The Dr Pepper Prophecies by Jennifer Gilby Roberts Read Free Book Online Page B

wonder what she’s writing.
    'Great,' I say.
    We look at each other for a few seconds.
    'Anything else?' Beth asks.
    She’s trying to get rid of me.
    'No, nothing,' I say. 'I’ll let you get back to…whatever you were doing.'
    I duck out of the room again and shut the door.
    'We’re on?' Will asks.
    'We’re on,' I say.
    'Great,' Will says. 'Now, back to your CV.'
     
    **
     
    Wednesday morning and the phone rings.  I glance at the display and come very close to not answering.  It’s Brittany, my sister.  My family’s answer to Nigella Lawson.
    I close my eyes, pick up the phone and lift it slowly to my ear.  My other hand hovers over the hang-up button
    'Good morning, Brittany,' I say, already bracing myself for the inevitable.
    'Hello, Melanie,' comes the familiar syrupy voice.
    'I take it you’re calling about Saturday?' I ask.
    'Now, Melanie,' Brittany says, in the patronising tone that makes me want to stab her via telekinesis, 'what else would I be calling about?'
    My nails are making dents in the desktop as I try not to throw something.
    'Have the plans changed?' I ask, in the politest tone I can manage.
    'I just wanted to confirm Martin’s preferences with you.  We can’t have one of our guests unhappy, can we?' A silly little laugh.
    She knows, doesn’t she?  Her flying monkeys have been watching my house night and day, waiting to inform the Wicked West of the South-East that Dorothy has been dumped yet again and is ripe for attacking.
    'Actually,' I say slowly, trying to delay the inevitable as long as possible, 'Martin and I are no longer seeing each other.'
    A slight pause.  Delight has overwhelmed her.
    'Oh, that’s too bad,' she croons, with the sincerity of a Disney villain. 'How long was it this time?
    'Three months,' I state flatly.
    'That is a pity,' she says.  Even down the phone I can see her shaking her head sorrowfully and giving me her faux-sympathetic smile. 'But then, you have had plenty of experience in dealing with this.'
    Rub it in, why doesn’t she?  Just because she got married practically as soon as she was out of nappies.  To a doctor.  To a rich, handsome doctor.
    'Actually,' I say, ' I broke it off.'
    So what if it’s not true?  It’s not like they know each other.  I have to at least attempt to retain some dignity.
    There’s a tut-tut noise down the line.
    'Melanie,' Brittany says sadly, as if I’m beyond help. 'What are we going to do with you?  Don’t you want to get married?'
    Of course I want to get married! I want to be the centre of attention in my family for one day.  I want a cake with more calories than I can count.  I want to wear a dress that costs more than I earn in a year.  And most of all, I want you to stop asking me that question!
    And I want to make a lasting commitment to another person as well, obviously.
    'Maybe I don’t,' I say. 'Maybe I want to devote my life to my career.'
    'And how is your career?' she asks.  When she says it, career is in quotes.
    'Just now, my career manager and I are strategizing to obtain promotion,' I say.  God, that sounds good.
    'And how is Will?' she asks sweetly, as if she’s delighted to hear from the guy she once said ‘Would never be terribly successful, but a good safety net for you, Melanie dear.’.
    'He’s fine,' I say shortly.
    'Isn’t it wonderful about him and Natalie?'
    'What about him and Natalie?'
    'Oh!' That little laugh again. 'I hear on the grapevine…'
    By grapevine, she means Will’s parents, who don’t live next door anymore, but still keep in touch.
    '…that they’ll soon be announcing their engagement.'
    What?!  I nearly drop the phone.  No!  No!  This cannot be happening!
    Stop.  Calm down.  There’s no way Will wouldn’t have told me if he was going to propose.
    Although he does know that I don’t like her.
    And that I’d definitely try to talk him out of it.
    Oh, God, no.
    I have to phone him.
    Which means I have to get rid of Brittany.
    'I have another call