The Dinner Party

She stood back and admired what she had achieved and she was more than satisfied. The table was a masterpiece of gleaming silver, glowing porcelain, sparkling crystal and crisp sharp linen. She turned to the mirror on the wall above the fireplace and arranged a few errant strands of hair that had escaped, and smiled; all was going to be well.

She heard the unmistakeable sound of a very powerful motorbike being ridden up the long driveway to the house. It was just as she had expected, Allan and Sylvia were first to arrive. Her daughter in law’s terror of missing out on anything fuelled her need to be punctual, if not annoyingly ahead of time, for everything.

Within a few moments, she heard the screeching of brakes and the rattle of gravel against the porch as Jack’s MG came to a sudden halt. She knew he would have insisted in having the top down, much to the annoyance of his wife, who would now insist everything would be held up while she made her hair presentable. Sammy was such a Diva: a very selfish diva at that.

How the hell have I ended up with a family like this, she thought. Four more self-centred people you would be hard placed to find, assuming, of course you were insane enough to want to find.

The way her daughters -in -law were, was none of her doing. They had come like that, but the boys? She had to take on much of the blame, since she had been the sole parent for the longest part of their lives. Daddy had had the nerve to have a bloody massive heart attack and desert them. “Selfish bastard,” she muttered to herself.

Just before the couples would arrive in the dining room, she took one last look at the single photograph on the mantelpiece, the boys when they were three. Yes, they were twins, identical twins. So alike that at time she and her late husband had, at times, to double take to convince themselves which of the boys they were looking at.

Not only were they twins, they were, and still are to an extent, celebrity twins. Jack the elder arrived into the world at eleven fifty-two PM on the thirty first of January 1999. Allan, at four minutes past midnight on the first of January 2000. Therefore, the boys were born on different days, different months, different years, different decades, different centuries and different millennia! How the media loved that story. The family appeared on just about ever chat show in the country and did interviews for all the print media in Britain and many abroad.

Had all that attention affected her sons? In some ways believing that would take some of the onus for the way they had turned out, off her shoulders, but she could not let herself be fooled. They had been so little when it was at its height. Maybe it was her fault or theirs or both.

The sound of raucous argument and high-pitched squealing told her that they were in the house and heading her way. She was ready for them: more than ready.

The dining room door flew open and all four bundled in. “Hi ma!” yelled Jack. His brother approached her and pecked her on the cheek. “Looking as gorgeous as ever Ma.”

The two girls said nothing as they sat at their places at the table, but Hellen was aware of how they took in the surroundings. She knew that if they had those little pricing machines that are used in supermarkets, they would go round and slap price tags on everything. Of particular interest to Sammy was the writing bureau that sat in the corner of the room. It had been made by her husband a few years before he died, and was his present to Helen on her 40th birthday. It was magnificent and would fetch a hefty price at auction. John had been a master craftsman. One of the finest cabinet makers in the country and had built up a very successful business designing, making, and selling high end bespoke furniture, both nationally and internationally. On his death

Helen had continued to run the business, as she had always done.
Helen left her family and went to check on how things were going in the kitchen. As she walked down the hallway she stopped, as she often did, at their wedding photograph. Would John have given his blessing on her plans? She studied his face and it was almost as if he gave a gentle smile. She touched her lips with her finger tips and placed them on his image.

Irene, her cook for tonight, had assured her that everything was in hand and that she, Helen, should go back to the dining room and relax.
In the hallway she sat on a soft chair. The one she used when they only had one phone in the whole house and smiled too herself at the memory of a time, pre mobile, where the phrase land line would have meant nothing. As she sat, she thought of the last conversation she had with the boys. One of the very few instigated by them. They had told her in no uncertain terms that they should be taking active roles in running the family business. In reply she had agreed, but that since they had taken no interest in the business, that they would have to start at the bottom and work their way up. “You mean shadowing you?” Allan asked. “No.” Helen had said, “You would both have to do you apprenticeships and go from there.” This was met with fury and indignation from them both, as they argued that she had not done an apprenticeship and had succeeded in running the business.

“Look,” she said, “Your dad was a great craftsman, but no businessman. I don’t know one end if a chisel from the other, but I know business. You two have neither skills and have spent the years since you left school doing nothing but spending the not so insignificant allowance the company has allocated you, so it’s either apprenticeships or the status quo. For now.” Neither of them noticed that last phrase or if they did didn’t give it any credence.

It was once they were all seated, that Allan shouted angrily “Ma you’ve got dad’s place wrong! The cutlery!” The other three nodded in agreement, even the two girls, who had always thought it was a stupid notion in the first place.
Since his passing Helen had insisted that at every special meal, Christmas, birthdays etc. A place would be set for John, but that his cutlery was always laid over his plate. The boys, when they were little got some comfort from this, as did Helen and the tradition had continued… until that night.

Helen smiled looked at the placing next to hers. The cutlery was set in the conventional manner. She smiled and slowly turned her head towards the door. As she did this the handle turned and the door opened. The others turned and as they did so, a figure entered. He seemed to take up far too much space in the room, such was height and build.

“Everyone, this is Adam.” Helen announced trying to keep her voice as natural as possible. “Here Adam, sit here beside me.”Both Allan and Jack stood up noisily. “That’s Dad’s seat!” yelled Adam.“Whoever he is, he’s no sitting there!” Jack bellowed.“Both of you sit down!” This was no more nor less than Helen had expected. Her boys had not disappointed her.“Now Adam is my guest and also a guest of Scotland, as he has just arrived from America today and I want all of you to give him a warm welcome. After we have eaten, I will explain everything.”

The meal was magnificent. Irene had surpassed herself and no expense had been spared. Lobster, truffles, oysters, and some of the finest wines from the best vineyards were served. Unfortunately the only ones who enjoyed it were her daughters in law. The twins glowered, but still managed to devour everything put in front of them. Adam ate quietly and Helen picked at whatever was on her plate.

After the plates were cleared and glasses replenished Helen stood. “I have something I want to say and I would appreciate your undivided attention. First I know you’re all curious about Adam so I’ll start there.” She laid a hand on Adams shoulder. “We’ve been dating online for over a year.”
“Over a year, and you never told us!” Jack interrupted.

“Jack please let me finish. Yes, for over a year. We’ve met up on two occasions. Once when I went to New York and once when Adam came to London on business. It was during this visit Adam asked me to marry him and I agreed.”
That was when all hell broke loose. All four shouting at once about the madness of the situation. On how she was insane to think about marrying after such a short acquaintance etc.

“He’s after your money Helen” This came from Sammy, no surprise there thought Helen, with Sammy it was always about the money.
“I was expecting you to think that,” Helen replied. “And so was Adam, so he agreed that I should employ an investigator to look into his affairs. As it turns out, Adam’s business interests are large and financially successful. Making our little enterprise look like chicken feed. So, no, Adam has no need of my money. Which brings me to most important part of this evening. I am now telling all four of you that the gravy train has come to a stop. This meal was the last.”
What are you on about?” Sylvia had finally cottoned on to what was happening.

“What I’m on about, is that I am no longer subsidising your lifestyle. I have sold the business. I have sold this house. I have deposited an amount of cash in your bank accounts boys, that will keep you going for a while, if you’re careful, and I am leaving Scotland and going to live in the States with Adam”
“You can’t do that to us. We’re your family!” whined Sammy.

“I think you will find that I can, and I have. Now Jack and Allan you can go to your old rooms and remove anything personal. Adam and I have booked into the hotel in the village to give you some time to sort things out. By the way my lawyer is arriving any time now, and will advise you as to what you can or cannot remove, as I have sold the house with its contents. The only thing I am taking is the writing bureau. Sorry Sammy, you were never going to get that. I would have set fire to it first! So now I am saying goodbye and good luck, and I hope, in time you’ll understand why I have done this. You need to learn to stand on you own two Feet.”

Helen looked from the rear window of the taxi at what had once been a happy home and wondered, not for the first time, if she’d done the right thing.

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