Family Reunion

I was just trying to live a simple life. Morning coffee, some deep breathing, warm and cold showers, early supper and drinks with friends were some of the simple joys within my busy work life as a single woman in London. The type of life that others crave, envy or loathe. I loved it. So it was bound to be disrupted at some point..

I had just sat down at my kitchen counter to devour my one-woman dinner of microwave lasagne and a glass of red wine, when my mobile buzzed. Whatsapp; my mother had just added me and several other names and phone numbers to a group chat. The title of the chat changed as Mum had edited it and I nearly dropped my phone onto my melted cheesy lasagne: Family Reunion 2026.

“There’s no way this is happening,” I said out loud to no one in particular. Well, except Monty. My beautiful Maine Coon cat gazed over at me from the corner of the kitchen counter, his fluffy triangular face momentarily pointed up at me instead of down at my food. Oh how I envied Monty’s simple, coddled existence.

Mum was typing on the chat, three dots bobbing up and down in an agonising display of slow typing and… lots of it. What can this be about, I wondered? Why a reunion, why now?

I thought back to the last time the family had gathered in its entirety. My cousin Alison’s engagement lunch three years previously, gathered at Aunt Carol’s semi-detached house in Surrey, all stuck inside with the heavy rain lashing the south east. Too much beige food, not enough actual warmth, just cringy comments, fake laughs and not enough sherry. And just when I had thought the afternoon couldn’t get any worse, Aunt Carol turned her overly powdered, round face to me and exclaimed loudly in her sherry-soaked breath, “Does it bother you when your younger cousins get married first? Don’t worry, hen, you’ve still got time. Well, some.”

Needless to say, I didn’t have much to say to Aunt Carol again after that.

I looked at my screen and groaned aloud at what Mum had written. “Hello, Keller family. As some of you may know, it’s Nan’s 85th birthday on Saturday and Frank and I thought it would be lovely for all of us to get together on that day, what do you say? Barbeque at our place, bring your drinks, we’ll sort the rest. I’ll pop a poll on the chat and if you could all RSVP by Thursday, that would be lovely.”

I immediately messaged my brother, Kyle: “Have you seen the family chat? I’m really not in the mood.”

Kyle and I had a very open relationship as close siblings, and we often got together without the rest of the family. He had the better relationship with our parents, though; I got updates on how our parents were doing from Kyle more often than I actually saw them. I just wasn’t one for making time with family if I could help it, mostly because I felt I didn’t have anything in common with any of them except Kyle. The thought of seeing all of them in one place again really made me feel rather ill.

Kyle replied: “Don’t worry, I’ll be there so you won’t be alone in this. You can aim eye rolls at me when things get too much.”

I momentarily couldn’t remember whether Mum had said Saturday or Sunday so I went back to the group chat to check. Saturday, great. Instead of drinks with the girls, I had to endure hours with a bunch of people I didn’t even like.

“Ok well, I guess I’ll brace myself for an afternoon of rip-roaring fun listening to bland females in bad jerseys asking me why I’m still single. I can’t stand it. I’ll make sure to pre-game to make it less painful” I typed back to Kyle. WIth a huff I turned my phone screen off, left my phone on the counter and gave Molly a tickle on the head as I walked out of the kitchen to my en-suite for a shower.

I closed my eyes and lifted my face to the soothing spray of the hot water as it enveloped my body. Rubbing my neck under the water and breathing deeply in and out, the initial feeling of irritation and indignation started fading and I was left with the annoyingly familiar feeling in the pit of my stomach: guilt. Maybe it was time to see everyone again and try to be nice to them. Some of them were getting on in years and how would I feel when they started popping off? Pretty rotten, probably. Nan was halfway through her eighties, for one thing, who knew how much longer she had? Since grandpa passed away five years before, she had deteriorated somewhat, and I know Mum was increasingly worried that she ‘wasn’t quite herself upstairs’, as she put it.

And then there was Aunt Carol, my Dad’s sister and probably my least favourite of all the family members, but she was also no spring chicken and I suppose I should just try and take whatever comes out of her mouth at that age with a pinch of salt.

My cousins were both younger than me and both married with kids now so really not much in common there. We weren’t very close growing up, and I ended up spending more time with friends than family over the years and that is just how it has always been. Nothing wrong with that, I reckon, but perhaps it was time to see them all again and then at least it would be over with for a while.

