Francesca's Party (36 page)

‘For what it’s worth I do think that you’re doing the right thing, whatever the reasons. And making Mark feel bad is only part of it. At another level you’re picking up the pieces, putting them together again and getting on with things. That’s very positive. Lots of women in your position wallow in their misery for the rest of their lives. You’ve done really well, Francesca. I think you’re great,’ Millie said warmly.

‘Thanks, Millie. I’d have been lost without you.’

‘That’s what sisters are for. You’d do the same for me. Will you feel bad leaving the house?’

Francesca sighed. ‘It was weird. When I came back from my holidays it was so quiet and so lonely I got this feeling that I didn’t want to live there any more. There are too many ghosts. Anyway, it’s far too big to live in on my own. And it’s a house that needs life in it. It needs children. I hope a family buys it. I’ll have an absolute fit if Mark buys me out and installs her nibs in it. I’ll really be hoist by my own petard then.’

‘You’re getting it valued by an auctioneer, aren’t you?’ Millie said sharply.

‘Of course I am. I told Mark if he was buying me
out
it would have to be at market value. He nearly passed out peacefully.’ Francesca popped a mint into her mouth. ‘Honestly, Millie, he thought that I was going to spend the rest of my life there on my own, being kept by him. What sort of woman does he think I am? He can’t understand how I’m throwing it all back in his face. He thinks I’m ungrateful. No wonder he found me boring,’ she said dolefully. ‘He thinks I have no passion. That I’m flat and two-dimensional. He just stopped seeing me, you know. I was part of the furniture.’

‘Well, he’s seeing you now, babe, in a whole new light. And I must say it suits you. I haven’t seen you looking as well for ages either. Have you any idea where you’d like to live?’

‘I haven’t really thought about it or started looking yet. Honestly, Millie, when I got up this morning I had no idea that I was going to march into that bank and say what I said to Mark and Nikki,’ Francesca confessed. ‘I like Monkstown. It would be very handy for the job. It’s on the Dart. It’s beside the sea. It wouldn’t hold sad memories for me. I think I’d like to move out of Howth.’

‘But all your friends are there,’ Millie pointed out.

‘A lot of them were my friends when we were a couple. It’s amazing how many people drop you like a hot potato when you split up. Single unattached females of my age are not the ideal guests for dinner parties,’ Francesca said wryly. ‘Janet Dalton and Bart and Monica are the friends who really stood by me and I can Dart over to see them any time I want to. I can Dart over to you. We’ll see. I’m not going to get into a panic about it.’

‘I know, but once you put the house on the market it’s going to sell in no time. Properties in Howth are very sought after, especially big houses in their own grounds.’

‘I know,’ sighed Francesca. ‘I suppose now that I’ve set events in motion I should get my ass in gear and start looking. What are you doing at the weekend?’

‘Let me guess, house-hunting?’ grinned Millie.

‘Correct,’ said Francesca as she waved her credit card at a waiter. ‘But before I do anything I want to ring the boys and tell them. I hope they don’t mind.’

‘They won’t. They’ll only want what’s best for you,’ Millie said supportively.

‘I hope so,’ Francesca murmured as she signed the docket.

They walked briskly back towards Connolly Station. A light drizzle had started and they took out umbrellas. ‘Some summer we’re having,’ moaned Millie. ‘Just as well we had the week in Portugal.’

‘At least you’ve got France to look forward to,’ Francesca reminded her.

‘Please try and come, won’t you, Francesca?’ Millie urged. ‘We’re there for a month.’

‘If the house is sold by then I’ll try,’ Francesca promised. ‘I won’t have Mark saying I’m swanning around Europe on his hard-earned money.’

‘You’re on,’ Millie agreed as they clattered up the steps to the station. ‘So get out there and start looking for houses.’

‘I will then.’ Francesca smiled as they parted to take trains in the opposite direction, Millie to home and Francesca back to the office.

‘Everything OK?’ Ken enquired cheerfully as she arrived back at work twenty minutes later.

‘I think so.’ Francesca made a face as she shrugged out of her damp coat. ‘I told Mark, my husband, that I wanted a divorce,’ she blurted out.

‘Oh dear. Should I say congratulations? I didn’t mean to pry. I thought you were gone to the dentist or something,’ Ken said hastily.

‘Don’t be silly, you’re not prying. Anyway I think I’m glad I did it. But I need to go and look for a house to live in. I was half thinking of Monkstown,’ she confided.

