Page 38 of The Silent Bride
‘Okay, I know they weren’t arguing about that.’
‘So tell me.’
He sighs. ‘Elizabeth’s feeling a little insecure at the moment.’ Laurence offers me a potato wedge, like a deep-fried carb hit is going to offset whatever he’s about to tell me.
I shake my head at his offering. ‘Insecure? In what way?’
‘Graham told her he doesn’t think you should marry Seth.’
I frown in confusion. ‘He hasn’t even met Seth.’
‘No, I know, but just from what he’s heard and seen. You know, Seth’s no-shows – missing your engagement party, the anniversary. The fact that he hasn’t made the effort to meet any of us yet.’
I’m taken aback by Laurence’s revelation about Graham, and about them all bad-mouthing my fiancé behind his back. I feel an instant surge of protectiveness towards Seth. ‘And is this how you feel too?’
‘Me? No. I’m just telling you why Graham and Elizabeth got in a fight.’
‘So she was sticking up for me and Seth?’
Laurence’s neck mottles a deep red.
‘What? Just tell me.’
He sucks air through his teeth. ‘Well, Elizabeth seems to think ... she’s worried that Graham’s overly concerned about your well-being. Basically, she thinks Graham still has feelings for you.’
‘What? That’s ridiculous. We split up years ago. He adores Elizabeth.’
‘Well, I know that and you know that, but Lizzie doesn’t seem to have got the memo.’
‘Damn.’
‘Damn indeed.’
I think back to my sister’s outburst in the hotel loo last week. No wonder she was on the verge of tears if that’s what she thinks. It’s crazy that she’s still holding on to this idea about me and Graham. We weren’t even that close when we were going out, so there’s no reason for her to think there could be any illicit feelings. I thought we’d moved past all this.
‘Sorry,’ Laurence says, interrupting my thoughts. ‘Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything.’
‘No, I’m glad you did. I suppose I need to talk to Elizabeth. Again. Try to get it through her head that her husband only has eyes for her.’
‘Probably, yes.’
‘So, what do you think about the situation? Elizabeth’s got this totally wrong, right?’
‘I don’t know anything about Graham’s feelings.’ Laurence shrugs. ‘I just thought I’d better let you know what’s going on so you can put your sister’s mind at rest.’
‘So much drama,’ I sigh. ‘What about you, Kennedy? How’s things with work and Fran?’
‘Yeah, fine. No drama here.’
‘Lucky you,’ I reply. I hold out my hand for a potato wedge and Laurence re-offers me the box.
‘Are we ready for part two?’ he asks, holding out the remote.
‘Do it.’
Laurence presses play and I focus on the screen, but I’ve been yanked too far out of the moment by our unsettling conversation. I can’t seem to immerse myself back into the horror of zombies taking over the world. Not when I have my own real-life problems to face – first, how to smooth things out with my sister and, second, how to get my relationship back on track with Seth. Neither of which I’m looking forward to tackling.
Chapter Nineteen
