The Patterson Girls by Rachael Johns Read Free Book Online Page A

they’d all complained about from an early age, although secretly Charlie suspected none of them hated it as much as they made out.
    Madeleine rolled her eyes.
    Lucinda, arriving at the table with two bowls laden with steaming pasta, said, ‘I think that’s a lovely idea. Will you come, Dad?’
    â€˜We’ll see.’
    â€˜You’ll be going, won’t you Mrs S?’ Abigail asked.
    Mrs Sampson seemed quieter than usual and Charlie guessed it was because she didn’t want to intrude on this family time. She wanted to say something to remind her that they all saw her as family anyway, but Lucinda placed a bowl each in front of Dad and Madeleine.
    â€˜Have you got anything special planned for tomorrow night in the motel?’ she asked, trying again to lure him into conversation as Lucinda went back for the other bowls.
    Surprisingly, Christmas Eve was always one of their busiest times in the motel restaurant. Many locals came for pre-midnight service dinner and drinks and in the past Mum and Dad had often hired a band for the evening. But Dad shook his head. ‘Nah, didn’t get round to organising anything. And besides, we’re not very busy this year.’ Then he went back to his pasta, pushing the fork around the plate but not actually putting anything in his mouth.
    Lucinda looked to Abigail as she finally sat down next to Madeleine. ‘Pity you didn’t bring your violin. You could play a few tunes.’
    â€˜Oh, yes, that would be lovely,’ remarked Mrs Sampson.
    â€˜Fuck, can you imagine?’ Madeleine snorted at the same time. ‘A violin would make Christmas carols sound like a funeral march.’
    Abigail glared at Madeleine and then spooned the first mouthful of pasta into her mouth. She moaned in appreciation, then promptly changed the subject. ‘Wow, this pasta is better than my favourite Italian restaurant in London. You are a domestic goddess, sis.’
    Lucinda half-laughed. ‘Don’t know about that.’
    â€˜I bet Joe thinks so,’ Charlie said, kind of wishing he was here. She’d always liked her brother-in-law. He had a mellow, fun-loving temperament that seemed to rub off on everyone around him and she felt like they could all do with a dose of mellow right now.
    â€˜Nothing I cook could ever compare to Rosa,’ Lucinda said, an edge of bitterness in her voice. Picturing Lucinda’s Italian mother-in-law, Charlie thought maybe she was lucky she hadn’t found anyone to enter into the institute of marriage with yet.
    â€˜I guess that’s true.’ Abigail sighed. ‘Remind me never to marry a man whose mum cooks better than me.’
    â€˜That rules out pretty much every man on the planet,’ said Madeleine, laughing.
    Abigail stuck her tongue out at Madeleine but there was a twinkle in her eye.
    â€˜Girls,’ Dad said, his tone both warning and amused. ‘Can you be nice to each other for five minutes?’
    â€˜No,’ Abigail and Madeleine said in unison.
    â€˜Of course we can,’ Lucinda promised at the same time, but awkward silence followed. The dynamics were all wrong without Mum sitting alongside them at the table. Even Mrs Sampson’s usually chirpy presence did nothing to allay the melancholy mood.
    â€˜So,’ Charlie said when she could no longer stand it. ‘I’ve started teaching hula-hooping classes at the Brunswick Senior Citizens’ Centre.’
    Dad didn’t appear to hear, but Mrs Sampson smiled again and her sisters all stared at her as if she said she’d just announced she’d volunteered to go on the space mission to Mars. Charlie wished she’d kept her mouth shut.
    â€˜That’s nice,’ Lucinda said after too long. Charlie reckoned Lucinda didn’t really understand her any more than the other two. Madeleine and Lucinda were too conservative and although Abigail had her music, her tastes were highbrow. She’d