“Matt, are you nearly ready? Karen and Theo will be here any minute,” said Steven impatiently, poking his head into the bedroom.
“Just a sec,” replied Emma without turning from the mirror on the wardrobe door. She ran her lipstick over her lips, shook her head ever so slightly to tousle her perfectly styled hair, adjusted the neckline of her dress, and only then turned to face him.
“All set,” she smiled.
“Blimey, you look stunning,” Steven said, stepping closer and pulling her into a hug.
“Careful—lipstick,” Emma murmured, leaning back just enough to avoid smudging his shirt but giving him a warm, knowing look.
“Em—” Steven’s voice cracked slightly, but just then, the doorbell rang. “Right on cue.” He sighed, loosening his hold and heading to answer it. Emma gave herself one last glance in the mirror, smoothed her dress, and followed.
In the hallway, Theo was already making a joke, holding a massive bouquet of roses. Beside him stood his wife, Karen, clutching a gift bag.
“Where’s the birthday girl? Not even greeting her guests?” Theo boomed, rustling the flower wrapping. Spotting Emma, he stepped forward. “Finally! Em, you’re as gorgeous as ever. Steve, watch out—I might just steal her.” He planted a loud kiss on her cheek before handing over the bouquet. “Here’s to—”
“Alright, get your coat off—save the speeches for the table,” Steven cut in.
“Matt, grab the slippers—I’ll put these in water,” Emma said, disappearing into the kitchen.
The flat suddenly felt cramped and lively. Theo rubbed his hands together, eyeing the spread in the middle of the room.
“Emma, you’ve outdone yourself. I might drown in my own drool.”
“You’ll have to wait a bit longer,” Emma replied, returning with a vase. She set the roses by the window.
“Joker,” Karen muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes.
Emma rested a hand on her shoulder, as if to calm her, just as the doorbell rang again. She went to greet the newcomers.
“That’s Laura, and this is my sister Emma,” Max introduced, handing Emma another bouquet.
“Lovely to meet you,” Emma smiled. Laura barely nodded. “Sorry—no more spare slippers.”
“It’s fine, I’ll give Laura mine,” Max said.
Emma shot him a questioning look—what on earth did they have in common?
“Get everyone to the table, sis,” Max said, oblivious to her disbelief.
They entered the dining room.
“You all know my brother—this is Laura, his new girlfriend,” Emma announced. “Take it from here,” she whispered to Max before retreating to the kitchen with the flowers. Finding no spare vase, she plonked them in a litre jug, leaving it on the counter.
When she returned, the guests were seated. Steven gestured to the chair at the head of the table. Emma sat, noticing with surprise that Theo and Karen had taken seats on opposite sides.
Steven was already pouring whisky for the men and wine for the women. Laura sat stiffly, detached. Max piled salad onto her plate—she barely acknowledged it.
“Good grief. Cold as ice, this one. Max has had girlfriends before, but never one like this…” Emma’s thoughts were interrupted as Steven stood, glass in hand, gazing at her tenderly to deliver his toast.
The room hushed. Glasses clinked, then cutlery scraped against plates.
Emma scanned the room. Theo ate noisily, praising her cooking while stealing glances at Karen, who kept her eyes fixed on her plate. Laura chewed slowly, ignoring everyone. Max whispered in her ear. Steven refilled glasses. His expression reassured her—See? Everything’s fine.
Emma relaxed. Once the meal settled, Steven fetched his guitar. After tuning, he launched into “You Are the One.” His voice was warm, rich. Everyone knew he was singing for Emma.
She swayed slightly, then joined in. Their harmonies melted together. When the song ended, the room stayed silent a beat before requests poured in. Steven played a few chords and started “Starry-Eyed,” Emma’s favourite.
Midway, Karen stood and slipped into the kitchen, shutting the door behind her.
“Brilliant, Steve. That deserves a drink,” Theo declared when the song finished.
“I’ll get the roast,” Emma murmured, leaving for the kitchen.
Karen stood by the open window, smoking.
“What’s wrong?” Emma asked, joining her.
