Olivia had spent the whole day getting ready for New Years Eve: cleaning, cooking, and laying out the spread. It was her very first New Years without her parents, instead celebrating with the man she loved.
For the past three months, shed been living with Anthony in his small London flat. He was fifteen years older than her, divorced, paying child support, and more than fond of a pint But when you love someone, such things hardly matter. Why shed fallen for him, not a soul could fathom: he wasnt remotely handsomein fact, you could call him homelyhis temper was foul, he was stingy to a fault, and money always seemed to slip through his fingers. And if he did have cash, it was only ever for himself. And yet Olivia adored her odd Anthony.
All those months, Olivia held tight to the hope that Anthony would realise what a patient, capable woman she was, and would surely ask her to marry him. He always said, We ought to live together a while, so I can see what youre like keeping house. Dont want a repeat of my ex. What his ex had been like, Olivia never really knewhe never gave a straight answer. So Olivia did everything she could to show her best side: never complained when he rolled in drunk, kept the flat spotless, did laundry, cooked, shopped for groceries using her own money (lest Anthony think her a gold-digger). Shed even paid for the entire New Year’s feast herself. For his present, shed bought him a brand new mobile phone.
While Olivia was pouring her soul into preparing for the holiday, her dear Anthony was preparing in his own waydown the pub, drinking with the lads. He finally came home, tipsy and merry, to announce that their New Year’s Eve would be graced by a crowd of his friendstotal strangers to her.
The table was set; just an hour remained. Olivias spirits were dashed, but she bit her tongue, desperate not to resemble the ex. Thirty minutes to midnight, the front door banged open and in lurched this noisy crowdslurring men, giggling women. Anthonys face lit up; he planted them round the table and the drinking resumed.
Anthony never bothered to introduce Olivia. She hovered in the background, completely ignored, while the guests quipped and laughed amongst themselves. When she pointed out it was nearly midnight and perhaps they should fill the glasses with champagne, one of the women stared at her as if a stranger had wandered in off the street.
And whos this, then? slurred the woman, eyeing Olivia up and down.
Just the bed-sitter, Anthony cackled, and the whole group erupted in laughter.
They wolfed down the food Olivia had so carefully made, cracking jokes at her expense. As Big Ben chimed, they openly mocked her naivety, and heaped praise on Anthony for his cleverness in finding himself a free cook and housemaid. Anthony just laughed along with them, stuffing his face with food Olivia had bought and prepared, treating her as though she were utterly invisible.
Silently, Olivia slipped from the room, gathered her things, and left for her parents house. Shed never endured such a dreadful New Year’s Eve. Her mother sighed, Didnt I warn you? Her father let out a breath, relieved to have her home. Olivia, finally breaking down, wept away the last of her illusions.
A week later, when Anthonys wallet had run dry, he turned up at Olivias door as if nothing had happened.
So, whats this in aid of, then? Sulking? he grumbled. Seeing she wasnt rushing into his arms, he changed his tune: Well, this is just brilliant. Youre loafing with mummy and daddy while my fridge is bare. Youre acting just like my ex!
Olivia was floored by his nerve. Shed rehearsed a hundred times what shed say to him but now, words failed her. The only thing that came out was a scathing send-off as she slammed the door in his face.
And so, with the turn of the year, Olivias new life began.
