One Chance
Mary Finnerty-Morris
Austin Macauley Publishers
One Chance
About the Author
Dedication
Copyright Information
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Chapter Forty-Two
Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter Forty-Four
Chapter Forty-Five
Chapter Forty-Six
Chapter Forty-Seven
Chapter Forty-Eight
Chapter Forty Nine
About the Author
The author is an Irish female with a passion for writing. She has been writing for years, including fiction and poetry. She is married to Declan and comes from a very family-orientated background, loves the outdoors, walking by the sea with her German Shepherd cross, Jaz. She lives in Galway, in the heart of the Claddagh.
Dedication
I would like to dedicate my book to the memory of my mother, Phil.
A beautiful heart. After the loss of whom, I thought my heart would never heal.
This is for you, Mam.
Copyright Information
Copyright © Mary Finnerty-Morris (2019)
The right of Mary Finnerty-Morris to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with section 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.
Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.
A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.
ISBN 9781528900997 (Paperback)
ISBN 9781528901000 (Hardback)
ISBN 9781528901017 (Kindle e-book)
ISBN 9781528956956 (ePub e-book)
www.austinmacauley.com
First Published (2019)
Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd
25 Canada Square
Canary Wharf
London
E14 5LQ
Chapter One
It was early morning. June sighed gently as she strolled along the beach. Two days never the same, today a soft ripple at the water’s edge brought her back to her childhood days; endless days of sunshine (it seemed).
Could she have taken a different road in life, or is life mapped out for everyone? Are we as a feather blowing in the wind of fate having little or no power over our final destination?
Who knows?
“You’re out early,” a familiar voice brought her back from her almost dazed state. It was old Walter, now retired from his fishing days, he liked to potter around on the pier, chat with the lads and tie up their ropes for them, exhausted after their early morning trip to the deep for their catch.
Not an easy life, but for most around these parts, a way of life that was in their blood. Must be a great sense of freedom, June thought, heading off into the blue.
She’d greeted the old man with her usual warm smile. Dear old Walter, who had given her many a shoulder to cry on. Living in a small fishing village was easy, somewhat safe. Having had opportunities to move on and choosing to stay, June now wondered and spent many a waking moment wondering, had she chosen well?
What if she had chosen to go with Matt to make a life in America, where would she be now, would she be happy?
So many ifs! So many regrets!
Now she would never know. One thing she did know, however, life gives you ‘one chance’!
Had she not forgotten to get the eggs in the supermarket that day (so long ago now), she would never have met Matt.
Probably be content to be settled with a nice local lad, of which there were many.
“Don’t forget to check the date,” June passing herself out in her usual hurried state, reached for the eggs (a fairly vital ingredient for tea on pancake Tuesday), how she had forgotten them earlier on in the weekly shop, she’ll never know!
But then she thought to herself, You were born forgetful my dear, your head will never save your legs.
A stranger smiled at her, a rare thing in these parts, for one to meet a stranger in the local shop.
“That one has his money made,” her nan would say, “three prices on everything.” It was miles to the nearest big store and most not with their own transport.
June smiled back.
“Sure you’d melt the heart of any man, giving smiles away like they were ten a penny,” Pop would say as he tousled her hair, dear Pop. The good old days, life was simple then, no confusion, just your nan and your pop and your daily chores.
June’s mam, it seemed, got caught up in some sort of bother years since and had taken off for herself, leaving her daughter ‘a raw infant’ as Nan would say, to be reared on nothing. There was nothing yet there was everything.
“Hi, I’m Matt,” a stranger, but only for a moment.
Within exchanging a few words, June felt she had known Matt all her life. He was sort of—comfortable to talk to.
Maybe that is who your soul mate is, someone you’ve not yet met and when you do, you recognise each other!
Chapter Two
He would be around for a while, had his boat tied up for the bad weather, they would probably bump into each other again, and so they did.
In fact, Matt made it his business, it seems, to run out of milk or something almost every time June went to the corner shop. Became a bit embarrassing after a while! Then he asked her out for a drink in the pub by the quay.
Sure, what was the harm in that! No harm at all, if it hadn’t shaped the rest of her life!
The evening went well, Nan was so glad to see June walking out with ‘a nice young fella’, spent far too much time in the ashes, she had thought.
Matt was twenty-four, two years younger than June, they had often joked about it. He would say he didn’t mind her being the elder lemon, he liked his women mature!
