5. Christmas Past, Present… and a new Sibling?
5
CHRISTMAS PAST, PRESENT… AND A NEW SIBLING?
“Hello. Are we in the right place?”
My father’s fork clatters onto his plate, and he freezes in disbelief, mouth agape, as he lays eyes on his ex-wife for the first time in many years.
The woman standing in the doorway is a far cry from the image of my mother that I remember. Mum, or Val as she was affectionately called by Dad, was the epitome of a laid-back tuck shop mum. Her dark curls were usually cut short, and she practically lived in her trusty jeans and t-shirt combo. But hooley dooley, Nate hit the nail on the head this time. The woman standing before us would definitely prefer to be called Valentina by those who know her and she is dressed like she’s ready to lunch at the palace.
Her jet-black hair falls in sleek, glossy waves, framing her flawlessly made-up face. Not a hint of grey in sight, she looks effortlessly polished, a timeless beauty. She’s wearing a jaw-dropping green leather jacket, adorned with luxurious fur trim, cinched snugly at the waist to accentuate her figure and paired with sleek black wool pants, Valentina exuding an air of undeniable sophistication. Despite the awkwardness of the whole situation, I can’t help but smirk as I spot her high heel boots—those stilettos would’ve been a disaster on the cobblestone streets outside.
My eyes flick towards my father who still seems to be stuck on pause mode.
Will he say something? Anything?
Not likely. It’s as if his ability to speak, or even think, has abandoned him in this surreal moment.
The entire table falls into an uneasy silence, tension filling the air like a thick fog. Aydin rises from his seat, displaying his natural hospitality that is just so him. “Mrs. Werrington? Ho? geldiniz . Welcome. I’m Aydin, Ginger’s husband. It’s truly a pleasure to finally meet you.”
My mother, responds with a smile, exuding an air of elegance. “Please, call me Valentina.” Her eyes shift towards the young woman standing beside her. “And this is my daughter, Saffron.”
Sadie and I exchange wide-eyed glances of horror as our minds race to make sense of this unexpected revelation.
A sister?
When my mother left Dad all those years ago, she made it crystal clear that she didn’t want the burden of raising children. She told him that motherhood stifled her creativity and that she craved a life free from parental responsibilities. She walked away from Dad and her two little girls, leaving Sadie and I to wonder why she didn’t love us enough to stay.
Normally, the green-eyed monster would rear its ugly head right about now. But honestly, I’m still too gobsmacked to react.
Part of me wants to be furious, to demand answers from Valentina about why she chose to abandon us and start a new family elsewhere but, in the end, this just confirms what I had always suspected deep down—the woman who walked out on us wasn’t the mother I needed her to be.
I size my half-sister up, guessing she’s about 20 years old, so she must have been born five or six years after our mother left us. With long, dark curls mirroring mine and the unmistakable Italian bum, we share a few physical traits. But that’s where the resemblance stops. She struts into the room with an air of confidence, wearing an oversize velvet down coat, PVC pants and killer high heel boots. I’ve gotta hand it to her, she’s got some serious moxy as she crosses the room with a huge smile on her face. If I had to waltz into a room full of strangers, you could bet your last dollar I’d trip over my own feet and end up making a spectacle of myself.
“Ginny? Is that really you? Oh my God!” I rise slowly, my mind racing with questions. I’m not sure about the protocol for meeting an unknown half-sibling, but she doesn’t seem to care as she pulls me into a warm hug. “I’m so excited to meet you.”
“Hi, Saffron.”
“It’s Saffy. What was my mother thinking calling me flipping Saffron? It makes me sound like I should be smoking weed in a hippy commune.”
“Or Ab Fab, darling,” Nate chimes in with a cheeky grin.
Saffy laughs and turns to Nate. “Right? Although between you and me my mother and her friends act like Patsy most of the time anyway.”
Nate chuckles, clearly taken with Saffy’s sense of humour. “I like her, Ginny.”
I shoot a scowl at him, but before I can come up with a witty comeback, Saffy kisses my cheek. “I’ve been waiting my whole life to meet you and Sadie.”
Her eyes land on Sadie, who’s still looking utterly bewildered. Saffy dashes around the table, pulling me alongside her. “And you’ve got to be my big sister, Sadie. You are exactly like I pictured.”
Sadie’s expression turns into a scowl of her own. She looks nothing like her usual polished self, instead she’s more jet-lagged and frazzled rather than the MILF she usually portrays.
Not exactly the compliment Saffy would have meant to give. “I’m going to hug you now!”
Before we know it, we’re all locked in a tight group hug, and Saffy is squealing with excitement like an overenthusiastic toddler. “This is going to be the best Christmas ever!”
I catch Sadie’s eye, and we exchange a knowing look.
Best. Christmas. Ever?
We’ll see.