Divided Loyalties (10 page)

‘Sure,’ he said equably. ‘Did you rob an off-licence? You’re too kind, Carrie. There’s no need for all of this.’

‘There is need,’ Carrie said firmly. ‘Fair is fair.’ She often wondered how her brother-in-law felt about Della and Eddie’s meanness, but of course she
wouldn’t dream of commenting on it.

‘We’d better head off. I’d say the airport will be pandemonium,’ Shauna suggested after she’d packed away Carrie’s shopping.

‘Yeah, and the traffic is dire. We’ll see you God knows when, Greg.’ Carrie smiled.

‘We’ll take my car so you won’t have to drive. It’s bad enough having to come in from White-shells Bay,’ Shauna offered.

‘Fine with me,’ Carrie agreed.

‘This is great, isn’t it?’ Shauna remarked cheerfully as she reversed out the drive. ‘I feel like a schoolgirl skipping school.’

‘Me too. Davey and Olivia are up to ninety and bickering to beat the band, they’re so excited. And if I hadn’t put my foot down and said I was going to collect Bobby from the
airport, Dan would still be in his blinking glasshouses.’

‘Let’s make the most of it. If we have time we’ll even have a coffee.’

‘No arguments from me.’ Carrie stretched her legs and relaxed her head against the headrest. She hadn’t exaggerated about the traffic. It was very heavy and as they neared the
airport it became slower-moving and then bumper to bumper.

‘Might as well park in car park C. We won’t get parking any closer. Sorry about the walk.’ Shauna pulled her ticket from the machine and the barrier went up.

She had to circle for fifteen frustrating minutes looking for a space before she finally found one. It was awkward to get into because one of the drivers had parked over the white line and
Shauna was fit to be tied as she manoeuvred into the tight spot. As the pair of them eventually hurried through the draughty, fume-filled car park towards Arrivals, Carrie remarked that
they’d hardly have time for coffee, unfortunately for her, because she was craving something sweet and had been going to treat herself to a chocolate biscuit.

They battled their way through the hordes to the monitors and saw that Bobby’s flight was on time and had landed.

‘Just in time. Honestly, I could have flattened Greg. He decides to go and do his bits and pieces with the car this morning and I know that he was getting my present as well. Typical of
him to leave it to the last minute when I could have done with him in the house. I was half afraid that he wouldn’t be back in time for me to come to the airport. He drives me mad
sometimes,’ Shauna confessed as they edged their way towards the arrivals barrier. The airport was chock-a-block and Shauna was already the victim of a trolley bash as harassed travellers
headed for the exits.

‘Well you have the house looking great,’ Carrie commented, battling through the throngs at the barrier.

‘Thanks to the mini-maids,’ Shauna said dryly, elbowing a busty blonde out of the way.

‘Excuse me!’ snapped the blonde.

‘Sorry,’ apologized Shauna and kept going, dragging Carrie behind her until they were at the front of the barrier.

‘You’re something else,’ giggled Carrie as the doors parted and a river of people spilled out into the arrivals hall.

‘Can you see him?’

‘No, can you?’

They craned and stretched for at least ten minutes before their first welcome sighting. ‘There he is, there he is!’ Carrie exclaimed, waving madly.

‘Crikey, look at his highlights. Wait until Dad gets a load of that. It’s the Killer Queen himself.’ Shauna’s smile went from ear to ear as she pushed her way towards the
barrier opening and reached out her arms to embrace her brother, tears in her eyes.

‘My turn,’ Carrie exclaimed, launching herself at Bobby.

‘Don’t you cry too,’ he remonstrated, but his own eyes were suspiciously bright as he hugged the both of them. They held each other, their gladness at being reunited tinged
with sadness at the knowledge of how much their mother would have enjoyed such a reunion.

‘Come on, let’s get out of here. It’s worse than Heathrow.’ Bobby gave them a little nudge and pushed his trolley towards the exit.

‘Can we go for a coffee or a beer somewhere and have a little catch up, just the three of us?’ Carrie asked eagerly, holding on to Bobby for dear life. ‘Or are you in a
desperate hurry to get home, Shauna?’

‘Not in the slightest.’ Shauna laughed. ‘Greg can take care of Chloe for another hour or two. It won’t do him a bit of harm, he gets away with murder as it is,’ she
added with a slight edge to her voice.

Bobby arched an eyebrow. ‘Everything not OK in Paradise?’ he queried.

‘Everything’s fine . . . well, apart from the Freeloaders inviting themselves for Christmas.’

‘You’re joking! Bloody hell.’ Bobby pulled a face. ‘Della and slobby Eddie. I’ve changed my mind. I’m going back this second.’ He halted
dramatically.