‘It’s nice here. Some lovely houses. But pricy,’ Ken warned.

‘I think I should be able to afford it by the time we sell the house in Howth,’ Francesca murmured.

‘Of course, I forgot about that. You’ll get a nice house here or in Sandycove or Glasthule, no problem. Why don’t you pop into the estate agent’s down the road?’ he suggested.

‘Good idea, my young genius,’ Francesca teased.

Ken looked at her. ‘Well, go on, what are you waiting for?’

‘Now?’

‘Why not? Is the phone ringing? Is there a queue outside looking for us? Go, Frannie, go, Frannie, go, Frannie, go.’

‘I’ll box your ears, Kenneth, if you don’t desist from calling me Frannie,’ Francesca said sternly.

‘Assaulted by an older woman, mmmm,’ said her irrepressible boss as he held her coat for her.

‘Little brat,’ rebuked Francesca fondly. ‘I’ll get you a gooey cake for afternoon tea.’

‘Better than sex.’ Ken licked his lips. ‘You do look after me so well. My girlfriend’s
quite
jealous.’

Francesca laughed. ‘I’d say now that Carla’s the jealous type all right.’

‘Well, maybe not exactly jealous, then,’ Ken agreed. Carla was an attractive, no-nonsense sort, a nurse, and Ken was mad about her. ‘Go buy a house. It will be a great excuse for a party. I’ll bring Carla and when she sees how devoted you are to me, it might make her look at me in a different light. Yup, Francesca’s Party will be a turning point in all our lives,’ he declared dramatically.

‘You’re mad, you know that?’ Francesca retorted. Ken rolled his eyes wildly and she had to laugh. Thinking of how alike he and Owen were gave her a pang of longing to see her son. She missed his exuberance and
joie de vivre
. The empty house was a constant reminder that both her sons had their own lives to lead, just as she now had to move on and live hers. It would be difficult phoning them to tell them that she was divorcing their father.

It had stopped raining. She hurried towards the main street wondering whether there would be anything that appealed to her. Several properties caught her eye that would be well within her price range. One, a three-bedroom, architect-designed mews, looked very inviting. Viewings were scheduled for the following Saturday. She took the property descriptions to show them to Millie later on, then headed back to work.

‘Anything interesting?’ Ken asked.

She showed him what she had and he studied
them
intently. ‘I like that one,’ he said, pointing to the mews. ‘It’s got character.’

‘I like it myself,’ she admitted.

‘You’d probably want to move fast on it. Places like that are snapped up,’ Ken advised.

‘I suppose so. I’m viewing it on Saturday.’

‘The best of luck with it, Francesca,’ Ken said as both phones rang simultaneously and it was back to work with a vengeance.

That evening Francesca phoned both her sons. She connected first with Owen. ‘Hi, love, it’s me. How are you?’ she asked cheerfully.

‘Mam, howya? How’s things? How’s the job going?’ Owen was delighted to hear her.

‘It’s great, Owen. I’m really enjoying it. I’ve booked to do a computer course next week, so I’ll probably be a dab hand at e-mails before you know it, although I much prefer to talk to you on the phone.’

‘That’s great news, Mam. I’m glad things are going well for you.’

‘Listen, Owen, I’ve phoned you to tell you that I’ve asked your father for a divorce,’ she said hesitantly. There was a stunned silence. ‘Owen, are you there?’

‘I’m here, Mam,’ he said gruffly, ‘and I think that it’s a good thing for you to do.’

‘Do you, Owen?’ Francesca suddenly didn’t feel quite so sure.

‘Yeah, Mam. It’s a very positive step. It means you’re getting on with things. At least you’re not pottering.’

Francesca laughed. ‘It will mean selling the house and buying a place of my own.’

‘I bet Dad’s going mad about that,’ Owen said astutely.

‘You can say that again,’ Francesca agreed.

‘Good enough for him.’

‘Owen, don’t be like that,’ chided his mother.

‘Sorry,’ he apologized. ‘Mam, would you mind if I stay out here for a couple of months longer? I really like it and I’ve met a very nice girl. She’s Scottish, she’s studying law here. You’d like her. Her name’s Morag.’

‘Of course I don’t mind, love. I’m delighted that you like it there. And I’ll be looking forward to meeting Morag,’ Francesca assured him.

‘Do you think that you’ll be selling the house soon?’ he asked.

‘Well, I’m going to look at a place in Monkstown on Saturday.’

‘Monkstown?’ he sounded surprised.

