Chapter Text
OLIVER
“Right.” Lucia sat with a sigh, folding her hands in her lap. She looked closer to her old self than the last time Oliver had seen her; her hair was neat, makeup perfect, but her clothes were a little more casual. A slouchy, jade-green knitted jumper and black trousers Oliver had initially mistaken for a skirt. “Now that the nuisance is out of the way… We can actually make some proper introductions.”
The Nuisance was Felix, who had been unceremoniously banished mere moments after he and Lu had greeted each other. It was brutal- a kiss on the cheek, then now go away, Felix, otherwise we won't get anything done. Oliver had hoped he, too, would be allowed to get out of this but apparently as it was his family, he had to stay.
He was sat next to Paula on a sofa opposite Lu, feeling a little like it was a school parents’ evening. Jess was on his other side, and Hannah- looking skeptical- had claimed the armchair Oliver had wanted to sit in. She'd just gotten there first, and he'd decided to pick his battles. If he wanted to win- really win- he needed to actually come up with a strategy. Oliver knew some things about his sister, but not enough. What was it he'd quoted to Felix, in Camden? Something about knowing yourself and knowing the enemy; maybe it was a little weird to need to consider The Art of War when trying to get your older sister to just fucking apologise for once in her life, but Hannah was a devotee of doing things the hard way.
He was just glad he'd had a day. A full day alone with Felix, and although they hadn't really been up to much… It was good. Felix had shown him Harry's new Tiktoks- come with me to meet my new cousins in person! Is daddy nervous about getting the families together? C'est la DADDY challenge!- and it had almost been like being back in those quiet moments they'd had together over Christmas. Lying together in bed, talking about nothing, and Oliver could quietly marvel at it all. How could he worry about Hannah and Ware and the wedding when he had Felix? He had to be properly grateful for what he had, for being loved, for having someone permanently in his corner.
It even meant he could smile at Hannah, although she wasn't pleased about that. She looked away, assessing Lucia with x-ray vision intensity. What, did Hannah want to remember how many teeth Lu had? Was she going to give a description of her to the police later? To her credit, Lu stared coolly back, before crossing her legs, setting her folded hands on her knees. She turned her most polite smile towards the sofa, although Oliver knew it wasn’t real.
“Let’s get the awkward business over first- yes, Felix is my ex-husband, and yes, it might seem a little unusual for me to be planning his wedding.” Lu shrugged one shoulder, lifting her chin a little. There was no possibility of her moseying around the subject, and Oliver was glad for it. She gave him a knowing smile. “Frankly, I'm doing it to make sure he gets married, because then he'll officially be Oliver's problem.”
That got Hannah sitting a little straighter, purposefully ignoring the note of levity in Lucia's voice. “Not much use as a husband, then?”
Oliver resisted the urge to groan. That would just start her off, get her ranting- and mum was here. Any confrontation with Hannah needed to exclude Paula, both because Oliver didn't want his mother knowing anything about his sex life and because she didn't need to be involved. He didn't want to get people to choose sides; if Hannah did, that was solely on her. She could demand people pick sides, but if he didn't… Would his family go along with her little game? It'd serve her right if she burned all her bridges because she was too stubborn.
“We weren't a good match- we married too young and for the wrong reasons. Mostly he was just terribly annoying, if I’m honest, but Oliver seems to be far more patient than I ever was.” She gave Hannah her most polite, icy smile. Lu was a study in polite restraint; Oliver was sure her internal monologue was entirely focused on how impolite Hannah was being. “I'm sure this go around will fare much better.”
Hannah rolled her eyes, and Lucia turned away- back to the three of them who were trying to pretend that Hannah wasn't radiating irritation. “Shall we start? This isn't anything major, honestly, it just seemed easier to go over these fiddly bits in person rather than trying to sort it all out by phone.”
She fished, briefly, in her handbag before pulling out a notebook and pen. They looked brand-new, but Oliver could see writing as she leafed through. Pages of notes in a slanting, precise hand- she seemed to draw little stars for bullet points, which seemed oddly… Cutesy, for Lu, but Oliver didn’t really know her that well.
“So- first, obviously there are rooms here, but given that it’ll be loud… Hotel?”
Jess glanced about, twisting her hands together. Paula leaned over to pat her knee. “Don't worry, your dad and I can…”
“Mum. Me and Felix are covering it- Jess, don't… You’ve not got to worry about cost, alright?” Oliver hazarded a look at Hannah, but she was pretending to look out the window. “Lucia, there’ll need to be something for childcare too. My niece- will Cara be eight? And my grand-niece is two, so…”
Lucia nodded, flipping back a few pages. “Already sorted. There are a few families bringing kids- I've sourced a childcare company, and we're thinking of setting up a crèche marquee at a bit of a distance from the house- it gets awfully loud, and discouraging guests from wandering is practically impossible.”
Hannah shifted in her seat, looking over at Jess as if urging her to say something. Object in some way. Jess was too busy getting herself all flustered to notice, though, so Hannah sighed. Annoyed, as if either of her children might need a crèche. “So, what, you'll have beds out there? Bathrooms? How will people get their children?”