They would giggle and kiss!
At what point, did those friendly kisses grow into so much more! So much that she yearned for the next one!
This was stuff for storybooks, June had read many of her nan’s old love storybooks. She could lose herself in one of those stories, snuggled up on Pop’s old chair for the night.
“Best not be reading too m
uch into that stuff,” Nan used to say, “fill your head with notions.”
That’s rich! June thought, coming from the one with a whole chest full of them!
Wasn’t hard coming back to reality then, you only had to put the book down. However, when reality puts you into another world, there is no escaping it, and June didn’t want to escape it either! This was the happiest time of her life.
In Matt’s arms, she felt like someone else, she was finding herself. Finding new feelings she had never experienced before, feelings she never knew existed. Sure, she’d felt safe and loved with her nan and pop, and she’d had the odd crush on one or two of the local lads growing up. But this was different.
“Best not be sitting there too long in the cold, there’s a storm a brewing,” old Walter shouted from the pier. Boats all tied up, he was heading for shelter.
June was sitting at the water’s edge, it didn’t seem cold to her.
The memories of that day, a few years since now, were keeping her warm.
‘Matt loves June’ was the inscription on the quay wall.
He’d written it from the boat while bobbing around in the water like a cork. A storm had been brewing that day too, only it wasn’t affecting the weather!
Matt would soon be on his way, the weather had settled.
There was no danger now, no reason for him not to go.
They’d had many good times, and had become became close, too close probably! Soon the waters that had brought them together would divide them.
“Want to come sailing with me tomorrow?” Matt was halfway down the garden path when he shouted back. “Weather’s looking good!”
“Ya, okay.” June wasn’t a fan of the sea but she would go, she would be fine. She locked up, didn’t really fancy hot chocolate tonight. She’d go straight to bed. Hadn’t been sleeping so good these past few nights.
Not much sleep on her now either. Matt hadn’t said anything but she’d felt there was something he had wanted to say.
Was he taking her sailing for a reason? Was he soon to be on his way? He would break it to her gently.
Chapter Three
Just like Matt to be so considerate, she was going to miss him. However, she must not tell him that, he must not have the slightest idea that she’d be heartbroken after him.
Matt had his plans, she was not going to get in the way of him pursuing them!
With fair winds in her sails, he proudly took the ‘Mary Ellen’ out in the bay. Full steam ahead till they passed the lighthouse. Hardly a ripple now, it was amazing. So peaceful. They lay watching the gentle breeze play the sails, floating along to the whisper of the sea.
“June,” her heart sank. This is it, she thought, he’ll soon be on his way.
“After a lot of thought, I’ve decided to sell the ‘Mary Ellen’.” June looked up. What was he saying? Was he going to stay?
Had her sleepless nights been in vain?
However, her relief was short lived.
“I’m going further afield, going to America.” Mouth open, June glared speechless as he continued, “And I want you to come with me.”
He moved closer and held her, so tight she gasped for breath.
“I love you June—I know we haven’t known each other for long, but I do know I want to be with you, I want to show you the world.”
At that moment, in his strong embrace, June could have agreed to anything. She knew in her heart she had fallen for Matt the first day ever.
She hadn’t expected this, how could she up and leave and go to America?
She couldn’t.
Matt was independent, and she’d seen that in the way he’d looked at life. He’d broken his ties with his family long since, kept in touch of course but had made his own way.
June had Nan to think about, and now since Pop had passed on she depended on her even more. She couldn’t up and leave!
It would break Nan’s heart to see her go, it was going to break June’s heart to stay!
“I’m sorry June, I thought—” Matt started up the engine, they headed for home. Clouds seemed to gather, blocking the sun. June sat calmly hiding the tears. As they approached the quay wall, the engine was turned off.
They would sail in on the breeze, prolonging the agony.
June couldn’t wait to get her feet on the pier, she wanted to run, scream, get away from this deafening silence.
Then Matt pulled in alongside the quay wall and started to inscribe their names on the wall.
There was only so long she could hold back the tears!
Matt held her close, as if he had heard her heart breaking, for what could only have been minutes but seemed like an eternity.
“Nice day for it,” Walter was waiting to tie up the ropes. Matt was a likable sort had fitted in around here like it was in his blood. But it wasn’t, soon the ties would be broken.
June was aching!
