A Perfect Match (18 page)

‘I’m sorry, Emma, I can’t tell you who’s going to be assigned to you. You’ll have to wait until it’s been finalized.’

‘Well, could you give me a clue?’ I begged. ‘It would be so great if it was you. Is there anything I can do to get you to choose us?’

‘No,’ said Yvonne, smiling at me. ‘Don’t worry, all the social workers are equally nice.’

Yeah, right. Dervla was a real sweetie. I decided to press on and ask Yvonne the other question that had been eating away at me. My mouth, egged on by booze, ran away with me.

‘OK, I understand that you can’t say. But can I ask you something else? It’s about the second session we did. The thing is that I’m a bit worried about having made a fool of myself when we did the loss charts and I just wanted to ask if I really messed up our chances. Have we been black marked? And if so, what can I do to make it better? Please tell me I haven’t blown it. I really want a baby. Honestly, I know I’m not fluent in Russian and stuff, but I’m trying to learn the basics and I’ve been reading all about the history of the country and I know I haven’t had anything really bad happen to me like my parents dying in a horrible plane crash, but I have been really sad over the past few years with not being able to get pregnant and I know that sometimes I get a bit carried away, but I’m actually a very responsible and normal individual. Honestly, I’m very calm and together. As normal a person as you could hope to meet.’

Yvonne put her hand on my shoulder. ‘Don’t worry, Emma, you and James are –’

‘Yvonne, I think we’d better hand out the home study information leaflets now,’ said Dervla, interrupting a crucial conversation at exactly the wrong time. What had Yvonne meant? Don’t worry, you’re doing well. Don’t worry, it’s not as bad as you think. Don’t worry, you can make up for it if you do everything perfectly in the home study. Don’t worry what?!

Bloody Dervla. What on earth was I going to do it we got her as our home study social worker?

20

Lucy and Donal were getting on famously. They were all loved up and Donal was even pretending to be interested in the wedding plans.

‘I’m thinking tiger lilies mixed with white roses,’ said Lucy, looking for approval.

‘Oh, I do love those tiger lilies,’ said Donal, clapping his hands together.

‘Smart arse. What about your suit? We need to get you fitted out properly.’

‘I’ll wear the suit I have.’

‘It’s brown.’

‘What’s wrong with brown?’

‘Donal, that suit is about a hundred years old and you will not be wearing it to our wedding. I’ll book you an appointment with a decent tailor. Now, readings for the church.’

‘What about them?’

‘Do you have any preferences on what ones you’d like?’

‘Short ones.’

‘OK. Photographs and/or video?’

‘Neither. I don’t want some poncy bloke chasing me around with a camera saying cheese even’ five minutes.’

‘Well, tough, because I want nice photos of my wedding.’

‘OK, but don’t get one of those creative types who’ll have us swinging from trees. By the way, did you get Annie’s dress sorted out?’

Lucy winced. She had been avoiding Annie like the plague. She was supposed to call her in school and arrange a day to go shopping for dresses, but she was dreading it. She knew Annie would just upset her and wind her up and she really didn’t want to get into an argument with her. Lucy was afraid she might snap this time.

‘No, 1 must give her a call about it.’

‘I’m about to call her now, so I’ll put her on to you afterwards and you can make arrangements.’

Shit, thought Lucy, she really wasn’t in the mood for the bolshie teenager. Donal called Annie and chatted to her for about ten minutes. Then he told her Lucy wanted a word and he left the room so they could discuss their girly stuff in private.

Lucy took a deep breath. ‘Hi, Annie, how are you?’

‘Fine. What do you want?’

‘I wanted to arrange for you to take an afternoon off school so we could go shopping for your bridesmaid dress. When would be best for you?’

‘Never.’

‘OK, Annie, give me a break here. I’d really like you to be involved in the wedding. I’ll buy you any dress you like, the choice is yours.’

‘I don’t want your charity. There isn’t going to be a wedding, you’re not going to steal Donal away from me. I hate you and I’d rather die than be your stupid bridesmaid.’

Lucy counted to ten. ‘Look, Donal wants you to be involved, OK? I reallv don’t care what you do, but, for his  sake, can you please work with me on this?’

‘Fuck off. I don’t want anything to do with you. You don’t love Donal. You’re just a sad old cow who wants to get married before her vagina shrivels up.’