“Oh, we’ve already got transport covered, and we’ll make sure to have the area accessible by road. We were thinking of a wristband system- and, yes, beds- but the company I've been speaking to also provides activities for the children, and I've found a mobile petting zoo. Of course, they can be at the reception for as long as they'd like, but we don't want anyone to have to leave early if they don't want to. All the staff are fully DBS checked, all you'd need to do is pack some pajamas and a toothbrush to drop off… We’re already getting some portaloos- not the chemical kind, they're awful- so adding another for the children won't be a hassle.”
Lu went back to the page she was on, smiling sweetly. Oliver leaned back, wishing he could think of a good excuse to leave, but… Well, he thought Lucia would see through any lie he told. He tried to think about Felix- wished he was even just in earshot, wished he'd told Lu that Felix was staying too. She couldn't argue with him about that, surely?
“If that clears up the childcare… I'll make sure you're all sorted for the Gainsborough? It's in Bath, so we can get you there for… Maybe a day or two before, and then the wedding, then the day afterwards… May as well make it a full five days? Two before the wedding, two after? So… I need numbers, Oliver?”
“Er. Mum, dad- that's two. Then Stu, Jess- and there's Lydia and Ava-Mae, Connor and Cara. Then…” Jess had gone very still, watching him from the corner of her eye. Hannah wasn't so subtle- she stared, and Oliver looked back. “Hannah, Summer and Ivy. So eleven, all told.”
Hannah leaned back with a smug little smile, so Oliver shifted forward. “Does it matter if someone can't make it? Just in case- it's time off work, after all, don't want anyone to feel bad about a reservation being wasted.”
It was sneaky, but worth it to see Hannah try not to look like she'd been slapped. Paula rubbed Oliver's arm, as if to reassure that nobody would miss a thing, but Lu shook her head.
“Oh, not in the slightest. A spare hotel room is always useful, who knows who might need a place at short notice? I'm collating so many names… Okay! Now, let's talk clothes- Felix wanted to let you all know that he'd like to sort out getting all of you something special to wear- your choice, obviously, so I've been researching… How do you feel about Liverpool One? They do gift cards that should cover every shop, and of course some lunch…”
Oliver had mostly spaced out, ignoring Hannah's little attempts to be cutting. She'd stalked off with a confused Paula in her wake. Lu had excused herself to see the kids, but Jess hadn't moved and neither had he. He wasn't quite able to look at her until she tentatively tugged at his sleeve.
“Did you offer to buy Lyddie a house, Oliver?”
She looked more nervous than usual, blinking rapidly, and Oliver shrugged. “Sort of. Thought it might be good to have somewhere up near all of you- but if we got a place with a little annexe, Lydia could live in the main house and then Felix and I would have a place to stay when we visit. Do it proper, get her a tenancy agreement, but we wouldn't make her pay rent while she's studying.”
Jessica’s grip tightened, her eyes huge. “And… Nursery? It's too much, Oliver, we can't pay you back.”
“Jess, come off it? Felix is doing this, and you've just sat through a demonstration of what he can afford. Come on, you've seen this place. He’s generous to a fault. It's part of why I love him.” Oliver gently twisted his wrist free, turning to look at Jessica properly. “It's not bribery, either. He’s a big softie- Stu told him about how Lydia’s doing it alone, and he can’t just stand by. Plus he… He really does want you all to like him, Jess. I know Hannah's turned him into some creep but…”
“He really is good to you, though, Oliver?”
“Oh, for fuck's sake.” He had to groan and drop his head into his hands, closing his eyes hard for a minute. At least it was just the two of them, and Jess was so trembly she'd give a jelly a run for its money. “I'm not a baby, Jess- and I’m not some naive little idiot, either. Felix isn’t my first, I didn't get swept off my feet without thinking. If anything, I'm the experienced one. He’d only ever been with women, until I came along.”
Not mentioning any boarding school adventures, but it was the truth. Oliver heaved a sigh, lifting his head. His hands fell to dangle between his knees, and he stared at the window. “I'm a private person, Jess. It's humiliating, being treated like I don't have any agency, ganged up on and judged for stuff that's between me and my fiancé.”
“But… Your shoulder…?”
Oliver gave her a level, unimpressed look, straightening up and folding his arms. Jess flushed, but Oliver had a point to make. “You used to come home with hickeys, Jess, but that's not the point. The point is- where does this stop? You and Hannah want a full report every time we do so much as kiss? Want me to check in, text you to say hey, just had sex- let you know who did what to who, give you a minute-by-minute breakdown? Make sure it's acceptable? So you can determine if I'm being abused because I can't enjoy anything my sisters don't like?”
“No, but Oliver…” Jess might cry, but she used to cry at commercials with sad dogs in.
“There's no but, Jess. Fuck's sake, I don't demand to know what you and Stu do- maybe I should. I don’t owe you details about my sex life. I'm not going to put up with it, either. Can't you just accept that I'm finally happy? Felix loves me, wants to love all of you- it's cruel, Jess, whispering behind his back while he's trying so hard to impress you all.”
Oliver got to his feet, heading towards the door. He felt morose, fed up with the repetition of it. He’d reached towards the handle, when there was a sudden rustle of movement from behind him- he turned, Jess standing with her fists clenched and eyes wide and downcast.
“I… I….” Oliver was a little worried that she might be about to have a stroke or something. Jess was slowly turning red, before almost yelling, then slapping her hands over her mouth. “I dress up like a policewoman sometimes.”
“You what?”