They walked hand in hand, as they had done so many times before, past the old rectory, down the lane. Quiet now but alive during the day with children playing hopscotch, as she did herself in what now seemed like a lifetime ago.
This time as their lips touched the tenderness had turned to urgency. The love that had brought such joy that her heart almost leapt out of her chest, now caused her to ache.
Ache so much that she wanted to cry out.
“We’ll talk tomorrow,” Matt was aching too. She watched him walk down the garden path so many times before, but this time she’d felt every step as if holding on to a cliff’s edge and losing grip!
Chapter Four
“Night Nan,” June knew, although in bed hours since Nan would be lying waiting for her familiar footsteps on the stairs.
“Night, night!”
No reply, tonight must be later than she thought.
Even at twenty-six June could expect words in the morning. “Any respectable girl would be in bed by midnight,” Nan would huff and puff over breakfast, June would apologise and that would be that, on with the day.
She awoke late next morning, still exhausted. After lying awake for hours, the daylight had brought relief, relief had brought sleep. But not enough, before it was time to get up and face the day.
All was quiet in the kitchen. No Nan letting off steam, no kettle on the boil. For a moment, June didn’t think, “Cup of tea would be nice.”
Then panic struck, Nan should be up! She hadn’t answered goodnight last night!
June didn’t remember climbing the stairs, opening the bedroom door, or even picking Nan off the floor!
All she could think of now was to get help, though knowing in her heart it was too late. There was a deathly cold feeling off her wrinkled skin and a stiffness to her now frail body, the room seemed somewhat eerie and June just sat holding her nan in her arms until she’d cried enough.
God she would miss her, not only her jolly presence around the place but the hundreds of things she’d taken for granted in the past. Nan always being there, dinner on the table, kettle on the boil.
Silly things, everyday things that you don’t miss until they are no longer there!
Even down to the night before, June hadn’t thought anything of Nan not saying goodnight. She’d taken it for granted and fallen asleep, she should have checked.
Maybe she could have done something, maybe she’d be alive today, and at the very least, maybe Nan wouldn’t have died alone! Matt was wonderful. She could not have gone through those few days without him, could not have faced the weeks ahead without his support.
Grief had taken its toll, as it does. Sadness had turned to anger, anger in turn had turned to fear, fear to loneliness and then came the reality of it all.
June cried every day, there was such a vacancy in her life now with Nan gone.
‘For Sale’, the ‘Mary Ellen’ had brought lots of interest, many offers. She was a lovely boat. Round these parts, there were lots of boats, but only the basic fishing boats, strong and sturdy not much attention to detail.
The
‘Mary Ellen’ had style, Matt struggled with his decision. Since Nan had passed on he’d been even closer to June, getting on with his life now, following his dreams brought doubts. America was all he’d ever dreamt about.
The ‘Mary Ellen’ had given him the freedom of taking off into the sunset, pulling into the different harbours, tasting the local traditions. But never had he tasted anything so sweet as to not want to leave it behind!
Would June have changed her mind now Nan wasn’t around any longer and didn’t depend on her being here there?
Or was there something else that had a hold on her here?
Maybe she didn’t love him, maybe… Matt had to stop, his mind was racing. He would give it a little more time. There this was no time for change, there had already been more than enough of that for June. She was heartbroken after her nan and he wasn’t going to add to it!
He would wait.
Chapter Five
It was like living through a nightmare these past few months.
So many mixed emotions, June didn’t remember feeling like this after Pop died. Sure, she had missed him, and still did, but Nan! It was as if her whole world had collapsed that day. She hadn’t realised she was such a big part of her life. This was the hardest goodbye.
June had dropped out of school early to help with the chores. There were no regular friends to speak of, at least not many of her own age. She’d spent a lot of time with her pop and his mates, and the rest of her time just being there with her nan. Then Matt came into her life.
Dear Matt! She knew he was holding off, she knew his dreams of America were being put on the back boiler for her now. It was just like him to be so considerate, so selfless.
Nevertheless, it was time now to move on, whatever that meant!
“One day at a time,” that was what old Walter had said as he squeezed her hand so tight the day of the burial.
“One day at a time,” as he walked away, tears streaming down his weathered face. June loved the old folk around here.
They were of a different era, they had such qualities, and had time to give.
“I know what you need,” Matt had caught her daydreaming, again. Just back from ‘The Forge,’ the blacksmiths in the next village. He’d taken a few hours there doing the books filling in for Millie, who had taken ill.
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