‘That’s not true and you know it. I do love Donal,’ said Lucy, beginning to get upset.

‘No, you don’t. Mary loved Donal and she was nice and kind. The only person you care about is yourself. You’ll make him miserable because you are a selfish ugly old bitch. I hope you die of cancer.’

‘Now, listen here, you little brat. I’ve had enough of your insults. I’ve let you get away with murder. I am going to marry Donal whether you like it or not. So you better get used to the idea. And from now on you will treat me with respect and, if you don’t, I promise you I will make your life hell. Do you understand me? You’re a spoilt little girl who needs a good slap and I’ll be happy to oblige. You –’

Donal grabbed the phone. ‘Annie, it’s Donal.’

Lucy could hear Annie beginning to bawl down the other end of the phone. She was screaming, ‘She hates me. She said she’s going to make my life hell …’

Lucy left the room and sat on the edge of the bed. She was shaking. How much had Donal heard? Oh God, why had she lost her temper? Why did she rise to the bait? Annie was a teenager for God’s sake. Shit, shit, shit.

Donal came in a few minutes later. He was really angry. The veins on his neck were bulging. ‘What the hell were you doing? She’s a child. A child who’s lost everything. How could you speak to her like that? The poor girl is hysterical. What were you thinking?’

Lucy tried to suppress the lump forming in her throat. ‘Look, I’m sorry, but she was being really nasty and I just lost my temper.’

‘She’s fifteen!’ shouted Donal. ‘I heard you saying you’d make her life hell and give her a few slaps. What type of a person says that to a child. Jesus, Lucy.’

‘I didn’t mean it. She was saying some really horrible things to me and I just lost my temper.’

‘You’re supposed to be the adult. The poor girl has had enough shit to deal with in her life without you threatening her. I can’t believe you said those things. I’m shocked.’

‘She hates me. OK? The girl hates me, she keeps telling me the wedding won’t go ahead and that you don’t love me and I don’t love you. Every time you leave the room she starts bitching at me. You just never see it. So, tonight I snapped. I was trying to be nice to her, but she kept coming back with nasty little comments. I’m sorry, but she just wound me up. She’s very difficult to deal with.’

‘No, she isn’t. You’ve just handled it all wrong. She’s a messed up kid who needs attention and reassurance. My sister left her in my care, she’s my priority, Lucy. If that’s the way you’re going to treat her then we have a serious problem here.’

‘What?’

‘I can’t have you upsetting her like that. It’s not fair on her.’

‘What are you saying?’

‘Call her back and grovel.’

‘Grovel?’

‘Yes. You’ve really upset her, so you’ll need to do some serious grovelling.’

‘What about the things she said to me? Do I get an apology?’

‘Grow up.’

‘Fuck you.’

‘Well, that’s very mature.’

‘Are you always going to take her side?’

‘Yes.’

‘Well, then this isn’t going to work.’

‘It would if you tried harder.’

‘Jesus, Donal, I’ve bent over backwards for her. I can’t do it any more.’

‘So that’s it? That’s your answer?’

‘Yes.’

Donal didn’t stop Lucy when she packed her bag and he didn’t say anything when she left. She cried all the way to my house, where she poured out the story. It was awful. She was devastated. I plied her with wine and tissues and she eventually cried herself to sleep. I went in to talk to James who had made himself scarce when he saw the suitcase and the teary face.

‘Oh, God, James, it’s awful. They’ve broken up over that stupid litde brat.’

‘What happened?’

I filled him in.

‘I have to say, in Donal’s defence, Annie’s his child. He has to put her first. And Lucy is the adult, she shouldn’t have lost her temper.’

‘But Annie said she wanted her to die of cancer! Come on, James, the girl is like something from
The Omen.
’

‘Emma!’

‘She is, I’m telling you. She’s a total brat and Donal obviously lets her get away with murder. And now she’s broken up the best thing that ever happened to him. You’ll have to talk to him. Make him see sense.’

‘I’ll have a word at training. I hope this doesn’t put him off his game.’

‘James!’

‘The semi-hnal is in five days’ time, 1 need Donal to be in top condition. He mustn’t be distracted. If he plays badly, we’ll lose.’

‘Well, then tell him to get over here and beg Lucy to get back with him.’

‘I’ll have a word.’

