Beautiful Child (24 page)

Adrian got to his feet and zipped his trousers up.

‘You can relax’ said Adrian. ‘ It’s over. Oh and don’t bother calling the police. I am the police and we look after our own.’

*

Sara was more pleased than she’d admit at seeing Kieran sitting in her living room when she got home.

‘Hi’ she said as she switched the lamp on next to where he was sitting. ‘This is a nice surprise. What are you doing here?’

‘I came to find you earlier’ said Kieran, standing up. ‘They said you were in the pub with the rest of them. You didn’t call to see if I wanted to join you?’

‘Oh look, Kieran, I…’

‘…so anyway, I’m here to give you this back’ said Kieran as he held up the key to her flat that she’d given him. ‘I won’t be needing it anymore.’

Sara didn’t want to but she could feel her heart breaking. ‘Why?’

‘Sara, these past few months have been the most tremendous of my life.’ said Kieran, ‘We’ve had a lot of fun together and I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.’

‘But?’

‘But you know how I’ve been feeling lately.’

‘I know you’ve been a moody bastard.’

‘Well if that’s how you want to put it,’ said Kieran, ‘but the fact is, I need more than just great sex.’

Sara swallowed and struggled to retain her composure. This wasn’t what she wanted. She didn’t want to break up with Kieran. But he was right. It was only about having fun.

‘I thought I did too’ said Sara.

‘And?’

‘And I don’t think I could handle it.’

‘If you’d have given me a different answer then this night would be ending differently too.’

Sara put on a smile. ‘Then I guess it’s my loss.’

‘Don’t put it like that.’

‘Is there someone else?’

‘There’s someone who I know is interested, yes,’ said Kieran, ‘she’s a teacher at one of the schools on my beat. I’ve noticed her too and we’ve exchanged smiles, looks, you know the kind of thing.’

‘Actually, I’d forgotten, but don’t worry about that.’ said Sara.

‘Sara, I want someone who needs me for more than just sex.’

‘Oh don’t start giving me some moral lecture’ said Sara. ‘If you’ve found someone who’ll be the boring little hausfrau you say you need then my condolences to you.’

‘You don’t know her so don’t label her a hausfrau.’

‘You don’t know her yet either.’

‘No, but I want to get to know her,’ said Kieran.

‘She’ll get her narrow minded suburban claws into you and before you know it your life will be hers and you’ll get no choice in anything.’

Kieran put the key down on the table. ‘That’s a chance I’ll have to take. I want a wife, a home, kids, dogs and cats. If I thought for one second that you’d be up for all that then I’d stay.’

‘Yeah, well, you know where the door is.’

Kieran placed his hand on Sara’s shoulder as he passed her. ‘Don’t end up lonely, Sara.’

‘Like you’ll care.’

‘I’ll care because for as long as I live I’ll never forget you.’

After he’d gone, Sara opened a bottle of red wine and drowned her sorrows. Then she opened a second bottle and began to cry for a little baby she’d given away and for his father who she still loved and always would.

THREE MONTHS LATER. COUNTY CLARE, IRELAND.

Ann woke up early and decided to walk down to the end of the garden at the back of the cottage and look out over the Atlantic. It wasn’t long before Brendan followed her.

‘Couldn’t sleep?’ Brendan asked.

‘I was just having a bit of a think, you know?’

Brendan put his arms round her. ‘Yes, I know.’

Over a breakfast of tea and toast an hour or so later, Ann brought up the subject of yesterday’s post.

‘They returned my letter again,’ said Ann.

‘Susie and Matt?’

‘Yes.’ said Ann. ‘They’re determined not to have anything to do with me. I should’ve known at Bill’s funeral. They could barely even look at me.’

‘We didn’t do anything wrong, Ann’ said Brendan. ‘We fell in love and we had a child. But I was married to the church.’

‘Then I met Bill.’

‘It didn’t stop us though, did it? We carried on and we had our little girl.’

‘They called her Penny,’ said Ann. ‘I’ve always liked the name. The trouble is though, Brendan, that both our kids suffered because of us. I had to dump Sean Patrick and you arranged the sale of our little girl who became Penny.’

‘But neither of us were to know what would happen to them,’ said Brendan, ‘we acted in good faith.’

‘And does that help you sleep at night, Brendan? ’

‘No’ said Brendan. ‘What helps me sleep at night is having you beside me after all these years of being so close and yet so far. I’d love to change the past, Ann. I never meant to hurt Bill or anybody else. But you and I are together now and that’s all that matters to me.’

Ann threw the returned letter from Susie and Matt in the bin and then took hold of Brendan’s hand. ‘We’ve wasted enough time, Brendan. Let’s get on with the rest of our lives.’