Me and My Sisters by Sinéad Moriarty Read Free Book Online Page B

never remember the name of the company.’
    ‘I’ve only been there twenty years,’ Louise muttered.
    ‘Oh, you know I can never remember names.’ Sophie waved her wine glass in the air.
    ‘Did they see your watch?’ Mum asked.
    ‘No, I took it off. I didn’t want them to say anything rude about it. They were so mean about Jack’s car. Have you seen it? It’s an Aston Martin DB9 Volante. It’s so cool – it’s like a James Bond car!’
    ‘Wow, that’s great,’ I said, willing myself to be happy for her and trying not to compare it to my horrid people-carrier.
    ‘She can remember some names, like Aston Martin DB9 Volante,’ Louise whispered, and I tried not to laugh.
    ‘I’m sure Jack would let Harry take it for a spin,’ Sophie said. ‘He’ll probably insist on going with him, though. He’s very protective of it. It’s only two weeks old.’
    I knew that Harry would rather cut his eyes out with a blunt knife than go for a drive with Jack in his 007 car. ‘Maybe later,’ I said tactfully.
    The door flew open and a very red-faced Dad came in with Leo and Liam attached to each leg and Luke on his back. ‘Can we eat soon? I’m starving. These fellas have me worn out,’ he said.
    ‘It’s ready now.’ Mum handed him the carving knife as I pulled the boys off. I bribed them with sweets and a new Ben 10 DVD. We’d hopefully get half an hour of peace to eat while it was on.
    We all helped bring out the food and sat down at the table, with the newly washed and fragrant-smelling Gavin. Just as we were about to tuck in, the doorbell rang.
    ‘Who could that be on Christmas Day?’ Mum asked.
    ‘Oh, yeah, Mum, I forgot to tell you,’ Gavin said, stuffing a forkful of food into his mouth as he stood up. ‘Forest is coming for dinner – he had nowhere else to go and I knew you wouldn’t want anyone to be alone on Christmas Day.’ He rushed out to open the door before Mum could tell him exactly what she thought of that idea.
    Forest came into the room and dropped his knapsack on the floor. If Gavin had smelt bad, Forest was ten times worse. After a cursory hello, he squeezed in between Sophie and Jack, while Louise and I tried not to laugh. Sophie took out her perfume and sprayed herself and most of Forest’s head.
    Dad handed him a full plate. ‘Get that into you, son. You look like you haven’t eaten in years.’
    ‘Thanks, Mr Devlin, but I’m a strict vegan like Gavin.’ We turned to look at Gavin, who quickly swallowed the large slice of turkey in his mouth.
    ‘Give that here.’ Mum grabbed the plate, scraped off the turkey and ham and handed it back with just Brussels sprouts and roast potatoes. She did the same with Gavin’s.
    Forest dived in. ‘This tastes very good, Mrs Devlin. I’ve been surviving on a diet of nuts and berries.’
    ‘Where was that?’ Dad enquired. ‘The Gobi desert?’
    Harry choked on his wine.
    ‘Actually, no, although that is somewhere I would like to visit. I’ve been tree-sitting in the UK, in the New Forest. I just came home for a few days to regroup.’
    ‘Are you not worried that the tree’ll be murdered while you’re back here?’ Dad wondered.
    ‘No. I’ve left my sister in it.’
    ‘Your parents must be delighted to have two tree-sitters in the family.’ Dad winked at us. ‘Gavin, maybe you could persuade one of your sisters to do a relay with you in the golf club. I’d say Sophie’s your best bet.’
    ‘Dad!’ Gavin warned him.
    ‘Is it something you’d like to get involved in?’ the oblivious Forest asked Sophie.
    ‘Excuse the pun, but you’re barking up the wrong tree there, mate.’ Jack roared laughing.
    ‘Would you consider yourself an observant person?’ Louise asked Forest.
    ‘Absolutely, never miss a trick.’
    ‘And you think that Sophie here is a likely candidate for tree-sitting?’
    Forest looked Sophie up and down. ‘Obviously she currently worships the false god of materialism, but the environmentalist lies