‘Have several – and don’t focus on the rugby. Focus on his feelings and what a treasure Lucy is and how lucky he was to meet her and how he needs to cop on and get down on his knees and beg her to come back.’

The next day at training, Donal was a mess. He looked as if he hadn’t slept a wink. He couldn’t concentrate. He kept dropping the ball, tripping over himself and generally playing like a man with two left feet. James was not impressed. He took him aside after training and tried to talk to him.

‘So what’s going on? Lucy stayed with us last night. We’ve no tissues left in the house.’

‘She upset Annie. I heard Lucy on the phone roaring at her, the poor child is in bits. What can I do? She says she’ll kill herself if I marry Lucy. I know it’s probably only talk, but she’s a messed up kid and Lucy shouldn’t have been nasty to her.’

‘Maybe you should come over tonight and talk to Lucy. I’m sure there’s a perfectly reasonable explanation. Lucy’s a rational person, she wouldn’t have done it unless severely provoked. You did only hear one side of the conversation.’

‘Annie was distraught, James, you should’ve heard her. The headmistress called me last night to ask my permission to give her a sedative to calm her down.’

‘How is she today?’

‘Not too good at first, but when I told her Lucy had left, she cheered up.’

‘What about Lucy?’

‘I dunno what to do. Sure I’m mad about Lucy.’ Donal sighed. He missed Lucy already. ‘My head is melted with it all.’

‘Donal, you need to sort this out, mate. I need you one hundred and ten per cent on Saturday. Do whatever’s necessary. Just make sure you’re focused at training tomorrow. We’ve only got two days left to get the moves right.’

‘I know, sorry about today, I’m all over the place. I’ll be grand tomorrow.’

‘Well, you know where to find Lucy if you need to talk to her. Mind you, you’ll have to get by Emma first, so wear padded clothing. She’s not happy with you. And whatever you do, don’t get drunk.’

Donal went home and wandered around the house. What the hell was he going to do? He tried to figure it out, but his head was throbbing. He lay down and tried to sleep, but he just tossed and turned. Finally he did the one thing he knew would help him forget about it all for a while – he went out and got roaring drunk.

Donal stood at the bar being ear-bashed by a Leinster fan who was giving him chapter and verse on how the team should approach the semi-final against Ulster. Thankfully, Donal could only hear half of what the guy was saying because the music was so loud. He ordered another whiskey and downed it in one. His head was spinning and just as he was contemplating lying down at the bar for a quick snooze, he saw a girl he recognized. She was young, great body, long blonde hair, very good looking except for her big nose. How did he know her? He racked his brains. She looked up and caught his eye. She smiled and walked over.

‘Well, well, well, if it isn’t Donal Brady, pride of Leinster. Shouldn’t you be at home getting your beauty sleep for the big match? I don’t think James would be too happy to see the state of you.’

21

I rang the bell. No answer. He was obviously out. Thank God for that. I was so annoyed with him that I’d probably say something I’d regret. Lucy had asked me to pick up a few things for her from Donal’s house – work suits and make-up and stuff. I put the key in the door and walked in. The place was a mess and reeked ot booze. I was making my way over to the bedroom when I heard the toilet flush. Shit, he obviously was here. God, I hope he isn’t naked in there.

‘Hello,’ I said.

‘Emma?’ an all too familiar voice asked.

‘What the –’

Babs strutted out of the bathroom wearing Donal’s rugby jersey and sod all else. I stared at her. It couldn’t be – Jesus Christ it
was
Babs.

‘
What the hell is going on?
’ I screamed. ‘What are you doing here? What are you wearing? Where the hell is Donal?’

‘Stop yelling, he’s still in bed,’ said Babs, yawning.

‘There had better be a very good explanation for this.’

I grabbed her by the arm and marched into the bedroom where Donal was sitting up looking panic stricken.

‘Well, hello there, Donal. How are you? Good night’s sleep then? Excellent. I was just wondering if you’d care to explain why my sister is prancing about your house naked, while your fiancee is sitting in my house
beart-broken.
’

‘Hold on now, don’t go jumping to conclusions,’ said Donal, grasping at straws.

‘What conclusions? That you and my naked sister played chess all night?’

‘Chill out, Emma, I was bored, he was drunk, big deal.’

‘Chill out? I’m sorry, was I getting het up? How silk of me – after all, my sister shagging my best friend’s fiancé is no big deal. How could you do this, you
tramp?
’