The guest list

Sis and I decided a while back that she and I would attend court alone. Gain closure the same way we've been through the last thirty years, alone but standing together.

That changed to having her husband come along, to drive and do practical things if we came over all emotional or something. There's no precedent for these occasions so it made sense to plan for anything and he's a nice beefy fella to have around.

Mother doesn't drive, preferring to passive agressively rely on everyone else to ferry her around, what with her fear of public transport and people. Having confirmed that she wasn't going to fall for it, sis then calls my brother to arrange for him to. So now it's me, sis, her hubby, our mother, bruv and bruv's girlfriend (for practical reasons).

Next thing I hear is that Uncle, who introduced him to my mother in the first place and obviously feels completely shitty now he knows, wants to be there; needs closure to a forty year friendship that was built on a horrible lie. Understandable, I guess.
Course, wherever he goes, Auntie goes. That's just how some couples work. Auntie doesn't drive either so cousin is tagging along in case Uncle has a problem with driving home afterward.

What a fucking circus. Far away from the original plan of sis and I standing together to see him brought to justice then going to a quiet pub for a drink and a think. I see no dignity in turning up mob-handed like something out of a soap opera.

Still, I'll be there to make sure everyone feels understood and heard as usual. Though I swear if my mother has a histrionic fainting fit or one person shouts out 'rot in hell, nonce!' I shall start screaming and possibly never stop.