‘Give over.’ Shauna grimaced. ‘I feel bad enough about it as it is.’

‘Oh, OK, then just for you. But Eddie better watch out. I might jump on him.’

‘It’s OK, Carrie’s got everything under control. She’s told me to put Dad sitting beside Della.’

‘You’re evil,’ Bobby grinned.

‘You don’t know the half of it. Come on, guys, there’s a little coffee shop in Swords that might be open. They do coffee cake to die for.’

‘Sounds good to me,’ Bobby agreed. ‘Lead the way.’

Thirty-five minutes later they were tucking into a thick wedge of creamy coffee and walnut cake and drinking hot sweet tea.

‘This is the life. Cake and no argumentative kids,’ Carrie said dreamily, licking her fingers.

‘I never knew you had such a sweet tooth. You’re usually more into savouries.’ Bobby looked at her suspiciously. ‘Are your boobs a bit fuller? Is your hair straighter?
Have you something to tell me?’

‘You’re
so
gay,’ Carrie teased affectionately. ‘A straight bloke would never notice.’

‘I have empathy, me, from my difficult childhood, you know. I’m very sensitive,’ Bobby mocked himself. ‘You’re preggers, aren’t you?’

‘You bet I am.’ Carrie smiled.

‘Are you pleased? Is Dan?’

‘Yeah, delighted.’

‘He’s a good bloke. I’m glad for you, Carrie.’ He leaned across and kissed her. ‘How are all my darlings? I am dying to see the kids.’

‘Believe me, they’re dying to see you. We had a row because they wanted to come to the airport,’ Carrie assured him.

‘You should have brought them.’

‘Are you mad? This is my sane time. As soon as I go back to that house I’ll be a fishwife after five minutes.’

‘And how is my godchild?’ He turned to Shauna.

‘Gorgeous. Wait until you see her. She’s a real little sprite. Isn’t she, Carrie?’

‘She’s adorable. I’m really going to miss her.’ Carrie’s lip wobbled.

‘Carrie, stop!’ Shauna exclaimed. ‘You can’t do that to me.’

‘Sorry.’ Carrie swallowed. ‘It’s my hormones.’

‘And how’s Dad? Has he got the red carpet out? Do you think he’ll like the hair?’ Bobby gave a dramatic toss of his blond locks, lightening the mood immediately. His
sisters laughed.

‘Dad’s himself.’ Carrie threw her eyes up to heaven. ‘He wants me to go to Midnight Mass with him tonight. He had me doing all his Christmas shopping, and I could have
throttled him because he was so pernickety. Oh, he’s himself all right.’

‘I’ll go to Mass with him. Just think of it as my contribution to the Christmas effort,’ Bobby volunteered.

‘You’re on.’ Carrie jumped at the offer. ‘Thanks, lovey. I want to go to bed as early as I can because my two are so excited, I bet they’ll be awake in the middle
of the bloody night, but I didn’t like the idea of him going on his own. It’s too lonely. Needless to say he wouldn’t miss it even though he’s coming with us in the morning
as well.’

‘You get your beauty sleep and don’t worry, I’ll accompany Papa to Mass. I’ve got a gorgeous maroon mandarin-style jacket, very seasonal. I’ll wear it, and a green
silk scarf. Whiteshells Bay, prepare to be dazzled.’ Bobby grinned.

‘I’d nearly drive all the way up just to see you.’ Shauna couldn’t hide her amusement. Noel would be horrified. He’d far prefer to see his son dressed in a
‘proper’ suit. It really irritated him that Bobby wasn’t prepared to tone it down. Christmas certainly wouldn’t be boring, she mused, as she signalled the waitress for the
bill.

‘I’ll wear it tomorrow, weather permitting,’ Bobby promised. ‘We’ll be going to the grave, won’t we?’

‘Yep.’ Shauna nodded.

Bobby sighed. ‘It doesn’t get any easier, sure it doesn’t. Part of me is dreading going home because it just hits me all over again that Mam’s not there. I keep expecting
to see her sitting in her chair doing her crossword.’

‘It’s easier for us, I suppose,’ Carrie reflected. ‘We’re here all the time. It’s not that we’ve got used to it, you never get used to it, but you just
don’t expect to see her.’

‘Until it’s happened to you, you don’t really understand what people go through, sure you don’t.’ Shauna sighed. ‘You say all the platitudes and feel sorry
for people who’ve had a bereavement and after a while you forget that they’re still sorrowing. Life goes on, you think. It goes on for sure but the missing of them never goes away. I
never really realized that until Mam died.’

‘I know it’s awful, but lots of times I wish it had been Dad that went, not Mam,’ Bobby said quietly.

‘Me too,’ Shauna murmured.

