I love my girlfriend Claire. Have done since the moment we met at work two years ago when she came in as a temp for a few months. I carried on seeing her after she left and within a year we were engaged. She was bright, lovely and just the nicest person I had ever been fortunate to meet and I knew knowing her made my life better. But there was just the one problem -- her big sister, Barbara was a just the biggest bitch in the universe!
I could always tell when Claire had met or been speaking to Barbara, her voice was different, sadder, depressed, beaten down and almost apologetic. That was Barbara's influence. She was just such a domineering personality and it wasn't even a positive personality, she was snide, cruel, angry, obnoxious and arrogant all rolled together and over the years had served to make Claire's life as miserable as she could. Fortunately Claire had escaped her sisters shadow in recent years and really come more into her own and her contact with Barbara had gone down a lot too and that was all to the better of Claire but I just felt the woman I loved so much could never quite escape her manipulative big sisters influence completely.
The irony was that despite having completely contrasting demeanours and attitudes to life the two sisters were actually physically very similar. At 31 Claire was two years my senior and seven years Barbara's junior. They both had shoulder length blonde hair and very pale complexions, both were thin women and not particularly tall, although Barbara was taller than her little sister. Barbara was a police officer but had never made any move in the career ladder there (Claire told me it was because her colleague quickly realised how hateful she really was) and really, from what I could see she had very few actual friends, just people to use and then to moan and bitch about.
Even if I did not see first hand how her influence changed Claire I would not have taken to Barbara. She was the type of person I could not be bothered with : loud, brash and just plain dislikable. I've never been good at hiding my feelings and I think she cottoned on pretty quickly that I was not her biggest fan. Which was fine because she took an instant dislike to me as well. I wasn't going to be bullied by her, I wasn't going to bend over backwards just to not upset her and that pissed her off. Probably worse was that I was dating her younger sister who now seemed pretty happy and content with life and I think Barbara was just one of those people who could not bear for others to be happy, especially when she wasn't.
So we were pretty antagonistic at family parties or nights out that we ended up being at together but we somehow always managed to keep a tight grip on our emotions and things never boiled over into anything too bad. Still it was difficult keeping my mouth shut when ever Barbara belittled Claire and made her snide comments about her, and she was clever enough to get her digs in without being too obvious, knowing what things were most likely to upset Claire and making sure that no-one else ever heard them.
Things just got worse when we finally announced our engagement, it seemed to send Barbara over the edge and she began making out lives a real pain, especially when it came to their parents. Claire's mum and dad were the type that could never see anything wrong with their daughters and would defend Barbara to the hilt against anyone that wasn't family, and despite being the best thing that had happened to Claire in a long time, I still wasn't 'family'. As she continued to pick at Claire's life I once semi-jokingly suggested that no way would Barbara be welcome at out wedding but Claire took it seriously, mentioned it to her Mum and oh god that just kicked off a hell of an argument. Claire was in tears that night and I spent near a whole weekend consoling her. Little did I know that my off the cut comment was going to be the catalyst for me and Barbara to resolve our differences in a wrestling ring!
It was a Sunday afternoon and Claire was down at her parents for tea ( I had bowed out claiming a sore head but really I was just wanting to watch the game on TV) when the door bell sounded on the flat we had moved into just two months earlier. It would not be an overstatement to say that the last person I expected to find standing there on our door step was Barbara, but there she was large as life and big cheesy smile slapped across her face. Once I had recovered from the shock of seeing her there I stood at the door staring at her, whatever she wanted I wasn't interested and wanted her to know that. A few uncomfortable moments went by before she realised I had no intention of either letting her in or speaking first.
"John, how are you?" an innocuous opening to be fair.
"I'm fine, or at least I was until a few minutes ago. What do you want Barbara?" I wasn't in the mood to waste pleasantries on her.
"Ok, it's going to be like that is it? Well that's fine. Makes things easier actually. I'm here today because I know Claire's not here and I have a proposition that I think you might be interested in."
"What?" I tried to feign indifference but I'd be lying if I didn't admit I wondered what she was going on about.
"You don't want me at the wedding, right? Oh come on, we both know you hate me, no point hiding the fact between us is there?"
"I guess not."
"No. So how would you like the chance for me not to turn up to the wedding?"
I have to admit that got my attention. I took my arm off the doorframe and nodded for her to come in. I was wary about what this crafty bitch was up to but nonetheless wanted to know what it was. I closed the door after her and showed her to the living room where we sat in opposite armchairs facing each other. I was going to tell her to continue but she deliberately spoke over my prompt.
"You know I'll spoil your wedding, can't let little sister get all the spotlight can I? I'm sure there is plenty I could do to ruin the big day, don't you think? Of course you do, you've already said as much, haven't you? So I'm offering you a chance for me to not be there. Legitimately, I'll make sure I'm out of the country, if you win that is."
"Win? Win what?" despite myself I was hooked.
"Oh didn't I say? A fight of course."
She let that bombshell set in as I guess I sat open jawed on the chair.
"What are you on about you crazy fool. I can't fight you!"
"Why ever not John? Think you'd beat me so easily, remember I've got plenty unarmed training and self defence. I think you'll be surprised. Oh it wouldn't be anywhere squalid, someone I know owes me a favour and he just happens to own a gym. He'll let us have it for the evening and there's a ring set up for us to do battle inside."
I was still shocked by the suggestion but managed to make further enquiries as to what form this contest would take, which I guess she took as my ascent.
"Simple really John, we fight until one of us gives in, submits to the other. If it is me then I won't come to the wedding, you have my word."
I didn't believe her but wanted to see where she was going with this.
"And what do you get out of this Barbara?"
"Nothing. Other than the chance to beat you up. To humiliate you."