Monty was still on the counter when I walked back into the kitchen a bit later, looking at me rather reproachfully. “And that look?” I said to him as I reached for my phone. “It’s not six o clock yet, you can’t be mad at me for not feeding you already, silly boy.”

I glanced down at the screen and the blood drained from my face. While I was in the shower, my Whatsapp had metaphorically exploded.

Aunt Carol: “You’re not still worked up about that are you? It was a passing comment, anyone would have made it. And it was years ago. Get over yourself!”

Mum: “Leslie, what is going on with you? Call me later, will you, love?”

Mum, in response to Aunt Carol: “I’m sure she didn’t mean it, this will all blow over.”

Dad: “What is pre-game?”

Alison: no text message, but a gif of Michael Jackson as himself in the Thriller music video eating popcorn.

Kyle: “That was probably meant for me, wasn’t it?”

And privately - Kyle: “Whoops, Sis, not a good time to switch your phone off and throw it away, can you pick up?”

All this along with three missed calls from Mum and Kyle each. Initially I didn’t really know what I was looking at, until I realised to my horror that I had sent the message meant only for Kyle to the family whatsapp group.

Bland females. Bad jerseys. Can’t stand it. Painful.

I was not going to be able to talk myself out of this one.

We’ve all been there - a message meant for someone else was sent to the wrong person, you realise immediately and your heart sinks through your feet into the floor as your face feels like it’s going to melt off, and you scramble to fix it with a fumbled and often misspelt “sorry, wrong chat.” or the like. But after over half an hour of the message sitting there, festering, its bluntness staring everyone in the face with a smirk and a “told you so”, how could this be salvaged? Everyone on the chat had seen it, presumably, although there was still no reaction from the other cousin or from Nan. To be fair, Nan wasn’t the best at using Whatsapp or her phone in general, and most of us were used to receiving multiple blank voice notes from her. In fact it was reaching a point where Mum was worried if she didn’t receive at least one blank voice note from Nan every day.

I typed quickly: “So sorry, I should have deleted that. Nothing personal I promise. Just feeling like I need my own space. Sorry, everyone.”

Immediately, Aunt Carol: “It seemed pretty personal to me. If you don’t appreciate any of us then you can leave the group, it’s a free country.”

Mum: “You’ve had space for ages now, love, how much more do you need?”

It was the most we had communicated in three years, and already I wanted it to stop. I put my phone down and went over to Monty, buried my face in his thick, beautiful black and white fur and felt him purring. Why can’t they all be like you, Monty? I thought. Beautiful and perfect and unable to speak in a language humans can understand. That would be so much better than anything right now.

Kyle: ‘Look Sis, it’s not that bad, they’ll get over it. I’ll fetch you on Saturday, we can go to the birthday together and you can explain everything there if it even comes up. I’m sure it’s not that bad, ok?”

I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply. Not that bad, and as long as Kyle’s there, then at least I’d have some backup. OK, fine. “OK, fine, thanks. Love you, dork.”

“Love you too Sis, see you Saturday.”

Saturday rolled around all too quickly in a blur of work, meetings, gym, book club drinks and lots of microwave lasagne during the week that passed by in a flash. Kyle arrived in his shiny Audi A3 looking suave in jeans and a blue polar neck jersey, and together we rode to Mum and Dad’s lovely cottage just outside Surrey. Kyle and I had spent the better part of our teens in that house before we both headed off to our respective universities, and I must say, some of the best memories of my life were spent here. I felt a twinge of nostalgia for those days when the air smelt sweeter, the days seemed sunnier somehow, and life just seemed to exist from Mument to Mument instead of one grudge commitment to the next. Being an adult sucks, I thought to myself as we walked to the front porch.

Mum and Dad greeted us at the door with nervous smiles and open arms.

“So good to see you, darling.”

“How long has it been? You’ve lost so much weight, we need to fatten you up, come inside.”

As we walked in, Mum asked me to help her with something in the kitchen. “What is it Mum? I know when there’s something on your mind.”

She looked at me as she hastily washed potatoes in a colander at the sink, as if she was having trouble deciding what to say. She dried her hands on a dish towel and took a deep breath. “Well it’s just that, Carol called yesterday and said she’s not coming today. She said it was because of her migraines but I know it was because of… you know… what you said and I wanted to find out what you meant by it, love? I don’t understand. Really, I don’t.”

