Chapter 20

I twist Georgia's long, golden curls in my hands as she vomits into the toilet bowl for the fourth time. It's just gone midnight. We saw the last of our guests off an hour ago. After Zelda said yes to Frank, Tom opened a bottle of Bollinger that he'd been saving for a special occasion and turned up the music. I'm surprised Mr Stanhope didn't come pounding on our door. The fizz barely touched my lips when Tom made a toast to the happy couple. I was in no mood to celebrate my sister's engagement to a maniac.

Georgia gags again and I stroke her back soothingly. Tom's muffled grunts and snores filter from the bedroom. The sound of water splashing floats from Daisy's en-suite. She's taking a shower before bed. It's been a long day, for all of us.

‘Oh, Mum,' Georgia sobs. ‘Am I going to die?'

‘No, my love,' I soothe, hand on her back, ‘but next time listen to your mother. You're too young to drink. Who gave you the alcohol anyway, was it Linda?' Georgia shakes her head, eyes red, features droopy from booze. ‘Auntie Zelda, was it?' I say dryly. I could swing for my sister sometimes. She's too lenient with Georgia, forgets she's only fifteen. ‘It had better not have been Frank.'

‘Mummmah…stop. I got it myself when you went inside.'

‘Oh, Georgie.' I push her hair off her flawless face, clammy with sweat, and look into her deep blue eyes - her father stares back at me. She's so like him, it's uncanny sometimes. If it weren't for the shape of her eyes, you wouldn't think she was related to me at all. ‘Well, I wouldn't put it past Frank to ply you with booze,' I groan, running her hair through my fingers. ‘I saw him chatting to you and Daisy. But grown-ups aren't always right, you know.' Georgia goes to get up, saliva dripping from the side of her mouth. ‘All done?' I ask gently, and she nods, wiping her spit with the sleeve of her Barbie pink pyjama top. I hold her in my arms as we walk back to her room.

‘Is Auntie Zelda really gonna marry him?' Georgia asks, climbing back into bed awkwardly.

‘I don't know, honey. But it seems that way.' I pull the duvet over her slender body.

‘She's only known him like three days. Why was everybody clapping like they'd been together for three years or something?' There were boozy cheers and whistles when Zelda said yes, although I'm not entirely certain any of us were actually delighted with Frank's shocking proposal. He obviously did it to silence me, knew I was on the verge of self-destruction, prepared to risk everything to protect my sister from his clutches. But now, with a ring on her finger, albeit one made out of kitchen foil, it'll be harder to convince her to break up with him. I haven't seen her this happy since Jake. In fact, she might not even believe me now – take his side, like Linda said. Frank will convince her that I'm the jealous sister. What a mess.

Kissing Georgia's forehead, I breathe her in, before tucking her into bed as if she were six, then look at her adoringly, heart swelling with love, and in that moment, I wish I'd had more children. ‘They've only known each other a few weeks, but I suppose it's their decision, sweetheart,' I offer. ‘Lots of whirlwind romances work out.' A knot forms in my stomach because I know that this one is destined for failure.

‘Mum, will you stay a while? In case I'm sick again?'

‘Of course, I will.' Sitting on the edge of Georgia's bed, my mind drifts back to earlier. Linda found me in the kitchen after Frank's announcement, slamming cabinet doors and wiping down spotless worktops – hot water gushing from the tap, plumes of steam rising from the sink like a mini sauna.

‘Bella,' she said, worriedly, turning off the hot tap. ‘Are you okay? I didn't see that one coming. What did you say to Frank? You were meant to put him off her not persuade him to walk her down the aisle.'

‘Oh, Linda, it's all such a fucking mess and it's all my doing. I…I… when…'

Linda folded me in her arms and held me as I sobbed on her shoulder, shushing me gently. ‘I can't believe I've brought this psychopath into my family.'

‘It wasn't your fault, baby,' Linda said kindly, even though we both knew it was. ‘Talk about a fast mover. I take it my plan backfired. I am sorry, Bells. I wish I'd kept it zipped now.'

I pulled out of her embrace, wiped my cheeks with the back of my thumbs, told her it wasn't her fault, that I stupidly tried to bribe him with ten grand and made matters worse. ‘He knew I was going to tell Zelda about his vicious temper and how he tried it on with me, and that he looked her up on my Insta account and tricked her into believing his Granny story. What am I supposed to do now?'

‘Tell him to stick his head into a bucket of water three times and only take it out twice.' I laughed when Linda said this. ‘Well, you've got a couple of options now,' she went on, ‘say nothing and let them get on with it. It might even work out, you never know. They do seem besotted with each other.'

‘Oh, Linda.' It's not what I wanted to hear. I sat down heavily at the table, tapping my fingers. ‘You don't know the half of it,' I said, tiredly. ‘He heard everything Liam and I said at the café in Crouch End and is threatening to tell Tom.'

‘I thought he was listening to music on his headphones.'

‘So did I.'

‘Oh, fucking hell.' Linda squatted and held onto my knees. ‘The other option, of course, would be to ring Zelda tomorrow morning and tell her everything you know about Frank, bar my one-night-stand with him, and make sure she knows you'll go along with whatever decision she makes. Clear the air, sooner rather than later. I can't believe he overheard your conversation. The sneaky bastard.'

Blowing my nose into a tissue, I said. ‘I'd tell her in a heartbeat if she'd listen. But will she, now that he's proposed? You saw how happy she was. I don't even care if Frank tells Tom he saw me with Liam. It's about time he knew. The guilt has been clawing away at me for weeks.' Inhaling teary phlegm, I shook my head boldly. ‘I'll be free then. And if Tom bails on us, I'll just have to suck it up.'

‘I'm never getting married,' Georgia says, snapping me back to now. ‘Can I live with you forever, Mum?'

‘Of course, you can, love,' I soothe. ‘What's brought this on?' I wonder if she's upset about a boy. Or a girl. Georgia knows we're supportive of same-sex relationships. A new love interest would explain why she's suddenly wearing so much makeup and got hammered today. Maybe she likes someone at school who's blown her out. She was talking to Anna's son, Ralf, outside his house for quite a while yesterday morning. It did look quite intense. I wonder if it's him.

‘Thanks, Mum,' Georgia groans, ignoring my question. ‘Love you.'

‘I love you too, more than anything.' I go to stroke her hair when she pushes me away and turns on her side.

‘I think I'm okay now, you can go.'

Accepting my dismissal like a servant, I get to my feet, sweep up her orange hoodie, black shorts and sole-blackened socks and place them on the chair before switching the lights off. ‘Na-night, Georgie.'

I go to turn the doorknob when she says, ‘I hope she doesn't marry him. Frank creeps me out.' I stand stock-still. The light goes back on. Spinning round, I open my mouth to ask her why, when she says, ‘Night-night, Mum.' And her eyes close.