He almost slammed down his glass of water when he caught Spencer and Ashley smiling sweetly at each other over the top of Clay’s head.

“So, Spencer, I hear Ashley here is moving back to the good old Us of A and that you’re the main reason. Guess she has a taste for American again.” He’s eyes flicked over to Ashley. “Or did you already go through the female British population? I mean it’s really just an island, right, it’s not that big. Seven years is enough to do that with your apatite.”

Silence followed his statement for a few seconds. Ashley looked down at little Clay and was glad he was too young to have a cooking clue what Glen was talking about. She looked up then and saw that Spencer was about five seconds away from leaping across the table and strangling her brother.

Then Paula Carlin’s voice echoed clearly into the room.

“Glen, if you so much as open your mouth again with the intention of hurting either your sister or Ashley, I’ll feel obliged to point out that it’s really none of your business. Your sister is a grown woman that is fully capable of making her own decisions about who she loves. As for Ashley? Have you actually spent any time with her in the last seven years? What do you know about her life today that isn’t based on things that happened a long time ago. Are you the same boy today that you were back then?”

She waited patiently for him to slowly shake his head in the negative.

“Then who are you to say Ashley is the same confused girl?”

Glen shifted in his seat, clearly uncomfortable. His mother was the one person who he had thought would support him on this one. He felt indignation bubble up inside.

“A few days ago you were saying exactly the same thing!”

Paula nodded her head and took the blow with surprising grace.

“Yes, I know, but then I spoke to your sister. Have you noticed that she’s happier than she’s been in a long time, Glen?”

Glen glared at his mother as he glanced a look at Spencer where she sat watching her mother with something close to wonder. The look was mirrored on Ashley’s face.