I sat down at the kitchen counter and ran my hands through my hair. I sat there for a few seconds, thinking of what to say. I could hear the birds chirruping near the window, Dad and Kyle’s near-identical laughter resounding from the living room.

“Look Mum, I had meant the message for Kyle and it really wasn’t aimed at any one person. Perhaps I was a little harsh, but it was accidental and I’m sorry if it hurt your feelings. The truth is, Aunt Carol really gets my goat up. She’s so critical of the fact that I am single at 40 and doesn’t even try to be nice about it. I know she’s family and I should just let it go, but honestly I feel like I’m a bit old to be spoken to the way she does to me. It’s not right, Mum. She just needs to leave me alone.”

“I wouldn’t worry about her, my dear.” Mum and I turned quickly to the kitchen door, where Nan was standing, one hand on the door frame to steady herself. Her translucent skin was like porcelain with feint blue veins, and she looked at me with watery blue eyes. “Aunt Carol is a nasty old tart who doesn’t have any breeding. I’ve never liked her, and I don’t like how she is towards you one bit. If she ever gives you any trouble again, you tell me and I will sort her out for you, don’t you worry.”

With that, she came over to the counter and took a seat with a smile as she took my hands in her soft, bird-like hands and looked at me. “You’re so beautiful, my dear. I have always admired how strong you are. Don’t let anyone make you feel inferior in this world. You’re meant for bigger things than they will ever amount to. Just you believe that.”

Mum and I were staring at her, flabbergasted. It was the most Nan had spoken to anyone since Grandad had died. I could feel my face getting hot as tears welled up in my eyes. I reached for her and pulled her close for a bug, careful not to squeeze her too tightly, but tightly enough. She felt so frail, it was as if she could crumble at the slightest pressure. As the tears flowed down my face, I realised that she was the strongest of all of us.

“Thank you Nan,” I managed through my tears. I felt Mum put her arms around both of us and the three of us were locked in a three-generational group hug, a moment in time that felt like it could stretch on forever. “I love you both.”

“And we love you too,” said Mum thickly, fighting back her own tears. “We’re all here now, let’s just enjoy Nan’s birthday and spend some time together, what do you say?”

I looked at my Mum, her eyes looking at me hopefully and lovingly, and my heart melted. “There’d better be cheesecake somewhere in this house or I’m leaving.”

As we drove back later that evening, I looked over at Kyle. “You know, that was the most fun I think I have had with those three in years. Nan is looking amazing for eighty-five. I hope I look just as good when I’m that age.”

Kyle grinned and nodded. “You definitely will, which is more than I can say for Alison, she looks like she could sleep for a month. Those kids are obviously draining the life out of her, poor thing.”

“Yes she did look rather tired, but she also didn’t have much to say to me today, but you know what? I don’t really care. I had the best time with Nan today. I have never heard her laugh so much, she was really in her element. I suppose that’s what it’s all about hey? Just have fun and enjoy your life until the very end.”

A short while later, in my dressing gown, glass of wine in hand, I curled up on the couch next to Monty and gave him a big kiss on his soft furry head. My phone pinged. Aunt Carol had just texted me. This is interesting, I thought.

Aunt Carol: “Hi Leslie. I hope you enjoyed the birthday this afternoon, your grandmother tells me it was a lovely get together. I’m sorry I missed it. I also wanted to apologise to you for the way I have spoken to you about things in the past and I understand I may have hurt your feelings. I do sometimes get a bit ahead of myself and I know I need to watch that. I would like to make it up to you next weekend, if you’re free to come over for coffee and cake, and we can chat a bit. It would be easier for me to speak with you in person than by text. Is that alright? Let me know if you’re free then. Love Carol.”

I took a sip of wine, and stroked Monty’s soft fur, feeling his purring and the sharp little claws of his left paw needling my thigh as he kneaded softly. I thought back to the afternoon we had spent with the family, and how good it felt to be part of something that was so intrinsically a part of me. I had almost forgotten what that felt like. Patching things up with Aunt Carol was the last piece of that whole that needed to come together. Without too much hesitation, I replied: “Absolutely, that sounds lovely. See you next week then. Thanks.”

Maybe family wasn’t so bad after all. Thanks Nan, I whispered.

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Word count: 2849