A Friend of the Family by Lisa Jewell Read Free Book Online

years. It wasn’t his fault she’d gone mad. Youknow, you have a certain amount of responsibility within a relationship, obviously you do – but surely at a certain point, surely when the other person has just gone completely psycho, surely when you’ve tried everything you can possibly think of to make that person happy, surely when that person is no longer a person in any way that is recognizable, surely then it’s not your responsibility any more? Is it?
    And how strange it was, thought Ned, to have crossed the planet to live on the other side of the world among strangers and away from your family and to end up feeling that the only thing that was weird was the person you went with.

Dinner at Mickey’s
    ‘Hello?’
    ‘Sean – it’s your mum. I’m not disturbing you, am I?’
    She always said that these days, as if he was some frantic, intense genius who worked through the night and was constantly in the midst of some unstoppable stream of consciousness.
    ‘No,’ he said, dropping the Tiffany’s bag on the floor. ‘Just got in.’
    ‘Not at Millie’s tonight, then?’
    ‘No, she’s got assessments and I need to put a wash through.’
    ‘Good. Look. Are you free tonight?’
    ‘Erm, yeah, yeah. I think so. Why?’
    ‘Me and Tony and your dad are going down to Mickey’s. For dinner. Will you come?’
    ‘Course I’ll come.’
    ‘And Millie?’
    ‘No, I told you. Millie’s at home tonight.’
    ‘Well, couldn’t she catch a bus or something?’
    Sean raised his eyebrows to the ceiling. What planet did mothers actually live on? ‘Mum, she lives in Paddington.She’s hardly going to trek halfway across London for a plate of overcooked meat at Mickey’s.’
    ‘Oh Sean, love, I know you’re trying to keep things cool and I don’t want to put any pressure on you, but it’s been nearly two months now. I bet you’ve met her parents, haven’t you?’
    ‘No, actually, I haven’t…’
    ‘And I’m sure Millie’s probably dying to meet us by now – find out where you come from. Please, Sean. And besides – I’ve got a surprise for you. A big one. One that I think Millie will like, too.’
    ‘Mum, she’s not coming. OK?’
    ‘We’ll be good – promise. I’ll even tidy up a bit. We won’t embarrass you.’
    ‘Look. I will bring her over soon. I promise. Just not tonight, that’s all.’
    ‘What about next week? Tony’s birthday? She will be coming to that, won’t she?’
    ‘God, Mum, I don’t know.’
    ‘Oh come on, Sean – Tony said he invited her. She’s got to come.’
    ‘Look. I’ll talk to her about it. We’ll see.’
    ‘Good, good. How’s the writing going?’
    Sean felt himself stiffen. ‘Fine,’ he said flatly, ‘good.’
    ‘Well, I won’t keep you from it, Seany. See you tonight.’
    ‘Yeah, Mum – I’ll see you tonight.’
    Sean sighed and put down the phone. He’d never before had any qualms about introducing a girl to his mum and dad – he was as proud as hell of his mum anddad and the strange bohemia into which he’d been born. But it was just that this thing with Millie… it was so perfect, so precious and he was scared to hold it up to any kind of scrutiny in case it just disappeared into the ether or came crashing down around him. But Sean was also realistic enough to know that their relationship couldn’t exist in a vacuum indefinitely. So far their love had been blossoming under glass; eventually he would have to plant it out in the real world and see what happened – just not yet.
    Tony was already in a funny old mood, before they even got there. He had an edgy, uncomfortable feeling, like his clothes were too tight, like there wasn’t quite the right amount of oxygen in the atmosphere. Ness was sitting way too close to him and he jiggled around a bit in the back of the cab, hoping she’d get the message. But Ness was in a great mood. Ness was always in a great mood, particularly when they were going to see his parents. Both Ness’s parents