Nadia Sinclair squared her shoulders, just as Sidney arrived.
"Atlas darling," Sidney turned to Atlas. "I've never seen you more alive. I personally think you're doing amazing by sticking by your choice. I mean Aveline is such a lovely girl." She held both sides of his upper arm, and rubbed them gently.
"Thank you?" Atlas' face scrunched, not exactly sure what he was supposed to say.
She waved a dismissive finger. "Don't thank me for saying the truth. I mean look at the gorgeous woman you're marrying." She shifted her attention to Aveline.
"Hey mum," Riley said.
"Hello Aunt Sidney," Freya followed up.
The smile on Sidney's face waned. "Seriously, Frey, I've told you to just call me Sidney. Leave the titles for the boring women who always want to look superior. We're all just girls." She smacked her hands playfully, and laughed.
"Mum," Riley muttered under her breath, and lowered her gaze to hide the embarrassment on her face.
"Are you done?" Nadia finally spoke up.
"Uh-huh," she nodded, facing Nadia.
"I don't think it's any business of yours-"
Atlas' phone rang, interrupting Nadia. He looked down, and sighed.
"I have to go. The contractors are waiting. See you later." He waved, as he took a step forward.
"Atlas?!" Sidney called out with a horrified tone.
He stopped, and turned. "Yes?" He lifted a brow, wondering what had made her call him with such alarm.
"Oh sweetie, where is your Sinclair charm? You can't just leave without properly telling your wife goodbye. Go on, do right by your woman." She urged with a hand gesture.
Nadia's fist tightened as she fought off the wrinkled lines threatening to appear on her forehead.
The temptation to go off on Sidney was great, but she knew to keep her cool, or risk Sidney one upping her. So she swallowed her words, and kept still.
Atlas looked at Aveline who was looking everywhere else but at him.
"Come on, Atlas," Sidney pressed.
Atlas walked over to Aveline, and leaned into her ears. "I'll kiss you now," he said, before lifting her chin to face him.
"I'll see you when I get back, okay?" She was bobbing her head, when he leaned in and kissed her.
Nadia threw her face to the side, her stomach churning at that sight. Freya and Riley smiled with full approval. And Sidney couldn't help the gloating smirk on her face.
"Take care of her," Atlas said, as he stepped away from Aveline who was still recovering from the sudden kiss.
He had warned her, yet every time his lips touched hers, it felt as if he was kissing her for the first time.
It was a different experience for her. Different from Craig in many ways she didn't even want to think about.
"Bye mum." Atlas ensured to to stroke his mother's shoulders as he walked past her to continue on his way out of the house.
Immediately he disappeared through the corner, Riley knew they had to leave too. Because judging by the look on Nadia's face, she was about to pour out her anger on Aveline.
"Uhmmm, we would like to stay here and chat with you ol–beautiful women. But we have plans for the day, so we'll see you later," Riley said, grabbing Aveline's hands again.
"Of course," Sidney said, beating Nadia to whatever she had just opened her mouth to reply. "Go have fun you three. There's a wedding to plan anyway. Take care of Aveline too, like Atlas said. She's too gorgeous to not be protected."
Nadia bit her lips, holding herself back even more from losing it.
"Alright guys, we'll be in the big room if you need us. Hopefully you don't. Bye!" Freya waved behind her shoulders, as they walked away.
Sidney waved right back. "Bye Aveline!"
Aveline turned, and with an awkward smile on her face, returned her wave.
The trio disappeared round the corner just like Atlas had done earlier, leaving Sidney alone with Nadia.
"Oh common, Nadia. Shouldn't you be more cheerful that your son is getting married first, and to a beautiful girl like Aveline? Why the long face? Cheer up!" She said with a patronising voice.
Nadia smiled. The smile was without any trace of humour, or cheer. It was the kind that foretold a venomous tongue washing. One that Sidney was well aware would come anyway, due to how much she had pushed.
"I'll assume you're jobless. That's why you're in everyone's business except yours. I mean where are you even coming from? What's your business with me and my son?"
Sidney, not backing down, took a battle stance to match Nadia's. "To answer your questions, dear Nadia, I'm coming from the horse tracks. You should have seen how good I looked riding that thing. Maybe you should come down sometime and we can do a lap. You know? Like the old days," she laughed mockingly.
"Sure, I have nothing better to do than spend my time with someone as jobless as you. All you are is a pretty face, Sidney. And that's me being generous. Take your nosey nose out of my son's business. Focus on your son,and the fact his fiance called off their wedding. I mean you're losing anyway. Shouldn't you be more worried about that?"
The smile on Sidney's face blurred away. "Oh no, Nadia. I don't need to worry about Reese. I taught him from a very going age to be independent, unlike you who taught your son to be fully dependent on you. He may have hit a stonewall in his relationship, but I trust him to come up with something. I don't need to meddle. So be rest assured that your son may be marrying first, but he won't be touching that inheritance."
"Aha!" Nadia scoffed. "You are worried. I can see the lines stretching out of your Botox. Careful Sid, your age is showing," Nadia pressed further, exploiting her weakness.
"Shut up, Nadia! I don't have any Botox. Why don't you focus on the fact that by the end of this wedding, you'll have wrinkled lines that going under the knife won't be able to fix. I mean your son is marrying a nobody," she snickered. "The great Nadia Sinclair who hates poverty more than anything, is going to have the daughter of a nobody for a daughter-in-law," she drew closer and lowered her voice. "Also seeing how determined Atlas is, it seems your claws are slipping out of his head and heart. Oh Nadia, whatever are you going to do now that you have a replacement in your precious son's life?"
"You bitch! No one is going to replace me in my son's life. And for your information, there will be a wedding. What we're not sure of yet is who the bride will be. Because unlike you, I always have a plan, and everything always goes my way. Go tussle with the young girls your husband throws in your face. I'm done talking to trash like you." She turned right around, and began to walk away.
"Good luck Nadia Sinclair!" Sidney laughed after her, but in her heart, she knew she had to come up with a plan.
One that would rival whatever Nadia was clearly cooking up.