Karen exhaled a shaky stream of smoke. Ash dropped onto the sill; she brushed it away, smudging it instead.
“You used to love when Steven sang. Why leave?”
“I still do,” Karen said, glancing back at the door.
From the dining room, off-key singing erupted—Theo’s voice loudest in “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.”
“Could you do me a favour?” Karen asked suddenly.
“How much?”
“Not money.” She took a long drag.
“Then what? Did you and Theo row?”
“Em,” Karen checked the door again, flicked her cigarette outside. “I’ve fallen for someone else. Completely lost my head.”
“Karen… What about Theo?”
“What’s Theo got to do with it?” she snapped, then lowered her voice.
“You’ve got a family. A son.”
“Things with Theo are awful,” she sighed.
“Does he suspect?” Emma studied her profile.
“Probably.”
Emma waited.
“There’s a new doctor at the surgery. Came from up north. The moment I saw him, I knew I was done for. I swap shifts just to work with him. Think I’m terrible?”
“Just… unexpected. What now?”
“I can’t live without him. If it weren’t for Jamie… We met at Mum’s while she was on holiday. But she’s back now—we’ve nowhere left.”
Emma bit her lip, silent.
“You two are at work all day, no kids. There’s no one else I can ask.”
“Bit cruel to remind me about children, don’t you think?”
“Sorry, I wasn’t thinking.”
“You want to use our flat? Is that it?”
“Yes. Just a couple of hours, sometimes. Please?”
Emma couldn’t look at her. She remembered Theo’s agonised crush years ago—how he’d adored Karen, feared she’d never marry him.
“Doesn’t this doctor have his own place? Wait—he’s married.”
“So what? We’re in love. I can’t breathe without him. Em, I never thought it could feel like this—like my soul’s tearing apart. When I see him, I forget everything. My heart pounds so loud…”
“No,” Emma cut in sharply. “Ask for anything else—money, babysitting. But not our flat.”
Steven peered in. “Ladies, the roast? We’re waiting—” He caught Emma’s pleading look and vanished.
“What are you doing? Theo’s a good man, a great dad. And Jamie? He’ll never forgive you.”
“He’ll understand when he’s older,” Karen muttered.
“Have some sense. Break up two families? What if Theo finds out? Or Steven? Helping you means betraying them.”
Emma grabbed oven mitts and pulled out the roast—her signature dish. Karen held the door, avoiding eye contact.
“Finally! We were withering away,” Theo slurred.
Emma set the platter down. Theo watched Karen, trying to catch her gaze. Laura remained statue-still. Max quietly drank himself under.
As Emma served, anger simmered. Karen had ruined the evening. The table had gone quiet—even Theo’s jokes dried up. Karen picked at her food.
“This isn’t my mess to fix. She’s reckless, but I won’t be.”
“We’re off. Jamie’s at the other end of town. Nursery tomorrow,” Karen announced suddenly, standing.
Theo mumbled and followed. Emma and Steven saw them out, Karen avoiding Emma’s eyes.
“Tea and cake?” Emma offered falsely brightly back in the dining room.
Max said they ought to go too—Laura didn’t eat sweets.
“What’s with everyone?” Emma huffed.
“Honestly, sis, time to go.”
Soon, they were alone.
“Leftovers for days,” Emma sighed, clearing plates.
“What were you and Karen whispering about?” Steven asked, helping.
“They argued. She was venting.” She headed to the bathroom.
When she returned in her dressing gown, face washed clean, Steven had cleared the table and was washing up.
“You’re even lovelier like this. Proper homey.”
“Ta,” Emma yawned. “I’m knackered.”
“I’ll finish. Go rest.”
She flopped on the sofa, TV droning. Steven joined her.
“So, what was the row about?”
Emma told him everything, trying to excuse Karen’s impulsiveness.
Steven praised her for not enabling it. The wine and food dragged them toward sleep. Emma curled into his side.
Her phone jarred her awake.
“Hello?Steven answered the phone, and as he listened, his face went pale—Theo had been arrested after Karen collapsed in a taxi, and by the time the ambulance arrived, she was gone.