‘It’s near work and it’s on the Dart and I want to get out of Howth. Too many memories,’ she explained.

‘Good idea. Mam, don’t throw out my footie gear, sure you won’t?’

‘I’ll pack all your stuff and put it in your new bedroom,’ she promised.

‘Thanks, Ma. I hope it all goes well for you. Will Millie and Aidan help you with the move?’

‘Of course they will. And don’t worry about your stuff. OK?’

‘OK, Ma, I love you.’

‘I love you too, talk to you soon. I’ll phone on Sunday and let you know if I’m buying.’

‘OK, see ya, Mam.’

She had tears in her eyes when she hung up and had to compose herself before ringing her eldest son.

Her conversation with Jonathan was very similar to the one she’d had with Owen.

‘Mam, if you feel divorce is the way for you to go, then do it. Dad’s with that other woman, he’s made a new life for himself. You go and do what you have to do for yourself. Owen and I support you all the way,’ he assured her. ‘If you like I’ll try and get a week off to come and help you move.’

‘Well, it’s a bit soon for that yet, but I’d love to see you, darling, and thank you for the offer. I really appreciate it, pet.’

‘I’d like to do something to help. You’ve had a crap time,’ Jonathan said.

‘It’s been hard, I won’t deny that,’ Francesca acknowledged. ‘But I love my job. And it’s not as difficult as it was, emotionally. I’m not bawling my eyes out all the time any more.’

‘Well, Mam, you just let me know when you’re moving and I’ll come home and help out,’ Jonathan said firmly. ‘It’s the least I can do.’

‘All right, love, I will,’ Francesca promised. The knowledge that her eldest son would be home to help her take the biggest step of her life made it seem less daunting. She was half excited now at the idea of moving. She was looking forward to viewing the houses for sale. If all went well one of them might end up as her new home.

‘I WOULDN’T BE
mad about this place, in all honesty,’ Millie murmured as they followed the estate agent around the musty-smelling bungalow. ‘It’s very linear and those dreadful brown wooden doors. It’s like a corridor of cells.’

‘I know. The gardens are nice, though, and I could gut it and start from scratch,’ Francesca said doubtfully.

‘No, Francesca, I don’t think so. Not here. I’d be in dereliction of my sisterly duty if I let you buy this. Besides, it’s only the second place you’ve looked at. Although I wasn’t crazy about the first place either. There’s no mad rush to buy, so stay calm,’ Millie instructed.

‘Yes, Millie. Whatever you say, Millie,’ Francesca said meekly. ‘Sorry for living and all of that.’

‘Sorry.’ Millie had the grace to apologize. ‘I was being bossy again.’

‘A tad,’ Francesca agreed. ‘Come on, let’s go look at the mews, I’m dying to see it.’

So were a host of other interested viewers. There were little knots of people gathered outside the property and Francesca’s heart sank. It was a seller’s market these days, which would be good for the sale of her own house, but if she saw a place that she really liked she’d have to go after it quite aggressively, she realized. If only she had some money behind her, she’d feel much more confident about making an offer.

The mews lived up to the auctioneer’s description. Its outside appearance was deceptive. She’d thought it looked quite small but when she stepped into the airy hall she was pleasantly surprised. A spacious lounge ran the width of the house. Wooden maple floors and floor to ceiling French windows that led to a landscaped courtyard gave a sense of light and spaciousness that appealed to Francesca. The walls were painted a warm buttercup that lent a cosy air of warmth and Francesca decided that if she bought the mews she’d keep the colour scheme. The small but well-equipped kitchen with its Shaker-style presses led to a small dining room that opened out onto the courtyard.

Upstairs the master bedroom, with a delightful window seat, had an en suite and a well-designed, roomy, fitted wardrobe. The other two bedrooms were small but tastefully decorated but far less commodious than those Owen and Jonathan were used to at home.

‘They’re a bit on the small side,’ she said doubtfully to Millie who was oohing and aahing in delight.

‘Would you get a grip, Francesca? Jonathan and Owen have cut the apron strings. They’re not children any more. They’re adults and they’re making
lives
of their own now and eventually that will include homes of their own. What’s the point in having huge big bedrooms empty for months at a time? If that’s the case you might as well stay where you are,’ Millie pointed out reasonably. ‘Francesca, this place is gorgeous. It’s ideal for you. You’d be mad not to put in an offer.’

‘Do you think?’ Francesca poked her head around the bathroom door. ‘It’s so modern. Look at the shower.’