. All we’d ever had was each other. She and I against the world.
Fuck.
I couldn’t leave her to face it alone.
‘Fine. I’ll come. But the first sign of one of them trying to put me in my place and I’m out.’
Mum’s face broke into a smile as her shoulders dropped. ‘Thank you, love. Do you need a dress?’
‘I’m sure I’ve got something here that would work. It’s going to be fancy, right?’ Of course it would be fancy, only the best for my cousin.
‘Yes.’
‘Do you have anything to wear?’
My mum shifted uncomfortably and shrugged. ‘I have the dress I wore to their wedding.’
‘That was almost twenty-five years ago. It’ll be nothing but moth-balls.’