‘Ah guys, please don’t. He’s getting old. He’s lonely. His life isn’t easy either,’ Carrie chided.

‘Oh, listen to us,’ Bobby exclaimed. ‘Maudlin talk and we’re not even drunk.’

‘No, it’s good to talk like this. At least we’ve always been able to talk and share. We’re lucky.’ Shauna patted Carrie’s arm. ‘I didn’t mean to
upset you.’

‘Me neither,’ Bobby assured her.

‘That’s OK. You know, we should be getting a move on. It gets dark so early these afternoons, doesn’t it? It’s just gone half three.’ The grey, gloomy dusk had
descended, the Christmas tree in the corner of the small coffee shop coming into its own in the twilight.

‘I love Christmas trees at this time of the day. At dusk they always look so magical,’ Shauna said as she wrapped her scarf round her neck.

‘Me too. I hate sunny Christmas Days when you can’t see the lights properly.’ Bobby shrugged into his leather jacket.

‘And I hate mild Christmas Days too,’ Carrie interjected. ‘I love frosty, crisp, cold Christmas mornings when you can see your breath going to Mass.’

‘You might have your wish. It’s bloody freezing now.’ Shauna shivered as the three of them walked back to the car. It was a light-hearted drive back to Malahide to collect
Carrie’s car. They were glad to be in each other’s company, catching up on all the news, just the three of them.

Bobby was gobsmacked when he saw Chloe, who hid shyly for a little while before gaining confidence and coming to stand at his knee.

‘You are a stunner, young lady. Look at how big you are. The last time I saw you, you were crawling around the floor, and now look at you, practically ready for the catwalk,’ he
teased, making outrageous faces at her, causing her to burst into hearty guffaws. ‘Shauna, she’s amazing. I’m so glad I came home. I’m dying to see Olivia and Davey as well.
We’ll have fun tomorrow, no matter what.’ He hugged his younger sister. ‘I’ll spike Della’s drink for her and get her blotto—’

‘You can’t. She’s pregnant, unfortunately,’ Carrie informed him as she slipped her jacket back on. ‘Come on. I need to get home.’

‘Nuts! Well, I’ll think of something, never fear. Chin up, sugarplum. We’ll see you tomorrow.’ He winked at Shauna.

‘Welcome home, Bobby. It’s great to see you.’ She hugged the daylights out of him and was hugged tightly in return.

Noel buttered some of the fresh bread he’d bought earlier and laid a slice of cooked ham down on the first piece, with thin slices of tomato on top. The kettle had
boiled, and some fruitcake already cut and buttered sat in the middle of the table. Carrie had told him that she’d made a lamb shank casserole for their dinner, which he and Bobby could eat
later in the evening. He wanted to have something prepared for when they arrived; he wanted his son to feel that he had gone to some trouble. He dropped a small piece of ham down to Twiskers, who
pounced on it delightedly. Bobby had always liked cooked ham sandwiches as a child. Noel hoped he still liked them.

He shook his head as he made the sandwiches. Theirs was such a fraught relationship and always had been. His son was the most stubborn character he’d ever met. From when he was a
youngster, he’d pitted himself against Noel, and poor dear Anna had been stuck in the middle, trying to keep the peace. His late wife had been misguided. If she’d let Noel take a firmer
stance with their youngest child he might not have turned out the way he had. Anna had mollycoddled him, Noel thought sorrowfully. Not only had she mollycoddled him, she’d pandered to his
every whim.

It had infuriated Noel. Even to this day the memory of it made him bitter and cross. Bobby had come between him and his dear wife on many occasions and although forgiveness was the aim of every
Christian, it was difficult sometimes. He was quite convinced that poor Anna’s end had been hastened prematurely because of the behaviour of their son.

Noel sighed deeply. He must try hard to let go of the anger and resentment he felt towards his youngest child. Fortunately he was going to confession later tonight. He would pray hard to be
absolved of all his sins and he would pray even harder that Bobby would sort himself out.

It seemed to him that Bobby went out of his way to be girlish and outrageous. Why couldn’t he be more . . . Noel struggled to find a word . . . more . . . more manly. He had tried to get
him interested in hurling and football, he’d made him join the Boy Scouts to toughen him up, insisting that he go camping and hiking, but all Bobby was interested in was playing his guitar
and writing poetry.

Noel hadn’t wanted him to get a guitar; he’d been vehemently opposed to it. But Anna had got him a job in the local greengrocer’s and out of his wages he’d saved enough
to buy that damn instrument, and once he’d started working he’d refused to play hurling and football any more. Noel had been extremely angry. To his remembered shame, he hadn’t
spoken to his wife for two weeks, God forgive him. And God forgive Bobby, he thought bitterly. He had a lot to answer for.