Piglet by  Lottie Hazell

Piglet

Lottie Hazell

Piglet, a name that has stuck since childhood, has panic attacks in the days prior to marrying Kai. She tries to be the perfect bride, especially for Kai’s demanding mother. Then Kai drops a bombshell. What follows is a scene like one from a Fellini film: sharply humorous but poignant too. And, like the food descriptions - addictive.

Extract

Over Easter lunch — garlicky lamb, new potatoes, peas, and mint sauce served from the jar — she found herself telling her mother to talk properly when she described Franny as mardy. She had meant to joke, trying to balance the dichotomy of her life — herself with her family, herself with Kit — but her voice had been loud, the edges of her syllables sharp with steel, and the conversation at the table had faltered. In the quiet, Piglet's neck had prickled and her mother excused herself to get the simnel cake, even though they were still eating. Her father said, `Well now,' and Piglet cut her lamb into smaller and smaller pieces.

Parallels
  • Breakdown by Cathy Sweeny
  • Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
  • The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce