We're Not Related Anymore...

Shut Up, Great Aunt Linda

Maddie: Present Day

Reading my dad's letter takes a toll on me and I'm unable to read Jacob's before I have to go down again for another family/wedding lunch. Geez, what is it with these events and always having to go eat every three hours? It's exhausting. 

Somehow I manage to dress up into something appropriate for the occasion. But I feel like a zombie as I head down to the hotel's dining room. 

It seems the rest of the wedding party has arrived and I'm both relieved and anxious when I see all the familiar people sitting down at the large, rectangular table. Lilian's not here and I don't think she will be. From the looks of it, I think she might just skip the wedding. But I spot Tamsin, to my delight, and even that old hag, Great Aunt Linda. I ignore her of course and go straight to where Tamsin is sitting. 

"Can I take this seat? Or is there a set seating chart?" 

Tamsin glances up at me and delight brightens up her wrinkled face. "Maddie! Please come sit next to me." There are little placards on the table and I see she's supposed to be sitting next to Betty's dad. She quickly throws his name somewhere in the middle of the table and I take a seat. "How have you been? I never really had a chance to speak to you at the funeral."

"It's a good thing you didn't. I was a mess. I wouldn't have been much company," I say, watching the rest of the guests sit down. Josh enters, with Betty on his arm. They look remarkably more loved up and we pause our conversation momentarily as everyone claps for the happy couple.

"Come sit down, sit down," Mayor Rowland announces, pulling out one of the chairs in the middle of the table. Betty takes the seat and Josh pulls out the one next to her and I can see them hold each other's hands under the table. I death glare him but he doesn't dare look in my direction. "I won't give another toast because I know you lot hate that. But I just want to thank everyone who came here to celebrate this special moment..."

"This is totally turning into a speech," I mumble to Tamsin. She shakes her head, a smile crawling up her lips. 

"Just tune him out. I do it all the time when I see him on TV." I do and barely join in the clapping when everyone else does. "Ok," Tamsin says when he's done droning on, and everyone's settled down again. "What were you saying?" 

"Oh, lucky me," interrupts a voice and I turn in anguish to find Linda pulling out the seat on the other side of me. I should've messed around with the placards like Tamsin had. Mayor Rowland is still anxiously trying to find his spot to sit. 

"Great Aunt Linda... what a welcome surprise," I say dejectedly as she sits down next to me and starts piling up her plate with all the food stacked on the table. 

"You know, Maddie, I think I preferred it when you kept your mouth shut and didn't say anything. Your sarcastic comments are really insipid."

"I guess I get my unfiltered mouth from you, then," I say, grabbing the stem of my champagne glass. I look back over at Tamsin, about to talk to her again but Linda interrupts us. Again. 

"You know, this will be such a beautiful weekend. I really hope you don't get it into your head to ruin it."

"Ruin it?" I question, unable to not take the bait. The woman has an unrivaled ability to push my buttons. 

"Oh, you know, make everything about yourself. Cause a stir. Kiss a cousin or something like that." 

Ok. I really did not need this today. I'm still processing my father's letter and now all this. Between my brother giving the cold shoulder after admitting that he's a cheater and Linda calling me a dramatic narcissist, I'm about to push myself off the table and leave. Screw food. I ate my body weight in flapjacks this morning.