Chapter Nineteen
DEMONS DEFEATED
Already seated at the restaurant was Jennifer Carter and the Roberts family. Amy shuffled through the tables alone and greeted her mother and friends. They each repeatedly wished her ‘happy birthday’ and she bashfully thanked them.
As she sat down opposite Donna, her mother asked, “But, where’s Matt?”
Amy poured herself a glass of water and answered, “He’s running late from work.”
“Big case, huh?” Jennifer asked mournfully.
Amy nodded. “Three men extradited from the U.S. on serial murder charges.”
“I’ve heard about that!” Donna exclaimed. “It’s all over the news.”
“It sounds pretty messy,” Jennifer added.
“The trial started yesterday, but today they got deep into the nitty gritty of everything. It’s alright, he’ll get here. Have you ordered yet?”
“No, we were waiting for you and your sister to arrive,” Donna answered.
“Speak of the devil…” Spencer said, his head turned to the restaurant doors.
Amy stood and hugged her sister, brother-in-law and nephews, kissing them embarrassingly. Jackson then handed her a small gift box, in pale green wrapping, and Allison commented, “It’s because you smell, of course.”
It turned out to be a bottle of Amy’s favourite perfume.
After explaining to Allison and Jackson about Matthew’s absence, Amy ordered herself a sweet wine, whilst Allison and Donna ordered meals for their children. During that time, Jennifer handed Amy her birthday present.
“A book?” Amy asked, peeling off the pale pink wrapping.
“I really enjoyed reading it – I think it might help you, with, you know...”
“Mum,” Amy sighed, “I don’t want to talk about that. Not tonight. Please.”
“Okay, okay, my lips are sealed.”
Amy then put her copy of ‘Your Personal Demons: A Guide to Finding Inner Peace With Yourself’ aside. She took a deep sip of her wine, already frustrated with her mother. Yes, she still wasn’t in full health, but she didn’t need her mother reminding her every single time they met. She began scanning the menu.
Jackson noticed her discomfort.
“So, how’d you spend your birthday?” he asked.
Amy smiled. “I stayed in bed most of the day, spoke to Yani on the phone for a few hours, and then watched some movies… It was great!”
“You do that every birthday,” Jackson noted.
“I know – and I’m not one to break tradition.” She poked her tongue out at her brother-in-law.
Within fifteen minutes of ordering, the kids’ meals arrived, and they eagerly devoured them. Peter and Samuel wolfed down their chicken nuggets, whilst Savannah’s spaghetti slurped all over the table, Ziggy’s fish and chips fell into his lap and Casper’s hands became smothered with tomato sauce. Their parents became very frustrated, but Amy could only give a heart-warming smile.
ESTÀS LLEGINT
Recovering Amy (Amy, #2)
Literatura romàntica“You’re mine,” it told her in her dreams, “you don’t deserve happiness”. She would wake up screaming most nights, crying, begging for forgiveness that no one dared to offer her. She was sorry – she didn’t mean for anything quite so terrible to happe...
